NFL star A.J. Brown made headlines when cameras recently captured him passing time during a Philadelphia Eagles game reading a book, "Inner Excellence," by self-help author Jim Murphy.

Brown's sideline routine contributed to a spike in book sales, with "Inner Excellence" quickly jumping into the top spot on Amazon's trending list the day after the Eagles' wild-card win over the Green Bay Packers. 

The book ranked 523,497 prior to the sudden increase in attention brought on by Brown.

Brown and the Eagles will now turn the page and focus on preventing a Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl three-peat. The Eagles are hoping to avoid a repeat of the 2023 Super Bowl.

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Brown caught six passes for 96 yards and scored a touchdown in the 2023 Super Bowl in Arizona. But Kansas City took the lead in the fourth quarter and celebrated a 38-35 victory.

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Two full NFL seasons have passed since the loss, and the Eagles could still be haunted by the memory of how they let a chance at winning the franchise's second Super Bowl championship slip away.

A play here, a play there, and the Eagles could have been Super Bowl champions.

Quarterback Jalen Hurts replied "next question" when asked his most vivid memory from the 2023 Super Bowl, and Brown recounted a missed opportunity for him to score a touchdown that could have changed the outcome.

"The play really kept me up thinking about, ‘How did I miss that?’ and what I got confused on," Brown said.

The play?

"I don’t want to get into it because we may run it back," he said.

HISTORY OF THE SUPER BOWL: PAST WINNERS, RESULTS, MVPS AND LOCATIONS OF THE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

Brown finished the 2024 season with 67 catches and a team-high 1,079 yards despite missing four games. It was the third consecutive year Brown surpassed 1,000 receiving yards.

"A.J. is the best receiver that this city has ever seen," Eagles coach Nick Sirianni said.

Brown was rewarded in April with a three-year contract extension that included $84 million in guaranteed money. He was about to become the highest-paid wide receiver in the NFL at $32 million a year until Minnesota Vikings wideout Justin Jefferson's deal topped his later that summer.

While Brown is paid like an elite receiver, he said he felt like nothing but a "paid actor" at the 2023 Super Bowl.

Brown said if he had his way, the Eagles would arrive in New Orleans on Friday, hold a walk-through Saturday and play the game Sunday. His Super Bowl experience was like something out of a movie in which he played the role of a football player. He has tried to steel his emotions amid this year's Super Bowl hype.

"It’s about us, but it’s not about us," he said. "We have so much we have to do for everyone else. The media, the fans. There’s only so little time that we get to focus on what’s important, and that’s the game."

Brown said he’s been turning down media requests "left and right" because, when it comes to Super Bowl hype, "none of this stuff matters."

The Super Bowl kicks off at 6:30 p.m. ET Feb. 9 from the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce was fined $11,255 for taunting during Sunday's AFC championship game victory over the Buffalo Bills, the league announced Saturday. 

The taunt that prompted the fine came after a touchdown run by Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes in the final two minutes of the second quarter. Kelce approached Bills safeties Damar Hamlin and Cole Bishop, aggressively nodding his head as he said something. 

Multiple referees were standing near Kelce at the time of the taunt. But none of them threw a flag for unsportsmanlike conduct, which would have cost the Chiefs 15 yards after the play, either on the extra point try or the ensuing kickoff. 

However, the referees did throw a 15-yard unnecessary roughness penalty on Bills defensive tackle Jordan Phillips after he responded to Kelce's taunt by headbutting the tight end. 

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Phillips was also fined $6,722 for the headbutt, the league announced Saturday.  

The Chiefs won the game, 32-29, and many fans expressed outrage over multiple calls that benefited Kansas City during the game. 

Officials ruled Bills quarterback Josh Allen was stopped short of a first down on a 4th-and-short play in the fourth quarter. CBS rules analyst Gene Steratore said during the broadcast he believed Allen got the first down.

That call prompted backlash from NFL fans on social media, but it was not the only one.

During the second quarter, officials ruled Chiefs wide receiver Xavier Worthy made a catch despite video replay showing the ball touched the ground. 

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Referees came under similar scrutiny during the Chiefs' divisional round playoff win against the Houston Texans one week earlier when a pair of roughing the passer penalties were called against the Texans for hits on Chiefs quarterback Patrick 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 Mahomes had thrown the ball incomplete to tight end Travis Kelce and was flagged.

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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. 

ESPN broadcaster Troy Aikman criticized the penalty and said it's something the league has to address in the offseason. 

Texans players and head coach DeMeco Ryans criticized the referees after the game.

Mahomes addressed the issue when asked by reporters Wednesday if he believed referees were giving him preferential treatment. 

"I don't feel that way,'' Mahomes answered. "At the end of the day, the referees are doing their best to call the game as fair and as proper as they possibly can. And all you can do is go out there and play the game that you love as hard as you can and live with the results. ... I think that's what we preach here in Kansas City.

"You get new referees every year. You get new circumstances, and you never can really tell because every play's different. And that's what makes the NFL so special. I feel like I've just continued to play the game, and I just try to win. And whatever happens kind of happens."

Kelce refused to address the issue when asked by brother Jason Kelce about the officiating during an episode of their "New Heights" podcast. 

"I'd like to plead the Fifth," the tight end said, jokingly referring to his constitutional right to remain silent, when Jason brought up the issue. 

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A month to the day that Tiger Bech was killed in the New Orleans terror attack, his brother etched his name in Senior Bowl history.

Jack Bech, a wide receiver at TCU, caught the game-winning touchdown in Saturday's Senior Bowl as time expired and was named the game's MVP.

"My brother has some wings on me. He gave them to me, and he let that all take place. Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, Tiger, nothing else but them. They're the reason I did what I did today. I attribute it all to them," Jack said after the game.

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Tiger, who played college football at Princeton, was one of the 14 victims killed in the early hours of New Year's Day on Bourbon Street. 

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The New Orleans native played for Princeton from 2016-2018 and was an All-Ivy League kick returner. During his three-year career, he caught 53 passes for 825 yards with three touchdowns. He graduated from the university in 2021 and pursued a career in finance. 

He was working as a stockbroker in New York City but traveled back home to Louisiana for the holidays. 

Jack said while his success this week will hopefully improve his draft stock, he'd trade it all for a brotherly hug.

DEION SANDERS' SON LIKENS HIMSELF TO TRUMP WHEN DISCUSSING PEOPLE WHO 'ALWAYS JUST TRY TO DESTROY YOU'

"It's been surreal just to be able to come and be in this game. It's a goal you set for yourself. But if I had the option if I came here, had the worst week ever, ruin my draft stock, but that means I could hug my brother right now, I would take that. 

"But, on the flip side of that, I don't think I could have had the week that I had if all that wouldn't have happened. His wings were on my side. Him and Jesus Christ are the reasons I was able to do all of this," he said.

"All the big brother does in life is want to see his little brother succeed. He's been my role model my whole life, the person I looked up to, the person I wanted to be. He was the best big brother I could ever ask for. My whole goal in the rest of my life is to live his legacy on."

Jack was part of the American team that earned the 22-19 victory.

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The families of two teenage girls are suing California Attorney General Rob Bonta over the state's laws that allow transgender athletes to compete in girls sports. 

A lawsuit was filed by Ryan Starling, the father of Taylor Starling; Daniel and Cynthia Slavin, the parents to Kaitlyn Slavin; and Save Girls Sports, according to court documents reviewed by Fox News Digital. 

The listed defendants are Bonta and California State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond, along with the Riverside Unified School district and administrators Leann Iacuone and Amanda Chann. 

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The suit challenges a law in California that allows transgender athletes to compete against girls and women, claiming it is a Title IX violation. 

The law, AB 1266, has been in effect since 2014, giving California students at scholastic and collegiate levels the right to "participate in sex-segregated school programs and activities, including athletic teams and competitions, and use facilities consistent with his or her gender identity, irrespective of the gender listed on the pupil’s records."

"This law conflicts with federal Title IX protections, which were established to ensure fairness, safety, and equal opportunities for female students and athletes," a spokesperson for Advocates for Faith & Freedom, the legal firm representing the families, told Fox News Digital in a statement. 

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"AB 1266 undermines female athletes, forcing them to compete against biological males who hold undeniable physical advantages. This is not equality. This is an assault on fairness and safety."

The lawsuit, recently amended to include Bonta and Thurmond, was initially filed in November by the Starling and Slavin families. 

It alleges Taylor Starling lost her spot on the varsity cross country team at Martin Luther King High School to a transgender athlete who had just transferred to the school. Starling and Slavin also alleged that when they wore shirts that said "Save Girls Sports" in protest, they were scolded by administrators who compared the shirts to swastikas. 

The plaintiffs are looking to bring statewide change to California. 

"Plaintiffs seek a federal ruling that AB 1266 violates Title IX as well as a decision holding the District accountable for violating their First Amendment rights. They demand injunctive relief to stop schools from forcing biological girls to compete with and against males, a judgment affirming sex-based protections in athletics and compensation for damages caused by these discriminatory policies," the Advocates for Faith & Freedom spokesperson said.

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Ryan Starling previously told Fox News Digital the loss of his daughter's varsity spot disrupted his entire family emotionally, because cross country played a pivotal role in her life. And then when his daughter and other girls on the team confronted their school administrators about it, he claims, they were told "transgenders have more rights than cisgenders."

"It's been told multiple times to not just Taylor, but her sister," Ryan Starling said, adding that Taylor is one of three triplets, and all three are active on varsity sports teams. "All the administrators at Martin Luther King have stated this comment, and the Title IX coordinator for the Riverside Unified School District has stated ‘that as a Cisgender girl, they do not have the same rights as a transgender girl' to multiple girls, not just our daughters, but multiple girls on campus." 

An RUSD spokesperson declined to give an official comment on Ryan Starling's claims in a conversation with Fox News Digital. 

The RUSD previously provided a statement to Fox News Digital insisting that its handling of the situation has been in accordance with California state law. 

"While these rules were not created by RUSD, the district is committed to complying with the law and CIF regulations. California state law prohibits discrimination of students based on gender, gender identity and gender expression and specifically prohibits discrimination on the basis of gender in physical education and athletics. The protections we provide to all students are not only aligned with the law but also with our core values which include equity and well-being," the statement said. 

Dan Slavin previously told Fox News Digital his family may continue to raise awareness of this issue in the 2026 California gubernatorial election if the issue hasn't been resolved. 

"If nothing changes here in the next couple of years, it absolutely should be part of the next election," he said.

"I want to see policies change," Slavin added. "I keep saying the system is broken, and it's doing more harm than good. And I want to see people understand that and admit that. Sometimes, we make mistakes, and it's OK to admit that, but we need to make changes and get out of those mistakes we make." 

California State Assemblymember Kate Sanchez announced in early January she is introducing a bill to ban transgender athletes from competing in girls and women's sports.

Sanchez, a Republican, will propose the Protect Girls’ Sports Act to the state legislature. Currently, 25 states have similar laws in effect.

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The final seconds of Saturday's Arizona State-Arizona game took a little while to finish due to some drama on the court and the benches.

With roughly 30 seconds left in the game and the Wildcats up 81-72, Arizona's Caleb Love got tangled up with BJ Freeman. The Sun Devil then headbutted Love.

Love and Freeman were ejected, but as the dust continued to settle between both teams, ASU head coach Bobby Hurley ordered all the players on his bench to go to the locker room.

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As the Wildcats dribbled out the final seconds, Hurley ordered his assistant coaches to leave the bench, leaving just him on the bench and five Sun Devils on the court.

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Seconds before the usual handshake line, Hurley then waved off Arizona coach Tommy Lloyd, and both squads went into their respective locker rooms.

Hurley was asked about the ordeal and said he had no choice but to send his players to the locker room early after his opponents showed "no class."

"If you look right near our bench, it was relentless constant chatter from a couple of the Arizona players that was not being policed properly. Of course, they’re going to be happy with winning, but it was done with no class, in my opinion," Hurley said after the game. 

"Words that were said back and forth led to the moment where Freeman lost his cool, because of the constant talk that was allowed to go on. I had to make a tough decision in the best interest of our team to get them into the locker room so there would be no further incident the rest of the game and in the handshake line."

Hurley then finished his press conference with a parting shot, perhaps at Love.

"I do get a vote for the All-Conference, and I can tell you who’s not getting a vote," he said.

Lloyd called the ordeal "disappointing on all sides."

"We want to be a program that when tough things happen, we want to respond with class. I don’t know if we did or didn’t, but just a tough moment in an emotional game. I got a lot of respect for Bobby and Arizona State," Lloyd said.

The Wildcats improved to 15-6 on the season and 9-1 in Big 12 play, while the Sun Devils are 12-9 overall and 3-7 against conference opponents.

The teams will meet in a rematch March 4.

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Bill Belichick has found a way to win over students at the University of North Carolina long before he makes his debut as the Tar Heels' new head football coach. 

The former New England Patriots coach is catering a pizza night for UNC fraternities as they watch the men’s basketball team take on second-ranked Duke Saturday night, according to an email shared on social media. 

"Coach Belichick wants to get your fraternity pizza for the UNC vs. Duke game tomorrow at 6:30 p.m.," the email, sent by UNC director of football operations Alex Kerr, said. "With that being said, our plan is to deliver the pizzas on behalf of Coach Belichcik to your house." 

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The generous offer by Belichick comes a week after the former NFL coach signed a contract to become UNC’s new football coach, formalizing last month’s hiring. 

BILL BELICHICK'S NORTH CAROLINA CONTRACT DETAILS SHOW STAGGERING SALARY, INTERESTING CLAUSES

Belichick’s contract is a five-year deal that includes $10 million guaranteed for each of his first three seasons with another $3.5 million available in bonuses. News of the signing followed rumors Belichick might still return to the NFL. 

But UNC's general manager, Michael Lombardi, a former NFL executive, quickly shut down speculation in a post on X, saying, "His focus is on North Carolina football, hiring staff members and developing the team. The NFL isn't an option so please stop making it one. Thank you."

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Belichick will make his college football debut when UNC hosts TCU on Labor Day at 7:30 p.m.

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

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American sports agent Leigh Steinberg has represented some of the biggest stars in football history, and now he's taking another step in his long-time side passion of combating one of the sports' biggest dangers – concussions.

Steinberg recently launched the Leigh Steinberg Foundation, which aims to educate parents and fund research for concussion treatment in sports. 

"It's our effort to raise money for research to promote awareness, prevention and cures, to put money aside for at-risk kids who have neurological problems or concussion that can't get treatment, and to fund research," Steinberg said. "We have a doctor's committee with 10 doctors on it, and we'll be raising money to try and bring more healing to this."

The veteran agent is also set to throw a Super Bowl party in New Orleans, and is inviting several neurologists from across the country to educate the attendees on concussions as well.

And as Super Bowl LIX marks the final game of the 2024 football season, the country will look to turn the page on one of the scariest years for brain injuries in recent history. 

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In Alabama, Morgan Academy junior quarterback Caden Tellier received an injury to the head during the third quarter of his team's 30-22 win against Southern Academy in Selma, Alabama, in late August. 

Just days after that, a 13-year-old in West Virginia died after suffering a head injury at a middle school football practice. Eighth-grader Cohen Craddock, who played defensive line for Madison Middle School in Madison, suffered severe brain bleeding and swelling after making a tackle.

Months after that, Alabama A&M University football player Medrick Burnett Jr. died after sustaining a serious head injury in a game in late November. 

Steinberg says his inspiration to pursue this cause came when he saw many of his own quarterback clients get repeatedly hit in the head during the late 1980s. 

"They kept getting hit in the head, and when we went to the doctor and we asked, ‘How many is too many hits, and when should they contemplate retiring?' The doctors had no answer because the brain is the last frontier of medical research," Steinberg told Fox News Digital in an exclusive interview. 

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Steinberg started hosting panels with players to promote awareness for brain health in the 1990s. At one of those panels, an appearance by neuropathologist Bennet Ifeakandu Omalu, the subject of the movie "Concussion," convinced Steinberg of how many concussions are too many. 

Steinberg was told that three or more was the magic number. After that, Omalu said, there's an "exponentially" higher rate of Alzheimer's, Parkinsons, premature cynicity, horno traumatic encephalopathy and depression. 

But Steinberg has seen players play after suffering a third concussion. 

"Part of the problem with players is they're in a state of denial when it comes to their physical health," Steinberg said. "Since they were in pop culture, little league they believe that real men play this play every circumstance. The concept of long-term health is an abstraction. So, it's hard to get them to protect themselves, and it's just very difficult." 

Steinberg even admits that he has seen some of his very own clients suffer at least three concussions, and it gave him reservations about encouraging them to keep playing afterward.

"I would talk about with them privately, because ultimately it's their decision, but I try to be a voice that would interject into the dialogue the fact that traumatic brain injury is real, it has long-term consequences," Steinberg said, adding that those conversations took place before recent advancements in medical technology that give clearer pictures and treatments of a person's brain health. 

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Steinberg has specialized in representing star quarterbacks as an agent. He presented the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL draft eight times, while representing 62 total first-round picks. His client list includes NFL legends like Troy Aikman and Steve Young. 

This past NFL season was a particularly bad year for quarterback brain injuries.

Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts, who is set to lead his team in the Super Bowl in New Orleans, suffered a concussion in the first half against the Washington Commanders in Week 16. It ended his regular season, but he returned in time for the playoffs. 

But prior to the playoffs, Hurts said that he didn't remember an incident that happened on the sideline, just moments after he suffered the concussion. 

"It's so far long ago, I don't really remember," Hurts said to reporters on Jan. 10. "Been out of routine, you go through a routine everyday, and being out of that is challenging. I'm obviously dealing with different symptoms, ain't fun either."

Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa suffered a concussion – the third of his NFL career – in an early-season tilt with the Buffalo Bills, on a nationally televised game. Tagovailoa had previously suffered multiple concussions within the span of just weeks in the 2022 season. The third of his career sparked national controversy, as some former players and media pundits called on him to retire. 

Tagovailoa returned to play this past season anyway. 

Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence suffered a concussion when he was the victim of an illegal hit by Houston Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair during a game in early December. The hit ended Lawrence's season, as Al-Shaair was suspended for three games and heavily criticized by the public and even an NFL executive. 

As the country now turns its attention to New Orleans for Super Bowl LIX between the Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs, Steinberg will have a presence as he looks to counter the danger that comes with championship-level football.

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Tony Dungy is no stranger to making his political stances known, but that's about as far as he'll take it.

The former NFL coach has attended conservative rallies, including March for Life, and has been very open about his faith.

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He even criticized Democrat nominee Kamala Harris in this past election cycle for her stance on abortion rights.

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Earlier this week, a post on X surfaced that Dungy was considering a run for Michigan's U.S. Senate seat next year as a Republican.

But the rumor was unfounded, the NBC analyst said.

"Not sure where this idea came from but it didn’t come from me," Dungy said.

"I love my home state of Michigan. I pray they will elect a Senator who honors the Lord and leads the people well. But I can assure you it won’t be me."

Dungy then gave some pretty decent reasons as to why he won't run.

"Number 1, I’m not a politician and Number 2 I live in Florida."

BRETT FAVRE SAYS VIRAL CONFRONTATION WITH MARK GASTINEAU ABOUT NFL SACK RECORD WAS A 'SETUP'

Democrat senator Gary Peters will not be seeking a third term next year. He was first elected in 201 and won re-election six years later but in a much tighter race. He earned 49.9% of the vote against 48.2% by John James in 2020 after defeating Terri Lynn Land in convincing fashion, 54.6% to 41.3%.

Georgia is the other state that will have a Dem-held seat up for election in 2016, in a state won by President Donald Trump back in November. 

Republicans have not won a Michigan U.S. Senate race in over 30 years, and Peters' seat has been blue since 1972.

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Jason Kelce stepped away from football after the 2023 season. The former offensive lineman spent his entire standout career with the Philadelphia Eagles — the reigning NFC champions.

The Eagles will soon travel to New Orleans to continue preparations for Super Bowl LIX. The Kansas City Chiefs will meet the Eagles at the Caesars Superdome for the big game, creating a rematch of Super Bowl LVII. Jason and his younger brother Travis Kelce competed against each other in that game, with the Chiefs ultimately defeating the Eagles.

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Travis was recently named to his tenth consecutive Pro Bowl, while Jason has settled into broadcasting during his first year of NFL retirement. The former Eagles center Kelce signed with ESPN last year and made routine appearances on "Monday Night Countdown" throughout the 2024 football season. 

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In November, Jason announced he would host "They Call It Late Night with Jason Kelce" starting in early Jan. 2025 and continuing through the NFL postseason. Travis made an appearance on the latest edition of the show and was asked to share a message for Philadelphia fans. 

The Chiefs tight end appeared to shrug his shoulders before responding with "Go Birds, baby!" as the live studio audience inside Philadelphia's concert hall Union Transfer applauded.

Jason quickly pointed to what he perceived as a disingenuous show of support from his brother. "You don't mean that," he said while laughing.

Travis then spoke about his appreciation for his brother before doubling down on his Eagles support. 

"What do you mean? I’m a Jason Kelce fanatic, dude," Travis continued. "I love that guy. I still got all the gang green from you guys’ Super Bowl and your run in Philly. I still got some Philly pride man. I’m wishing the best for those guys, but, you know, uhhh, go birds."

"There’s absolutely no chance you mean that," Jason concluded.

After starting the 2023 campaign with a 10-1 record, the Eagles went on to win just one of their final six games. Philadelphia subsequently suffered a 32-9 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the wild-card round. 

Kelce announced his retirement shortly after the Eagles' playoff exit. He ended his career with seven Pro Bowls and six First-team All-Pro selections.

The end of the 2024 regular season and the ongoing postseason have been more enjoyable for Philly. The Eagles were presented with the George Halas Trophy last Sunday after the team won the conference title and clinched a spot in the Super Bowl.

Super Bowl LIX kicks off at 6:30 p.m. ET on Feb. 9 from the Caesars Superdome.

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A video went viral back in December that featured Mark Gastineau confronting Brett Favre in 2023 about Michael Strahan sacking the Green Bay Packers legend to break Gastineau's single-season sack record.

In the final game of the 2001 season, Favre appeared to fall onto the field before being tackled by Strahan, giving the New York Giants legend the record. (It's since been tied by T.J. Watt.) Gastineau accused Favre of taking a "dive," and the play remains controversial.

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Gastineau met Favre at a memorabilia event last year, saying that Favre had "hurt" him and that he was going to "take my sack back" in a heated exchange.

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The confrontation was featured in ESPN's 30 for 30, "New York Sack Exchange;" not coincidentally, Favre said he believes the meeting had been planned by "ESPN and/or NFL Films."

"There are athletes from all sports; generally, it’s retired guys. So, you encounter a lot of different guys, but I had no clue, and I really think that was a setup by ESPN and/or NFL Films," Favre told Mihcele Tafoya on her podcast.

Favre said he had spotted a camera "hiding" above a "divider," and admitted he had been a bit worried.

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"He actually came right to the table – he’s still a big guy. . . .Honestly, I was thinking, the last thing I want to have to do is fight this guy right here," Favre said.

The Hall of Fame QB added that he felt Gastineau "wasn't all there" due to his history of concussions.

Favre took to X shortly after the confrontation went viral, in an attempt to "clear the air," admitting that it "maybe" had "crossed my mind to help Strahan," but he was not trying to "hurt" Gastineau.

"I booted out of a run thinking it would be wide open, saw Strahan standing there and ducked down. The game was over. There was no need for me to do anything spectacular. It probably wasn’t Michael’s best sack or tackle for loss. In a different game or situation, I would have made a bigger effort to avoid the sack or TFL. But at no point was I thinking about hurting Gastineau," Favre pleaded.

Favre added that the incident was "not the kind of moment that should be filmed and released."

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Scottie Scheffler found himself in a precarious position after his opening tee shot on the 18th hole in the second round of the Pebble Beach Pro-Am on Friday. But the star golfer managed an epic par save.

Scheffler pulled his tee shot into the beach but didn’t see it land. He either could have taken a penalty drop 40 yards forward from the end of the tee box, or walk 300 yards or take a chance he could find his ball. 

"I just (hit) a low pull, I hadn’t been driving it very well all day and this was a hard tee ball today, being mostly off the left. And I thought the way it looked like from the tee box, I was like, ‘Well I guess we should go up there and look,’ because I didn’t see it splash, I didn’t see any rocks, I knew there was sand there. So, I was like ‘Might as well go look,’" Scheffler said. 

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Scheffler was lucky enough to find his ball, and then came the next task: hit off the beach back onto the course and get it over the cliff. 

Scheffler was just hoping to find grass. 

"I think the unpredictability was the most difficult part. I was really just trying to get it out over the rocks and anywhere up there on grass I would have been pretty happy about, obviously. Saved me a couple of shots there being able to find my ball in the sand," Scheffler said.

He was able to find some grass in the fairway that left him about 180 yards out, but even though he was out of the sand, this shot wasn’t any easier. 

"I mean, that was a really hard shot. I was in between clubs and I had to chip a 6-iron in there from 180 (yards out), with the wind you can obviously see it blowing off the left there, so it was a pretty tough shot, just glad to get that on the green," Scheffler said. 

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He then two-putted from 40 feet to complete the par save. 

"After the tee ball, I definitely would have taken a par, so there’s no complaints from me there." 

The par completed a 2-under 70 round on the day. 

After the second round, Scheffler was seven-under par, tied for 20th. Sepp Straka led after two rounds at -14.

This is Scheffler’s first tournament back since suffering a freak hand injury during Christmas dinner. 

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Scheffler said he isn’t feeling all the way himself yet after his first two rounds. 

"(My game) feels good, I’ve limited the mistakes and I feel like I haven’t been swinging it as well as I could be, so I think there maybe just a little bit of rust there, a little bit of timing my swing, but it’s good to be getting back into competitive golf, and nice to be out here at Pebble," Scheffler said. 

Scheffler’s injury required minor surgery, but he is now back in action after one of the most dominant seasons in PGA Tour history. 

Scheffler won seven PGA Tour titles, while winning The Masters for a second time in his career. He also represented the United States at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games and won a gold medal after a late surge. 

Scheffler also became the first player since Tiger Woods in 2009 to hold the No. 1 ranking for an entire calendar year.

The star golfer is 2-under through four holes to begin this third round, leaving him 9-under par as of the time of writing.

The third round of the Pebble Beach Pro-Am continues on Saturday.

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Tennis legend Pam Shriver has finally been reunited with her stolen trophies. 

The Hall of Fame tennis pro confirmed on social media that several pieces of hardware and sentimental items were returned to her by the Los Angeles Police Department after they were stolen, along with her car, while she was staying in a hotel after evacuating her home because of the devastating wildfires. 

"Good news on my trophies (& family photos) – the LAPD detective in charge of the investigation has them at the police station being fingerprinted," she said in a post on X this week. 

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"It’s too long a story for a post. We still hope to find black Dodge Durango Hellcat in one piece." 

Shriver, who won 21 Grand Slam doubles championships, told The Associated Press that she had loaded up her vehicle with some of her personal belongings, including her trophies and some family photos, before evacuating the area. 

While staying at a hotel, her car – and everything inside – was taken. 

US SWIMMING GREAT GARY HALL JR WILL HAVE 10 OLYMPIC MEDALS LOST IN LA WILDFIRES REPLACED, IOC SAYS

"The trophies were buried in the back of the car. You couldn’t look in the window and see them," she said. "I don’t think they were of any good to the people who took the car. So they ended up returning them."

The trophies were later dropped off at the hotel, where a detective picked them up to be fingerprinted. 

"Then the trophies were released to me," she said. "I regained custody."

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According to ESPN, security camera footage revealed that a person driving a car that "fit" the description of Shriver’s stolen Dodge Durango Hellcat was seen dropping off the trophies. 

Among the trophies returned to Shriver included five that she had one for winning the U.S. Open women's doubles event and the four French Open doubles trophies she had won alongside Martina Navratilova. Shriver won 20 of 21 titles with Navratilova. 

Shriver said she returned to find that her home had, thankfully, not been damaged by the wildfires, but she wonders where her belongings had traveled.

"It was an interesting chapter. I wish the trophies could talk," she said. "I would like to have known where they’ve been."

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

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The New York Rangers are shuffling the deck.

The Rangers acquired disgruntled star J.T. Miller in a multiplayer deal with the Vancouver Canucks on Friday.

The team received Miller and defensemen Jackson Dorrington and Erik Brannstrom, while sending center Filip Chytil, defenseman Victor Mancini, and a protected 2025 first round draft pick to Vancouver. 

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The Canucks were expected to deal away either Miller or star center Elias Petersson after a reported rift between the two that dates back years.

"We’ve had our differences, maybe in some games, but I mean, he’s a teammate that I respect and yeah, he’s someone I like to play hockey with," Petersson said in February 2023 on the "32 Thoughts: The Podcast."

"Yeah, there’s a lot of speculation, obviously a lot, but he’s a teammate that I respect… it’s not an issue."

Shortly after that, Miller commented on his relationship with Petersson.

"Petey and my relationship has come a long way. We’re still working at it. We’re completely different people, you know what I mean? You’re not going to be BFFs with everybody, but at the same time you come to work together. We are polar opposites in a lot of ways, but we’re working at it. We’ve come a long way," Miller said via Sportsnet. 

The relationship became untenable between the pair as time went on.

After Miller was benched in the third period of the Canucks 5-3 loss to the Nashville Predators on Nov. 17, the Canucks announced that Miller had taken a leave of absence on Nov. 20. Miller missed ten games, with his absence spanning a month.

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Miller’s absence was 10 games, and the rift between the pair was brought up again. Both players were soon in trade rumors. 

Miller has always played with an edge, and Rangers general manager Chris Drury hopes that Miller can channel that edge he plays with to jolt the Rangers. 

"I want to thank J.T. for his time here in Vancouver," Canucks general manager Patrik Allvin said in a statement. "J.T. was a passionate impact player and good leader for our hockey team. Moving him was not an easy decision but we are pleased with our return from the Rangers. Both Filip and Victor are good additions for our club, and we are excited to see what they bring to us on the ice."

Miller is in the second year of a seven-year, $56 million deal. The Canucks did not retain any money on Miller’s contract in the trade. 

This season, Miller has nine goals and 26 assists in 40 games after setting career highs last season in goals (37) and assists (66) last season. 

With the addition of Miller, the Rangers' top three centers now are: Vincent Trocheck, Mika Zibanejad and Miller, a strong group on paper. 

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The Rangers are 13th in the Eastern conference, five points behind the Columbus Blue Jackets for the second wild card spot. 

This will be Miller’s second stint with the Rangers, as he was drafted by the team with the 15th overall pick in the 2011 NHL Draft.

Miller spent parts of six seasons with New York before being traded to the Tampa Bay Lightning with defenseman Ryan McDonaugh in February 2018. 

During his first stint in New York, Miller had 72 goals and 100 assists in 341 games. For his career, Miller has totaled 247 goals and 427 assists in 839 games.

The main prize of the trade for the Canucks is Chytil, who has 75 goals and 89 assists in 378 career games, including 11 goals and nine assists in 41 games this season.

Chytil missed all but 10 games with concussion issues last season but has shown flashes of stardom when healthy. 

"Heard some really good things," Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet said of Chytil. "I heard he’s very excited to come. Mancini I hear is a really big defenseman, young, that can play. Yeah, I think there’s some stuff to work with."

Miller may be able to join the Rangers for their matchup against the Boston Bruins at 3:30 p.m. ET on Saturday. 

For the Canucks, their first game in the post-Miller era is against the Detroit Red Wings at 8 p.m. ET on Sunday. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

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Former Princeton football player Ryan Quigley was seriously injured and lost his best friend and fellow teammate, Tiger Bech, in the violent terrorist attack in New Orleans on January 1. But Quigley will have the opportunity to write that tragic story when he returns next weekend as an honorary guest of the Philadelphia Eagles. 

The Eagles invited Quigley and Bech’s sister to attend their divisional round game against the Los Angeles Rams last month, but this week they invited him to their training facility with the intention of surprising him with Super Bowl LIX tickets. 

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"We want to tell you the real reason we brought you here," Eagles defensive end Brandon Graham said in a video shared by the team. "It’s okay if you’re not feeling it, but we would love to have you down for the Super Bowl." 

This year’s Super Bowl will be hosted by the city of New Orleans. It will take place just a little over a month after the attack. Quigley will return to the city, something he vowed never to do again. 

"New Year's Eve was my first time in New Orleans ever, it was my first night, and I told myself it was going to be the last," he told the team’s website. "But then I thought about it, because all year I've been telling Tiger if the Eagles make the Super Bowl this year, I promised him I was going to take him, and he's from Louisiana."

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"I think, not letting evil win and evil will not prevail. I think we're going to go back to New Orleans and leave on a positive note from that city, given that Tiger's from there and that I promised him I was going bring him down to the Super Bowl. I'm looking forward to it for sure."

Quigley, 26, suffered broken bones in his leg, back and face and underwent surgery and several days in the hospital to recover from a horrific terror attack on Bourbon Street that killed 14 people and injured dozens more. 

CHIEFS POTENTIAL SUPER BOWL CELEBRATIONS WILL NOT FEATURE PUBLIC RALLY FOLLOWING 2024 MASS SHOOTING: REPORT

He hopes that his presence will allow him to share Bech’s story, something he plans to continue doing no, matter where he goes. 

"Everything that the Eagles have done from being around the facilities today and the Divisional Round, to helping us share his story, there's no words to describe it. We're forever grateful to have the opportunity to tell the rest of the world how special Tiger was."

"Everyone that I meet moving forward, I want to introduce Tiger as well, because of how special he was and how much character he had," he added. 

"He had no problem going to like anywhere in the world and fitting into different cultures. And he was just a super well-rounded individual with a ton of qualities that I'm going to make sure people know about for the rest of my life."

The Eagles and Chiefs will meet in Super Bowl LIX on Feb. 9 at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans.

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The figure skating community experienced immense grief this week after 14 members of the community were tragically killed in a midair aircraft collision in Washington D.C. on Wednesday night. 

Their loss came just a day before two-time Olympic gold medalist Dick Button, a pioneer in the sport who would also go on to have a legendary broadcasting career, died at 95. 

"On this terrible, sad day for figure skating with the loss of young upcoming talent and their family members and coaches in the plane crash, I am further heartbroken with the loss of figure skating legend, my friend, Dick Button," Brian Boitano, who won a gold medal in the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary, wrote in a post on social media. 

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"RIP, Dick Button," former American sports reporter Michele Tafoya said in another post. 

"I like to think you went to heaven in time to welcome the young skaters and coaches who perished in Wednesday’s tragedy. May you all glide among the stars together." 

A winner of two Olympic gold medals, five consecutive world championships, seven straight U.S. titles, and three-straight North American titles, Button was one of the most accomplished men’s figure skaters. 

OLYMPIC MEDALIST SCOTT HAMILTON RECALLS FINAL MEETING WITH CHAMPION RUSSIAN SKATERS DAYS BEFORE PLANE CRASH

He was the first to land a double axel and triple jump in competition, both leading to victory at the Olympics. After his skating career ended, Button would enter the world of broadcasting, eventually earning the name "The Voice of Figure Skating."

Button died Thursday in North Salem, New York, his family confirmed Thursday.

"U.S. Figure Skating mourns the loss of the legendary Dick Button," the organization said in a statement. "The two-time Olympic champion’s pioneering style & award-winning television commentary revolutionized figure skating. His legacy will live on forever. We extend our deepest condolences to his family & loved ones."

Olympic gold medalist Scott Hamilton spoke about Wednesday’s tragedy and loss of Button, a good friend, in an appearance on TODAY Friday. 

Hamilton was in Wichita, Kansas, at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships and was familiar with some of the victims in Wednesday’s crash, including world champion pairs skaters Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov.

"It’s just been beyond anything I can handle," a tearful Hamilton said of the losses. 

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EXCLUSIVE: Former San Jose State University assistant volleyball coach Melissa Batie-Smoose's contract with the university expired Friday, and she has been told that it will not be renewed, she exclusively told Fox News Digital. 

Her departure comes after a season plagued by a scandal involving a trans athlete, in which Batie-Smoose took a firm stance to oppose the university's defense of that athlete. She and her family initially moved to California from the East coast to accept the job in 2023. 

"We didn’t make the decision to move our family across the country lightly, but I believe that everything happens for a reason, and I was meant to be at San Jose State to stand up for these young women and do everything I could to protect future generations. In my 30 years of coaching, this is one of the most amazing groups of young women that I've been around. Their strength and resiliency during a difficult season was inspiring and one of the reasons why I had to take a stand," she told Fox News Digital.

San Jose State declined to comment on Batie-Smoose's contract situation when contacted by Fox News Digital. 

"SJSU does not comment on personnel matters," a university spokesperson said. 

Batie-Smoose was suspended from the program on Nov. 2 after she filed a Title IX complaint against the university regarding its alleged handling of a situation involving former transgender player Blaire Fleming. The complaint included allegations that Fleming had conspired with an opponent to have Slusser hit in the face during a match in October.

"I spoke up for the young women on the team who were being silenced and gaslit while dealing with having a male athlete in their locker room, on the court and rooming with them on the road. I could not be silenced and manipulated any longer so I had to stand up for what was right," she said. 

"Speaking out to protect these young women and future women was too much to ignore. This has cost me my job, but we need more coaches to stand up for what is right. I just have to pray that by doing the right thing that justice will prevail and I will be able to continue to do what I was meant to do." 

Batie-Smoose is also currently engaged in a lawsuit against San Jose State and the Mountain West alongside 11 current and former conference players. 

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The lawsuit is led by former San Jose State co-captain Brooke Slusser, who alleges that she had been made to share bedrooms and changing spaces with Fleming for an entire season while the university withheld the truth about Fleming's birth sex from her and other players. 

Both Slusser's lawsuit and Batie-Smoose's Title IX complaint allege that Fleming conspired with Colorado State volleyball player Malaya Jones ahead of the match between the two programs on Oct. 3. The complaint alleges Fleming provided a scouting report to Jones to ensure a Colorado State competitive advantage, and established a plan to set up Jones with a clear lane to spike Slusser in the face during the contest.

NEVADA VOLLEYBALL PLAYERS WERE PRESSURED WITH ‘LEGAL ISSUES’ TO PLAY SJSU TRANS PLAYER DURING FEUD WITH SCHOOL

Slusser was never spiked in the face during that match, but Colorado State did win in straight sets. 

A Mountain West investigation into Batie-Smoose's allegations did not find sufficient evidence to assign discipline to any player who was named in the allegations, which was stated in a letter obtained by Fox News Digital that was addressed to San Jose State athletic director Jeff Konya and Colorado State athletic director John Weber from Mountain West Deputy Commissioner Bret Gilliland.

That letter did not address allegations in Slusser's lawsuit that provided further context on the incident, nor did it address the specific notion of an alleged conspiracy to have Slusser hit in the face. The letter simply referred to all the allegations listed in the complaint as "manipulation of the competition."

Gilliland claimed that any evidence to back the claims in the complaint was insufficient, but did not explicitly state that the allegations were false, according to the letter.

The letter stated that the conference's investigation included interviews with coaches and student-athletes at both San Jose State and Colorado State. However, the letter did not specifically state which individuals had been interviewed. The conference declined to provide any details on the individuals who had been interviewed when asked by Fox News Digital.

WHO IS BLAIRE FLEMING? SJSU VOLLEYBALL PLAYER DOMINATING FEMALE RIVALS AND ENRAGING WOMEN'S RIGHTS GROUPS

Slusser's attorney Bill Bock later provided a statement to Fox News Digital insisting that the investigation had been "infected with bias." 

"Because the MWC’s investigation was inadequate, and anything but thorough, and because the MWC’s close-out letter is riddled with errors, the undersigned is issuing this rebuttal and demands that the MWC immediately and publicly release: (1) the investigative report prepared by its investigator(s), and (2) all documents connected to the MWC’s claimed ‘thorough investigation’ and upon which the MWC’s decision not to proceed further was based," read the statement from Bock. 

Slusser previously told Fox News Digital she has been spiked in the face by a volleyball in the past, and that the experience "stings, but you kind of just brush it off." However, in their first season together in 2023, Slusser said she took one of Fleming's spikes to her thigh, then had to nurse dark bruises on her thigh for an entire week after that. Slusser says she did not even know that Fleming was a trans athlete back then.

Slusser also previously told Fox News Digital that Batie-Smoose's suspension left some of her teammates in tears.

SJSU TRANS PLAYER AND TRAUMATIZED TEAMMATE HAD THANKSGIVING DINNER IN LAST TRIP TOGETHER AS LAWSUITS RAGE ON

"After we found out that she was released, a lot of the team just kind of broke down and was kind of freaking out, and even one of my teammates was like, ‘I don’t feel safe anymore,' because there's no one now that we feel like we can go and talk to about our concerns or our actual feelings and can actually speak freely in front of," Slusser said.

Slusser said she did not feel safe speaking with anyone else involved in the program, especially head coach Todd Kress. 

"You can't truly voice how you're feeling without them just trying to cover it up or act like it's all OK. With Melissa, you could voice how you felt, and she could comfort you and validate your feelings and at least make you feel heard, compared to the other coaches," Slusser said.

SJSU went on to play in the conference championship game against Colorado State on Nov. 30 but lost. The loss kept Fleming, Slusser and the rest of the Spartans out of the NCAA tournament. Batie-Smoose was at the match in Las Vegas, Nevada, that weekend to support her former players, despite being suspended by the program. 

Nearly every one of the players on SJSU's 2024 team that has remaining NCAA eligibility has entered the transfer portal, Fox News Digital previously reported. 

"I think that it speaks volumes that the majority of the team transferred because they did not want to be subjected to the mental anguish the university  put them through. They had had enough of the lies and manipulation, and I wish them the best," Batie-Smoose told Fox News Digital.

Meanwhile, Slusser's lawsuit against the school and conference has not yet gone to trial. Slusser is also engaged in Riley Gaines' lawsuit against the NCAA over its policies on gender ideology that allows trans athletes to compete in women's sports. 

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Kyle Rudolph left the Minnesota Vikings a couple seasons before they went 14-3 in 2022, when they lost in the first round of the playoffs to the New York Giants.

Two seasons later, they had almost a carbon copy of that campaign. This year, they went 13-4 but had another first-round playoff exit.

"You got to make the plays when it matters most, and they just didn't do it each of those last playoff games," Rudolph told Fox News Digital in a recent interview.

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Now, the Vikings have to decide whether to keep Sam Darnold or hand the keys to the offense to J.J. McCarthy.

Minnesota drafted McCarthy with the 10th selection of last year's NFL Draft, and he was in the running to start until a knee injury in the preseason ended his season. That gave the nod to Darnold, who took advantage of the opportunity and had, by far, the best season of his career.

Darnold was playing himself into a lucrative contract until his final two games. Now, who knows what he'll get on the open market?

At the very least, he may get a decent deal like Baker Mayfield's. But even that might be a lot for Minnesota, Rudolph said.

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"Well, I think it really, so much in football comes down to the money piece. You know, when you have a salary cap, and you're trying to build a roster, unfortunately, you have to make decisions that are solely based on the ramifications of the salary cap and what that does for your roster," Rudolph said. 

"So, when you look at Sam Darnold and the year that he had in Minnesota, there's just so many factors that go into it ultimately for Sam. Does he want to go to the highest bidder? Do I think Minnesota can be the highest bidder? No, I do not. You have so much other talent on that roster that they would like to keep and have to pay. If that's what Sam decides, and he wants to go to the highest bidder, I don't think Minnesota has a chance. 

"If Sam says, ‘I love playing for Kevin O'Connell. This is the best year of my career. He brings the best out of me, I love being on this team,’ I think he would have to take some sort of a discount. And then the third piece that comes in is, ultimately, you always have the franchise tag. 

"So, if they were decide to franchise tag Sam, they could keep him on that one-year franchise tag deal. But, again, that makes things really, really tough on the salary cap because that's a one-year full salary cap hit. So, it'll be interesting what they decide.

"To this point, Kevin [O'Connell] has proved that it really doesn't matter who the quarterback is. Jaren Hall, Josh Dobbs, Kirk Cousins, Sam Darnold — he's going to get the most out of him, and they're going to go win football games."

The Vikings will be home watching the Philadelphia Eagles try to dethrone the Kansas City Chiefs, who are in their fifth Super Bowl in the last six years with a chance to three-peat.

It's widely been argued Kansas City has the refs on their side. But Rudolph disputed the idea of any conspiracy or favoritism.

AARON RODGERS' EX TEAMMATE THINKS QB 'CAN STILL GET IT DONE' WITH NFL FUTURE IN QUESTION

"If you go and look at the statistics and dive into kind of like where are the Chiefs compared to every other team in the NFL in terms of calls for and calls against, they're kind of right there in the middle of the pack," Rudolph said. 

"But what is different about the Chiefs, they're on national TV almost every week. They're playing in primetime a whole lot. They're always making deep playoff runs, five out of six years in the Super Bowl. Obviously, you have all the off-the-field publicity with Travis [Kelce] and Taylor [Swift] and Patrick’s stardom. It’s just, you see it a lot more.

"They look for things that trigger, ‘Oh, that's a foul. That's a penalty.’ It’s the slightest jersey grab, but that’s something that triggers their psyche to say, 'Oh, I saw that jersey grab, I'm throwing the flag.’ It's just an immediate reaction to them. So, no, I don't think there's favoritism. Obviously, in the world that we're in today, if that were ever to be the case … we have all the resources in the world to find out … right? We would know."

Rudolph spoke to Fox News Digital on behalf of his own charity, Alltroo, where fans can donate to the campaign, and in turn, those dollars go directly to players' charities. But Rudolph and his partners have added a couple of twists.

This year, with just a $10 donation to Alltroo, fans can win both a trip to the Super Bowl with Drew Brees in New Orleans and an opportunity to announce a draft pick in Green Bay later this year if they donate to a Walter Payton Man of the Year nominee's charity. 

Considering that 94% of people who donate to Alltroo had never donated to a nonprofit before, Rudolph says it's a "win-win" for everyone.

"What we wanted to create was an opportunity for die-hard sports fans, not just the high-net worth individuals or the big corporate brands, to have an opportunity to support us. And then the flip side is people are winning once-in-a lifetime experiences and items that may be out of reach. 

"So, trying to create that win-win scenario where we're raising additional funds for charity that wouldn't otherwise be, and then, ultimately, offering these once-in-a lifetime experiences to fans that otherwise wouldn't be able to afford it," Rudolph said, noting that Super Bowl prices are "insanely out of price for a lot of people."

"Whatever you're willing to donate to these players’ causes, 100% of the proceeds will go directly to these player causes. So, we can just be the vehicle that passes through these donations and then, at the end of the day, a lucky fan's gonna have the opportunity to go up there and announce a draft pick at the draft and realize someone else's dream. 

"So, all in all, super cool for me to have the opportunity as a former nominee to really spearhead this initiative on behalf of the league. For as little as a $10 donation, you have a chance to win."

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Patrick Mahomes is on the fast track of surpassing Tom Brady as the NFL's greatest ever.

With a win in this year's Super Bowl, Mahomes would become the first player to win four rings before turning 30.

And if you compare the quarterbacks' first seven full seasons, Mahomes' numbers trump Brady's.

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Brady won more than half of his rings after turning 37, cementing himself in the conversation. But the chatter will be hot and heavy if the Kansas City Chiefs can finish a three-peat, something no team has done in the Super Bowl era.

Rob Gronkowski had a front-row seat for Brady's illustrious career, winning four titles with him, three in New England, and one more in Tampa Bay. 

"Good thing I went back to football and did that," Gronkowski recalled in a recent interview with Fox News Digital.

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But even Gronk knows his quarterback might be in trouble. However, it will be tough, and there's a reason why Brady has the upper hand for the time being.

"In order for Patrick Mahomes to dethrone (Brady), it’s gonna be tough because Tom beat him twice in playoff football. We absolutely demolished Patrick Mahomes," Gronkowski said, referring to the 2021 Super Bowl.

Advantage, Brady.

But that doesn't mean there's no chance for Mahomes. Gronk said Mahomes doesn't even need to match Brady in titles before being in the conversation.

"He’s gonna have to win about five, six championships in order to get in that conversation of being the greatest ahead of Tom Brady," Gronk said.

ROB GRONKOWSKI TAKES NFL OFFICIALS TO TASK OVER ALLEGED CHIEFS FAVORITISM

Those sentiments echo those of Victor Cruz, who already has Mahomes as the "No. 2" to Brady.

"To me, I can’t put him above [Tom] Brady just yet, but he’s right there. He’s 1A, 1B for me," Cruz told Fox News Digital in October. 

"If he gets to five and he continues to keep his team relevant year in and year out, when we look up at the numbers, it’s gonna be insane just to see where he nets out and just to see when it’s all said and done where he is, because what he’s doing thus far, it's pretty special."

First, the Chiefs will have to get through the Philadelphia Eagles, who the Chiefs beat two years ago in the Super Bowl to get Mahomes his second title. He earned his third last year against the San Francisco 49ers, the same team Mahomes beat for his first ring.

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The Royal Rumble is one of the WWE’s marquee premium live events of the year.

The event features the annual Royal Rumble match for both the men's and the women’s divisions, respectively. The unique program consists of 30 participants entering the ring with the last person in the ring standing earning a shot at the world championship at WrestleMania.

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The match starts with two participants in the ring with a new competitor entering the ring every 90 seconds or so. The only way participants can be eliminated is if they’re thrown over the top rope and both of their feet hit the ground.

One of the best things about the match is the feeling that anyone could win and anyone could be in the match. WWE legends, stars who recovered from injuries, or wrestlers who fans haven’t seen in a while have been known to make epic returns and stun the audience.

Former WWE star Edge, whose real name is Adam Copeland, talked to Fox News Digital in 2022 about what it was like to return in the Royal Rumble in 2020 after being out of in-ring action for about 10 years due to injuries.

"I expected if we could keep it as under wraps as we could, then, yes, just for the sheer shock of it," he told Fox News Digital at the time when asked whether he expected the wild crowd reaction.

"Because, just like everyone, I assumed that it’s done," he said of what he thought of his wrestling career at the time. "So, because of that, I assumed there would be a pretty shocked response, and then you do it in a stadium and chances are there’s going to be a pretty good reaction. Even though I thought that, it still doesn’t really prepare you for every emotion that really jolts through your system at that point. I kind of felt like I got hit by lightning in a good way."

This year is no different. The road to WrestleMania 41 is foggy at best at this point. Champions like Cody Rhodes, Gunther, Rhea Ripley and Tiffany Stratton don’t have opponents for the big couple of nights coming up on April 19-20 in Las Vegas.

The 2025 Royal Rumble in Indianapolis at Lucas Oil Stadium will feature the Rumble matches, a ladder match for the Undisputed WWE Championship between Rhodes and Kevin Owens, as well as a WWE Tag Team Championship match between Chris Sabin and Alex Shelley and Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa.

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Read below for five predictions for what might happen in the event.

WWE fans expected John Cena to be on weekly programming since he made his return to "Monday Night Raw" this month. But that hasn’t been the case. He did announce himself for the Royal Rumble, and when he does come back, his entrance will blow the roof off of the stadium.

Logan Paul has stunned the wrestling audience with the moves he can pull off in the middle of a WWE ring. It’s earned him street cred among hardcore pro wrestling fans and has emboldened his trash talk on the mic to make him one of the biggest heels on the roster. He really got an earful from the crowd in Atlanta on Monday.

Paul had pulled off some incredible moments with former WWE star Ricochet, and with Penta joining the fracas over the last few weeks, it’s likely the two will pull off something wild in the ring for the fans in Indianapolis.

Penta has drawn immense praise since he debuted in WWE, and his debut in the Rumble match is certainly welcomed.

Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn are best friends inside and outside the wrestling ring. They have been at nearly every promotion together and have dominated for quite some time. But their journey is at a crossroads. 

Owens is already in a match for the WWE title against Rhodes early in the night. It will appear unlikely that he enters the Royal Rumble match. But with Zayn being friends with Rhodes, the possibility of Zayn costing Owens the title is very much in play.

In turn, watch for Owens to cost Zayn in the Rumble match and ignite a path of best friends-turned-bitter enemies.

The Royal Rumble is always known for something wild to happen, and it’s likely something like that will occur again.

The women’s Rumble could include pro wrestlers like Becky Lynch, Nikki Bella or Jordynne Grace. The latter signed a deal with WWE after her contract with TNA expired, Fightful Select reported this week, though Grace was adamant that she wouldn’t be in Indy for the weekend. Additionally, Jade Cargill suffered an on-screen injury and was written off of her storyline as a tag-team champion with Bianca Belair. She could potentially return to confront the person who "attacked" her.

The men’s side could also bring out a major return. 

The Rock is always rumored to be involved in WWE storylines one way or the other, but his speech to kick off Raw’s Netflix debut left fans wondering whether he would try to tie up loose ends with Rhodes, Roman Reigns and the rest of the Bloodline.

Omos has also made an impact at the NOAH promotion in Japan. The 7-foot-3 wrestler’s popularity increased as he spent time there and might make at least one more appearance in WWE. His former teammate, A.J. Styles, has also been off television for a while and a return at the Rumble would surprise fans.

CM Punk was injured in the Royal Rumble match last year, and it cost him months and an in-ring spot at WrestleMania 40. His intense promo with Rhodes on "Monday Night Raw" was passionate and piqued the interest of the wrestling fan. A Punk-Rhodes WrestleMania main event would definitely be the talk of the pro wrestling world in the spring.

Charlotte Flair has not been seen in a WWE ring since she tore her ACL, MCL and meniscus during a match on SmackDown on Dec. 8, 2023. She’s appeared in vignettes on WWE programming in recent weeks and is set for a Rumble return.

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The Philadelphia Eagles will have plenty more to play for when they take the field in Super Bowl LIX next Sunday against the Kansas City Chiefs. 

After an air ambulance carrying six people crashed in Northern Philadelphia Friday night, causing a massive explosion that has killed an unconfirmed number of people, the Eagles released a statement expressing condolences for its impacted Philadelphia residents and the victims on board the flight.

"The Eagles organization was heartbroken to learn of the tragic loss of life earlier this evening as a result of the plane crash in Northeast Philadelphia," the team said. "We extend our condolences to the victims and loved ones they leave behind. We are grateful to the first responders for their heroic actions at the scene."

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Jet Rescue Air Ambulance, the global ambulance flight company operating the plane, said its Learjet 55 crashed while departing from Northeast Philadelphia Airport at about 6:30 p.m.

The plane was scheduled to fly from Philadelphia to Tijuana International Airport, with one technical stop in Springfield, Missouri for fuel, Air Ambulance spokesperson Shai Gold told Fox News Digital.

A senior Philadelphia fire official told Fox News the fires that were sparked by the crash are "now under control."

President Donald Trump took to Truth Social to react to the tragedy.

"So sad to see the plane go down in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. More innocent souls lost. Our people are totally engaged," Trump wrote. "First Responders are already being given credit for doing a great job. More to follow. God Bless you all."

Vice President JD Vance later took to X, calling the situation "very sad."

"May God bless the victims and their families," Vance wrote.

The crash comes just days after an American Airlines passenger plane collided midair with an Army Black Hawk Helicopter near Reagan National Airport, killing 67 people.

Fox News Digital's Alexandra Koch, Lorraine Taylor and Alexis McAdams contributed to this story.

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