Alabama News

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Former Alabama prep, Troy standout changes teams in NFC North

Players signed to reserve/future contracts almost invariably had been members of the signing team’s practice squad. But there was an exception on Wednesday.

Among the 13 players signed by the Minnesota Vikings to reserve/future contracts was cornerback Reddy Steward. The former Austin High School and Troy standout did spend the 2024 NFL season on a practice squad, but the defensive back was with the Chicago Bears.

Steward switched teams in the NFC North after playing in one game as an undrafted rookie. In Chicago’s 29-9 loss to the Arizona Cardinals, Steward got on the field as a practice-squad elevation for 18 defensive snaps and one special-teams play, made one tackle and forced one fumble.

A two-time All-State selection for his Decatur high school and a two-time All-Sun Belt Conference first-team pick during his four seasons as a starter at Troy, Steward solidified a spot with Chicago with two interceptions, including a pick-six, in the Bears’ 34-21 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs in the preseason finale on Aug. 22.

A player signed to a reserve/future contract can be added to an NFL team’s roster when it expands from 53 to 90 players for the offseason on March 12, the first day of the NFL’s 2025 business year. The newly signed players become eligible to participate in offseason workouts, minicamps and OTAs as team members.

Only players who aren’t on NFL active rosters can sign reserve/future contracts.

Minnesota also included Travis Bell among its reserve/future signees. A former Montgomery prep standout at Jeff Davis (now J.A.G.), Bell became the first draft pick from Kennesaw State when the Bears took him in the seventh round in 2023.

Bell started his rookie season on Chicago’s practice squad, joined Atlanta and played in two games when the Falcons signed him for their active roster in November and finished 2023 on the Cincinnati Bengals’ practice squad.

Bell spent three weeks on the Chicago practice squad in 2024, but he was a free agent when Minnesota signed him for its practice squad on Nov. 6.

FOR MORE OF AL.COM’S COVERAGE OF THE NFL, GO TO OUR NFL PAGE

Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on X at @AMarkG1.

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Katie Britt breaks from Tuberville on California wildfire aid: ‘America stands with them’

A day after her Alabama counterpart said Californians “don’t deserve” money for the Los Angeles wildfires “unless they show that they’re gonna change their ways,” Sen. Katie Britt suggested putting policy conditions on an aid package would be the wrong approach.

“I think what we need to be doing right now is standing firmly with the people of California, letting them know they have our prayers, they have our support and that we stand ready to be thoughtful about ways that we can help in making sure that they have the resources they need,” Britt said in a conversation Tuesday with Politico’s Jonathan Martin.

But Britt said California should not be given unfettered access to federal funds.

“That being said, obviously, you’re not just going to write a blank check,” she said. “We have to be judicious with our dollars, and I think that we certainly will be. But I think the people of California need to know that America stands with them, and that’s certainly the message that I plan to send.”

Britt’s stance on aid is a departure from Sen. Tommy Tuberville, who on Monday said California doesn’t deserve a dime without policy concessions.

During an appearance Monday on Newsmax, Tuberville was asked why other states should “be bailing out California for choosing the wrong people to lead their state.”

“We shouldn’t be,” Tuberville said. “They got 40 million people in that state and they voting these imbeciles in office, and they continue to do it. And it’s just a very small part of them in that state that’s doing it.

“If you go to California, you run into a lot of Republicans, a lot of good people, and I hate it for them,” the senator continued, “But they are just overwhelmed by these inner-city woke policies with the people that vote for them.

Tuberville said he does not object to some federal funds being earmarked to help California, on one condition.

“I don’t mind sending them some money, but unless they show that they’re gonna change their ways and get back to building dams and stormwater, doing the maintenance with the brush and the trees – everything that everybody else does in the country, and they refuse to do it – they don’t deserve anything, to be honest with you, unless they show us they’re gonna make some changes,” he said.

Tuberville’s response drew the ire of several critics, including Comedy Central’s Jon Stewart.

During a segment on “The Daily Show” Monday, Stewart expressed anger at Tuberville and other Republicans that are trying to attach their, “I told you so’s as a condition of funding California’s disaster relief.”

Stewart responded to the clip of Tuberville’s Newsmax interview saying that the senator’s comments were “psychotic” and that despite Alabama’s horrible educational benchmarks aid would never be conditioned for disaster relief.

“Really senator from Alabama?” Stewart said.

“The state near the bottom in math, reading and test scores. Next time you get hit by a f****ng hurricane, why don’t we have a little parent teacher conference to see that if you got your scores up, you would get the money, or actually, let’s not do it, because you’ll get the money anyway, because we’re not f****ng psychos. That is psychotic. There’s something wrong with you.”

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Five Alabama basketball players nominated for McDonald’s All-American Games

Five Alabama high school basketball standouts were nominated for the McDonald’s All-American Games, the organization announced Monday.

Three girls athletes were nominated in Park Crossing duo Ramiyah Myers and Saniya Jackson, with reigning Miss Basketball Ace Austin also earning a nomination.

Hoover duo Dewayne Brown and Salim London were the two boys athletes nominated from the state.

The event is set for Tuesday, April 1 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, with all players nominated for the East squad.

Nominations are submitted by varsity head coaches, athletic directors, principals and members of the McDonald’s All-American Game selection committee.

Jackson was a second-team all-state selection last season in Class 7A and earned MVP honors for the South in the AHSAA North-South All-Star basketball competition, with her and teammate Myers helping lead Class 6A No. 1 Park Crossing to a 23-1 record so far this season.

An Alabama signee, Austin has helped key Class 1A No. 1 Spring Garden to a 24-1 record this year. She was named Gatorade Alabama Player of the Year and MaxPreps Alabama Player of the Year last season with the Panthers, who won their second straight 1A title last season.

Brown, a Tennessee commit, and London, signed with UAB, were both recognized on the Class 7A all-state basketball team and have helped Class 7A No. 1 Hoover to a 24-0 record so far this season.

The two helped lead the Bucs to a second straight Class 7A state title last season.

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Biden warns of dangers of ‘oligarchy’ of ultra-rich, ‘tech-industrial complex’ running country in farewell address

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden used his farewell address to the nation Wednesday to warn of an “oligarchy” of the ultra-wealthy taking root in the country and of a “tech-industrial complex” that is infringing on Americans’ rights and the future of democracy.

Speaking from the Oval Office as he prepares to hand over power Monday to President-elect Donald Trump, Biden sounded alarm over the accumulation of power and wealth among a small few.

“Today, an oligarchy is taking shape in America of extreme wealth, power and influence that literally threatens our entire democracy, our basic rights and freedoms, and a fair shot for everyone to get ahead,” Biden said, drawing attention to ”a dangerous concentration of power in the hands of a few ultra-wealthy people. Dangerous consequences if their abuse of power is left unchecked.”

Invoking President Dwight Eisenhower’s warnings about the military-industrial complex when he left office, he added, “I’m equally concerned about the potential rise of a tech-industrial complex that could pose real dangers to our country as well.”

Biden sounded the alarm as some of the world’s richest individuals and titans of its technology industry have flocked to Trump’s side in recent months, particularly after his November victory. Billionaire Elon Musk spent more than $100 million on helping Trump get elected, and executives like Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg and Amazon’s Jeff Bezos have donated to Trump’s inaugural committee and made pilgrimages to Trump’s private club in Florida for an audience with the president-elect.

Biden also called for a constitutional amendment to end immunity for sitting presidents, after the Supreme Court granted Trump sweeping protections last year from criminal liability over his role in trying to undermine his 2020 defeat to Biden.

By ZEKE MILLER, CHRIS MEGERIAN and COLLEEN LONG Associated Press

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South Alabama’s Jamaal Pritchett headed to Senior Bowl

Former South Alabama wide receiver Jamaal Pritchett has accepted his invitation to play in the 2025 Reese’s Senior Bowl.

Jaguars head coach Major Applewhite made the announcement during an appearance at Wednesday night’s South Alabama basketball game vs. Southern Miss at the Mitchell Center. The Jaguars football team was on hand to be recognized for winning the Salute to Veterans Bowl in Montgomery last month.

The 5-foot-8, 175-pound Pritchett led the Sun Belt Conference in both receptions (91) and yards (1,127) in 2024, while tying for second in the league with nine touchdown receptions. The Jackson native joined the South Alabama team as a walk-on in 2022 after spending his freshman season at Tuskegee.

Pritchett is the 12th South Alabama player to participate in the Senior Bowl. The Jaguars have had at least one player in the Senior Bowl for five straight years, with Pritchett joining quarterback Carter Bradley (2024), cornerback Darrell Luter and wide receiver Jalen Wayne (2023), wide receiver Jalen Tolbert (2022) and linebacker Riley Cole (2021).

The Senior Bowl takes place Feb. 1 at Hancock Whitney Stadium on the South Alabama campus, meaning Pritchett will get one more game at his home stadium. A Jackson native, Pritchett joins Notre Dame quarterback Riley Leonard (Fairhope) and Florida linebacker Shemar James (Faith Academy) as players with southern Alabama ties in this year’s edition of the annual college football all-star game and NFL draft showcase.

Additional Senior Bowl players will be announced periodically as game week approaches. A full list of accepted invitations is available by clicking HERE.

Kickoff for the 2025 Senior Bowl is set for 1:30 p.m. on Feb. 1, with television coverage on NFL Network Tickets are available at seniorbowl.com/tickets.

Players with state of Alabama ties in 2025 Senior Bowl

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Florence officers kill armed man police say threatened to ‘shoot up’ headquarters

An armed suspect was killed by Florence officers Wednesday night after he threatened to “shoot up” police headquarters, authorities said.

Around 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, a male called 911 and “said that he was at the police department, said he was going to shoot up the place up,” police said.

Officers responded and found the armed suspect firing shots.

Police did not say where the gunman’s shots landed, but officers returned fire, killing the suspect, police said.

Florence police said the incident is being investigated by the Lauderdale County Sheriff’s Office.

Lauderdale County Coroner Kim Jones told AL.com she was en route to the scene around 7:15 p.m. and did not have the gunman’s identity.

No officers were injured in the incident, police said, and there was no active threat to the community.

Further information was unavailable.

This is a breaking news story and will be updated as more information becomes available.

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Senior Bowl announces head coaches, coordinators for 2025 game

Bubba Ventrone of the Cleveland Browns and Mike Kafka of the New York Giants will serve as head coaches in the 2025 Reese’s Senior Bowl, set for Feb. 1 in Mobile.

Ventrone, who is the Browns’ assistant head coach and special teams coordinator, will serve as head coach of the American team. Kafka, the Giants’ offensive coordinator, will be head coach of the National team.

Other key staff members for the American team include Giants running backs coach Joel Thomas (offensive coordinator), Indianapolis Colts senior assistant defensive line coach Matt Raich (defensive coordinator) and San Francisco 49ers special teams quality control coach August Mangin (special teams coordinator). Coordinators for the National team will be Green Bay Packers pass game coordinator Jason Vrable (offense), Browns defensive line coach Jacques Cesaire (defense) and Tennessee Titans assistant Perry Carter (special teams).

The Browns have the second overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft, while the Giants own the No. 3 pick. The Titans have the No. 1 pick.

Kickoff for the 2025 Senior Bowl is set for 1:30 p.m. on Feb. 1, with television coverage on NFL Network Tickets are available at seniorbowl.com/tickets.

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George W. Bush speaking in Huntsville as guest of healthcare nonprofit

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Talladega woman killed when car hits a horse in Coosa County

A Talladega woman was killed when her vehicle crashed into a horse on a Coosa County roadway.

Alabama State Troopers identified the victim as Janice W. Bullard. She was 63.

The wreck happened at 11:40 p.m. Tuesday on U.S. 231, eight miles south of Rockford.

ALEA Lt. Jeremy Burkett said Bullard was a passenger in a Chrysler 200 that struck a horse standing in the road.

After the initially collision, the Chrysler left the road and hit a large rock.

Bullard, Burkett said, was not using a seat belt at the time of the crash and pronounced dead on the scene.

The horse also died.

The driver of the Chrysler, 47-year-old Angela M. Lackey and another passenger, 67-year-old Nina S. Lackey, both also of Talladega, were taken to UAB Hospital in Birmingham. The severity of their injuries has not been released.

The investigation is ongoing by troopers.

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1.4 million people attended events in record-breaking year for BJCC

More than 1.4 million people attended 466 events, conventions and concerts at the Birmingham Jefferson Jefferson Convention Complex in 2024, as the city’s top venues continue to rebound from the COVID pandemic.

At Legacy Arena, Protective Stadium and the BJCC Concert Hall, nearly a million people attended 271 events. And ticket sales for P!NK LIVE in November eclipsed $40 million, making her the highest-grossing female artist ever at the BJCC.

“It was a year full of great signature events,” said Tad Snider, the CEO of the BJCC on Wednesday following the board’s monthly meeting. “We had a couple of events with same-day sellouts, and Zack Bryan sold out two shows back-to-back. Team that with $2.4 million in gross revenue at the stadium, including a great Birmingham Bowl game with Georgia Tech and Vanderbilt, and by all of our measures, pre-COVID and since, 2024 broke all those metrics.”

Buoyed by major sold-out acts lured following the $125 million renovation of Legacy Arena and $175 million construction of Protective Stadium, it’s believed to be the BJCC’s best year ever, Snider said.

At midyear 2024, Legacy Arena ranked No. 52 worldwide for tickets sold and No. 55 in gross revenue, according to Pollstar, which tracks and ranks ticket sales at venues. The BJCC Concert Hall was ranked No. 46 worldwide for tickets sold and No. 70 in global gross revenue.

“It was a great year for us,” Snider added.

The success validated the significant investment in the aging arena and new stadium, Snider said.

“In terms of investment return on the dollar, based on feedback from the public, our concert partners and sports partners like the NCAA, the investment in the arena is probably the best one we’ve made,” he said. “Essentially taking a building 50 years old and being able to reposition it for another 25 or 30 years, most of the feedback we received from people — especially if it’s the first time they come to an event since the renovation — they almost can’t believe it’s the same building.”

Based on current bookings in 2025 and 2026, Snider says the complex sees the convention and meeting segment “coming back” to pre-pandemic levels.

The BJCC is emphasizing what Snider calls the “fan experience” inside and outside the venues.

The renovated Arena Club at Legacy, where event attendees pay for a “premium” pre-event experience including food and libations, is selling at 70-100% of its 250-person capacity, officials reported at today’s board meeting.

The $3.9 million renovation of the piazza between the arena and concert hall began this week and is expected to be completed by mid-May when the World Police & Fire Games are scheduled to be held, according to the BJCC.

Snider also said meetings are being held with retailers and restaurants throughout downtown, and other areas of the city, including the south side, to ensure greater collaboration on taking a “destination approach” to elevating the “fan experience” while out-of-towners visit the city for events.

Snider said the BJCC got feedback from the Birmingham Bowl and the 2023 NCAA men’s basketball tournament to improve the fan experience outside the venues.

“So, all our hoteliers are fully bought into the excitement around having those tourists in town, having a great Birmingham experience that we all want them to have,” he said. “Same thing with restaurants — just make sure that while we have the opportunity to be on a national stage and people are visiting Birmingham, sometimes for the first time, we’ve really got a solid plan in place for that. It’s an opportunity for us to continue to improve what our visitors experience.

BJCC officials also reported today that 33,500 tickets have already been sold for the 2025 NCAA Women’s Division I Basketball Regionals that will be held at the arena March 28-31.

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