MIAMI, Fla. (FNN SPORTS) — The Miami Heat and the Carnival Foundation will recognize 15 Miami-Dade County students as recipients of the 2026 Carnival Scholarship Program during a special halftime ceremony Saturday at the Kaseya Center.

Now in its 24th consecutive year, the scholarship partnership between the HEAT and the philanthropic arm of Carnival Corporation provides four-year Florida Prepaid College Plan scholarships to graduating seniors from Miami-Dade County Public Schools.

Scholarship Program Impact

Through the collaboration, 15 students will receive four-year Florida College Plan scholarships, helping cover tuition costs at Florida public colleges and universities.

The scholarship recipients represent a diverse group of students, including former participants in the HEAT Academy after-school enrichment program, which supports at-risk youth. Many of the students now participate in an innovative workplace mentoring initiative sponsored by Carnival and the Miami HEAT in partnership with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Miami.

Each student will also receive a personal laptop computer, courtesy of the Carnival Foundation.

This year marks the 17th year the foundation has awarded fully prepaid college scholarships to high school seniors. Since the program began, 261 students have benefited, representing more than $5 million in scholarship awards.

Selection Process

Students were selected based on a combination of academic performance, leadership, community involvement and interviews conducted by representatives from the Miami HEAT, the Carnival Foundation and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Miami.

The scholarship program is designed to expand educational opportunities while connecting students with mentors and professional development resources that prepare them for future careers.

Event Details

The scholarship recognition will take place Saturday, March 14, during a Miami HEAT home game at the Kaseya Center in downtown Miami.

A reception will begin at 7 p.m. in Suite 240 A/B, followed by the on-court scholarship presentation during halftime, where the 15 student recipients will be recognized before fans.

Scheduled participants include:

• Alonzo Mourning, Vice President of Player Programs, Miami HEAT

• Michael McCullough, Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, Miami HEAT

• John Vidalin, Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer of Corporate Sales, Miami HEAT

• Josh Weinstein, President and CEO, Carnival Corporation

• Linda Coll, Executive Director, Carnival Foundation

• Vicky Rey, Vice President of Government Affairs, Latin America, Carnival Cruise Line

• Gale Nelson, President and CEO, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Miami

Location:
Kaseya Center
601 Biscayne Blvd.
Miami, FL 33132

TAMPA, Fla. (FNN SPORTS) — The Tampa Bay Buccaneers announced Friday that the team has signed free-agent quarterback Jake Browning and defensive lineman A’Shawn Robinson. The club also tendered a contract to running back Sean Tucker, keeping the young back in Tampa Bay.

BUCCANEERS ADD QUARTERBACK DEPTH WITH JAKE BROWNING

Browning (6-foot-2, 209 pounds) has appeared in 17 career NFL games, including 10 starts, totaling 2,707 passing yards and 18 touchdown passes with the Cincinnati Bengals. He has also added 164 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns during his three NFL seasons.

Since 2023, Browning’s 22 total touchdowns rank as the most among quarterbacks with 10 or fewer starts.

The Folsom, California, native originally entered the NFL as a college free agent with the Minnesota Vikings following the 2019 NFL Draft. He played four collegiate seasons at the University of Washington, appearing in 53 games and completing 958 of 1,483 passes (64.6%) for 12,296 yards and 94 touchdowns.

Browning set school and Pac-12 records with 39 career wins as a starting quarterback and finished sixth in the Heisman Trophy voting as a sophomore in 2016.

A’SHAWN ROBINSON BRINGS VETERAN PRESENCE TO DEFENSIVE LINE

Robinson (6-3, 320) enters his 11th NFL season after appearing in 143 career games with the Detroit Lions, Los Angeles Rams, New York Giants and Carolina Panthers.

The veteran defensive lineman has recorded 500 total tackles, including 37 tackles for loss, along with 37 quarterback hits, 23 passes defended and 15 sacks. Robinson has also forced six fumbles and returned an interception for a touchdown.

Since entering the league in 2016, Robinson ranks eighth among NFL defensive linemen in total tackles. He posted one of his most productive seasons in 2024 with Carolina, setting career highs with 43 tackles, eight quarterback hits and 5.5 sacks.

Robinson was originally selected in the second round (No. 46 overall) of the 2016 NFL Draft by Detroit after a standout career at the University of Alabama, where he helped the Crimson Tide win two SEC championships and the 2015 national title while earning consensus All-American honors.

He was also part of the Los Angeles Rams defense that won Super Bowl LVI during the 2021 season.

BUCCANEERS TENDER CONTRACT TO RUNNING BACK SEAN TUCKER

Tucker (5-10, 205) has appeared in 45 career games for Tampa Bay, rushing 151 times for 651 yards and nine touchdowns while averaging 4.3 yards per carry. He has also caught 19 passes for 152 yards and two receiving touchdowns.

During the 2025 season, Tucker became one of only three NFL running backs to record at least 100 rushing yards, 30 receiving yards and three total touchdowns in a single game, accomplishing the feat in Week 11 against the Buffalo Bills.

He also earned NFC Offensive Player of the Week honors in Week 6 of the 2024 season after producing 192 yards from scrimmage and two touchdowns against the New Orleans Saints.

An undrafted free agent following the 2023 NFL Draft, Tucker played collegiately at Syracuse University, where he rushed for 3,182 yards and 27 touchdowns across three seasons. His 1,496 rushing yards in 2021 set Syracuse’s single-season program record.

ORLANDO, Fla. (FNN SPORTS) — Akshay Bhatia delivered a fearless comeback Sunday, winning the Arnold Palmer Invitational in a playoff at Arnold Palmer’s Bay Hill Club & Lodge and further cementing his reputation as one of the most clutch playoff performers on the PGA Tour.

Bhatia rallied from five strokes behind after missing a short putt on the ninth hole, then ignited a late charge with four consecutive birdies. The turning point came on the par-5 16th, when the 24-year-old struck a precise cut 6-iron from 191 yards toward a tightly tucked flag.

Bhatia nearly holed the approach and tapped in for eagle, a defining moment that propelled him into contention and ultimately into a playoff victory.

Akshay Bhatia celebrates with trophy kissing after winning the 2026 Arnold Palmer Invitational in a playoff at Arnold Palmer’s Bay Hill Club & Lodge. Photo credit: Harry Castiblanco / Florida National News.

The win at the $20 million signature event moves Bhatia into the top 20 in the world rankings and places him firmly among the game’s rising stars as golf enters a critical stretch leading to The Masters next month.

With the victory, Bhatia becomes just the eighth player in PGA Tour history to win his first three titles in playoffs — a rare feat that has earned him a new reputation. Florida National News called him “the PGA Tour playoff master.”

The dramatic finish echoed the philosophy of tournament namesake Arnold Palmer, who famously said, “You must play boldly to win.”

Bhatia did exactly that, repeatedly firing at difficult pin locations down the stretch and embracing the aggressive style that defined Palmer’s own career.

What’s Next for Bhatia

With momentum from his biggest career victory, Bhatia now heads into a pivotal stretch of the PGA Tour schedule that includes several elite events before the season’s first major. His rising world ranking and growing confidence could make him a serious contender at Augusta National in April.

For now, the Bay Hill triumph marks another milestone for a young player quickly building a reputation for thriving under the pressure of sudden death.