Vice President JD Vance cast the tiebreaking vote to confirm Pete Hegseth as the next U.S. Secretary of Defense late Friday and might feel a bit like Ohio State quarterback Will Howard. 

Vance, an Ohio State alum, celebrated Hegseth's confirmation with an anecdote that referenced his alma mater's recent 34-23 national championship victory over Notre Dame. 

"As I learned with the Buckeyes just a week ago, when you win the championship, it doesn't matter what the score was. We won the championship on this one. We've got a great Secretary of Defense. We're proud of him, and he's going to do a great job," Vance said. 

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Vance has been on a roll with sports analogies lately. 

After former President Joe Biden falsely insisted the Constitution had been amended to include the the Equal Rights Amendment as the 28th amendment, Vance mocked that notion with a baseball comparison.

Vance responded to Biden's declaration in a post on X, joking that Biden should put the late disgraced MLB icon Pete Rose in the Baseball Hall of Fame. 

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"Hey Joe if we’re doing fake s--- on the way out can you declare Pete Rose into the Hall of Fame?" Vance wrote, in reference to an infamous baseball debate. Rose, MLB's all-time hit leader who died in September, was banned from the sport for life for illegally betting on games. 

Vance, meanwhile, got to witness the Buckeyes' first national title since 2014 the same day he and President Donald Trump were inaugurated. Vance has been a proud, vocal Ohio State football fan throughout his political career as a former senator from the state. 

Vance even joked about skipping Monday's inauguration to watch the Buckeyes take on Notre Dame in Atlanta. 

"Hopefully everyone is cool with me skipping the inauguration so I can go to the national title game," Vance joked in a post on social media. 

During the campaign, Vance revealed he told Trump his loyalty to the Buckeyes might affect Trump's chances of winning the key battleground state of Michigan.

"When he first asked me to be a VP, I was like, 'Well, you know, hopefully we don't lose Michigan by like 900 votes, because you're going to regret it. 'Cause it's probably just a thousand p---ed-off Wolverine fans who wouldn't vote for a Buckeye," Vance said during an appearance on OutKick's "The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show." 

"But I think that most Michiganders are going to be able to put sports rivalries aside and put the country first, which is what, of course, all of us believe is the most important thing."

The Democratic National Committee attempted to exploit Vance's connection to Ohio State with a campaign strategy in Michigan in early September. The DNC flew a plane over a Michigan football game Sept. 7 with a banner that said, "J.D. Vance [loves] Ohio State [plus] Project 2025." 

However, the Trump-Vance ticket ended up easily carrying Michigan.

Hegseth, 44, a former Minnesota National Guard officer who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, secured the role to lead the Pentagon after weeks of intense political drama over his nomination and public scrutiny of his personal life. 

The Senate was deadlocked at 50-50 with three Republicans — Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska; Susan Collins, R-Maine; and Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. — joining the Democrats in opposing Hegseth's confirmation.

The stalemate forced Vance to cast the tiebreaking vote, securing his confirmation.

"It's not the first time the headline reads, ‘Junior enlisted Marine bails out junior Army officer,'" Hegseth, a former Fox News host joked, referencing Vance's previous service in the U.S. Marine Corps. 

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Czech skier Tereza Nova, who competed for her country in four Olympic races in 2022, was placed in a medically induced coma after she needed brain surgery on Saturday following a downhill crash in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany.

Nova was in her final training session on Friday when she crashed on the Kandahar course. 

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The Czech ski federation said that Nova required surgery to reduce brain swelling, and she "will remain in the medically induced coma as long as deemed necessary by the medical team."

"We are all thinking of Tereza and wish her a speedy recovery and lots of strength," the ski federation said on Saturday.

Nova, 26, participated in four races during the 2022 Beijing Olympics.

Her best finish was 14th place during the women’s alpine combined event. She also competed in mixed team parallel, where she finished 14th as well, women’s downhill (28th) and women’s Super-G (33rd).

Nova has also competed in World Cup races since 2019, where she made her debut in November, though she didn’t qualify for the second round of the slalom event in Levi. 

Nova’s international debut came in December 2014, and she would compete in the Junior World Championships in Val di Fassa five years later. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Liam Coen texted Baker Mayfield that he was staying with the Buccaneers as offensive coordinator on Tuesday, according to ESPN.

On Friday, the Jacksonville Jaguars officially announced Coen as their new head coach, which came after a roller coaster of a week. 

Coen also texted head coach Todd Bowles and general manager Jason Licht on Tuesday that he would be staying with the Bucs, according to the report.

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After texting the Bucs' brass, Coen then withdrew himself from consideration from the Jaguars head coaching job on Wednesday.

The Buccaneers were prepared to make Coen the highest-paid offensive coordinator in the NFL.

However, the Jaguars then parted ways with their general manager, Trent Baalke, on Wednesday afternoon. Jaguars owner Shad Khan then directly reached out to Coen to see whether he would reconsider taking the head coaching job.

On Thursday, Coen was in Jacksonville for an in-person interview and was eventually hired.

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While Coen was in Jacksonville interviewing, the Bucs were waiting for him to come into the building and sign his new contract to stay with the team. 

But the Bucs couldn’t get in touch with Coen or his agent, and they began to realize that he was unreachable because he was in Jacksonville interviewing for the job, the report said. 

The Jaguars hope that Coen can help Trevor Lawrence have a career year in the same way he did for Mayfield last season. 

The Bucs averaged 29.5 points per game in the regular season, and Mayfield threw a career-high 41 touchdowns en route to winning the NFC South.

The Jaguars went 4-13 last season, with Lawrence missing time due to injury, leading Khan to fire head coach Doug Pederson and eventually Baalke after the season.

Coen will have the No. 5 overall pick in the upcoming NFL Draft to try and begin the Jaguars' turnaround. 

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A thriller at Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne saw American Madison Keys upset No. 1-ranked women’s singles player Aryna Sabalenka to win the Australian Open on Saturday. 

After shaking hands with the victor, Sabalenka let out her emotions on her racket. 

Sabalenka, who was looking to become the first player since Martina Hingis to win three straight Australian Opens, fell to Keys, 6-3, 2-6, 7-5, in the match, which gave her opponent her first-ever Grand Slam title. 

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Sabalenka shook Keys’ hand at the net, followed by the chair umpire, but she was seen slamming her racket and throwing it at the bench once the niceties were finished. 

Sabalenka then covered her face in a towel before storming off into the locker room. 

The heat of competition not going your way in the end can be tough to swallow in the moment, and Sabalenka said as much during his post-match press conference. 

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"There definitely was a bit of frustration, because I was so close to achieve something crazy," she said, per The New York Post. "When you’re out there, you’re fighting, but it seems like everything (is not) going the way you really want (it) to go."

Sabalenka added that she "just needed to throw those negative emotions at the end," and she did so literally to her Wilson racket. She said she needed to do that "so I could give a speech (and) not stand there being disrespectful."

"I was just trying to let it go and be a good person," Sabalenka said. 

Getting the raw emotion out appeared to work, as Sabalenka was seen joking with her team after the loss. 

"As always, that’s your fault guys," she said, laughing. "I don’t wanna see you for the next week. I really hate you. No thank you for everything you are doing for me and blah, blah, blah."

Sabalenka got back to a serious note, though, addressing Keys. 

"I think we did our best," Sabalenka said. "Just Madison was playing incredible. I just couldn’t do anything in this match. Next time I play against Madison, I bring better tennis." 

As for Keys, she also showed love to Sabalenka, saying it was "unbelievable playing" on her part. She also noted, at age 29, that she never thought she’d win a Grand Slam despite coming close in the past. 

"From a pretty young age, I felt like if I never won a Grand Slam, then I wouldn’t have lived up to what people thought I should have been. That was a pretty heavy burden to kind of carry around," Keys said. 

"So, I finally got to the point where I was proud of myself and proud of my career, with or without a Grand Slam. I finally got to the point where I was OK if it didn’t happen. I didn’t need it, to feel like I had a good career or that I deserved to be talked about as a great tennis player.

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American tennis star Madison Keys upset No. 1-ranked Aryna Sabalenka to win the Australian Open on Saturday.

Keys, 29, won 6-3, 2-6, 7-5 in the tightly contested match to win her first-ever Grand Slam tournament. 

Keys finished with just one more point won than Sabalenka overall, winning 92 points, compared to Sabalenka's 91. 

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Sabalenka was seeking to win her third consecutive Australian Open, something that was last achieved — by Martina Hingis — from 1997 through 1999. 

This was the second time in Keys’ career that she had a chance at a major title, her last being a 6-3, 6-0 loss to fellow countrywoman Sloane Stephens in the 2017 US Open. 

Keys had high expectations for herself in her tennis career, but began to accept the fact that she might never win a Grand Slam title. 

"From a pretty young age, I felt like if I never won a Grand Slam, then I wouldn’t have lived up to what people thought I should have been. That was a pretty heavy burden to kind of carry around," Keys said. 

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"So I finally got to the point where I was proud of myself and proud of my career, with or without a Grand Slam. I finally got to the point where I was OK if it didn’t happen. I didn’t need it to feel like I had a good career or that I deserved to be talked about as a great tennis player.

"I feel like finally letting go of that kind of internal talk that I had just gave me the ability to actually go out and play some really good tennis to actually win a Grand Slam."

Not only did Keys upset the No.1 ranked Sabalenka, but she also took down No. 2 ranked Iga Świątek in the semifinals en route to her Australian Open title victory.

Keys was the first woman since Serena Williams in 2005 to defeat both of the WTA’s top two players at Melbourne Park. She said that beating Swiatek gave her the confidence she could win against Sabalenka.

"Winning that match the other night against Iga was really kind of a big hurdle," Keys said. "I always believed that I could do it, but to do it that way — really I thought to myself after the match that I can absolutely win on Saturday."

This was Keys 46th Slam appearance, the third most before winning a women’s major title, being only Flavia Pennetta’s 49 and Marion Bartoli’s 47 appearances before they won. 

"I didn’t always believe that I could get back to this point. But to be able to do it and win, it means the world to me."

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

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The Washington Commanders are just a win away from reaching Super Bowl LIX, as they head to Philadelphia to face their NFC East-rival Eagles in the NFC Championship Game on Sunday. 

It’s been more than a quick turnaround for this franchise, as quarterback Jayden Daniels, the team’s No. 2 overall selection, and the new coaching staff headed by Dan Quinn have completely revitalized the Commanders to the point where they could be competing for the Vince Lombardi Trophy in New Orleans next month.

But one person in particular doesn’t seem to like watching this incredible NFL storyline unfold. That’s because he used to own the team. 

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ESPN reports Dan Snyder, the disgraced former owner of the Commanders, doesn’t like seeing the franchise succeeding without him. 

The report states that, during a dinner with associates in London, where he mostly lives now, the Commanders were naturally brought up in the conversation. When one of those associates returned to the States, a colleague of theirs asked what Snyder thought about the team, which also had a first-year GM in Adam Peters build out a roster that was playing well at that time during the regular season. 

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"He f---ing hates it," the associate of Snyder’s said to the colleague.

Snyder sold the Commanders under duress, as significant scandals regarding workplace culture, including sexual harassment and a toxic work environment, were on public display. An NFL investigation was conducted which resulted in findings that supported the allegations, leading to pressure from all directions to sell. 

Snyder eventually sold the franchise that he controlled since May 1999 for a record $6 billion to Josh Harris and a group of limited partners, which includes David Blitzer, who together own the NBA’s Philadelphia 76ers and the NHL’s New Jersey Devils. Magic Johnson is also in the ownership group. 

While he didn’t want to sell the franchise, Snyder was pressured by his fellow owners, whom he wasn’t in good standing with in the first place. There were even reports in 2022 stating that Snyder had told some close associates that he had dirt on commissioner Roger Goodell and fellow owners, including Dallas Cowboys’ Jerry Jones. 

"They can’t f--- with me," Snyder reportedly said, accordig to ESPN. 

But the sale went through after Harris got around 20 partners to put up the capital, and the experienced sports team owner set out to change the culture within the team on all fronts. And that seems to be going faster than expected on the performance aspect. 

It seems that Peters and the rest of the organization hit the nail on the head, with Daniels, the Heisman Trophy winner out of LSU, who has shown poise, leadership and clutch play to go along with what can clearly be seen on the gridiron: A dual-threat quarterback who has quickly become a star. 

The Commanders didn’t just go 12-5 during the regular season to earn a wild card spot, and they didn’t just take down the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on the road to win their first playoff game since 1999 – the year Snyder bought the team. They had the upset of the year, dropping 45 points on the Detroit Lions to beat the NFC’s No. 1 seed on the road at Ford Field, shocking a team that many believed to be destined for New Orleans. 

Washington are searching for its first Super Bowl appearance since 1991, a game in which they won after going 14-2 during the regular season. While the Commanders are focused on Sunday at Lincoln Financial Field in a third meeting with the Eagles this season, the future is certainly bright, with this only being the first year of a whole new regime. 

Meanwhile, ESPN reports that Snyder has been selling off his U.S. real estate holdings and conducts most of his business from the United Kingdom. They also have sources saying he wants to buy into a Premier League soccer club, but he’s not expected to own a sports team anytime soon. 

ESPN adds that Snyder is "in denial" about what led to the pressure to sell, and a person close to him says he has "sadness – for himself."

"It’s killing him . . . It’s devastating him," the person said. 

Commanders kick off against Saquon Barkley and the Eagles on Sunday at 3 p.m. to determine who will represent the NFC in Super Bowl LIX. 

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The Dallas Cowboys hired Brian Schottenheimer, their offensive coordinator, as the team’s next head coach, announcing the move on Friday with a Jerry Jones message attached to it. 

"Brian Schottenheimer is known as a career assistant," Jones said, per ESPN. "He ain’t Brian no more. He is now known as the head coach of the Dallas Cowboys."

The hire comes at a shock to some and a surprise to many, as the Cowboys’ process this offseason has been a head-scratcher. 

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Cowboys fans voiced their opinions on social media, and they weren’t too happy with their team’s choice. 

"Hiring Brian Schottenheimer as head coach without even trying to talk to Ben Johnson, Aaron Glenn or other top candidates is 1000% the same thing as not calling Derrick Henry and just signing Zeke," one fan said on X. "Same. Exact. Thing."

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To understand where Cowboys fans may be coming from, one must understand the odd process the team went through since the offseason began. 

First, the dilemma for Jones and the rest of the organization was what to do with Mike McCarthy, the veteran head coach who went 7-10 on the final year of his deal without quarterback Dak Prescott for a good chunk of the season. 

Players like Prescott and others publicly voiced their support for McCarthy, but the Cowboys moved on. 

In doing so, though, they were already behind the 8 ball, as other head coach-needy squads were already out conducting interviews and getting their candidates in order. 

When Dallas got their list together, it was an interesting group. Robert Saleh, the ex-New York Jets head coach who was fired midseason in 2024, came in despite not being high on anyone’s list except for the Jacksonville Jaguars. He eventually returned to the Bay Area to assume his old job as defensive coordinator under Kyle Shanahan. 

There was also Pete Carroll, who ended up returning to the NFL by taking the Las Vegas Raiders job. Kellen Moore, the former Cowboys offensive coordinator who is now with the Eagles, came in for an interview, as did Leslie Frazier, who serves as assistant head coach of the Seattle Seahawks. 

While these candidates all have their credentials, fans were not happy that top candidates like the ones mentioned above, who have all landed elsewhere, never came into the building. 

Fox Sports’ David Helman broke down the situation from a Cowboys process perspective.

"We don’t know Brian Schottenheimer will be a failure any more than we know Ben Johnson will be a success," he posted on X. "Coaching hires are weird & hard to predict. 

"We do know that it REEKS of bad process to fart around for eight days with a head coach who needs a new contract, fail to retain him after missing an interview window for coveted candidates, bring in two former head coaches who are not in high demand, one outside assistant you already have a relationship with and *then* choose the guy down the hall who a) is not drawing interest elsewhere b) has not been a head coach c) has not called plays for you and d) has had mixed results when he has called an offense in the past."

Finally, some feel Schottenheimer is similar to Jason Garrett, who took over the job after Wade Phillips, whom he worked under, was fired. 

"Quick, easy, CHEAP, and the Jones’ retain control just the way they like it," one disgruntled fan wrote. "This team doesn’t want to win. It’s about attention. It’s about egos. Cowboys fans are exhausted with this clown show."

Schottenheimer joined McCarthy’s Cowboys staff in 2022 as a coaching analyst before replacing Moore as offensive coordinator in 2023. His first year in the position was also Prescott’s best season, as the team went on to win the NFC East before flopping in the Wild Card Round to the Green Bay Packers. The team had the fifth-ranked offense that season. 

Schottenheimer, the son of decorated NFL head coach Marty Schottenheimer, has almost three decades worth of coaching under his belt, spending time with the Jets, Rams and Seahawks before joining the Cowboys. He served in an offensive coordinator role for each of those teams. 

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For the third consecutive year, the Manning brothers will return as head coaches and go head-to-head in an action-packed Pro Bowl weekend, featuring star offensive and defensive players from the AFC and NFC.

Peyton Manning, two-time Super Bowl champion and arguably one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time, will coach the AFC. Eli Manning, two-time Super Bowl champion who infamously beat Tom Brady to win both games, will coach the 2025 Pro Bowl’s NFC team.

"Peyton kind of keeps trying to steal my strategies," Eli told Fox News Digital. "He keeps trying to steal my playbook."

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Last year, Eli’s NFC squad triumphed against Peyton’s AFC roundup in a final 64-59.

In 2023, Eli beat Peyton 35-33.

"It's been a lot of fun coaching the Pro Bowl these last two years," Eli said. "Especially beating Peyton these last two years."

The sibling rivalry is clearly alive and well in the Manning family, as Eli pointed the finger at Peyton for lacking the necessary skills to beat him, especially with regard to the game's skills challenges.

"He didn't think about, and he didn't really worry about, the skill challenges last year," Eli told Fox News Digital. "He was all worried about the playbook and the X’s and O’s on the field where we just dominated him in the skills.

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"Peyton’s not good at dodgeball. Peyton’s not good at ping pong. He’s not good at pool," Eli said. "All he did was play football growing up, so he never learned any other skill. He didn’t know how to coach the players in some of those skills."

Eli touted his superior past of playing tug-of-war as one of his many advantages against his brother.

"I almost went pro in tug-of-war years ago," Eli said.

The youngest Manning brother added that Peyton’s preparation includes studying and consulting with experts for the skills challenges, a relay race and dodgeball, among others.

"I’ve just got to really rely on my instincts and, in my experience, playing flag football," Eli said of his own strategy.

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Above all else, Eli said he is excited to arrive in Orlando, Florida, and celebrate a season of successful football.

"That's what this is all about," he said. "All of these guys had unbelievable seasons."

Travis Kelce, Josh Allen, Joe Burrow, Myles Garrett, Cameron Heyward and Joe Thuney are among the AFC team’s headliners who earned their spot on the roster.

Jared Goff, Kyle Juszczyk, George Kittle, Lane Johnson, Nick Bosa and Justin Jefferson are among the NFC athletes set to deliver a riveting flag-football performance on Sunday, Feb. 2, at Camping World Stadium in Orlando.

"I watch these guys every Sunday competing on the AFC and NFC side," Eli said. "To get to know them a bit, to get to hang out with them and see their personalities off the field is what I look forward to the most."

In partnership with Knob Creek, Eli launched a single barrel bourbon, Eli Manning’s 2025 Bold Pick, just in time for the Pro Bowl and Super Bowl LIX.

"I got to go down to Kentucky and hand pick this bourbon," Eli told Fox News Digital.

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Jimmy Butler's sixth season with the Miami Heat has been turbulent.

The team recently suspended the six-time All-Star for the second time in three weeks — a decision that further fueled the belief that Butler has already played his final game for the franchise.

Butler drew the latest suspension for what the team in a statement Wednesday called a "continued pattern of disregard of team rules, insubordinate conduct and conduct detrimental to the team," including missing the Heat’s flight to Milwaukee earlier in the day. The Heat were scheduled to play the Bucks on Thursday, before traveling to New York for a matchup with the Brooklyn Nets on Jan. 25.

During Thursday's edition of TNT's long-running "Inside the NBA," Ernie Johnson, Shaquille O'Neal, Charles Barkley, and Kenny Smith discussed the drama surrounding Butler.

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O'Neal argued it is "human nature" for Butler to want to land with another team when his contract situation is taken into consideration. 

"I just think in this situation, it's more about human nature," O'Neal noted. "I know exactly how Jimmy feels, I've been in this situation many times. All that I've done for you, and you don't want to give me what I want, so human nature kicks in. . . . The part I hate about this business of basketball thing, it always has to be somebody's fault." 

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Butler, 34, has one year remaining on his deal and has a $52 million player option for the 2025–26 season. He is eligible for a two-year, $113 million extension. However, it does not appear that the Heat extended such an offer to Butler, largely because he’s missed about 25 percent of the team’s games since he arrived in 2019.

Nevertheless, Johnson, Barkley and Smith all expressed view points that opposed O'Neal's thoughts.

"You can't just not show up to work," Barkley responded.

"You took the $50 [million] for this year and next year," Smith added.

While Johnson typically acts as a referee when the trio of NBA players engage in spirited exchanges on the show, he challenged O'Neal after the four-time NBA player doubled down on his position.

"You don't feel a responsibility when you are under contract this season to play this season?" Johnson asked.

Barkley also suggested that Butler owed it to the fans and his teammates to put his feelings about the contract situation aside and do his part to help the Heat win games.

"You can get mad at the Miami Heat organization, but the fans of Miami and those guys in that locker room have nothing to do with you wanting a contract extension."

Butler was banished for seven games earlier this month, costing him about $2.4 million in salary.

Money may not be the only factor contributing to Butler's unhappiness. Butler has made it no secret that he’s not pleased with what he says is his new role within the Heat offense. He didn't participate in his usual way during the introduction of the Heat starters in a recent game, and he has sat by himself at times during timeouts while not engaging in the huddle.

Butler told the Heat in recent weeks that he wants a trade, according to multiple reports. The demand has not been made publicly, because NBA rules do not allow players to do so. The NBA’s trade deadline is Feb. 6.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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WNBA star DiJonai Carrington sparked some controversy before her Friday night Unrivaled game due to her pre-game outfit selection.

Carrington was spotted walking into Wayfair Arena in Miami, Florida, wearing a sweatshirt with rapper YG on the front with the name of his old 2016 tour: "The F—Donald Trump Tour."

The message, written in red letters with the rapper in the background flipping the middle finger, was clear as Carrington stopped to pose for a photo. 

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Carrington, whose X page around the election showed pro-Kamala Harris messaging, appears to make it clear how she feels about President Trump with her outfit choice.

Carrington is a part of the new 3-on-3 Unrivaled league, playing for the Mist, which is one of six clubs within the organization co-founded by fellow WNBA stars Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier. 

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Carrington was named the WNBA’s Most Improved Player during the 2024 season, receiving 28 of the 67 votes from a national media panel after posting career highs in points (12.7), rebounds (5.0) and assists (1.6).

But the 2024 season didn’t come without some controversy on the court for Carrington, who was accused of purposefully poking Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark, the WNBA’s new superstar and Rookie of the Year, in the eye during a game. 

Carrington pleaded her innocence after the incident. 

"I don’t even know why I would intent to hit anybody in the eye," she said. "That doesn’t even make sense to me."

Clark also downplayed the situation when asked about, saying it "wasn’t intentional by any means."

Carrington was already not in the good graces of Fever fans, as she provoked them by posting a tweet in late August, which read, "the Indiana fever have the nastiest fans in the W. ew." The eye-poking incident occurred during Game 1 of the WNBA playoffs match-up between Carrington’s Connecticut Sun and Clark’s Fever.

Carrington’s girlfriend, NaLyssa Smith, whom she met after transferring to Baylor, plays alongside Clark on the Fever. 

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The Washington Commanders have been the surprise team of the 2024 season.

Behind rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels, the Commanders earned a wild-card spot in the playoffs and defeated the NFC South division winner in the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the best team in the NFC in the Detroit Lions.

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All the Commanders have to do now is top their NFC East rival Philadelphia Eagles to reach the Super Bowl for the first time since the 1991 season.

Champ Bailey, who starred for the organization when they were called the Washington Redskins, told Fox News Digital he’s a big fan of the quarterback, but the team’s recent success started when ownership changed hands.

"(Jayden Daniels) is the real deal. I think you can give him a lot of credit for what that franchise is doing right now, but it all starts at the top," he said. "Once Josh Harris took over the team, and you bring on the ownership team that he has … these dudes, first of all, they love the Commanders because they’re all sort of D.C. guys. And then you have Magic Johnson, who’s the winner of all winners added to that. 

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"So, the culture changes pretty much overnight. And now you draft the right quarterback, which we all know if you can draft the right quarterback, the sky’s the limit for your franchise. The fan base is probably one of the best in the world. I mean, I tell people all the time when I’m out and about, I get just as many Commanders fans come up to me than Broncos fans, and I played in Denver 10 years after I played in Washington. So, it’s been 20 years since I’ve been there and people still remember my career like it happened yesterday."

Harris’ group bought the Commanders from Daniel Snyder in 2023 for more than $6 billion. The team started a little rocky in the first season with Harris and Co. as the owners. Washington was 4-13 in 2023 and were awarded the No. 2 pick in the draft.

Washington selected Daniels, the Heisman Trophy winner in 2023 from LSU, and his poise and collectiveness along with his innate talent at throwing the football helped the Commanders to a 12-6 record and their first playoff appearance since 2020.

"I’m just happy that they have a team that they can be proud of, they can root for," said Bailey, who spoke to Fox News Digital on behalf of Trulieve. "But it all starts with great ownership, great leadership, and now you’re able to insert a great player like Jayden Daniels. Give them a lot of credit. The kid’s talent is amazing – the things he’s doing now. But it all starts at the top."

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The Dallas Cowboys are hiring offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer as the team's next head coach, the organization announced Friday. 

Schottenheimer will take over as the team's head coach after two seasons as the team's offensive coordinator, replacing Mike McCarthy, who agreed to part ways with the team after a disappointing 7-10 season. 

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Since the Cowboys parted ways with McCarthy a week after the season ended, the organization missed out on the chance to interview candidates like Mike Vrabel, Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn earlier in the process. 

Schottenheimer joined the organization in 2022 as a coaching analyst, before replacing Kellen Moore as offensive coordinator in 2023. Schottenheimer's first year as offensive coordinator coincided with quarterback Dak Prescott's best season, as the team won the NFC East and had the fifth-ranked offense in the entire league. 

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However, 2024 was a different story. The team finished 16th in total offense after Prescott suffered a season-ending injury. 

Still, Schottenheimer's work as offensive coordinator was enough to prompt Cowboys owner Jerry Jones to choose him as head coach, bypassing other potential options including Deion Sanders and Jason Witten. 

Schottenheimer, 51, brings nearly three decades of experience as an offensive assistant coach to the table. He served as an offensive coordinator for a few other teams before joining the Cowboys in 2022, working in that role for the Jets (2006-11), Rams (2012-14) and Seahawks (2018-20).

Schottenheimer is also the son of decorated former NFL head coach Marty Schottenheimer. The elder Schottenheimer was a head coach for four teams, recording the ninth-most wins (205) for a coach in NFL history. 

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Earlier this week, a young collector pulled the coveted autographed MLB debut patch card of Paul Skenes from the market. 

An 11-year-old collector from Southern California, who nabbed a one-of-kind baseball card featuring the Pittsburgh Pirates star pitcher, decided to turn down a trade offer from the MLB franchise.

The card was featured in the 2024 Topps Chrome Update set. On Friday, the trading card and collectible manufacturer confirmed the collector had "chosen to send the card to auction with @FanaticsCollect instead," Topps wrote in an Instagram post.

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The Pirates offered a package of perks in exchange for the card. A pair of premium Pirates season tickets for three decades, an opportunity to play a softball game on the field, a meet and greet with Skenes and autographed jerseys were among offerings from the team.

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LSU gymnast Livvy Dunne, who is dating Skenes, also offered an incentive to the owner of the card.

"Let's raise the stakes…the person who finds this card can sit with me at a Pirates game in my suite," Dunne wrote in a post to her Instagram story.

While the collector wrote in a journal entry shared by Topps that nabbing the card was a "dream come true," apparently that dream did not include spending time over the next 30 years attending games at PNC Park.

The Pirates admitted they were "bummed" after learning of the collector's decision but offered to have the fan at a game sometime during the 2025 season.

"Well…we’re bummed that we won’t be seeing you behind home plate for 30 seasons. But we’d still love to bring you to Pittsburgh for a special day at PNC Park this season," the team posted on X.

Fanatics Collect, which will handle the auctioning of the card in March, said it will donate its proceeds from the sale to fire relief funds in the Los Angeles area.

Skenes delivered a season to remember in 2024, finishing 11-3 with a 1.96 ERA and 170 strikeouts. Before winning the National League Rookie of the Year Award, he was named to the MLB All-Star team. Skenes was the top pick in the 2023 MLB Draft and made his big league debut in May 2024. 

Rookies have worn MLB debut patches on their jerseys since 2023. Topps acquired the patches and created the unique cards. The card could hold pretty high value considering the potentially bright future ahead for the 22-year-old, who finished third in NL Cy Young Award voting.

Skenes said over the weekend he hasn’t thought about the potential of signing a long-term contract to remain with the Pirates, saying instead his focus is on helping the Pirates take a step toward contending in 2025. He is eligible for free agency after the 2029 season.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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NFL Hall of Famer Brett Favre was once a target of a bounty hunting scheme by the New Orleans Saints and opened up 15 years later about that experience in a thread on X Friday.

In 2009, the Saints offered their players cash incentives to injure certain players. Favre, quarterback of the Minnesota Vikings at that time, was on that list. 

The Vikings were considered the top obstacle in the NFC for the Saints to reach the Super Bowl that year. 

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The Saints beat Favre and the Vikings in the NFC championship game that year, a 31-28 overtime thriller. Favre was never injured, but he took multiple hard hits and ended up throwing a costly interception in overtime. 

Favre said he held no "ill will" toward the Saints for the scandal and wished he played better in the game. 

"I played the game with the mindset to be prepared for anything: big hits, injuries, and players trying to knock my head off. I never made excuses for the times I wasn’t successful and played the game within the ruleset. In fact, losing just made me want to work harder and fueled my drive to win next time," Favre wrote. 

"I don’t have any ill-will towards those involved in Bounty Gate. After we lost to the Saints, I rooted for Drew Brees and Sean Payton to win the Super Bowl. Looking back 15 years later, my opinion hasn’t changed. If I could have some of those plays back and done my part, maybe we would have been the ones celebrating a championship victory in 2010." 

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The Saints won the Super Bowl that year against the Indianapolis Colts. 

But once the scandal was uncovered, the Saints received some of the harshest sanctions in NFL history. Former head coach Sean Payton was suspended a year without pay. 

Defensive coordinator Greg Williams, identified as the brains of the plan, was suspended indefinitely but was later reinstated. Former general manager Mickey Loomis was suspended for the first eight games of the 2012 season, and assistant head coach Joe Vitt was suspended for the first six games of that year. 

Former Saints players Scott Fujita, Anthony Hargrove, Will Smith and Jonathan Vilma were all suspended for their roles. 

The Saints also had to pay a $500,000 fine and forfeit their second-round picks in the 2012 and 2013 drafts

The team's bounty hunting plan involved as many as 27 players and at least one assistant coach, the league found in its investigation. Players even contributed to a cash pool. 

The players were paid $1,500 for a "knockout," when a targeted player couldn't return to the game, and $1,000 for a "cart-off," when a player had to be carried off the field.

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In the days following Ryan Day walking off the field in Columbus following Ohio State's loss to Michigan to end the regular season, his family’s safety was the main priority after they received death threats from a lunatic fringe of Buckeye fans. 

There was obviously a monster fallout in Columbus after the loss, with fans calling for Ryan Day to be fired after Ohio State lost its fourth straight game to the Wolverines. But what some folks have not heard is how everything spiraled out of control from a safety standpoint for Ryan Day and his family. 

Speaking with the Columbus Dispatch, Nina Day, the wife of Ryan Day, spoke about the terrible events that came in the aftermath of the Michigan loss. The situation behind the scenes for the family had turned, in a dangerous manner. 

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"The time between the Michigan game and the Tennessee game was as low and dark as you could possibly imagine. Extremely negative. Unprecedented hate," Nina Day explained. 

When Ryan Day was eight years old, his father died by suicide. So, when fans somehow got hold of Nina Day's cell phone number in the days following the Michigan loss, unfathomable messages started to pour in at a constant rate, before Nina decided it was best to just disconnect her phone. 

"They told me multiple times to have Ryan follow in his father's footsteps and kill himself," Nina noted to the Dispatch. 

On the outside, Ryan Day continued to push forward, holding his weekly press conference, while waiting to see who his team would play in the first round of the college football playoff. But inside the family, things were starting to get out of control when it came to their safety. 

According to Nina Day, their 16-year-old son, RJ, started to receive death threats on social media, while the family’s address was also posted, leading to Ryan Day hiring armed security guards to protect his family at their house. There was also a thought from Nina that she should take her kids and leave Columbus during this time, not knowing what the next month could bring. 

"I think he, at times, second-guessed his decision to get into this and be in the spotlight that we're in. He felt responsible and just felt bad that he had put us in this position. He promised us he'd get us out of it," Nina Day mentioned about the conversations with her husband. 

There are fans across all sports that take things way too seriously, and this is another instance of something that could not be controlled. There was no reason that the Day family needed to fear for their lives over a football game, I don’t care how much you’re paid, or what your job title is. 

This is obviously the ugly part of sports, and it's not as if this is the first time we've heard of coaches having to deal with these types of situations, and it won’t be the last. 

"He fought like hell and got us out of a very dark place that we were in five weeks ago because of his resilience, because I don’t think anybody really thought this was going to end the way it did," Nina Day mentioned. "Everybody thought the season ended in November. 

"All he kept telling me was ‘I want to bring you guys peace. I just want to bring you guys peace.’ And he knew that for us to feel any type of peace, he had to win it all."

All of this over a football game. A family fearing for their lives, needing armed security to guard their house, just to get a peaceful night of sleep and feel safe. 

While Nina Day mentioned that you cannot label an entire fan base as the ‘lunatic fringe’, there are certainly a number of people who should be held accountable for their actions towards the Day family. 

As I watched Ryan Day celebrate with his family on the field Monday night, hugging each member of the family, there was certainly more to the story than just a head coach who was dealing with outside noise. 

A rivalry has been renewed. 

Philadelphia will host the NFC championship game between the Eagles and the visiting Washington Commanders Sunday. 

Ahead of the game, the famous Rocky statue in downtown Philadelphia was dressed in gear representing the Commanders' former identity, the Redskins. 

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The culprit is unknown. 

Dressing the statue in opposing teams' gear has become a tradition in recent years ahead of big Eagles playoff games. Each time its happened, the Eagles have come away with wins. 

In 2022, the statue was dressed in New York Giants gear ahead of their matchup against the Eagles in the divisional round. The Eagles won that game 38-7. The following week, the statue was dressed in San Francisco 49ers gear before Niners arrived in Philadelphia for the NFC championship game. The Eagles won that game, 31-7. 

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When the Eagles won their first Super Bowl in the 2017 season, the statue was also dressed in opposing teams' gear. 

Ahead of that season's NFC championship game between the Eagles and the Minnesota Vikings, the statue was draped in a Vikings jersey, and the Eagles won 38-7. Before the Super Bowl, someone placed a New England Patriots jersey on the statue, and the Eagles beat the Patriots 41-33 to claim their first Super Bowl title. 

The vandalism became so frequent that Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce pleaded with his own fan base not to do dress the statue in any Chiefs gear ahead of the 2023 Super Bowl. The Chiefs won that game 38-35.

"Chiefs, do not touch the f---ing Rocky memorial!" Kelce said during a February 2023 episode of his podcast, "New Heights."  

"Do not do that and definitely don't put an No. 87 on it!"

Former Eagles center Jason Kelce, who played against Travis and the Chiefs in that game, theorized the culprit was an Eagles fan. 

"I'm gonna be honest. I think somebody from Philadelphia is doing this now," Jason Kelce said. 

"I don't think this is an opposing team thing at this point. There's no way opposing teams continue to do this. I'm convinced there is a Philadelphia fan who is putting these shirts on the Rocky statue just to get everyone fired up, and it's working tremendously. 

"So, keep doing it. I guarantee it. There's no way. Because it's happened every single game. The Giants did it. The 49ers did it. There will probably be a Chiefs jersey on it this week."

Now, Washington is up, and will look to break the trend. 

It will be the first time the rivals have met in a conference championship game and marks a high point for a rivalry that has been dormant in recent decades due to Washington's inability to win in the playoffs since the 1990s. 

The 2024 season was the first since 2005 that Washington won a playoff game, and the first since 1991 that the franchise reached the conference championship. 

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American boxer Devin Haney took aim at Sylvester Stallone over the actor's recent commentary on the current state of boxing.

Stallone, a three-time Academy Award nominee, received critical acclaim for his portrayal of Philadelphia boxer Rocky Balboa in the film franchise. 

A video recently surfaced on social media showing Stallone holding the gloves he wore in the mid-1970s during the filming of the original sports drama movie. At one point during the video, Stallone suggested the gloves were identical to what professional boxers used in the '70s.

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"They don't even allow these today because they're so dangerous. But that's what they used when I did the film. They're barely six ounces, they're Reyes and they're literally lethal. I still have them because it's a time when people were tougher. I'm sorry, they were. Life is just getting a little easier and easier and easier. ... I cherish hard work, even though I hate it."

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Haney disagreed with Stallone's assertion and shared his rebuttal via X, formerly Twitter.

"Dude don't know a left hook from a fish hook, and got the nerve to speak on times being easier in boxing like he wasn't just an actor... Buddy them Rocky movies wasn't real," Haney wrote.

April's upset defeat to Ryan Garcia marked Haney's most recent appearance in a professional bout.

Haney, known as "The Dream," eventually pursued legal recourse against Garcia after learning Garcia failed multiple drug tests ahead of the bout.

Officials overturned Garcia's victory and ruled the fight a no-contest.

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LIV Golfer Bryson DeChambeau has a grand plan for the $125 million he's receiving from his Saudi Arabian bosses. 

The controversial 31-year-old golf star said during an interview on "The Joe Pomp Show" he bought 200 acres of land in his hometown of Modesto, California, and plans to expand the town by 30%.

"We are doing a mega project," DeChambeau said. "It’s been in the works for a couple of years now, and we’re at the place where we are getting permits to build. People know about it now. 

"We have acquired massive amounts of land in my hometown, and it’s a three-phase process to build a whole community and increase the size of where I grew up by 30%"

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DeChambeau says his intention is to create a prominent golf presence in the community, adding the timeline for completing this project is just over a year. 

"It’s a full-scale plan, fully thought out. It’s not only to bring golfers to the game but also to bring people to the central valley. You build a community around a multisport complex center," he said.

"It’s going to take 12-15 months to get the permits approved for the full scope. It’s over 200 acres of land what we have right now. It’s going to be a multisports complex center — driving range, golf course, residential community center, the whole thing."

DeChambeau was paid a reported $125 million to join LIV Golf in June 2022. He says his latest project is only possible because of the massive salary from the Saudi-funded organization.

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"A lot of the reason why I have been able to do this is because of LIV. They gave me the economic viability to do these things and the platform to be able to do it, growing on YouTube," he said. 

DeChambeau was one of many American golfers to compete in the Saudi-backed league when it launched.

Brooks Koepka, Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson, Patrick Reed and Jon Rahm were other prominent PGA stars who chose to accept the massive LIV paychecks during the league's aggressive pursuit of the sport's biggest names. 

DeChambeau is also a close friend of President Donald Trump's and invited Trump to play with him in a video on his YouTube channel. 

DeChambeau told Fox News Digital at the time he had no regrets about it.

"There’s always risk associated to that. But, from my perspective, it was focused on entertainment," DeChambeau told Fox News Digital in August at Maridoe Golf Club, site of the LIV Golf Team Championship. 

"We can talk about politics. That’s a whole different conversation, something that I was not trying to do on my YouTube channel. It was solely on providing great entertainment."

DeChambeau joined Trump, Elon Musk and Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, to watch the SpaceX rocket launch in November. 

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Patrick Mahomes' mother, Randi Mahomes, announced on Instagram Friday that the quarterback's grandfather is in hospice. 

"My dad is in hospice and I'm lost for words," the mother wrote in the post.

Randi added to her post the bible verse Colossians 3:20, which in The Bible says "Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord."

Randi previously announced that her father was in the hospital in mid-September. 

"Prayer warriors please pray for my daddy. He is in the hospital and is not well His name is Randy," she wrote on X on Sept. 14. A few days later, she made an Instagram post that read, "This is how I fight my battles. If you are seeing this, take a moment, and PRAY for my dad now." 

Now, the news that Mahomes' grandfather is in hospice comes just days before Mahomes is set to lead the Kansas City Chiefs against the Buffalo Bills in the AFC Championship game, as the quarterback is looking to become the first in history to win three straight Super Bowls. 

The news also comes just under two weeks after Mahomes and his wife Brittany welcomed his third child into the world, when daughter Golden Raye was born on Jan. 12. 

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For Mahomes, a historic season has also been one of constant family chaos. His grandfather being placed in hospice shortly after the birth of his third child is only the latest unfortunate development for his family over the last year. 

In March, his brother Jackson Mahomes was sentenced to six months probation for allegedly assaulting a woman. Jackson pleaded guilty to a single misdemeanor count of battery. The sentencing came just months after prosecutors dismissed three felony charges for aggravated sexual battery related to accusations that he had grabbed a woman by the neck and kissed her against her will. 

Then, in August, Brittany was thrust into the center of a national political controversy and faced a barrage of online attacks from liberals after she simply liked a post on President Donald Trump's Instagram. Screenshots of her like went viral, and she faced so much backlash that she had to address the controversy multiple times in other Instagram posts. 

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The controversy surrounding Brittany was elevated due to her widely publicized friendship with Taylor Swift, as Swift is a Democrat who endorsed Kamala Harris in the recent election. Swift was seen sitting separately from Brittany at Chiefs games this year after they were often seen sitting together last season, which only fueled the controversy and conversation over their political differences. 

Trump himself thrust the Mahomes family further into the national political conversation ahead of the election when he acknowledged Brittany's support and thanked her on social media and in a Fox & Friends interview on Sept. 11, as Mahomes was forced to field questions on the subject from reporters later that day. 

Randi also engrossed herself in the controversy when she announced her support for Trump at the Chiefs' game against the Buccaneers on Nov. 4, just one day before the election. Randi invited some criticism to her and the rest of the family by liberals on social media for her Trump support but never acknowledged the backlash like Brittany did. 

Meanwhile, Mahomes' father, Patrick Mahomes Sr., was dealt a jail sentence and five years probation in late September for driving under the influence of alcohol in February. He was sentenced to 10 days in jail, followed by a five-year probation period, and will be subject to "intense supervision" for the first year of his probation, according to KCTV in Kansas City. 

He also had his driver's license suspended for a year and is required to continue AA courses and will have a breathalyzer ignition device installed in his car.

For the Chiefs quarterback, these distractions all took place in what was, statistically, the worst season of his NFL career as a starter. 

Mahomes put up career-lows in passing yards and touchdowns while missing the Pro Bowl for the first time since taking over the starting job in 2018. 

However, this didn't stop Mahomes from doing just enough to lead the Chiefs to the best record they've ever had in their history, with a staggering 15-2 regular season record. Despite struggling in the passing game, Mahomes did just enough every week to make sure his team won all but one game that he started, all while confronted by numerous family distractions.

The one loss Mahomes suffered for the Chiefs this year came against the very team he will play on Sunday, when the Bills beat the Chiefs 30-21 on Nov. 17. The Chiefs' second loss came in the final game of the regular season when Mahomes sat out to avoid injury with nothing to gain in the standings.

Now, with his grandfather in hospice, Mahomes will take the field for a rematch against the Bills on Sunday with a chance to lead his team to a third straight Super Bowl, as he looks to cap off a turbulent but resilient year. 

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Super Bowl champion and Nebraska Cornhuskers legend Calvin Jones died Wednesday at 54.

Police officers were called to Jones’ home after a neighbor called firefighters to report an odor of gas coming from the house, Omaha police told WOWT-TV.

Officers said a man was found unconscious in the basement and that a generator was running. The man was later identified as Jones. 

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Jones’ death is indicative of carbon monoxide poisoning, but an official cause of death is pending an autopsy report. 

Jones, an Omaha native, starred with the Cornhuskers from 1991 to 1993. He rushed for 3,183 yards and 40 touchdowns across three seasons. 

He led the Big 8 conference in scoring in each of his freshman, sophomore and junior years. He also led the Big 8 in rushing yards and yards per attempt in his sophomore season with 1,210 yards and 7.2 yards per attempt.

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Jones and fellow running back Derek Brown created head coach Tom Osborne’s "we-back" system. Both Jones and Brown were I-backs and together formed one of college football’s best ever running back duos. 

The pair averaged 329 yards per game on the ground en route to leading Nebraska to the Orange Bowl. No other duo averaged more yards per game that season than Jones and Brown. 

After Jones’ illustrious college career, he was selected in the third round of the 1994 NFL Draft by the Los Angeles Raiders.

Jones played 15 games across two seasons with the Raiders, rushing for 112 yards on 27 carries.

He played one game for the Green Bay Packers while winning the Super Bowl with them in 1997. 

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