The Chiefs are looking to get into their fifth Super Bowl since the turn of the decade, but they have to get through the Buffalo Bills first. But history is on Kansas City's side entering Sunday's AFC Championship Game: They are 4-0 against Buffalo in the playoffs in that span.
And if there's one person who knows what the Chiefs are capable of, it's Kayla Nicole, the ex-girlfriend of star tight end Travis Kelce.
On the "I Am Athlete Daily" podcast, host Brandon Marshall admitted he didn't want to get "messy" by bringing up the Chiefs with Nicole, but the two shared some analysis.
"I think there is nothing like that environment. That’s the loudest stadium in the league," she said. "The energy is crazy. I think [quarterback] Patrick [Mahomes], too, is just a seasoned vet at this point. There is no panic, there is no sudden decisions. This is a well-thought-out offense. [Mahomes] studies the game like nobody else. Oh my God, yeah, that’s all he does. He’s a student of the game.
"Then you got [Chiefs coach] Andy Reid, and I think his playbook is crazy. That’s a known fact about him. Their offense is OD. They have guys they can throw the ball to that’s not going to drop it in the end zone."
"Travis Kelce, that’s a tight end that’s not going to do it. They got the threats. So as much as I would love to see somebody else in the Super Bowl, just to see something new, it’s not going to happen."
But despite the positive words, she made her rooting interest clear.
"As much as I’d love to see [Bills quarterback] Josh [Allen] pull it off, I don’t know if that’s going to happen. … [It’s] something new. I’m bored," she quipped.
Nicole and Kelce dated for five years and even attended Mahomes' wedding together. Kelce has since been dating Taylor Swift.
Scrums after the whistle are common in the NHL. What isn’t common is when you see a superstar goalie join the fracas after the whistle.
During the New York Rangers' 5-0 win over the Ottawa Senators on Tuesday in New York, star goalie Igor Shesterkin charged right into the middle of the fight and was ready to swing.
The Rangers were up 3-0 with 12:51 left in the third period over the Senators when things got crazy in Madison Square Garden.
Senators captain Brady Tkachuk went after a loose puck around the neck and ran into Rangers’ star goalie Igor Shesterkin, sending the goalie back into his own net.
The five Rangers players on the ice immediately came to their goalie’s defense as they swarmed Tkachuk.
Then the rest of the Senators’ players on the ice came to their captain’s defense, and eventually each Rangers and Senators skater paired off with one another in a shoving match.
While all the chaos unfolded, Shesterkin hunched over in the crease, gathering himself.
Then suddenly, as the chaos started winding down, Shesterkin got up and charged straight into the melee and went after Tkachuk.
Tkachuk saw Shesterkin coming and punched at the goalie’s helmet, knocking Shesterkin down, while Shesterkin threw a blocker toward Tkachuk.
Then Tkachuk, whose right arm was being held by Rangers forward Matt Rempe, jostled with Shesterkin before the referees intervened and removed Shesterkin from the scrum.
As Shesterkin was being pulled away, Rempe, who is known for fighting in his short time in the NHL, went after Tkachuk.
But a referee got between the two, not letting them fight, despite Rempe and Tkachuk throwing punches at each other around the referee.
Once order was restored on the ice, the referees convened and doled out a lot of penalties.
Shesterkin was penalized two minutes for leaving the goalie's crease. Rempe was given a double-minor penalty for roughing.
Tkachuk was also given a double-minor penalty for roughing, and he was also penalized for goalie interference.
Shane Pinto, the Senators' center, was also given a minor penalty for roughing Rangers’ defenseman Ryan Lindgren.
The Rangers ended up on the power play after all the penalties, and Artemi Panarin cashed in to make it 4-0.
Alexis Lafrenière, Arthur Kaliyev, Rempe, Panarin and Will Cuylle all scored in the win for the Rangers.
The Rangers are 7-1-3 in their last 11 games and have surged back into the wild-card race after a dreadful stretch in which they won just four of 19 games in December.
For Shesterkin, it was his second straight game with a shutout, saving all 20 of the Senators’ shots on net.
The Rangers look to continue their winning ways when they take on the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday at 7 p.m. ET.
The Senators next face the Boston Bruins on Thursday at 7 p.m. ET.
Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker responded to widespread mockery that was directed at her when she misspelled the name of the hometown Eagles during a speech on Sunday.
During a chant to celebrate the team's playoff run, the Democratic mayor attempted to do the fan base's signature chant of spelling out the team name. However, she spelled it "E-L-G-S-E-S."
The Democrat's misspelling has already been turned into a T-shirt by the independent Philadelphia sports apparel business "Philly Goat."
Parker is in her first term as the city's mayor after winning the mayoral election in 2023, becoming the first woman mayor in the city's history when she defeated Republican Joe Rockey.
Parker served in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives from 2005-15, and then on the Philadelphia city council from 2015-22.
The Eagles will face the rival Washington Commanders in Philadelphia on Sunday in the NFC Championship game for the right to advance to the Super Bowl.
Detroit Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn is returning to his roots for his first head coaching job in the NFL.
Glenn, one of the top coaching candidates this offseason, accepted the role of the New York Jets head coach on Wednesday, becoming the first former player to return as head coach in nearly 50 years, according to ESPN.
Multiple outlets reported the news a day after Glenn met with Jets brass on Tuesday.
The New Orleans Saints, who parted ways with Dennis Allen in November, were reportedly also in competition to land Glenn.
A three-time Pro Bowler, Glenn got his start in the NFL as a cornerback when he was selected by the Jets with the No. 12 overall pick in the 1994 Draft. He spent eight seasons in New York before being acquired by the Houston Texans in the 2002 NFL expansion draft.
Glenn turned to coaching not long after his playing career ended in 2008. He most notably spent the last four seasons overseeing the Lions’ defense and interviewed with several teams before accepting the job in New York.
Glenn also beat out more than a dozen other coaches in the Jets’ extensive search, which included Brian Flores, Jeff Hafley, Ron Rivera and Rex Ryan, among others.
According to The Associated Press, Glenn was the only candidate to receive a second interview.
Glenn takes over with fans desperate for change. He replaces Robert Saleh, who was fired just five games into the season.
The Jets’ struggles looked like they were coming to an end when four-time league MVP Aaron Rodgers was brought on in 2023. But a season-ending injury in his debut in New York derailed those plans.
The 2024 season wasn’t much of an improvement – not even the addition of Rodgers’ favorite target could change the outcome and the Jets extended their historic playoff drought.
Spytek, 44, has an extensive track record in NFL front offices, and it all began as a Detroit Lions operations intern in 2004.
He moved on to the Philadelphia Eagles, serving as a college and pro scout from 2005-09, and then to the Cleveland Browns and Denver Broncos in similar scouting roles before eventually landing in Tampa Bay in 2016.
He joined the Bucs as their director of player personnel, working alongside GM Jason Licht to build a Tampa Bay squad that won the Super Bowl during the 2021 season.
One of the main reasons for that Vince Lombardi Trophy heading back to Tampa Bay was the Bucs' acquisition of Tom Brady, which Spytek played a role in after their time together as Michigan Wolverines.
That connection continues with the Raiders. Brady is a minority owner of the franchise.
Spytek worked his way through the Bucs’ front office, getting promoted to vice president of player personnel in 2021 and then moving to assistant GM in 2023.
With Spytek expected to assume his role soon, the next big hire will be head coach for the Raiders after the firing of Antonio Pierce one season after the team named him full-time head coach after an interim stint in 2023.
Then Spytek will aim to build a roster in desperate need of a franchise quarterback and some more playmakers on both sides of the ball. Las Vegas owns the sixth overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, and some view the Raiders as a team that may trade up to get a quarterback like Shedeur Sanders or Cam Ward.
Edmonton Oilers star Corey Perry likely had one of the most unusual assists of his career during the third period of Tuesday night’s game against the league-leading Washington Capitals.
The Oilers were trailing 3-1 to start the third period when center Leon Draisaitl skated into Washington’s zone, making a quick pass to Perry, who beat Capitals netminder Logan Thompson to cut the lead to a one-goal deficit.
However, Thompson appeared to take issue with the sequence of events, pleading to officials that something had been thrown onto the ice before the pass was made.
What was it that distracted one of the NHL’s top goalies? A platter of nachos.
"That's a first," Capitals coach Spencer Carbery said after the game, via ESPN.
"We just talked about that in the coaches' office. I don't think I've ever seen a nachos-on-the-ice National Hockey League game. Did they save them? Maybe we can bring them into the locker room."
A replay of the play showed Perry skating around the concession stand favorite to find the back of the net. Thompson admitted after the game that he should have played until the whistle.
"I've never seen that before. Obviously, I've got to play to the whistle. That one's on me," Thompson said, adding that he saw the fan that threw the plate of nachos.
"Wasn't too happy. But credit to him. He got them a goal," he said, suggesting the fan was an Oilers supporter.
For his part, Perry admitted to not even noticing the platter.
Despite the setback, the Capitals were able to hold on to the 3-2 lead for the win as they extended their win streak to five straight. The Oilers have now dropped two in a row and their first since star forward Connor McDavid was issued a three-game suspension for cross-checking.
American tennis star Ben Shelton called out the TV interviewers at the Australian Open on Tuesday following his quarterfinal victory, saying that he believes several of the post-match interviews throughout the tournament have crossed a line.
Speaking to the media following his hard-fought victory over Lorenzo Sonego, Shelton closed his press conference with an unprompted remark about player interviews, which have come under the spotlight this week after Novak Djokovic refused to do an interview following comments made about him and his fan base.
"I’ve been a little shocked this week with how players have been treated by the broadcasters," Shelton, 22, said. "I don’t think that guy who mocked Novak – I don’t think that was just a single event. I’ve noticed it with different people, not just myself."
Shelton named a number of incidents, including his on-court interview following his fourth round victory over 38-year-old French veteran Gael Monfils. The interviewer, Roger Rasheed, noted that Monfils is "almost your dad."
Shelton responded, "Was that a Black joke?" Both players are Black.
Shelton also spoke about his interview after the quarterfinal match, in which the interviewer commented that he likely would not have many fans in his semifinal match against reigning champ Jannik Sinner.
"I just don’t think that comment [is] respectful from a guy I’ve never met before in my life," Shelton said.
"I feel like broadcasters should be helping us grow our sport and help these athletes who just won matches on the biggest stage enjoy one of their biggest moments. I just feel like there’s been a lot of negativity and I think that’s something that needs to change."
Broadcasters at this year’s Grand Slam came under fire after Australian Channel 9 journalist Tony Jones called Djokovic "overrated" and "a has-been" while mocking Serbian fans. Djokvic refused an on-court interview after the incident until he received an apology.
On Monday, the network said in a statement it apologized "for any offense caused from comments made" while live on air.
"No harm was intended towards Novak or his fans," the statement continued. "We look forward to further showcasing his Australian Open campaign at Melbourne Park."
Edmonton Oilers star Corey Perry likely had one of the most unusual assists of his career during the third period of Tuesday night’s game against the league-leading Washington Capitals.
The Oilers were trailing 3-1 to start the third period when center Leon Draisaitl skated into Washington’s zone, making a quick pass to Perry, who beat Capitals netminder Logan Thompson to cut the lead to a one-goal deficit.
However, Thompson appeared to take issue with the sequence of events, pleading to officials that something had been thrown onto the ice before the pass was made.
What was it that distracted one of the NHL’s top goalies? A platter of nachos.
"That's a first," Capitals coach Spencer Carbery said after the game, via ESPN.
"We just talked about that in the coaches' office. I don't think I've ever seen a nachos-on-the-ice National Hockey League game. Did they save them? Maybe we can bring them into the locker room."
A replay of the play showed Perry skating around the concession stand favorite to find the back of the net. Thompson admitted after the game that he should have played until the whistle.
"I've never seen that before. Obviously, I've got to play to the whistle. That one's on me," Thompson said, adding that he saw the fan that threw the plate of nachos.
"Wasn't too happy. But credit to him. He got them a goal," he said, suggesting the fan was an Oilers supporter.
For his part, Perry admitted to not even noticing the platter.
Despite the setback, the Capitals were able to hold on to the 3-2 lead for the win as they extended their win streak to five straight. The Oilers have now dropped two in a row and their first since star forward Connor McDavid was issued a three-game suspension for cross-checking.
The National Baseball Hall of Fame Class of 2025 has been announced, as CC Sabathia, Ichiro Suzuki and Billy Wagner will be heading to Cooperstown to be enshrined forever alongside the game’s greats.
While the baseball world celebrates these three amazing ballplayers, there are some who have real cases for the Hall of Fame that saw another year go by without getting a shot at entering the Hall.
One of them is Kenny Lofton, the six-time All-Star and four-time Gold Glover who spent 17 seasons in MLB racking up 2,428 hits and a 68.4 WAR over 2,103 games.
Now, when the day comes like Tuesday, when the Hall of Fame ballots are counted and results come in, Lofton isn’t rubbed the wrong way. He knows that after not securing at least 5% of the ballot in 2013, he’s no longer eligible to be voted on regularly.
But there’s no doubting that Lofton still feels hurt that he didn’t get what he believes is a fair shot at being in Cooperstown.
"I didn’t get credit for what I did. It’s kinda sad. I still don’t get credit," Lofton told Fox News Digital while discussing his role as an advisor with Sluggball, a reimagined approach to the game of baseball.
"I can only say all the time that, from my era and my time, I did what I was supposed to do. I thought at that time, it was very important for me to do my job as a teammate, and that was an important part of the game. Now you look at it as me doing my job and me being a team player, it kinda hurt me. Instead of me being selfish like other guys, the three and four hitters, it was all about them eating. I was serving, and they were eating, but I didn’t get the credit for serving the food to them."
Lofton’s first year on the Hall of Fame ballot was perhaps one of the most stacked ballots of all time, though no living inductees were had for the first time since 1965. There were 10 players, including Craig Biggio, Jeff Bagwell, Mike Piazza and Edgar Martinez, who eventually got the 75% of votes needed to get in, but guys like Lofton and Bernie Williams were left off the ballot the next year because at least 5% of votes is required to move on.
And like Lofton mentioned, the era of baseball he played in, infamously known as the Steroid Era, had players like Barry Bonds (36.2%), Mark McGwire (16.9%), Sammy Sosa (12.5%) and Rafael Palmeiro (8.8%) also on the ballot with him.
Ichiro also played in that era, entering MLB at the late age of 27 in 2001 and still putting up 3,089 hits over 19 seasons. Only one Hall of Fame voter left him off their ballot despite, much like Derek Jeter, there being a very strong case for a unanimous vote.
Lofton loves that Ichiro got his due, and the same goes for Tim Raines, whose 23-year career saw a speedy outfielder hitting for average rather than home runs. But he feels he’s in the same conversation.
"That’s what hurts me to see this and seeing Ichiro with the opportunity to show, OK, here’s some smaller guys who are not all about home runs can get in the game and then you compare my numbers to Ichiro, we’re not too far off," Lofton explained.
Making that case, Wins Above Replacement (WAR) is a mark many voters use to see if a player should be in the Hall of Fame. Ichiro had a 60.0 WAR, while Lofton was at 68.4 over his career.
And when you view their career season averages side by side, Lofton was better with stolen bases (48 to 31), home runs (10 to 7), RBI (60 to 48), and runs (118 to 87). Ichiro beats Lofton in batting average (.311 to .299), but only by two in hits (189 to 187).
Then, there is sabermetrician Jay Jaffe’s "The Cooperstown Casebook," which outlines the JAWS metric to determine who should and shouldn’t be in the Hall of Fame. JAWS is a player’s WAR averaged with their 7-year peak WAR.
Lofton is 10th all-time for center fielders with a 55.9 JAWS mark. Every player above him is in the Hall of Fame except for Mike Trout (fifth), who still plays, and Carlos Beltran (ninth), who remains on the ballot and just missed getting in this year with 70.3% of votes.
Richie Ashburn, Andrew Dawson, Billy Hamilton, Larry Doby, Earl Averill, Max Carey and Kirby Puckett are all players with a lesser JAWS rating that are in the Hall.
Finally, Lofton's ability to steal bases – he's 15th all-time with 622 stolen bags – made him a menace when he got on base. In fact, he's one of only nine players with 600 career steals and 600 extra-base hits, yet he's the only one not in Cooperstown.
"All I’m asking from people is look at my numbers a little bit more," Lofton said. "… That was all I wanted because when you look at the stats and what people say, I have one of the highest WARs in history, especially for center fielders."
If the numbers are not enough, Lofton spoke of his peers reminiscing about his time in the league.
"I talked to [Hall of Famer] Barry Larkin and he says, ‘During the era of when you played, Kenny, you were the best thing out there,’" Lofton said. "He said, ‘No one wanted to deal with you when you stepped at the plate or when you were in the outfield.’ That made me feel good for another player to say that about me.
"When David Justice during the World Series, he said, ‘Kenny, our main thing was keeping you off the bases.’ He said, ‘We didn’t have a big meeting. We had a meeting that said keep that damn Kenny Lofton off the bases and we will win this series.’ So, that made me feel good to hear that kind of stuff from the players you played with."
There is still a way for Lofton to get into the Hall, as the Contemporary Committee votes in December 2025. But the ballot is only eight candidates, where 75% of votes must also be tallied to enter the Hall.
Lofton already went through that, though, in 2022 when Fred McGriff was elected by the committee. McGriff finished his 19-year career with 493 homers and a 52.6 WAR.
Again, Lofton isn’t knocking any of these players for getting their plaque in the Hall. All he wants is the consideration he feels he deserves.
Because it’s gotten to the point where he questions if his efforts were worth it.
"Sometimes, I look back at it like, ‘Dude, did I play the game the right way?’" Lofton questioned. "People are getting all these accolades for what they’re doing now. I’m like, wait a minute, what I did I guess was nothing at this point looking at how they perceive the game and how they look at it. How they look at it is leadoff hitter means nothing. I thought leadoff guy, that’s what you wanted your guy to do because he was helping the team. RBI means run batted in, so all these big guys getting all these accolades because of their runs batted in and they get praise from runs batted in. But how would that happen if a guy didn’t get on base for him to get that RBI? And he didn’t get credit, it’s sad.
"All I want people to do is look at my numbers and compare. And when they say during your era in your position or whatever, were you the best? At this point, they’re looking around that. I just want the committee to look at it and say, ‘He’s the best at it.’ But I don’t know. That’s not on me, but look at my numbers and compare me to people who are already in the Hall of Fame."
EXCLUSIVE: As the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act heads to the Senate after passing in the House of Representatives, Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn, believes it will continue to get bipartisan support there, just as it did in the House.
Blackburn told Fox News Digital in an exclusive interview that she has spoken to multiple Democrats across the aisle who are in support of restricting trans inclusion in women's sports.
"Many of my friends who are Democrats will tell you that they think Title IX is a thing and to have biological males competing against women is inappropriate, and they want opportunities for their daughters or nieces or granddaughters, and it's frustrating to them when they hear or about or witness a transgender male playing in a women's or girls' league" Blackburn said.
When the bill passed through the House last Tuesday, Reps. Henry Cuellar, D-Texas, and Vicente Gonzales, D-Texas, were the only two Democrats to vote in favor of it. Blackburn expects and hopes that there will be multiple Democratic senators who vote in favor of the bill when it hits the Senate floor.
"I would expect there would be, I would hope there would be," she said.
However, most Democrats have remained firmly opposed to the bill. Many have gone so far in their opposition to make unsubstantiated claims that the law would empower child predators to give genital examinations to young girls.
Many of the 206 Democratic house representatives, including Minority Rep. Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., and Rep Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., presented that argument despite no language in the bill that indicates genital examinations would be used.
Republicans insisted that proof of birth sex can be determined simply by a birth certificate. The Democrats' attempt to tie the bill to child predator empowerment has driven many loyal voters away from the party, Fox News Digital previously reported.
Blackburn says she has "no idea" what those Democrats who argued it would result in child predator empowerment are thinking.
"I find it very difficult to believe that protecting girls in sports would have such an adverse effect," Blackburn said. "Looking at the content of the bill is the best way to argue against it and know that a vast majority of Americans support protecting girls in girls' sports."
A recent New York Times/Ipsos survey found the vast majority of Americans, including a majority of Democrats, do not think transgender athletes should be permitted to compete in women's sports.
Of the 2,128 people who participated, 79% said biological males who identify as women should not be allowed to participate in women's sports. Of the 1,025 people who identified as Democrats or leaning Democrat, 67% said transgender athletes should not be allowed to compete with women.
Controversies over trans athletes competing against women became a key election issue in 2024, as President Donald Trump and Republicans down ballot all vowed to take action to prevent it.
The GOP has indicated it will make good on its promise very early, as the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act was the very first bill introduced to the 119th Congress. Blackburn plans to advocate strongly for the bill once it reaches the Senate, where the Republican majority and some Democrats are expected to pass it on to the White House for Trump to sign it into law.
However, Blackburn is not stopping there. She is also introducing three other proposals to tackle the issue on both a legislative and cultural level.
The Tennessee Senator has introduced a resolution calling on the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) to revoke its transgender student-athlete eligibility policy, alongside Rep. Greg Steube, R-Fla.
NCAA President Charlie Baker faced questions and criticism from Republican lawmakers for these policies during a congressional hearing on Dec. 17. Baker repeatedly cited federal law and recent rulings of federal courts that have enabled it. Blackburn and Steube's resolution would force Baker and the NCAA to follow a new precedent instead.
Blackburn is also introducing a bill to assess and prevent violence against women in athletics. The Fair Play for Girls Act, which, in addition to keeping women's sports for females, would "require the U.S. Attorney General to submit an analysis of violence against women in athletics to Congress."
"We have talked with different women who have had adverse impacts," Blackburn said. "This would require the attorney general to do an analysis and look at what is happening in the world of sports with women and to women and then looking at where there are impediments to fair competition for the girls, where there are occurrences of girls losing opportunities because a girl has joined their team or is playing in their league, and then also to look at harassment against women and girls in athletics."
Blackburn is even looking to have a conscious protection of women and girls in sports ingrained into American culture with a resolution declaring Oct. 10 as "American Girls in Sports Day," which Senate Democrats blocked last Congress.
The date, Oct. 10, which translates to XX in Roman numerals, is meant to reference the XX chromosomes that determine female gender at birth.
"It would just be teams and schools celebrating their teams and treating it as a time for schools to give the opportunities to coaches to girls who have excelled in different sports, I think it would be a source of encouragement to more young girls to participate in sports," Blackburn said.
Blackburn's legislative proposals have been endorsed by Riley Gaines, Jennifer Sey, Caitlyn Jenner, Sage Steele, Concerned Women for America Legislative Action Committee, Parents Defending Education Action and Independent Women’s Forum.
UConn men’s basketball coach Dan Hurley’s latest sideline antics with officials were captured by broadcast cameras on Tuesday night, when the Huskies outlasted Butler in overtime to win their 15th-straight game at the XL Center in Hartford.
The veteran coach, who led the Huskies to back-to-back national championships in the past two seasons, has become known for letting officials know exactly how he feels. Tuesday night was no different, but Hurley’s choice of words to one official became an instant viral moment on social media.
Late in the first half, with UConn leading by 10, Hurley approached a referee after he felt a foul should have been called on a defensive rebound attempt.
Hurley went one step further to defend himself, adding that his interaction with officials is not unique, but his camera time is.
"I just wish they put the camera on the other coach more," he continued. "I just wish they would show these other coaches losing their minds at the officials in other Big East games that I'm coaching where I look – going into a timeout where I'm not talking to officials. I see the other coaches as demonstrative as I am.
"But the camera, obviously – I've created this for myself. I'm not the victim. I just wish that they would not have the camera on me 90% of the time. Unless they feel like its driving ratings and more a--holes on Twitter that can put clips of me from a game and they [can say] ‘Look how big a monster he is. He’s yelling at a ref again. What a monster.’"
UConn had won 28 straight at home before a loss on Saturday to Creighton, but they rebounded on Tuesday behind the performance of Solo Ball, who scored a career-high of 23 points in the 80-78 overtime win over Butler.
ESPN broadcaster Kirk Herbstreit was visibly emotional after watching his alma mater, the Ohio State Buckeyes, win the College Football Playoff National Championship game, and the reason is now known.
Herbstreit made an appearance on "The Pat McAfee Show," where he not only discussed medical complications his son, Buckeyes walk-on tight end Zak Herbstreit, went through, but he also revealed that his wife, Ally, has been diagnosed with breast cancer.
"It was almost like a perfect storm for me," Herbstreit told McAfee and his crew about his emotions during the post-game show as Ohio State celebrated the victory. "My son had heart failure two years ago, and they were talking about a heart replacement for a while. He had to medically retire, and I think the gratitude I have for Ryan Day putting his arms around Zak and keeping him involved.
"…Ally, my wife, faced some stuff. It’s been a tough year for me behind the scenes. My wife got diagnosed with breast cancer, you know (family dog) Ben dies. It was just a lot of emotion, and when you do what we do, you endure. You do your job.
"I think what happened, when they won, I was so happy for Ryan Day and those players, from what they faced and everything they went through. It was almost like a relief, and it just got the best of me."
The Herbstreits met during their time at Ohio State together, where Kirk was a four-year letterman as a quarterback and Ally was a cheerleader. They had four sons together after getting married, including Zak, who remained with the Buckeyes despite having to medically retire following his heart failure.
After calling the Buckeyes’ 34-23 victory alongside Chris Fowler, Herbstreit was on the postgame show when Scott Van Pelt decided to start with the Ohio State alum after seeing him teary-eyed.
Herbstreit did not mention what he said to McAfee, but he did discuss the resiliency of this Buckeyes group this season.
"Oh, don’t start with me, man," Herbstreit, who grew up about an hour away from Ohio State in Centerville, told Van Pelt during the postgame show. "I’m a little emotional. I’m just fired up for these guys.
"When I call these games, I’m incredibly objective. You know, I love all these Ohio State teams, but this team, because of what they went through to get to this point, you’re just happy."
When the cameras cut back to the broadcast booth, Herbstreit was spotted grabbing a handkerchief off camera to wipe tears away as Fowler continued to speak.
As Herbstreit mentioned, it has been a trying year personally for him, but he has endured through the college and NFL seasons, as he also works alongside Al Michaels during Prime Video’s "Thursday Night Football."
The New England Patriots’ head coach choice was a familiar face, and Mike Vrabel kept that trend going with his offensive coordinator hire heading into the 2025 season.
The Patriots are expected to reunite with Josh McDaniels as their offensive coordinator, a role he previously had with the organization, per multiple reports. Barstool Sports first reported McDaniels returning to the Patriots was imminent.
This will be the third time McDaniels returns to the Patriots, though the first with Vrabel at the helm and quarterback Drake Maye to mold after his rookie campaign in 2024.
McDaniels was among the offensive coordinator candidates the Patriots had been interviewing, which included Thomas Brown, the passing game coordinator for the Chicago Bears, and Los Angeles Chargers passing game coordinator Marcus Brady, per ESPN.
McDaniels was out of the game in 2024 after being fired mid-season by the Las Vegas Raiders during the 2023 campaign. He was also head coach in 2022, but things did not pan out, and owner Mark Davis made the call to move on.
While the Raiders remain searching for their own head coach after the firing of Antonio Pierce, who served on an interim basis after McDaniels’ departure in 2023, the Patriots found their guy in Vrabel after parting ways with Jerod Mayo following his first-and-only season.
Additionally, though Vrabel and McDaniels have never coached together, they have a connection with their time together as player and coach respectively, when they won three Super Bowls during the Bill Belichick-Tom Brady era.
McDaniels’ big break into the NFL came with the Patriots in 2001 as an assistant under Belichick. He eventually worked his way up to the point where the Denver Broncos hired him in 2009 to become their next head coach.
However, that was short-lived, as McDaniels was fired in December 2010, when he would eventually return to the Patriots after being the Los Angeles Rams’ offensive coordinator in 2011.
McDaniels would enjoy his time as New England’s coordinator from then until making the move to the Raiders for his second attempt at head coaching. During the 2021 season, McDaniels was also tasked with grooming Mac Jones, the team’s first-round quarterback choice in the NFL Draft, and he would help them earn a playoff berth.
The Patriots will hope McDaniels can lead the way for Maye, the No. 3 overall selection in the 2024 NFL Draft who showed spurts of greatness in his first NFL season despite the team’s overall struggles. Maye threw for 2,276 yards with 15 touchdowns to 10 interceptions with two rushing touchdowns on 421 yards over 12 games.
As Vrabel continues to build out his coaching staff this offseason, bringing in a familiar face with an extensive track record is something that could go a long way for a Patriots team that continues to look for its next dynasty.
Chiefs hatred has certainly become a thing for fans, but it is now spreading to the players as well.
The Baltimore Ravens had a chance at a rematch of last year's AFC championship when they went to Buffalo on Sunday night (the Chiefs had beaten the Houston Texans earlier in the weekend).
The Chiefs defeated Baltimore last year, and certainly, the Ravens wanted revenge, but they fell to the Bills, 27-25.
Despite being home this upcoming weekend, though, Ravens star Marlon Humphrey will be emotionally invested in Sunday's Bills-Chiefs matchup.
"I have no reason of saying this other than being a hater. The Bills or whatever NFC team gotta beat the Chiefs. We can’t let them keep getting away with this," Humphrey posted to X on Tuesday.
Lots of the hatred has come from fans feeling referees favor the Chiefs, which Mahomes addressed earlier this week.
"I‘ve kind of learned that no matter what happens during the game that something’s going to come out about it if you win, and you continue to win. So, I don’t really pay attention to it," Mahomes said.
"I mean, obviously, I’ve been on both sides of it as far as how I felt the calls were made, but, at the end of the day, man, those guys are doing their best to make the best calls and keep it to where the players are making the plays in the game. And that’s what decides the outcome. And obviously there was a call here or there that people didn’t agree with, but, at the same time, I think there was a lot of other plays that really decided the outcome of that football game."
With a win on Sunday, the Chiefs will be in their fifth Super Bowl since the turn of the decade.
Former Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson left the team to take the Chicago Bears' head coaching job Monday.
Super Bowl champion Lomas Brown talked about what Lions fans are going through losing their top coordinator after a crushing playoff loss during a recent appearance on OutKick’s "Don’t @ Me with Dan Dakich."
"I know it’s another body blow. You know that old game, body blow, body blow. … That was a big one yesterday," Brown said. "All of them on talk radio, that was the subject yesterday, Ben Johnson leaving. Oh my god, you got so many fans upset at Ben about taking the Chicago job. I think it’s more, not him leaving, but more of the job that he is accepting because of how bitter rivals we are with Chicago.
"Now, we got to face him twice a year. That just made the division even harder with Ben Johnson going in there. And a lot of sentiment before he took the job was that Ben wouldn’t take that job because he knew he would have to go up against his good friend Dan Campbell twice a year. But he took it. A lot of people not happy with it around here."
The No. 1-seeded Lions were upset by the No. 6-seeded Washington Commanders, 45-31, Saturday.
Brown said losing Johnson, especially to a division rival, and potentially other top assistants make the loss to the Commanders hurt that much more.
"A lot of people not happy with it around here, and I think that it’s, again, I just think a lot of that’s from the results of the game, and just everything that’s going on the last few days around here. It’s culminating with Ben Johnson taking the job and, d---, we’re going to lose other assistants," Brown said.
"I mean Aaron Glenn, you talk about maybe (offensive line coach) Hank Fraley. It’s other assistants that we’re going to lose off this team. That’s why this was the year for us to get it done."
Glenn was scheduled to interview with the New York Jets for the second time for their head coaching position Tuesday, according to NFL Network.
Tuesday’s interview will be the first in-person meeting between the Jets and Glenn.
Fraley is being interviewed for the Seattle Seahawks' offensive coordinator position Tuesday, according to ESPN. It will be Fraley’s second interview with the team and their first in-person interview.
Brown spent 18 seasons in the NFL and was with the Lions for 11 of them. Brown was a star left tackle and made the Pro Bowl seven consecutive seasons from 1990-1996.
Brown won a Super Bowl in his final season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2002.
A critical moment prompted a high school basketball player in Oklahoma to put aside competition. When Randy Vitales, 16, went into cardiac arrest in the opening minutes of a basketball game Jan. 9, Magnus Miller rushed to his aid.
According to Oklahoma City news station KOCO-5, Dover High School was competing against Life Christian Academy in Orlando, Oklahoma, when Vitales collapsed about three minutes into the game. Dover coaches determined Vitales did not have a pulse, according to King Fisher Press.
Miller reportedly had undergone lifeguard training and used an automated external defibrillator to help Vitales. The high school student also took the lead in performing CPR.
The Guthrie Fire Department credited Miller for his actions, telling KOCO-5 the student-athlete "without a shadow of a doubt" saved his opponent's life.
Miller said there was no hesitation once he became aware of the situation.
"I didn’t have any second thoughts about it," the 18-year-old told the news outlet. "I just jumped in and took control."
Miller admitted that being described as a lifesaver was somewhat unsettling.
"It’s weird hearing someone say you saved their life," Miller said. "But it wasn’t really me. It was God just being there for me and him. Obviously, I didn’t go there to play basketball that day."
Dover Public Schools previously confirmed Vitales was transported to an Oklahoma City hospital and eventually placed in the intensive care unit (ICU). Once Vitales was admitted, doctors said an abnormal heartbeat caused the cardiac arrest.
"Randy is undergoing several tests and will be moved to ICU," a statement released Jan. 9 said. "Doctors did say that the quick response by our coaches and the training they received is probably what saved his life. Counselors and some area pastors were at the school when our teams returned to talk and pray with our students."
The Oklahoman reported Vitales was breathing without the assistance of a ventilator as of Jan. 11.
The coveted one-of-a-kind autographed MLB debut patch card of Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes is no longer on the market.
An 11-year-old collector from Southern California decided to pull the card, which was featured in the 2024 Topps Chrome Update set.
The card of Skenes, who was named the 2024 National Leage Rookie of the Year, drew significant interest when the trading card and collectible manufacturer unveiled it in November.
Shortly after the card became public knowledge, the Pirates became vocal about getting it.
While any Skenes autographed card carries some value, the MLB debut patch edition is a one-of-a-kind collectible, making it highly sought.
The Pirates offered a lengthy package of perks in exchange for the card. A pair of premium Pirates season tickets for a three-year period, a meet and greet with Skenes and autographed jerseys were among offerings from the team.
Despite the latest turn of events, the Pirates confirmed the team remains ready to honor the offer.
"An 11-year-old collector just pulled the Paul Skenes 1/1 Debut Patch card! Our offer still stands... you know where to find us," the Pirates posted on X Tuesday.
LSU gymnast Livvy Dunne, who is dating Skenes, added another incentive to whomever locates 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.
Skenes, 22, delivered a season to remember in 2024, finishing 11-3 with a 1.96 ERA and 170 strikeouts.
Before winning NL Rookie of the Year, Skenes 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.
Rookies have worn MLB debut patches on their jerseys since 2023. Topps acquired the patches and created the unique cards.
In November, Sports Collectors Digest projected the card could command a six-figure price tag.
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes heard the complaints about the officiating in Saturday's playoff game against the Houston Texans.
Referees were the subject of harsh criticism over two penalties assessed to Houston for hits on Mahomes. Houston edge rusher Will Anderson Jr. was called for roughing the passer on a third down in the first quarter.
Anderson appeared to push Mahomes in the chest after he had thrown an incomplete pass to tight end Travis Kelce. Anderson was flagged.
The second penalty came during a Mahomes scramble in the third quarter. He had two blockers on a run and three defenders bearing down on him. He moved to his right and then back to his left when he decided to slide.
After the game, Houston players and even head coach DeMeco Ryans suggested the referees favored the Chiefs with calls.
Mahomes addressed the fan backlash during an interview on 96.5 The Fan Tuesday.
"I‘ve kind of learned that no matter what happens during the game that something’s going to come out about it if you win and you continue to win. So, I don’t really pay attention to it," Mahomes said.
"I mean, obviously, I’ve been on both sides of it as far as how I felt the calls were made, but, at the end of the day, man, those guys are doing their best to make the best calls and keep it to where the players are making the plays in the game.
"And that’s what decides the outcome. And obviously there was a call here or there that people didn’t agree with, but, at the same time, I think there was a lot of other plays that really decided the outcome of that football game."
Head referee Clay Martin explained the calls to a pool reporter after the game, saying the call on Anderson was a result of "forcible contact to the face mask area," which warranted a flag. He said there was forcible contact to Mahomes’ "hairline" on the other unnecessary roughness call.
But many fans also directed criticism at Mahomes after he fell to the ground after being lightly hit by Texans defenders in the fourth quarter. Many fans accused the star quarterback of "flopping" intentionally in an effort to draw another penalty, and ESPN broadcaster Troy Aikman even criticized Mahomes for the fall during the game.
"He’s trying to draw the penalty. Rather than just run out of bounds, he slows down. And that’s been the frustration, and I get it. I understand it. That’s been the frustration for these defensive players around the league," Aikman said.
During Mahomes' interview Tuesday, he said he "probably shouldn't have done that."
"I would say that the only one I felt like I probably did too much was the one on the sideline where I didn’t get a flag, and the ref saw it and didn’t throw a flag. And I understood it immediately and know that I probably shouldn’t have done that," Mahomes said.
"But, at the same time, the one that everybody’s talking about where I fell down, it’s like I was just trying to get out of the way of getting smoked by the defensive lineman running in.
"So, I’ll try to keep doing that and not take those hits because that’s the smart way to stay in the football game."
It was all but guaranteed that Ichiro Suzuki would be elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame Tuesday night. The only question was whether his election would be unanimous.
San Francisco Chronicle writer Susan Slusser called the near miss "upsetting."
Fellow Seattle Mariners legend Ken Griffey Jr. came up three votes shy in 2016.
The good news for Ichiro, though, is that he will be forever enshrined in Cooperstown this summer and is the first Japanese-born player to be elected to the Hall of Fame.
Ichiro joined the majors in 2001 as a highly touted Japanese prospect, hitting .353 during his nine seasons in his home country, where he won three MVPs and was a seven-time All-Star. Joining the Mariners at age 28, he immediately lived up to the hype, winning the AL MVP and helping that year’s Mariners team to a record 116 wins.
From 2001 to 2010, Ichiro was named an All-Star in each season while also winning a Gold Glove Award every year. In that span, he won three Silver Slugger Awards and two batting titles while putting up a .331 average and .806 OPS. In 2004, he set the all-time single-season record with 262 hits, and he’s the only player in MLB history to register 10 straight 200-plus hit seasons. He also stole over 500 bases and is one of just seven players to record 3,000 hits and 500 stolen bases.
After just his 11th MLB game, his career average never again dipped below .300. He retired with a .311 average, 3,089 hits, and a 60.0 WAR. In the live ball era (since 1920), he is one of just 21 players with at least 10 seasons of hitting .300 (among qualified hitters) and only one of seven to do it 10 straight years. Ichiro spent the majority of his career with the Mariners, making stops with the Yankees and Marlins.
Joining Ichiro in this year's class are pitchers CC Sabathia and Billy Wagner.
Three-time Pro Bowl tight end Mark Andrews received the lion's share of the blame after the Baltimore Ravens' playoff run came to an abrupt and excruciating end. Andrews failed to secure a short pass from Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson on a two-point conversion attempt late in the fourth quarter.
A completed catch would have tied the hard fought divisional round game at 27. The Ravens were instead forced to attempt an onside kick, which was recovered by the Buffalo Bills. A handoff and a couple of kneel downs by quarterback Josh Allen punched the Bills ticket to the AFC Championship game.
Rather than pointing the finger solely at Andrews, former NFL quarterback and current analyst Chris Simms suggested Jackson needed to shoulder a significant portion of the blame.
"A lot of people are going to be on Mark Andrews for the dropped two-point conversion," Simms said this week during an appearance on "Up & Adams," as video of the failed two-point conversation played.
While Simms admitted Andrews needed "to catch" the ball, he also argued that Jackson's pass was "not accurate."
"Throw it, throw it! It’s too late, Lamar Jackson’s making $55 million a year, that ball needs to be on time, and it was not accurate. Mark Andrews needs to catch it, don’t get me wrong, but Lamar Jackson’s making $55 million a year and he double-clutched it and threw it like a dart."
Simms then lauded Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken for making the "perfect play call," as he continued to highlight Jackson's throw during the play in question.
"This was the perfect play call. So we can’t get mad at Todd Monken," Simms said. "What I’m saying is that Mark Andrews in the meeting today with Baltimore is going to get a negative grade for the drop, but also, Lamar Jackson’s meeting with his quarterback coach and the offensive coordinator, he’s going to get a negative grade for this throw. It was late. He didn’t throw it with the same authority he usually throws it, and then he threw it behind him. He made it as hard as it possibly could be for a wide-open touchdown."
Jackson finished the 27-25 loss with a pair of touchdown passes against one interception. The Ravens also lost two fumbles, one of which was charged to Jackson. Andrews also fumbled the ball in the fourth quarter.
After the game, Jackson pushed back against the idea that Andrews was responsible for the loss. "We’re a team," the two-time NFL MVP quarterback said. "It’s not his fault. We’re not gonna put that on Mark."
