Chiefs HC gives update on Patrick Mahomes' injury recovery

When it comes to professional athletes recovering from injuries, no news is usually good news.

That should bode well forKansas City ChiefsquarterbackPatrick Mahomes, who is working his way back from a torn ACL and LCL. WhenChiefshead coachAndy Reidspoke to reporters at the annual league meeting on March 31, he gave something of a there-is-no-update update on his star quarterback.

Asked about Mahomes' timeline to return from injury, Reid said he'll leave it to the medical team to determine whether or not the quarterback is "ahead of schedule" in his recovery.

"I'm going to defer to the experts on that," Reid said when asked if Mahomes would be limited for training camp. "So, if he's good to go, he'll go. If he's not, we'll manage that. So, we'll just cross it as we go. Everybody's different. Everybody heals different. Everybody's injuries are a little bit different. We don't have to put him in a category. We'll see, see where it goes."

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Reid added that it's been all "positive" for the passer during his rehab.

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1. Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys

Prescott's $60 million AAV makes him the highest-paid player in the NFL. The Dallas quarterback signed a four-year, $240 million deal with the Cowboys on the eve of the 2024 NFL season opener.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> T-2. Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals

Burrow also signed a deal with an AAV of $55 million, however his deal was for five years and $275 million. Burrow agreed to the extension with Cincinnati on Sept. 7, 2023.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> T-2. Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars

Lawrence signed his own five-year, $275 million dollar extension on June 13, 2024. His AAV is also $55 million.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> T-2. Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills

Allen's $55-million AAV ties him with Love, Burrow and Lawrence, however the Bills quarterback's extension was for six years and $330 million.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 6. Tua Tagovailoa, Miami Dolphins

With an AAV of $53.1 million, Tagovailoa barely beats the next few players on this list. The Dolphins signed him to a four-year, $212.4 million extension on July 26, 2024.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> T-7. Jared Goff, Detroit Lions

The Lions rewarded Goff with a four-year, $212 million extension before the 2024 NFL season after he helped turn Detroit into a top contender in the NFC. His deal has an AAV of $53 million.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> T-7. Brock Purdy, San Francisco 49ers

Mr. Irrelevant in the 2022 NFL Draft shocked the world after taking over as the 49ers QB and turned his success into a five-year, $265 million contract on May 16, 2025. Purdy will earn an average of $53 million per season.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 9. Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers

Herbert earns an AAV of $52.5 million after he signed a five-year, $262.5 million extension with the Chargers before the 2023 NFL season.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 10. Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens

Jackson's average salary is $52 million thanks to the five-year, $260 million contract he signed on April 27, 2023.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 11. Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles

The Super Bowl LIX MVP earns an average salary of $51 million. He signed a five-year, $255 million deal in April 2023 and has already paid off the Eagles' investment with a Super Bowl win.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 12. Micah Parsons, Green Bay Packers

Parsons became the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history after signing a four-year, $186 million extension following his trade from the Dallas Cowboys to the Packers. His AAV is $46.5 million.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 13. Kyler Murray, Arizona Cardinals

Murray earns $46.1 million on average after he signed a five-year, $230.5 million deal on July 21, 2022.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 14. Deshaun Watson, Cleveland Browns

Despite playing just 19 games over three seasons with Cleveland, Watson's contract has an AAV of $46 million. He signed a five-year, $230 million contract after the Browns acquired him in a trade with the Houston Texans on March 18, 2022.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> T-15. Kirk Cousins, Atlanta Falcons

Cousins signed a four-year, $180 million deal with the Falcons before the 2024 NFL season. Despite losing the starting QB job to Michael Penix Jr., Cousins earns $45 million on average.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> T-15. Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs

Mahomes' 10-year, $450 million deal is the biggest contract in NFL history, despite his $45 million AAV ranking him 15th on this list.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 17. Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams

The Rams signed Stafford to a two-year, $84 million extension for an AAV of $42 million before the 2025 NFL season.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 18. T.J. Watt, Pittsburgh Steelers

Watt signed a three-year, $123 million deal on July 17, 2025, to briefly make him the NFL's highest-paid non-quarterback before Micah Parson's extension with the Green Bay Packers. Watt earns an average salary of $41 million.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 19. Ja'Marr Chase, Cincinnati Bengals

Chase became the NFL's highest-paid wide receiver after signing a four-year, $161 million extension before the 2025 NFL season. His average salary is $40.25 million

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 20. Myles Garrett, Cleveland Browns

Garrett earns a $40 million AAV. The Browns defensive end signed a four-year, $160 extension on March 9, 2025.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 21. Maxx Crosby, Las Vegas Raiders

Crosby also earned his big payday in March, signing a three-year, $106.5 million contract just four days before Garrett's extension. Crosby earns a $35.5 million AAV.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 22. Justin Jefferson, Minnesota Vikings

Jefferson signed a four-year, $140 million extension on June 3, 2024 to make him the NFL's highest-paid non-quarterback in history at the time. He earns $35 million on average.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> T-23. CeeDee Lamb, Dallas Cowboys

Two months after Jefferson's deal, Lamb signed a four-year, $136 million extension with Dallas. Lamb's AAV is $34 million.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 25. Sam Darnold, Seattle Seahawks

Darnold scored a payday with Seattle after a resurgent season with Minnesota in 2024. Darnold earns an AAV of $33.5 million after signing a three-year, $100.5 million contract on March 10, 2025.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" />

Highest paid NFL players 2025: See where Patrick Mahomes, Micah Parsons rank

1. Dak Prescott, Dallas CowboysPrescott's $60 million AAV makes him the highest-paid player in the NFL. The Dallas quarterback signed a four-year, $240 million deal with the Cowboys on the eve of the 2024 NFL season opener.

According to an article published byArthroscopy, recovery from an ACL tear "typically spans 9 to 12 months." The "return to sport" phase ranges from 6-12 months, with the 9-12 month range listed as a likely timeline for return to competition.

Mahomes tore his ACL and LCL on Dec. 14 during a Week 15 game against theLos Angeles Chargers. He underwent surgery to repair the ligaments in his knee the following day.

On March 25 – just over three months after his operation – Mahomes posted a video of himself throwing a football with a compression sleeve on his left leg.

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March 31, 2026

Chiefs HC gives update on Patrick Mahomes' injury recovery

When it comes to professional athletes recovering from injuries, no news is usually good news. That should bod...

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2026 NCAA tournament picks, predictions: Best bets for the Final Four

We saw the definition of March Madness last weekend, whenNo. 2 UConn stunned No. 1 overall seed Duke with a last-second 3-pointer to win 73-72and complete a historic comeback after being down 15 points at halftime.

UConn is a small underdog against No. 3 Illinois in the Final Four, while No. 1 Arizona is a currently a small 'dog against fellow No. 1 seed Michigan in what should be a fantastic matchup between arguably the two best teams in the country.

Below you'll find the favorite wagers for all the games from our college basketball handicappers — Corbie Craig, Matt Jacob and Matt Russell. We'll update this piece throughout the week with more wagers from our experts.

All odds courtesy ofBetMGM.

Best bets for Saturday's Final Four games

No. 1 Arizona vs. No. 1 Michigan (-1.5, 157.5)

Jacob:First-half scores in Michigan's last five contests dating to the Big Ten tournament championship game: 38-38, 50-46, 48-39, 49-47 and 48-26. All five surpassed 75 points and all five flew over the first-half total, with the Wolverines putting up an average of 46.2 points.

Meanwhile, in its last eight games dating to the regular-season finale at Colorado, Arizona and its opponents have combined for at least 74 first-half points six times. During this stretch, the Wildcats have averaged 37.1 points in the opening 30 minutes of action.

Translation: Both of these No. 1 seeds love to push the pace, particularly early; both can fill the bucket; and both are extraordinarily efficient on the offensive end. I don't expect anything different in Saturday's Final Four nightcap.

In fact, both teams have already shown in the NCAA tournament what happens when facing an opponent that also loves to sprint up and down the court. In the Sweet 16, Arizona beat Arkansas 109-88 (with the teams combining for 97 first-half points), and Michigan thumped Alabama 90-77 (with 96 of those points scored before halftime).

It might take a beat or two for these squads to get used to shooting in a cavernous football stadium, but they'll eventually heat up and easily top 80 points before the first-half horn sounds.

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Bet: First half over 73.5 points (-125)

No. 2 UConn vs. No. 3 Illinois (-1.5, 139.5)

Jacob:Here's a quick recap of Illinois' NCAA tournament performance to date: Four wins, all by double digits; three straight opponents held to fewer than 60 points on 38% shooting; a cumulative plus-65 rebounding advantage; and four starters averaging at least 12 points per contest. Just flat-out, across-the-board domination.

So, of course I'm fading the Illini in the Final Four.

The main reason: At this point, a bet against UConn in the Big Dance is essentially a bet against the sun rising tomorrow.

The Huskies' record in their last 18 NCAA tournament games overall: 17-1 (including 15 double-digit blowouts). Their record in their last 18 tournament games from the Sweet 16 onward: 18-0 (the most recent being Sunday's miraculous Elite Eight comeback against No. 1 overall seed Duke).

Ranking Duke's worst NCAA tournament losses since its last title

Another reason why I'm backing UConn: It already manhandled Illinois once this season, rolling 74-61 as a 3.5-point favorite in Madison Square Garden back on Nov. 28. Remember those four Illini starters averaging double digits in the NCAA tournament? They combined for 18 points on 6-for-27 shooting (including 2-for-13 from 3-point range) against the Huskies.

Granted, Nov. 28 is a long time ago. But early February is not. I bring that up because that's when Illinois lost 85-82 to Michigan State in overtime — the first of four consecutive overtime losses (by a combined 10 points) that Illinois suffered between Feb. 7-March 13.

In fact, since edging Texas Tech 81-77 in their third game of the season Nov. 11, the Illini have played six games decided by fewer than six points. Their record in those six contests: 0-6. In other words, Illinois is untrustworthy in close games.

Well, I fully expect this one to be a 40-minute dogfight. And I fully expect UConn to do what UConn always does this time of year: come out on top — somehow, some way.

Bet: UConn money line (+115)

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March 31, 2026

2026 NCAA tournament picks, predictions: Best bets for the Final Four

We saw the definition of March Madness last weekend, whenNo. 2 UConn stunned No. 1 overall seed Duke with a last-second 3...

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Dustin Milligan Recalls Holding His Dad's Hand in the Final Moments Before He Ended His Life with MAID: 'One Last Gift'

Dustin Milligan shared he held his father's hand as he chose medical aid in dying at the end of his dementia journey

NEED TO KNOW

• Milligan described his father as a physicist and philosopher who faced his diagnosis with curiosity and acceptance

• The Schitt's Creek actor called it a "gift" to be his father's caregiver and advocate during his final years

Dustin Milliganshared that he held his father's hand as he chosemedical aid in dyingamid hisdementiajourney, explaining, "he wanted to go on his own terms."

Milligan, who played kind veterinarian Ted onSchitt's Creek,shared a throwback photo of his father adjusting the kerchief of his Beaver Scout uniform toInstagramon March 31. In the accompanying caption, Milligan, now 40, said that he was with his father as he died, writing, "I held his hand as he drew his last breath. It was a gift. One of many."

He shared that he and his father began their "ongoing dialogue about his Dementia" three years ago, explaining that, at first, it manifested as "moments of confusion, repetition, and memory gaps I'd noticed. They felt like more than just aging. More than just echoes of his stroke from a decade prior."

His father noticed the changes as well, so "we got him tested, diagnosed, and began adjusting to the simple, surreal new reality: his mind was slipping away, and it was never going to stop."

As "a physicist and a mathematician and a dreamer," Milligan said his father "wasn't angry about it. Or in denial. He said he had "a scientific mind with a philosopher's heart. He found it fascinating. He told me when he noticed it getting worse, and would ask me what I was seeing. I told him the truth. And that's how we navigated it. Side by side. Openly and honest."

"He told me he wanted to go on his own terms, using MAiD," Milligan wrote, using abbreviation for medical aid in dying, which islegal in Canada."He told me he didn't want to progress to the point that he couldn't eat on his own or bathe on his own or remember his children. I understood."

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TheHot Frostyactor was hands-on with his father's care, sharing that he would prepare his meals, cut his food, and open his pill bottles "as his dexterity broke down." They would "speak by playing harmonica together, as his language diminished," calling it a gift to be "his caregiver, advocate, and son."

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As his father's health declined, his dad remained "resolute" in his decision, Milligan wrote. "He didn't want to suffer any further. He knew what he wanted. He stood by his choice and was happy to be able to make it," he wrote, adding, "MAiD is a gift."

He shared that he was with his father, holding his hand, when he died: "We sat together, side by side, when he spoke his last words: 'Hold onto me. Hold on tight.'

He ended his post by sharing, "We held each other's hand as tightly as we could. The procedure began, his grip loosened, and he let go. Now I learn to do the same. One last gift."

Read the original article onPeople

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March 31, 2026

Dustin Milligan Recalls Holding His Dad's Hand in the Final Moments Before He Ended His Life with MAID: 'One Last Gift'

Dustin Milligan shared he held his father's hand as he chose medical aid in dying at the end of his dementia journey ...

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Nancy Grace slams sheriff’s handling of Guthrie case: ‘The fish stinks at the head’

For Nancy Grace, theNancy Guthriecase is personal.

As a former prosecutor, she knows firsthand how mishandling of a crime scene early on can complicate the case if it ever gets to court — and it can put the search for Guthrie in jeopardy, too, she said in an interview on Sean Hannity's new podcast,"Hang Out with Sean Hannity."

But the 84-year-old's suspected abduction also brought back painful memories from her own past — the murder of her fiancé during summer break from college in 1979.

When Guthrie's daughter, "Today" co-hostSavannah Guthrie,gave her first televised interview with colleague Hoda Kotb last week, the emotional account reminded Grace that "you're never the same" after a loved one is taken away.

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The emotions ran raw, Grace told Hannity, but other aspects of the case pained her, too.

The sheriff released the crime scene back to the family beforebringing the FBIinto the case days later. In the interim, delivery drivers and journalists walked up to the front door, dropping off parcels and taking photographs.

"By destroying the crime scene and by releasing the crime scene too early, they destroyed a lot of evidence," she said.

"People called them 'missteps,' that is certainly putting perfume on the pig, isn't it?" Grace said. "That's a euphemism, 'missteps' — they're screw-ups. The feds wouldn't have done that."

Then, as the special agent in charge of the FBI's Phoenix office was with the Guthrie family filming a video response to a ransom demand that authorities viewed as potentially credible, the sheriff was caught on camera enjoying anArizona Wildcats basketball game.

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Hannity noted that once the FBI did get involved, the bureau worked with Google to obtain imagery from Guthrie's missing Nest doorbell camera that the sheriff's department had not been able to recover.

"I don't like attacking the actual men and women that are doing the work. The fish stinks at the head, Sean," Grace said. "It's Nanos. He stinks. He's gotta go. But that's a distraction to finding Nancy Guthrie."

"When Savannah was talking...when she felt like it was her fault, she said, 'Oh, Mommy, Mommy, I'm sorry. I am sorry,'" Grace said. "It took me right back to that moment — those horrible moments — when I was lying there in the dark, feeling like howling, because there just were no words."

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Nancy Guthrie Disappearance Sparked Harrowing 12-Hour Odyssey For Savannah

Grace's fiancé, Keith Griffin, was killedon his way to work during a break from college — months before they hoped to get married.

The 23-year-old had a summer gig on a construction crew, she said, and his killer had been fired from the same job before his arrival. Griffin went on a run to pick up drinks for his co-workers and bring them back to the rural job site, arriving in the owner's jacket and driving the company truck.

"The guy came up and just opened fire and shot Keith five times in the face, the neck, the head and the back," Grace told Hannity.

Nancy Guthrie Update: Search For Savannah Guthrie's Missing Mother Enters Seventh Week With No Arrests

After his death, Grace dropped out of school. But eventually she returned, she said, motivated to help other crime victims.

"When I would be tired or weary, just as when I was prosecuting, I would think about Keith just looking at me with those big, blue eyes, and I would know it wasmy duty," she said.

"That's your calling," Hannity replied.

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She went on toprosecute violent crimes in Atlantafor a decade before becoming one of the most recognizable true crime hosts in America.

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At one point, Hannity brought up an emotional moment from Guthrie's interview with Kotb — where she acknowledged that her fame and fortune could have provided a motive for the unknown abductors.

"That's not her fault," he said. "Are we supposed to stop living our lives because there's evil in this world?"

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Grace agreed and argued that a victim's family doesn't have a script on how to respond to such a crisis.

Catch the full episode of"Hang Out with Sean Hannity"at 7 a.m. Tuesday.

Original article source:Nancy Grace slams sheriff's handling of Guthrie case: 'The fish stinks at the head'

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March 31, 2026

Nancy Grace slams sheriff’s handling of Guthrie case: ‘The fish stinks at the head’

For Nancy Grace, theNancy Guthriecase is personal. As a former prosecutor, she knows firsthand how mishandling ...

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Three people arrested after attempting to break into Larsa Pippen's Miami home

Three people were arrested after allegedly attempting to break into "Real Housewives of Miami" star Larsa Pippen's home on Sunday, Pinecrest Police said.

Police said in a release onFacebookthat the three people, who were all from out of state, were apprehended within minutes after attempting to flee from the property.

Initially, police were called to the area of 67th Avenue and 113th Street in Pinecrest for a house alarm. Once officers were on their way to the address, they were told that surveillance video showed a "burglary in progress," police said in a separate statement shared with NBC News.

Officers arrived to find a vehicle fleeing the scene, which then crashed at the corner of Southwest 57th Avenue and 94th Street, according to the police statement. The suspects got out of the car and attempted to run to a nearby neighborhood before police took them into custody.

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"This incident serves as a stark reminder that Pinecrest will not tolerate criminal activity," police said in the Facebook statement.

No further information was provided about the incident or the arrest. Representatives for Pippen did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Pippen has been in the headlines recently after reports surfaced this month that Bravo was pausing production of "Real Housewives of Miami" due to low ratings.

Pippen said on her Instagram story she was "not happy" about the news and slammed Bravo sister series, the "Real Housewives of New York City," calling it "terrible without the old cast members."

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March 31, 2026

Three people arrested after attempting to break into Larsa Pippen's Miami home

Three people were arrested after allegedly attempting to break into "Real Housewives of Miami" star Larsa Pi...

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Supreme Court's trans conversion ban ruling to start new legal debate

WASHINGTON – TheSupreme Courton March 31 said Colorado's ban on LGBTQ+ "conversion therapy" for young people infringes on the free speech rights of a Christian counselor, the latestlegal setback for LGBTQ+ Americansfrom the high court.

Colorado officials argued that the law − which is similar to restrictions in about half the states – regulates professional conduct, not speech. And major medical groups have repudiated conversion therapy as ineffective and harmful.

But the Supreme Court sided 8-1 with the therapist challenging the ban, agreeing that the Denver-based 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals should have applied a stricter constitutional test to evaluate the law. The court sent the case back to the appeals court to be reconsidered under the tougher test, which it is unlikely to pass.

Enacted in 2019, Colorado's Minor Conversion Therapy Lawdefines conversion therapyas attempts to "change an individual's sexual orientation or gender identity, including efforts to change behaviors or gender expressions or to eliminate or reduce sexual or romantic attraction or feelings toward individuals of the same sex."

Writing for the majority, Justice Neil Gorsuch said Colorado's law tells the therapist "what views she may or may not express."

"Colorado may regard its policy as essential to public health and safety. Certainly, censorious governments throughout history have believed the same," Gorsuch wrote. "But the First Amendment stands as a shield against any effort to enforce orthodoxy in thought or speech in this country."

Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, who read portions of her dissent from the bench, said the court's decision threatens to prevent states from regulating medical care, risking "grave harm to Americans' health and wellbeing."

"The Constitution does not pose a barrier to reasonable regulation of harmful medical treatments just because substandard care comes via speech instead of a scalpel," she wrote.

People gather in prayer as protesters rally outside the Supreme Court as the justices hears oral arguments on whether Colorado's ban on providing conversion therapy to LGBTQ+ children violates a private therapist's rights to free speech.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Demonstrators on both sides of the issue of conversion therapy gather outside the Supreme Court as the Court hears oral arguments in Chiles v. Salazar, a landmark case on conversion therapy.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> People gather in prayer as protesters rally outside the Supreme Court.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> A man wears a shirt reading "conversion therapy sucks" outside the Supreme Court.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Protesters rally outside the Supreme Court.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> A man wears a shirt reading "conversion therapy dropout" gathers with demonstrators outside the Supreme Court.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" />

Demonstrators gather outside Supreme Court over conversion therapy case

Christian counselor backed by Trump administration

Kaley Chiles, a licensed counselor with a master's degree in clinical mental health who said she practices from a Christian perspective, said the law allows her to help young people embrace a transgender identity but not help them "grow in peace and comfort with the body that you're in."

The Justice Department under the Trump administration backed Chiles, telling the court that Colorado "is muzzling one side of an ongoing debate in the mental-health community about how to discuss questions of gender and sexuality with children."

Colorado argued conversion therapy is harmful

During the October oral arguments, Colorado state attorney Shannon Stevenson said there's no evidence that conversion therapy works, while studies have shown that "telling someone there is something innate about yourself you can change" is harmful.

But Chiles' attorney disputed the applicability of studies to her form of counseling.

And the Justice Department pointed to a problem with relying on the "prevailing standard of care" to regulate therapy, noting that as recently as the 1970s, the medical community agreed that being gay was a mental illness.

The American Psychiatric Association declassified homosexuality as a mental illness in 1973.

More than a dozen mental health and medical professional organizations – including the American Psychological Association and the American Psychiatric Association – now say efforts to change someone's sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression "do not meet the criteria of a legitimate therapeutic treatment."

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More:RFK Jr. moves to restrict gender-affirming care for minors

Still, in 2023, The Trevor Project – an advocacy group for LGBTQ+ people – saidit foundmore than 600 professional counselors who say they can help alter someone's sexual orientation or gender identity. (The group identified hundreds of additional unlicensed counselors who operate through a religious capacity and are not covered by laws like Colorado's.)

"The Supreme Court's decision to treat the dangerous practice of conversion therapy as constitutionally protected speech is a tragic step backward for our country that will put young lives at risk," Trevor Project CEO Jaymes Black said in a statement after the ruling.

Chiles, the Colorado therapist, called the decision "a victory for counselors and, more importantly, kids and families everywhere."

"Counselors walking alongside these young people shouldn't be limited to promoting state-approved goals like gender transition, which often leads to harmful drugs and surgeries," she said.

Justice Elena Kagan, one of the two liberals who voted with the court's six conservatives, said Colorado may be able to regulate counseling as long as the state's rules are "viewpoint-neutral."

"Fuller consideration of that question, though, can wait for another day," she wrote in a concurring opinion joined by Justice Sonia Sotomayor. "We need not here decide how to assess viewpoint-neutral laws regulating health providers' expressions because, as the Court holds, Colorado's is not one."

In a statement, Colorado Gov. Jared Polis said he is considering how to proceed. Polis, the country's first openly gay elected governor, signed the law.

"Conversion therapy doesn't work, can seriously harm youth, and Coloradans should beware before turning over their hard-earned money to a scam," said Polis, a Democrat. "I am evaluating theU.S. Supreme Courtruling and working to figure out how to better protect LGBTQ youth and free speech in Colorado."

String of losses in LGBTQ+ cases from Colorado

Colorado, a pioneering state for gay rights, has beenat the centerof two previous Supreme Court cases about LGBTQ+ issues in the past seven years.

More:From 'hate state' to pioneer, Colorado has another LGBTQ+ case at Supreme Court

In those cases, the court sided witha website developeranda cake bakeropposed to providing some services to gay customers because of their religious beliefs.

More recently, in a case from Tennessee, the Supreme Court ruled last year that states can bangender affirming care for minors, including surgeries, puberty blockers and hormone treatments.

More:Supreme Court to take up blockbuster case on transgender athletes joining girls' teams

The justices are currentlyconsideringwhether states can prevent transgender girls and women from playing on female sports teams.

Contributing: Trevor Hughes

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Supreme Court rules against ban on conversion therapy for minors

byCosmopolite

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March 31, 2026

Supreme Court's trans conversion ban ruling to start new legal debate

WASHINGTON – TheSupreme Courton March 31 said Colorado's ban on LGBTQ+ "conversion therapy" for young peopl...

Read More