Sports

Chargers draft pick Joe Alt following in his father's NFL footsteps

Published

2 years ago

April 26, 2024

Chargers draft pick Joe Alt following in his father's NFL footsteps

They were both first-round picks, this father and son, but the boy now will forever hold an advantage over the old man.

Joe Alt was taken fifth overall by the Chargers on Thursday, four decades after John went 21st overall to the Kansas City Chiefs.

“We’re a little competitive in our family,” John said, smiling. “So that will be one of the ‘gotchas,’ I’m sure.”

The Chargers introduced their latest first-rounder Friday afternoon at their training facility in Costa Mesa, Joe Alt explaining that he felt gratitude and “straight excitement” for the opportunity before him.

Listed by the NFL at 6-foot-9, 321 pounds, he’s expected to add a significant presence for the Chargers at right tackle on offense.

The addition of Alt marked another step in coach Jim Harbaugh’s expressed desire to transform the Chargers into a more powerful, line-of-scrimmage force.

Alt, 21, sounded ready for the assignment when he was asked what he liked best about playing offensive line.

“Being able to hit someone every single play,” he answered. “You don’t have a play off. You’re going to be throwing your head in there whether it’s a pass or a run.”

As a Charger, Alt said he would wear No. 76, the same number he had at Notre Dame and the one his father wore for 13 years as an offensive tackle for the Chiefs beginning in 1984.

Chargers draft pick Joe Alt arrives to be introduced at a news conference in Costa Mesa on Friday.

(Damian Dovarganes / Associated Press)

John Alt, listed at 6-8, 298 pounds, was a two-time Pro Bowl player who started 149 NFL games after coming out of the University of Iowa.

Both Alts reached the pros in part because of the athleticism they possessed inside their large frames.

Explaining that he “might have been a little better athlete,” John said he ran a 4.96-second 40-yard dash in the pre-draft process compared to 5.05 for his son. He also said his vertical jump was eight inches superior.

“We’ve been competing a little bit,” John said, smiling again. “You know how is it. You remember things the way you want them sometimes.”

Alt was in the second grade when his father began coaching him, a tutelage that continued through Alt’s time at Totino-Grace High School, near Minneapolis.

Knowing his son had a similar body type, John said he always figured Alt was destined to play offensive line. But for much of the time he was growing up, Alt was a quarterback before moving to tight end for his junior year of high school.

Chargers draft pick Joe Alt, left, poses with his parents, Carolyn, center, and John.

“I just wanted to give him a chance to play some other positions and learn the game,” John said. “I think that’s a great experience for anybody.”

Said Alt of his dad: “He was there. He allowed me to really learn what football was and [gain] an appreciation for the game and what it did for me and my family.”

All along, the two worked on offensive line-type drills, John emphasizing footwork and agility, particularly after Alt experienced a five-inch growth spurt, reaching 6-7 midway through high school.

John said he realized that if his son could maintain his coordination “through that period of growth, he’d come out the other end with what he wanted.”

Still, Alt was not highly recruited, with Iowa and Minnesota being the only Big Ten schools to pursue him. But the idea of reaching the NFL remained a constant driving influence, Alt explained.

“Football’s all I can remember growing up,” he said. “Walking into the basement, my dad’s jersey was hung up at the bottom of the steps. It was a dream for me for my entire life.”

Alt’s brother, Mark, is a professional hockey player and spent a brief time with the Kings in 2020-21. Alt said he gave up hockey in the second grade because “I got a little heavy for it.”

Now, he finds himself as a weighty addition in the rebuilding of the Chargers, a team Harbaugh and his assistants have touted as an ideal destination for offensive linemen.

“Being wanted is one of the best feelings in the world,” Alt said. “Being [at] a position that the coaches and people feel matters just makes you want to do it that much more and do it for them because they care so much about it.”

Sports

ESPN star rips iconic college basketball team with $22M roster for disappointing season

Published

4 hours ago

March 9, 2026

Press Room

ESPN star rips iconic college basketball team with M roster for disappointing season

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The Kentucky Wildcats basketball team may still make the NCAA Tournament, but Dick Vitale thinks this iconic program should be much better than their 19-12 record this season considering their whopping $22 million roster.

The legendary ESPN college basketball analyst didn’t hold back his feelings about the Wildcats as they played Florida during Saturday’s prime SEC matchup. After the Gators hit some free throws to extend their first-half lead to 26-19, Vitale started to lay into the Wildcats.

Head coach Mark Pope of the Kentucky Wildcats in a game between the Florida Gators and the Kentucky Wildcats on March 7, 2026, at Rupp Arena in Lexington, KY. (Jeff Moreland/Icon Sportswire)

“I’m going to say this right here, I’ve done several Kentucky games, win or lose, $22 million this team [which has been reported] in terms of the NIL for their players,” he said, per Awful Announcing. “I think in $22 million, they could have put together a better roster than they did. I really do.”

The Wildcats ended up losing by a score of 84-77, and Vitale continued about Kentucky near the end of their 12th loss of the season.

“I’ll tell you one thing, you don’t want to walk out of here thinking you got a moral victory,” Vitale said, referencing a hard-fought game against the No. 5-ranked Florida team. “Moral victories don’t count at this level of basketball. And you hear some of the people, ‘We played them close. We played them tough.’

“The bottom line is you’re Kentucky. You’re Kentucky. And you’ve got to leave here with a win, especially at home. There are no moral victories. Come on. I don’t want to hear that.”

Collin Chandler and Jasper Johnson of the Kentucky Wildcats celebrate in the first half against the Ole Miss Rebels at Rupp Arena on Jan. 24, 2026 in Lexington, Kentucky. (Dylan Buell/Getty Images)

The Wildcats were once the top program in the country under former Coach John Calipari, who left for Arkansas after being unable to make a long March Madness run in recent seasons, including a shocking first round upset to the Oakland Golden Grizzlies in the 2024 NCAA Tournament.

The Wildcats have been coached by Mark Pope since, and they made the Sweet 16 in last year’s tournament before losing to Tennessee.

Kentucky Jasper Johnson in action vs Michigan State at Madison Square Garden in New York, NY on Nov. 18, 2025. (Erick W. Rasco/Sports Illustrated )

But this year, Kentucky is 10-8 in SEC play, and now face the No. 9 seed in the upcoming tournament this week. The winner of each conference earns a tournament berth, but the Wildcats know good seeding in the NCAA Tournament requires a strong run heading into Selection Sunday this upcoming weekend.

The Wildcats will start their SEC Tournament play on Wednesday against No. 16 LSU.

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Scott Thompson is a sports writer for Fox News Digital.

Sports

Chargers agree to deal with former Dolphins fullback Alec Ingold

Published

5 hours ago

March 9, 2026

Press Room

Chargers agree to deal with former Dolphins fullback Alec Ingold

The Chargers bolstered their efforts to protect quarterback Justin Herbert all while diversifying their offense by agreeing to a multiyear deal with veteran fullback Alec Ingold on Sunday, the team announced.

Ingold’s deal with the Chargers reportedly is for two years and $7.5 million.

Ingold will be no stranger to the Chargers’ plans on offense. He played the past four seasons in Miami under coach Mike McDaniel, the Chargers’ new offensive coordinator. Last year he caught eight passes for 52 yards and ran the ball twice in 17 games.

Ingold caught 47 passes for 372 yards and rushed for 34 yards in 20 carries in four seasons with the Dolphins. He also had two rushing touchdowns and a receiving touchdown.

Before his time in Miami, Ingold played three seasons with the Raiders.

The deal comes two days after the Chargers signed veteran center Tyler Biadasz to take over for the retiring Bradley Bozeman. They agreed to terms on a one-year deal with edge rusher Khalil Mack on Saturday.

With the free agency negotiation period set to begin Monday at 9 a.m. PDT, the Chargers remain in strong position to be significant players in the free-agent market. They rank among the top-five teams in salary cap space, per Overthecap.com.

Sports

Cowboys star, fiancée end relationship month before wedding: report

Published

16 hours ago

March 8, 2026

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Cowboys star, fiancée end relationship month before wedding: report

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Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott and his fiancée, Sarah Jane Ramos, reportedly broke up with their wedding around the corner.

Prescott and Ramos’ relationship had been “rocky” in the weeks leading up to the breakup and things exploded between the two at their joint bachelor and bachelorette parties, TMZ Sports reported on Saturday.

Dak Prescott and Sarah Jane Ramos attend the Farrah Fawcett Foundation Tex-Mex Fiesta on Oct. 30, 2025 in Dallas, Texas. (Omar Vega/Getty Images for Farrah Fawcett Foundation)

Ramos shared pictures of her trip with her friends on Instagram on Friday.

“I truly believe you can get through anything in life as long as you have really great friends. I love these girls so much,” Ramos captioned the collage of snaps.

Prescott was not pictured in any of the 16 photos and videos posted to her social media account.

Sarah Jane Ramos and Dak Prescott pose for a photo before Dak Prescott’s Faith Fight Finish Foundation Gala on May 17, 2024 in Dallas, Texas. (Richard Rodriguez/Getty Images for Faith Fight Finish Foundation)

Ramos also posted photos of her bridal shower back on Feb. 23. There were no photos of Prescott in the carousel either.

“The most intimate and beautiful bridal shower of my dreams,” she added on Instagram. “So grateful for my aunts who hosted it and my girlfriends and family that came to celebrate. I love you all so much and can’t wait to marry the love of my life with all of you by my side.”

Fox News Digital reached out to Prescott’s representative for comment.

Prescott posted a series of photos on his Instagram of Ramos and his family on July 20, 2025. There’s only a September advertisement posted on his account since.

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott and Sarah Jane Ramos pose on the NFL Honors Red Carpet before Super Bowl LX at Palace of Fine Arts on Feb. 5, 2026. (Kirby Lee/Imagn Images)

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The NFL star and Ramos announced they were engaged on Oct. 18, 2024. The couple have two children together.

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