Myles Garrett, invest — (Photo: Steph Chambers/Getty Images)

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

March 10, 2025

Myles Garrett Becomes Highest-Paid Non-Quarterback After Agreeing To Contract Extension With Cleveland Browns

The deal will reportedly pay the defensive back an average of $40 million per year

Another record-breaking contract extension took place in the NFL when Myles Garrett and the Cleveland Browns agreed to a deal that will keep the defensive end with the team through the 2030 season.

The Browns announced that Garrett signed an extension to stay with the team, after publicly requesting a trade in February following a disappointing 3-14 record. He expressed a desire to win when he stated that he wanted to leave. Garrett met with Andrew Berry, Executive Vice President of Football Operations and General Manager, to discuss his frustration after they spoke during their exit interviews once the season ended.

9️⃣5️⃣ is staying in the 2️⃣1️⃣6️⃣

We’ve agreed to terms on a 4-year extension with Myles Garrett!

📰 » https://t.co/jbP3i6GLU4 pic.twitter.com/Uwn01KdaZi

— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) March 9, 2025

Berry knew that having Garrett stay on the team would make him an integral part of the team’s winning, so he offered the extension. The team did not release details on how much the deal was worth, but ESPN reported that he would average $40 million per year. With $123.5 million in guaranteed money, Garrett is now the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history.

On Feb. 3, Garrett requested a trade. In a written statement, he said his “goal was never to go from Cleveland to Canton; it has always been to compete for and win a Super Bowl.”

He asked to be traded to a playoff-contending team.

Garrett’s contract includes a no-trade clause, which was negotiated by his agent, Kluth Sports’ President of Football, Nicole Lynn.

Garrett has been with the Browns for eight seasons after being selected No. 1 by the team in the 2017 NFL Draft. The six-time Pro Bowler won the 2023 Defensive Player of the Year and was in the running to win the award in 2022 and 2024.

Although the Browns had a dismal season, he was a bright light for the franchise. During the 2024 season, he became the 45^th player in NFL history since 1982 to have 100 career sacks. Garrett was the fourth-fastest player to achieve that feat when he did it in his 115^th game, and the only player to accomplish that before turning 29.

Remote Workers. Work from home, Laptop, remote work — (Photo: nappy/Pexels)

by Sharelle B. McNair

March 10, 2025

California and Texas Are The Latest States To Push For The End Of Remote Work For Federal Employees

Despite research proving that in-office requirements make employees less productive, states are pushing efficiency as the reason behind the change.

If you are a federal employee in California or Texas, remote work life could be ending as state leaders are pushing for workers to return to the office, The Associated Press reports.

Democratic and Republican-led states are mimicking policies handed down by President Donald Trump, who mandated that still-employed federal employees return to the office full-time after years of hybrid or remote work. Several Fortune 500 companies like Amazon and AT&T have followed suit.

Federal workers in California are mandated to return to office life at least four days a week starting July 1 under the direction of Gov. Gavin Newsom, who says it’s about productivity and collaboration. Employees like Jonah Paul, who has to take the train two days a week to the office in the capital city of Sacramento, aren’t thrilled about the change. He says he’s lucky if he is home by 7 p.m. with the heavy commute.

He said, “People have been really upset” over the order. “The governor’s executive order kind of blindsided everybody,” the president of the Sacramento chapter of SEIU Local 1000 said.

Despite research proving that in-office requirements make employees less productive, state leaders in Missouri, Ohio, and Indiana — mainly with GOP leadership — push the efficiency narrative as the reason behind the change.

In Texas, Gov. Greg Abbott pushed the narrative of guaranteeing “taxpayer dollars are being utilized efficiently” in an email federal employees received in early March 2025, according to NBC DFW. “Any remote work policies must ensure taxpayer dollars are being utilized efficiently,” Abbott spokesperson Andrew Mahaleris explained.

“With remote federal workers returning to the office where possible, it’s important that state agencies ensure they do the same.”

While over 50% of California’s 224,000 full-time employees, such as highway patrol officers, have already returned to in-person work, some employees aren’t used to the change. Experts say the change will not likely lead to mass resignations, but companies and agencies shouldn’t count it out. UCLA Professor of Urban Planning Chris Tilly, who studies labor markets, said states will have to develop a heightened reason for employees to return.

“States are going to have to increase salaries or fatten up the benefits package in other ways if they’re asking people to forgo this flexibility,” Tilly said.

Paul and Texas state employee Rolf Straubhaar said another concern is space and those with medical needs not receiving the exceptions they need, adding to reasons why some employees may opt out. “There’s a physical space constraint that makes this order even more absurd,” Paul said.

“It’s not really realistic to force everyone to come back.”

Eddie George, Tennessee State, Bowling University — photo credit: Wikkimedia

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

March 10, 2025

Eddie George’s New Gridiron: Tennessee State University Exit, Bowling Green State University Era Begins

He takes the job after winning the Big South-Ohio Valley Conference Coach of the Year

Former NFL player-turned-college football head coach Eddie George is leaving Tennessee State University to take over the reigns of the Bowling Green State University football team.

The school announced the hiring Mar. 9, as George vacates the position at TSU that he has helmed for the past four years. He became the 21st head football coach for the Falcons, returning to the state where he played during his collegiate career.

“I am truly excited to be the head coach at Bowling Green State University,” said George in a written statement. “Bowling Green is a wonderful community that has embraced the school and the athletics department. We are eager to immerse ourselves in the community and help build this program to the greatness it deserves. I am overwhelmed with excitement and joy for the possibilities this opportunity holds. I’m also thrilled to be back in the great state of Ohio, where I played my college football. I look forward to meeting the team, the coaches, everyone in the athletics department, and everyone in the BGSU and Bowling Green community.”

After leading TSU to back-to-back winning seasons, George took over a losing program that averaged just over three wins per year in the previous four seasons before he came on board. The 2023 and 2024 seasons were the team’s first consecutive winning seasons since 2016-17. The team ended the regular season with a 9-3 record, the best record for the program since 2013, leading the team to a conference title, the first one in 25 years. George was also recognized for his coaching prowess as the Big South-Ohio Valley Conference Coach of the Year. He was the runner-up for the Eddie Robinson National Coach of the Year award.

The Nashville Tennessean reported that the former coach of TSU addressed the team to inform them that he was leaving.

“There is never a good time for retirement or making a transition, moving on to a new coaching position. I had to really weigh my options and look at what I was walking away from and where I was going toward. There’s a lot of reasons why I made this decision. I intended to stay here at Tennessee State with hopes that things would improve and so forth. And they will, eventually. But just not in this time frame. And I understand that.”

George isn’t new to the Buckeye State. He played at Ohio State University, where he won the Heisman Trophy in 1995. In 1996, the Houston Oilers (Now the Tennessee Titans) drafted him in the first round, and he played in the NFL for eight seasons (his last season with the Dallas Cowboys) before playing his last game during the 2004 season, retiring in 2006.

BLACK SURGEON, Doctor, Hospital, Stethoscope, HIV, STII,, Houston — Photo by Nappy/Unsplash

by Mitti Hicks

March 10, 2025

U.S. Health and Human Services Offers Employees $25,000 Buyout

HHS is reportedly one of the federal government’s costliest agencies, with an annual budget of $1.7 trillion.

The nation’s top health agency, Health and Human Services (HHS), is offering employees a $25,000 buyout to leave their jobs. The HHS Department has over 80,000 federal workers responsible for researching diseases, inspecting food, and administering Medicare and Medicaid.

According to the Associated Press, health and human services employees can begin opting into the buyout by Monday. Staff will have until 5 p.m. Friday, March 14, to submit a response to the voluntary separation offer. The email was sent to staff across the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta and the National Institutes of Health and the Food and Drug Administration, both based in Maryland.

HHS is reportedly one of the federal government’s costliest agencies, with an annual budget of $1.7 trillion. Most of the budget is spent on healthcare coverage for the millions of people enrolled in Medicare and Medicaid.

More Health and Human Services Cuts Likely

The buyout emails for federal employees come as no surprise, as the Trump administration is slashing the federal workforce in a cost-saving effort. Billionaire Elon Musk is leading the effort through the Department of Government Efficiency.

Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., Trump’s controversial health secretary, hinted at plans to cut staff at the department. He promised to immediately cut 600 employees at the NIH, the department responsible for the nation’s biomedical research.

“I have a list in my head,” Kennedy said regarding potential cuts, adding that some workers “made really bad decisions” on nutrition guidelines.

The move to cut the number of health workers comes amid a deadly measles outbreak in Texas and New Mexico. The latest numbers show nearly 200 cases in Texas and 30 in New Mexico.

More cuts are likely as lawmakers consider deep cuts to Medicaid in the federal budget.

HHS workers were told to contact their local human resources office to submit their bid for the voluntary separation.

by Sharelle B. McNair

March 10, 2025

Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Members Reminds America ‘You Can’t Erase Our History’ Prior To BLM Mural Removal

Kappa Alpha Psi member Richard Mattox called the removal a setback before a serious comeback since “this will always be because Black lives matter.”

Before the bold Black Lives Matter mural that paved the street leading to the White House is scheduled to be removed Mar. 10, members of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc. want Black people to know that “history can’t be erased.”

Close to 50 members of the Divine Nine fraternity gathered around the mural Mar. 9 that was created at the height of the Black Lives Matter movement in 2020 following the death of George Floyd. While singing the Black national anthem known as “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” Richard Mattox called the removal a setback before a serious comeback since “this will always be because Black lives matter.” “We’re not protesting. We recognize the meaning. We recognize why it has to be done,” Mattox said.

“We support the local officials, but we want it to be known: You can erase this, but you cannot erase our history.”

Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser announced plans for the mural to be scrubbed in early March 2025 amid pressure from the Trump-Vance administration. The city was threatened with the loss of federal funding if the mural wasn’t dismantled. It will take close to eight weeks for the mural to be removed, and its price tag is estimated at $610,000. It is set to be replaced with artwork from children throughout the D.C. school system.

After Rep. Andrew Clyde (R-Ga.) introduced a bill to rename the plaza Liberty Plaza, Bowser called the renaming process a distraction.

“The mural inspired millions of people and helped our city through a very painful period, but now we can’t afford to be distracted by meaningless congressional interference,” she wrote in a statement.

“The devastating impacts of the federal job cuts must be our number one concern,” Bowser wrote.

The vibrant yellow letters were painted 35 feet tall and stretch for two blocks north of the White House, where several protests for victims of police brutality, including Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and others, took place during the summer of 2020. Mattox said he and his fraternity brothers support the mayor’s decision, according to WTOP News, but they want people to remember why the mural was put there to begin with.

“We fully support the mayor,” he said. “But we recognize how important it is that we do not forget why that mural was put there.”

The removal process includes bollards being installed along the plaza, followed by the letters being patched over with matching stones. After the street receives repavement treatment, the plaza will have two lanes in each direction, returning to its original design before the mural’s installation.

Missouri Bill, Drunk Drivers, Child Support — Via istock

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

March 10, 2025

Spelman Student Charged In DUI Crash That Shut Down Atlanta Highway

The 20-year-old co-ed failed her DUI test and also faces a charge for possession of a fake driver's license.

A Spelman student has been charged for a wrong-way DUI crash that closed a major Interstate in Atlanta.

In the early hours on Mar. 7, Addison Thornton was driving north on a southbound HOV lane on 1-75/I-85 in downtown Atlanta. While a state trooper tried to stop Thornton, the 20-year-old crashed her 2012 Mercedes-Benz into a 2018 Buick Encore.

After police arrived to the crash, Thornton failed a DUI test. The troopers also confirmed she had driven with a fake driver’s license. According to Fox 5, the collision also led to all southbound lanes for the interstate to close for several hours.

The Buick’s 30-year-old driver and their 28-year-old passenger, both residents of Kennesaw, Georgia, were taken to Grady Memorial Hospital with non-life threatening conditions. However, a 17-year-old passenger in Thornton’s car was hospitalized with serious injuries.

Now, Thornton faces multiple charges regarding the crash, including driving under the influence, driving on the wrong side of the roadway, and serious injury by motor vehicle, in addition to underage consumption and possession of a fraudulent driver’s license.

Further investigation confirmed that Thornton and her passenger attended the all-women’s HBCU. Spelman released a statement on the matter, sharing that both students’ families had been notified of the accident.

“We are aware that two Spelman students were involved in an off-campus traffic accident on March 7, 2025,” shared the school.

“At this time, we are gathering more information and have been in touch with the families of both students,” a spokesperson wrote in a statement.

Thornton remains detained in Fulton County Jail. However, she could also face a lengthy jail stint if convicted of these multiple charges. The public has yet to receive an update on the 17-year-old’s condition, whose identity also remains unknown. The current condition of the other driver and his passenger has also not been revealed.

ICYMI: 2025 Women Of Power Summit Closes Out With A Bang — The Tyler Twins for Black Enterprise Women Of Power 2025

by BLACK ENTERPRISE Editors

March 10, 2025

ICYMI: 2025 Women Of Power Summit Closes Out With A Bang

Another successful Women of Power Summit is in the can

Another successful Women of Power Summit is in the can. The conference came to a close after a fruitful, four-day run. Friday, March 7 was kicked off with remarks from BLACK ENTERPRISE’s own Renau Daniels, vice president of Multimedia and Events Sponsorship Sales. Tunde Oyeneyin shared morning motivation, which was followed by coaching and panel sessions.

The highlight for the day was the Luminary Luncheon, which honored emerging women of power, including Jemele Hill, Minda Harts, and Monique Rodriguez. Lunch was followed up with another round of “Conversations That Count,” this time featuring the luminary honorees. Get into this glorious gallery:

The Tyler Twins for Black Enterprise Women Of Power 2025

Historic Black-Owned Portland Athletic Club In Jeopardy Due To Conservatorship, Infighting — Photo by Airam Dato-on: https://www.pexels.com/photo/tennis-balls-at-court-27064360/

by Daniel Johnson

March 10, 2025

Historic Black-Owned Portland Athletic Club In Jeopardy Due To Conservatorship, Infighting

When Blackburn opened the club in 1977, it was one of the few tennis clubs that was open to all, no matter the color of anyone's skin; Blackburn was inspired to create the club after being turned away at other tennis clubs because he was Black

Portland’s historic Black-owned Portland Athletic Club currently faces an uncertain future as Glenda Hall-Blackburn, the sister and conservator of the 84-year-old founder of the club, potentially prepares to sell the club to a pickleball business.

According to KGW 8, family members have indicated that Marion Blackburn, the founder of the club, has dementia and his sister, who was appointed to be Blackburn’s conservator in July, is likely preparing to accept a $4.95 million offer from RECS, an indoor pickleball center in Clackamas County.

Dominic Waters, Blackburn’s grandson, told the family that other family members have attempted to purchase the club, but were ignored by Hall-Blackburn.

As Waters told the outlet, he worries about the impact of the loss of the club on the community.

“I’m just proud of this place, and I’d like to, for myself and my family, keep it in the family,” Waters said. “It’s really important and for the community, man, all these little kids growing up and playing here.”

When Blackburn opened the club in 1977, it was one of the few tennis clubs that was open to all, no matter the color of their skin; Blackburn was inspired to create the club after being turned away at other tennis clubs because he was Black, and it turned into a hub for the community over time.

Nikki Blackburn, the spokesperson for the PAC indicated in a statement to KATU that the community stands behind the club that Blackburn built.

“Today, the PAC stands as a testament to Marion overcoming barriers, perseverance, leadership and love for tennis, and advocates are determined to ensure it remains a thriving part of Portland’s tennis community,” Nikki Blackburn said.

According to Waters, his grandfather would want him to purchase the club; and while he wasn’t ready in the past, he is prepared to purchase it now.

“From my perspective, I know my grandfather would give us first right of refusal,” Waters said. “He offered me to buy it in 2021; that’s in the court documents as well, and I wasn’t prepared to do it at the time, but now, I am.”

According to court documents, Hall-Blackburn is making the argument that before he began going through dementia, Blackburn understood that the business needed to be sold because it was losing money, a claim that Waters refutes.

In addition, family members are challenging the conservatorship and have petitioned the court to think about pausing the sale proceedings until that has been decided.

Meanwhile, Kevin Richards, the CEO of RECS, said in a statement that their offer predates the family infighting over the club.

“RECS has been identified as a potential third-party buyer of the real property where the Portland Athletic Club (PAC) is located, which is factual. RECS made an unsolicited offer which predated any family dispute, and any purchase would be contingent upon a comprehensive due diligence phase,” Richards told KGW.

Sam Sirken, a PAC member who is leading a group of buyers interested in purchasing the center, said in his own statement that it is vital that the PAC remains in the possession of the community and not an outside entity.

“We need to act quickly,” Sirken said. “If PAC is sold, it will not only be a devastating loss to our community but also to the legacy of a man who broke racial barriers in this sport. We’re calling on supporters, investors, and local leaders to help us save PAC.”

A petition on Change.org, which lists Sirken as a decisionmaker, is currently circulating and has collected over 1,000 signatures. It emphasizes the center’s role in the legacy of Blackburn while also countering the narrative that the center is a failing business.

“We, the undersigned, urgently call for the preservation of the Portland Athletic Club (PAC)—the first and only Black-owned tennis club in in the Pacific Northwest. Founded by the trailblazing Marion ‘Paps’ Blackburn, PAC has become a beacon of accessibility, affordability, and excellence in the Portland tennis community,” The petition reads. “Today, this historic institution is at risk of being sold, threatening the legacy of a man who overcame segregation to create opportunities for future generations.”

toll scam, EZ Pass — Public domain/ https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:E-ZPass_Signs,_May_11,_2012_%287177560700%29.jpg

by Daniel Johnson

March 10, 2025

Got A Suspicious Text About Unpaid Tolls? Don’t Click — It Could Be A Scam

The message states that the recipient owes an outstanding toll bill.

A smishing scam posing as a toll authority has now spread nationwide, following the first reported fake text messages in January claiming recipients owed outstanding fees.

According to The Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder, the Federal Trade Commission warned the public of the national nature of the text messages in a consumer alert it issued on March 4.

“Whether you’ve driven through a toll recently or not, you might have received a text saying you owe money for unpaid tolls. It’s probably a scam. Scammers are pretending to be tolling agencies from coast to coast and sending texts demanding money,” the FTC said in the alert.

The messages follow a familiar pattern for scams, especially ones that target older individuals or people unfamiliar with how state toll agencies conduct their business.

The message states that the recipient owes an outstanding toll bill, which is designed to induce panic in the recipient, but the message also contains a giveaway that it isn’t authentic.

Instead of directing the user to a link that is clickable inside the text message, it indicates that the user has to reply Y for yes and then copy and paste the link into their phone’s browser, an extra step that no legitimate sender will initiate.

This, along with the fact that toll authorities in various states have indicated that they do not send text messages or emails with a person’s balance, are all indications that the messages are not legitimate.

The scam, however is not new, this variation of it is more widespread than a similar scheme in April 2024, which the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center noted also moved across state lines. “IC3 complaint information indicates the scam may be moving from state to state,” the IC3 warned at the time.

According to the FTC, the target of the scam is not just an individual’s money, but potentially their identity as well. “Not only is the scammer trying to steal your money, but if you click the link, they could get your personal info—like your driver’s license number—and even steal your identity,” the agency warned.

Instead of clicking the link, or even opening the text message itself, users can delete and report suspicious messages by using your phone’s “report junk” or “block message” feature, which also allows you to report a message as spam, depending on if a user’s phone is an Android or an iPhone.

As a general practice, it is advised not to reply to messages from phone numbers that are unrecognized, not to click links in texts from unknown senders, or engage with messages from senders whose legitimacy is uncertain.

According to The Spokesman-Recorder, clicking a fraudulent link can let the scammer or scammers install ransomware, steal personal information, or get access to banking information, which can create a whole host of financial problems for a user.

Authorities have urged those who have received a message related to a toll which they deem suspicious to delete the message and report it to either the FTC or their state transportation agency.

Chadwick Boseman, deep azure, play, dc, Howard university — THE OSCARS® - The 91st Oscars® broadcasts live on Sunday, Feb. 24, 2019, at the Dolby Theatre® at Hollywood & Highland Center® in Hollywood and will be televised live on The Walt Disney Television via Getty Images Television Network at 8:00 p.m. EST/5:00 p.m. PST. (Eric McCandless via Getty Images) Taylor Simone Ledward, CHADWICK BOSEMAN

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

March 10, 2025

Chadwick Boseman’s ‘Deep Azure’ Coming To D.C. For One Night Only

Boseman's 'Deep Azure' will receive a one-night-only stage reading to benefit the Chadwick A. Boseman College of Fine Arts at Howard University.

Stars are coming together to support a one-night-only staged reading of Deep Azure, a play written by the late Chadwick Boseman.

The rare event will be hosted at the Historic Howard Theatre in Washington, D.C., on March 27 at 7:30 p.m., and will see Phylicia Rashad serve in a creative consultant role alongside the multi-talented artist, playwright, curator, rapper, and Howard University alumni NSangou Njikam, who will direct the stage play.

Written by Boseman before his untimely death, Deep Azure is set against the backdrop of Mecca University. The play unfolds in the aftermath of a tragic police killing that sends shockwaves through the campus. At the center of the story is Azure, a young woman determined to uncover the truth behind the death of her beloved boyfriend, Deep. As she unravels the mystery, she begins to realize that the answers may be closer to home than she ever imagined.

The stage drama is filled with the rhythms and poetry and music genres rooted in Black culture like hip-hop, jazz, and the blues. The story highlights Boseman’s powerful ability to bridge the spiritual and physical realms through a compelling story that confronts universal truths about justice, love, and destiny.

“Chadwick Boseman is one of the most important figures ever in storytelling. The roles he played introduced many to Black history and heroes in a human way,” Common, a decorated artist, author, activist, and host committee member of Deep Azure, said in a press release.

“To be able to witness his perspective as a writer is a gift. And we are blessed to be able to experience it. This reading will be a blessing and spark for all who experience it and will open more paths for future storytellers.”

The stage reading will be performed by an exceptional cast to include Lauren E. Banks (The Blood Quilt), Bessie Award winner Adesola Osakalumi (FELA!, Skeleton Crew), Joshua Boone (The Outsiders, Skeleton Crew), Greg Alverez Reid (Fat Ham), Isaiah J. Johnson (Hamilton, The Color Purple), Amber Iman (Lempicka, Soul Doctor) and Djali Amadou Kouyate (21 Strings Kora).

A star-studded hosting committee will help raise awareness and bring the best of the best out to support the show and continue to champion Boseman’s legacy. In addition to Common, hosting committee members include Ryan Coogler, who is serving as the honorary chair; Susan Kelechi Watson; Don Cheadle; Ta-Nehisi Coates; Kamilah Forbes; Reginald Hudlin; Kenny Leon; and Tarell Alvin McCraney.

“Chad was a child of the most high, an artist, and a visionary,” said Susan Kelechi Watson, actress and honorary host committee member. “He moved through this life with purpose and lived with clear intention. He had a heart filled with love and a smile that lit up our lives. His global impact shifted the culture while honoring the ancestors he so often channeled into his work. And now, we honor him. Forever brother. Forever friend. Chadwick, forever.”

Proceeds from the one-night-only stage reading will support scholarships, programming, and resources at the Chadwick A. Boseman College of Fine Arts at Howard University. Sponsorship opportunities for the event can be found here.