UFC legend Chuck Liddell is engaged to his girlfriend, Heidi Rae, after a well-orchestrated proposal on the ice at Anaheim’s Honda Center.
Liddell, 55, pulled off the epic surprise on Wednesday, February 19, at the home of the NHL’s Anaheim Ducks — but first, he had to get her to the arena.
The former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion, who has been dating Rae since 2021, said the couple had been asked to participate in a photo shoot by their beloved Ducks.
“I truly thought we were there to do a shoot and everything was completely normal,” Rae exclusively told Us Weekly. “I’ve been to countless of these with him throughout the years.”
Once the couple made it on the ice – in custom Ducks jerseys, of course – the arena Jumbotron, which had been lowered to the ground, read “Heidi, will you marry me?” Liddell then dropped to one knee and pulled out a ring with Ducks’ mascot, Wild Wing, watching on intently.
“Surprised is an understatement,” Rae said. “I just cried because I was so overcome with emotions. We’ve both wanted this for so long and it’s been a long road. Having your happily ever finally come was surreal. Getting to spend your life with your best friend and the person you trust most in the world is an indescribable happiness.”
Liddell said logistical hangups meant he had to “cancel and change” the proposal a couple of times, but he was confident about the plan when the big day finally arrived.
“I wasn’t really worried about her finding out,” Liddell told Us. “We had done pretty well. She didn’t ask a lot of questions. She’s done this with me in the past. It was probably a little different, but I don’t think she thought that much about it.”
When it came to the ring, the UFC Hall of Famer sought the advice of two very important people in his soon-to-be fiancée’s life.
“I had help from her daughters,” Liddell said. “I know when to ask for help. She had a very particular style.”
Rae’s daughters – Ashtyn, 25, and Halle, 21 – picked out a pear-shaped canary yellow diamond surrounded with pavé diamonds on a diamond pavé eternity band.
Anaheim Ducks
“It was just so beautiful,” Rae said of the ring. “It was quite enormous.”
As for their eventual wedding, Liddell and Rae are actually third in line in their blended family when it comes to making their way to the altar.
The normally calm, cool and collected Scottie Scheffler admits to being thrown into emotional turmoil after his shocking arrest at the 2024 PGA Championship.
“I was freaking out because I somehow went from driving into the golf course to a jail cell and I still don’t really know how that happened exactly,” Scheffler said in the clip, which was released on Monday, February 24. “I don’t think it ever really felt real.”
Scheffler was charged with felony assault of a police officer, third-degree criminal mischief, reckless driving and disregarding traffic signals from an officer directing traffic.
According to a police report, Detective Bryan Gillis “stopped” Scheffler and “attempted to give instructions,” noting that the golfer “refused to comply and accelerated forward, dragging Detective Gillis to the ground.”
Scheffler spent just over an hour in a jail cell before all charges against him were dropped and he made it back to Valhalla for his second round tee time.
Body cam footage from the arrest, featured in the Full Swing clip, shows Scheffler befuddled in the immediate aftermath of being handcuffed and placed in the back of a police car.
Louisville DOC/MEGA
“I’ll be honest, I didn’t think this was ever a position I’d be in,” Scheffler told an officer, who deadpanned back, “Usually people never do.”
Much of the confusion surrounding Scheffler’s arrest stemmed from the authorities on site not being aware of Scheffler’s status as one of the greatest golfers of a generation.
“I assume you’re pretty good if you’re playing in the PGA,” an officer said to Scheffler in the clip. “Is Tiger [Woods] as good as they say he is? Or is that…”
“He’s pretty good,” Scheffler responded.
Throughout the ordeal, Scheffler managed to maintain his sense of humor about the bizarre circumstances — especially after an officer asked Scheffler if he had been drinking.
“Mouthwash,” Scheffler said. “I try not to drink too much before I go play golf at 8 am.”
Scheffler’s arrest sent shockwaves throughout the golf community, including the assembled players at Valhalla preparing to start their rounds.
“I’m warming up and all I see is my friend, handcuffed, walking to a police car,” PGA Tour star Tom Kim said in the clip.
Meanwhile, PGA Tour golfer Joel Dahmen said he was doing his best to make sense of the entire thing.
“I understand how it happens,” Dahmen, 37, said in the sneak peek. “I completely understand how it happens. I have driven past security. I have flashed my badge. It’s chaos, especially when it’s dark.”
Dahmen added, “At some point, cooler heads prevailed. But I think I was just shocked at how long it carried on.”
Season 3 of Full Swing hits Netflix on Tuesday, February 25.
The bus carrying the Indiana University Indianapolis men’s basketball team burst into flames on Sunday, February 23, with the players and team personnel on board left scrambling for safety.
Shocking photos obtained by WISHNews8, a local CW affiliate, showed the aftermath, with the IU Indy team’s bus largely incinerated on the side of the highway.
“On the return drive from today’s game against Northern Kentucky, the bus carrying the IU Indianapolis men’s basketball team experienced a mechanical issue that caused a fire around Kent, Indiana,” the school’s athletic department said in a statement. “All members of the team and staff evacuated the bus without injury. Another bus is en route to pick up the team and deliver them back to Indianapolis.”
#BREAKING: A bus carrying the IU Indy men’s basketball team caught fire earlier tonight near Kent, Indiana.
The team says everyone evacuated and there were no injuries.
According to ABC affiliate WRTV-Indianapolis, the team was eventually picked up by another bus which transported them safely back to campus on Sunday night.
WLWT-Cincinnati (a local NBC affiliate) obtained video of the fire, which showed the front end of the bus completely engulfed in flames.
The school’s associate athletic director, Ed Holdaway, told Yahoo Sports that the fire “quickly spread, engulfing the entire bus.”
Most players and staff members “were only able to get out with what was on their person,” according to Holdaway, which meant there was a “considerable loss of personal items.” Holdaway said some individuals lost cell phones, wallets and team gear.
Courtesy of Paul Zilinskas/Instagram
IU Indy was returning home from a 71-67 road loss to Northern Kentucky. A member of the Horizon League conference the IU Indy Jaguars fell to 9-20 with two games remaining on their regular season schedule.
In the moments after the harrowing bus incident, members of the team who were able to save their phones pulled them out to document the ordeal via social media.
IU Indy senior guard Alec Millender jokingly took the blame for the blaze. The Chicago native shared a video of the charred bus via his Instagram Story on Sunday, writing, “My bad I started rapping g .”
Sophomore guard Nathan Duke shared a story about the fire via his Instagram Story, writing, “Crazy.” Paul Zilinskas, a graduate student guard, shared his own video from outside the bus, panning from a shot of his teammates on the side of the road to the burned bus. “Woe,” he wrote.
IU Indy returns to the court for home games against Robert Morris and Wright State on Thursday, February 27, and Saturday, March 1, respectively, before the Horizon League Tournament tips off on Tuesday, March 4.
“It’s a nightmare, and it doesn’t stop,” Eric told Today’s Carson Daly in a segment that aired on Monday, February 24.
Grayson, a two-time winner on the PGA Tour who had been candid about his mental health journey, was found dead in his Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, home the day after withdrawing from a tournament in Texas citing illness.
“He tried to get better,” Eric said. “He did everything he could.”
Grayson entered rehab for alcoholism in 2021 and also sought treatment for social anxiety and depression, but his mother explained how his lifestyle didn’t make things easy on her son.
“He would go and drink and gamble,” Terry said. “That was tough for him out on the road.”
TODAY
According to Golf Digest, Grayson admitted to losing more than $400,000 from gambling in 2017.
When things became excessively difficult, Terry said the family home became a sanctuary for Grayson.
“He would put on a happy face out on the road,” she explained. “Our house became a safe haven. If he was depressed, he would go in his room and he wouldn’t come out for two or three days.”
Tim Heitman/Getty Images
Eric defined these periods of time for his son as “deep tunnels or dark holes” while recalling one of Grayson’s final trips to the house.
“We sat on the sofa and we both sat there and cried,” he said. “I was holding him like a baby. He was talking about how hard it was physically and emotionally to keep doing what he’s doing.”
Seeing the toll it was taking on him, Eric even tried getting Grayson to give up golf to focus on himself.
“I actually asked him to do that,” he said. “But Grayson loved golf. There’s no place on Earth that he was happier than on the golf course. But at the same time, it was very difficult.”
The month before his death, Grayson accomplished a lifelong goal by competing in his first Masters tournament. It’s a memory that’s been forever enshrined in the Murray family home.
“We have a picture of him at the Masters hanging up above the sofa,” Terry said. “I look up there every day.”
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org.
Justin Bieber, Jeremy RoenickKatelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images; LA Kings
Justin Bieber dropped the gloves with an NHL Hall of Famer at a charity hockey game benefiting victims of the California wildfires.
Bieber, 30, tussled with Jeremy Roenick during the Skate For LA Strong game at Los Angeles’ Crypto.com Arena on Sunday, February 23. The Canadian pop star playfully pulled the jersey over the head of the 55-year-old Roenick — who played 20 seasons for five different NHL teams before retiring in 2009 — during the second period of the game, which served as a fundraising effort to benefit the LA Fire Relief Fund.
The fight drew an enthusiastic reaction from the crowd and Bieber’s opposing Team Red coach, Vince Vaughn. “This is starting to get chippy out here!” said Vaughn, 54, as Bieber made his way back to the bench.
Bieber’s Team Black was coached by Will Ferrell and Snoop Dogg, and the fight earned the praise of the legendary rapper. “We didn’t win the game, but we won the fight,” Snoop, 53, said on the bench. “That’s what I’m talking about.”
Team Red, which was coached by Vaughn, 54, and actress Cobie Smulders — who lost the home she shared with her husband, Taran Killam, in the Pacific Palisades fire — defeated Team Black 4-0.
Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images
“I can say I got beat up by Justin Bieber,” Roenick told The Athletic after the game. “That’s a great day.”
During an in-game interview, Bieber was asked by reporter Jackie Redmond what it meant to lace up the skates for the charity event.
“This is everything,” Bieber said. “We’re just looking to have a good time and show that when we come together, good things can happen.”
Bieber was also asked by Redmond when he wants to get his son Jack, who was born in August 2024, on hockey skates.
“As soon as possible,” he said enthusiastically. “It’s never too early.”
The Skate For LA Strong featured star-studded lineups, including celebrities like Steve Carell, Taylor Kitsch, Kevin Zegers, Skylar Astin, Ross Lynch and David Boreanaz taking the ice with an impressive list of NHL alumni including Jarret Stoll, Nate Thompson, Dany Heatley and Dion Phaneuf.
“I know a lot of people that have lost their homes,” Bones alum Boreanaz, 55, told The Athletic. “In speaking with them, it doesn’t stop. The grief doesn’t stop, and it stays with them. And this is an opportunity to shed some grief for them, give some healing for them.”
Kelly Stafford.Courtesy of Kelly Stafford/Instagram
Kelly Stafford has become very used to dealing with social media criticism over the years — even from the friends of her 7-year-old twin daughters.
In an exclusive interview with Us Weekly, Kelly explained she’s currently at a tipping point when it comes to social media and her girls. Kelly and her husband, Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford, share four daughters: twins Sawyer and Chander, 7, Hunter, 6, and Tyler, 4.
“When it comes to social media, I always told myself the minute they know what Instagram is, is the minute I have to figure something out. And my older ones know what it is,” Kelly said. “They have come home and been like, ‘Mom, how do people know we were sick?’”
“In the near future, there is going to be a discussion about whether or not sharing them on social media is going to be happening,” Kelly noted. “At the end of the day, we want them to be able to control what’s out there. They’re getting to an age now where their friends have Instagrams and they’re following me. That is something I really have to consider moving forward.”
Courtesy of Kelly Stafford/Instagram
Kelly said she and Matthew, who got married in April 2015, have considered giving their daughters “the phones that we had that have cell phone numbers and that’s it.”
“Our generation grew up in the weird time where we started to have [social media],” Kelly added. “But the generation before us, social media was new and their kids have it. But they don’t really know the pros and cons of it. But our generation knows what can happen and the dangers of it.”
“Social media can obviously be used as a tool, right? In the work that I’m doing, unfortunately I need it,” Kelly, who hosts “The Morning After” podcast, told Us. “But I am human. Comments that are mean hurt my feelings. I have feelings and I’m not going to sit here and act like I don’t.”
She added, “I have tried to develop some kind of thick skin to understand what my values are and sticking to those regardless of what people can say about me. The ones that are close to me, I care about their opinions. I just try to remind myself of that.”
Courtesy of Kelly Stafford/Instagram
Ultimately, Kelly said she can’t help but “fear for my kids with social media.”
“That is a whole different ballgame,” she explained. “I pray that something happens to social media before they get to that point, even though I know it probably won’t.”
Kelly continued, “Honestly, it’s really scary. Even as an adult, my self-confidence is intertwined with people who are commenting that don’t even know me. I can only imagine a teenage girl trying to figure out that and still remaining confident. I worry about my daughters.”
Team USA hockey stars Matthew and Brady Tkachuk are modern-day Bash Brothers who have helped turn the perception of American hockey on its head.
Matthew, a forward with the Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers, and younger sibling Brady, the captain of the Ottawa Senators, had never played together on the same team — outside of the 2023 NHL All-Star Game — before representing their home country in the inaugural 4 Nations Face-Off in February 2025.
“We talked about this moment, playing together, forever,” Matthew told NHL.com before the tournament, a best-on-best event between the USA, Canada, Sweden and Finland. “And now that it’s finally happening, it’s just been amazing and we’re super grateful for it. We’re just having so much fun.”
Matthew and Brady come from a hockey family, in the truest sense of the phrase. The duo were both born in Scottsdale, Arizona, while their father, Keith, played for the NHL’s Phoenix Coyotes.
The brothers cut their hockey teeth in St. Louis after their dad was traded to the Blues in 2001, with Matthew and Brady taking unique journeys to the NHL.
Keep scrolling for a deep dive into the lore of the Tkachuk family — including their mother, Chantal Tkachuk, and their field hockey star sister, Taryn:
Matthew Tkachuk
Richard T Gagnon/Getty Images
Matthew was only 3 years old when his father, Keith, was traded to the St. Louis Blues. As such, he spent many of his most formative childhood years in hockey arenas.
“When you say you grew up in a rink people think, ‘Oh, yeah, your dad played but you didn’t really grow up there,’” Matthew told The Athletic in 2019. “No, I literally grew up in the rink. Even in St. Louis, I think my dad pulled me out of school certain days so I could go to the rink.”
He added, “Looking back, I’m so grateful I got to do that. There is a reason I have wanted to play in the NHL since a young age. I was there so much and I loved the lifestyle, the passion, everything these guys showed me and the relationships I built.”
Matthew completed 6th through 9th grades at Chaminade Preparatory School — where he was classmates with Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum — before joining the USA Hockey National Development Program.
After one season with the London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League, Matthew was drafted 6th overall in the 2016 NHL Draft by the Calgary Flames.
Matthew played six seasons with the Flames before being traded to the Florida Panthers in July 2022, where he would win a Stanley Cup in 2024 when Florida defeated the Edmonton Oilers in Game 7 of the Finals.
His parents — Keith and Chantal — were both on hand for the moment, with Keith shown on TV crying at his son’s accomplishment. Despite a legendary 18-year career in the NHL, Keith never won a Stanley Cup.
Matthew got engaged to his fiancée, Ellie Connell, in April 2024. The couple prefers to keep their relationship mostly private.
Brady Tkachuk
Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images
Similar to his older brother, Brady spent most of his childhood around the game of hockey.
Brady also followed in the footsteps of Matthew and played two seasons with the USA Hockey National Development Program, but their paths diverted when Brady decided to explore collegiate hockey.
In 2017-2018, Brady spent one season with Boston University, appearing in 40 games and scoring 31 points. He was drafted 4th overall by the Ottawa Senators in the 2018 NHL Draft. Brady was named the 10th captain in franchise history in November 2021.
Brady also captained Team USA in the 2024 IIHF World Championship, where they were eliminated in the quarterfinals.
Off the ice, Brady married his wife, Emma Farinacci, in July 2023. In September 2024, the couple welcomed their son, Ryder.
“Our whole world ,” Farinacci wrote via Instagram announcing their son’s birth.
Matthew left two enthusiastic comments on the post, writing, “Ryder!! Little legend!!!” and “Love him!!!!”
Keith Tkachuk
Courtesy of Matthew Tkachuk/Instagram
One of the greatest American hockey players of all-time, Matthew and Brady’s father, Keith, grew up in Medford, Massachusetts and completed one season of collegiate hockey at Boston University, where Brady would later play.
Keith was drafted 19th overall in 1990 by the Winnipeg Jets and had an 18-year career in the NHL with the Jets, Phoenix Coyotes, St. Louis Blues and Atlanta Thrashers.
When his sons were little, Keith recalled relying on Coyotes equipment manager, Stan Wilson, for help when Matthew and Brady got dropped off at the arena.
“They terrorized the place when they were able to,” Keith told The Athletic in 2019. “And they made more of a mess for Stan and the other guys, but you know Stan. You really have to work hard to piss him off.”
After Matthew won the Stanley Cup with the Panthers in 2024, Keith had no problem admitting he was overcome with emotions in the crowd.
“I was up in the stands crying,” Keith told NHL.com. “Who wouldn’t? That’s my son down there. He just won the Stanley Cup.”
Keith added, “I’m so proud of that kid.”
Chantal Tkachuk
Courtesy of Matthew Tkachuk/Instagram
Keith married his wife — and Matthew and Brady’s mom — Chantal in February 1997 when he was playing for the St. Louis Blues. During that time, he credited Chantal for much of his success.
“I wouldn’t be the player that I am if it hadn’t been for her, I’ll tell you that much,” Keith told The Hockey News shortly after their wedding. “You focus more on hockey when you have someone at home, when you’re taking care of yourself and she’s taking care of you.”
After Matthew and Brady were born, Chantal recalled using her husband’s ice rink workplace as a means of child care.
“Right from the get-go, I would drop them off in their pumpkin seats when they were little babies,” she told The Athletic in 2019. “I remember sending Matthew along with Brady in a pumpkin seat. I remember Matthew going in as a baby, too. I would go to the side door of the rink, knock on the door, somebody would open the door, I dumped off the diaper bag, dropped off the package and I would run — fast.”
While Keith was in the spotlight, it was Chantal running the show back home that her kids have grown to appreciate even more in retrospect.
“It’s easy to credit him because he had a great career, but I think behind the scenes, it’s my mom,” Brady told The Athletic in 2018. “She was there when my dad was on the road trips. She was always there and so dedicated.”
Taryn Tkachuk
Courtesy of Taryn Tkachuk/Instagram
Matthew and Brady’s younger sister, Taryn, is an accomplished athlete in her own right.
Taryn recently completed her senior season as a field hockey star at the University of Virginia. Her parents, Keith and Chantal, were both on hand to celebrate senior weekend in October 2024, which Taryn showed off via Instagram.
She was, of course, on hand to help celebrate her brother Matthew winning the Stanley Cup in June 2024, watching Game 7 from the crowd with her parents.
In July 2024, Taryn posted a carousel of photos via Instagram from Matthew’s time with the Cup, which included a poolside gathering and a trip to the Anheuser-Busch Brewery in St. Louis. ‘
Actor Eric Mabius has been arrested for battery and resisting arrest without violence in Florida.
Mabius, 53, best known for his role as Daniel Meade on ABC’s Ugly Betty, was arrested on the morning of Thursday, February 20, and booked into the Nassau County Jail and Detention Center at 5:45 a.m., according to an arrest report obtained by Us Weekly.
In his mugshot, Mabius can be seen with a laceration next to his right eye.
Mabius is listed at 5’10” and 220 pounds in the report, with a residence in Fernandina Beach, Florida. No bond amount was set.
The actor was married to wife Ivy Sherman from 2006 to 2018 and the couple share two sons: Maxfield, 18, and Rylan, 16.
Nassau County Sheriff's Office
In October 2024, he posted a photo via Instagram with an unnamed woman on a trip to the Castillo de San Marcos National Monument in Saint Augustine, Florida. The same woman appears in photos on Mabius’ Instagram dating back to December 2023.
Mabius last posted via Instagram in January, sharing a simple photo of the moon.
The actor appeared on all four seasons of Ugly Betty as Daniel Meade, the editor-in-chief of Mode magazine. Mabius’ television credits also include Party of Five, The L Word and Popular.
Most recently, Mabius appeared in a number of Hallmark Channel originals, including playing Oliver O’Toole in the Signed, Sealed & Delivered franchise. He also appeared in 2019’s It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas, 2022’s Haul Out the Holly and 2023’s Haul Out the Holly: Lit Up, all Hallmark original films.
Mabius’ movie credits include 2002’s Resident Evil, 2004’s Resident Evil: Apocalypse and 2019’s Inside Game, where he played disgraced former NBA referee, Tim Donaghy.
“Oliver is a wordsmith and he’s anachronistic and, you know, he’s a stickler for rules,” he said. “He’s also evolving in such a wonderful way.”
Mabius also explained how his character getting married to Shane, played by Kristin Booth, signaled a shift.
“The real work begins when you get married, right? The honeymoon period is over. What do we do when you share not just a roof with someone, but a life with someone?” he asked. “We find ourselves acting in ways we could never have imagined. That’s what we see.”
Mabius added, “I think we spend a lot of time creating our own misery and I think that’s what we see each, Shane and Oliver coming to terms with. We create our own obstacles being unbending or having our set of rules and then we spend all this time trying to dig ourselves out of the hole that we create for ourselves, rather than just trusting the [that] thing that brought Shane and Oliver together [is] the thing that’s gonna get them through this.”
“We have a third coming in July, so it’s busy,” Spieth, 31, announced.
He added, “My son turned 3 in November, so we had his birthday and stuff. He loves monster trucks, we were at the monster truck rally. My daughter turned 1 in September, so we had her birthday right after we got home from Colorado after I had my surgery.”
Spieth underwent left wrist surgery in August 2024, which largely kept him away from the game of golf for an extended period of time. He made his first start of the PGA Tour season at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am on January 30, 2025.
“I wasn’t searching for things to do,” Spieth said of his recovery from surgery. “There were certain days during nap [time] where I was like, ‘I wish I could do something, the weather is great,’ or whatever. You’re kind of chipping or putting one-handed.”
Spieth, who lives in Dallas, said he “went to a lot of football games” during his time off and was “home mostly until Christmas.”
“Then we got out of the house a lot,” he continued. “We went to Austin, we went to Mexico. We’ve been out of town a lot since Christmas, which I think was a good thing. Everywhere we went I played a lot of golf, too.”
Spieth added, “It was a fun fall. It reminded me that maybe I need to take some falls a little less seriously. Take some time away from the game. Maybe not as much as I did, but it sometimes doesn’t hurt to take a few weeks.”
In September 2024, shortly after Spieth’s surgery, he gushed about the chance he had been given to slow down with his family.
“I’m loving being a dad,” he told Golfweek. “It’s cool to have this time during the day with my kids, too. I can do half of what I can normally do. I’ve gotta pawn off the diaper changing and some of the stuff that obviously requires two hands. But it’s a unique opportunity right now, and I’m kind of embracing being home.”
Spieth added, “I like to think of myself as a very active dad. I’ve always been very involved and my family has traveled with me almost every single week on the road. I don’t get home and take a break. I go play. I just like it. But I have a massively increased respect for moms and single parents and stuff. Because it is tough work, raising these two kids. You see it a little more firsthand when it’s day in and day out. But it is the most rewarding work that there is.”
Jordon Hudson, the 24-year-old girlfriend of Bill Belichick, professed her love of seagulls during a seaside feeding session.
Hudson, the first runner-up in the 2024 Miss Maine USA pageant, posted a video via Instagram of her and a companion providing food for a flock of birds near the water in her home state.
“Never in my life did I think I would come across somebody who loved sky rats and the Great State of Maine as much as I did, but alas, here we are,” Hudson wrote. “I officially bestow Sir Spinner with the title of ‘King of the Gulls.’”
Hudson added, “Thanks for sharing your wisdom and daily seagull ritual with me, Spin.”
In the video, Hudson and Spin — whose specific identity is unknown — excitedly feed the seagulls what appear to be cheese balls from a variety of bags and containers. At one point, a seagull lands on Hudson’s head, which doesn’t cause her to bat an eye.
Kevin Carter/Getty Images
While sometimes controversial, it is not illegal to feed seagulls in the state of Maine, according to WCYY. However, the outlet cites a story from 2012 in which a woman came under fire for constantly feeding seagulls in Rockland, Maine, which led to the area being covered in seagull poop. Officials eventually ordered the woman to stop feeding the birds, leading to an official town ordinance.
Hudson began dating Belichick, the 72-year-old former head coach of the New England Patriots, last year after the duo met on an airplane in 2021 when Hudson was still in college. Belichick was announced as the new head football coach at the University of North Carolina in December 2024.
“The evening was saturated with all of my favourite things: friendship, education, philanthropy, glamour, beet salad, Billy, dance-worthy music, ornithological & oceanic exhibits,” she wrote. “We created so many great memories together while supporting a great cause; my heart is filled to the brim!!!”
Hudson added, “The wide-spread importance and applicability of natural history education is far more relevant than many people understand; it reinforces a sense of biocentrism, promotes better policy creation, preserves culture and heritage, and teaches us about the world we interact with on a daily basis.”
Meredith Gaudreau continues to have her late husband, Johnny Gaudreau, on her mind as she prepares to welcome the couple’s third baby.
The wife of the former Columbus Blue Jackets star posted a photo via Instagram of the couple from 2024, with Meredith holding a box of Tim Hortons Timbits mini donuts. The image was snapped before the couple welcomed their son, Johnny, in February 2024.
Alongside the throwback picture, Meredith shared a new photo of herself holding a box of Timbits next to her growing belly. “Missed my date tonight,” she wrote. “But kept the tradition going.”
Meredith revealed she treated herself to the donuts as she entered her third trimester. She announced she was nine weeks pregnant with the couple’s third baby at a September 2024 memorial service for Johnny and his brother, Matthew, who were killed by an alleged drunk driver in August 2024.
One day after Christmas, Meredith reposted a picture from a night out with Drey Severson, wife of Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Damon Severson. “Dec 26 tradition ,” Meredith captioned the image, which showed a fancy dinner table and a bottle of wine.
Drey — who married Damon in 2022 — posted the original photo from their evening on the town, writing, “Favorite Columbus Tradition that won’t be broken .”
During Meredith’s emotional eulogy at Johnny’s funeral, she announced her household was expanding.
“We’re actually a family of five,” Meredith said at the September 9 ceremony held at St. Mary Magdalen Parish outside Philadelphia. “I’m in my ninth week of pregnancy with our third baby. A total surprise, but again, John was beaming and so excited.”
Meredith added, “I was so nervous because this was, again, a total surprise. But his reaction was just immediately kissing me and hugging me even though I was driving the car. After the initial excitement sank in, every time he looked at me, he would say, ‘You’re nuts, you know that? Three kids?’”
“John, I promise to have baby Johnny on skates soon and to be a dedicated hockey mom that drives any distance to all the tournaments,” she said. “I’ll wake up early for the games, even if that means baby Johnny shows up in Winnie the Pooh pajamas and sleeps on the bench, just like you did.”
Team USA hockey star Zach Werenski has experienced life’s most euphoric highs and devastating lows all within the span of six months.
Werenski, 27, will be on the ice when USA faces Canada in the championship game of the inaugural 4 Nations Face-Off at Boston’s TD Garden on Thursday, February 20, which comes months after his good friend and Columbus Blue Jackets teammate, Johnny Gaudreau, was killed in August 2024.
In addition to representing his country, the Grosse Pointe, Michigan native is in the midst of a career year in the NHL, currently tied for second in defensemen scoring.
Throughout it all, Werenski has been able to count on the stability of his fiancée, Odette Peters, to whom he got engaged in May 2024.
“She’s been incredible,” Werenski exclusively told Us Weekly on Tuesday, February 18. “I owe a lot of the success this year to her, to be honest. She’s been here in Boston during this trip. I just feel like there’s so many emotions. When you get back to the hotel and you have her there — some familiarity, just someone to wind down with — I think that’s been super helpful. Obviously just being with her all season, it’s been awesome. I credit a lot of my success to her.”
He added, “These are once in a lifetime opportunities, so I’m glad we’re doing it.”
Courtesy of Odette Peters/Instagram
Werenski and Gaudreau were teammates for two seasons in Columbus before Gaudreau and his younger brother, Matthew, were struck and killed by an alleged drunk driver while riding bicycles in Oldmans Township, New Jersey on the night before their sister Katie’s wedding.
Since Johnny’s death, Werenski and his fiancée have been a source of comfort for Johnny’s wife, Meredith, and their two children: Noa, 2, and Johnny, 11 months. In November 2024, Meredith even shared a picture via Instagram of Werenski doing Noa’s makeup.
Johnny — who would have likely been on the Team USA roster — has been a constant presence for the Americans during the 4 Nations Face-Off. The team has been handing out a jersey bearing Johnny’s name to their player of the game, and Johnny and Matthew’s father, Guy, practiced with Team USA before the start of the tournament.
“He’s still a huge part of this,” Werenski said of his late friend. “All the guys on this team and all the guys in Columbus and around the league always think of John and Matt. We try to honor them in whatever way we can. I feel like this week’s been super special — having Guy around, having John’s jersey hung up. I think it’s probably great for the family to see all that, to see that we’re still honoring them and playing for them.”
Werenski added, “They’re still making a big impact on these teams.”
Team USA faces Canada in the 4 Nations Face-Off championship game on Thursday, February 20, at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN.
French soccer superstar Olivier Giroud reportedly lost $500k in jewelry when his Los Angeles home was targeted by burglars earlier this month.
According to ESPN, the Los Angeles Police Department responded to a call of a broken window at the west L.A. residence of Giroud, 38, on February 5. The caller, reported to be Giroud’s wife, Jennifer, said an upstairs bedroom window had been broken and their home had been burglarized.
Giroud and his wife, who got married in 2011, share four children: daughter Jade, 11, son Evan, 8, son Aaron, 6, and daughter Aria, 4.
Giroud, who plays for LAFC of Major League Soccer, and his family were not home at the time of the break-in. The thieves reportedly stole jewelry and other valuables, including 10 luxury watches, from the home.
LAFC spokesperson Seth Burton did not provide a comment to ESPN on behalf of Giroud, but did confirm to reporters that the burglary occurred.
No arrests have been made and the LAPD is continuing to investigate the incident.
Olivier GiroudMarcus Ingram/Getty Images
The break-in at Giroud’s home came after a string of burglaries of high-profile athletes, including Kansas City Chiefs teammates Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce, Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow and Milwaukee Bucks star Bobby Portis.
Seven men were charged on Tuesday, February 18 in relation to the burglaries at the homes of Mahomes, Kelce, Burrow, Portis and others. Federal prosecutors charged the men, all Chilean and members of a South American theft group, with conspiracy to commit interstate transportation of stolen property. If convicted, they each face a maximum of 10 years in prison.
The group is accused of stealing more than $2 million in valuables from the homes of professional athletes. The group allegedly targeted the athletes’ homes while they were out of town or playing games.
The arrests have not been linked to the burglary at Giroud’s home.
Giroud officially signed with LAFC in May 2024 after a legendary career in Europe, most notably as a star striker for Arsenal from 2012-2018. He also played three seasons each with Chelsea and AC Milan.
He was also a star for the France national team, scoring a record 57 goals and winning a World Cup in 2018.
“I am delighted and excited to join LAFC,” Giroud said after signing with the club. “I can’t wait to get to Los Angeles and to play in front of the 3252 [supporters’ group] and all of the incredible fans.”
On Tuesday, February 18, Giroud started for LAFC in their 2-1 loss against the Colorado Rapids in the first leg of Round 1 of the Concacaf Champions Cup.
Federal prosecutors charged the men, all Chilean and members of a South American theft group, on Tuesday, February 18.
According to a complaint obtained by ABC News, the men are accused of stealing more than $2 million in valuables from the homes of professional athletes. The group allegedly targeted the athletes’ homes while they were out of town or playing games at the time.
All seven men, who range in age from 20 to 38, were charged with conspiracy to commit interstate transportation of stolen property. If convicted, they each face a maximum of 10 years in prison.
The group is allegedly responsible for the home break-ins of Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and tight end Travis Kelce, which both happened in October 2024.
Mahomes’ residence was burglarized the night before the Chiefs faced off against the New Orleans Saints at Kansas City’s Arrowhead Stadium on Monday Night Football. Kelce’s home was targeted the following day during the game.
Department of Justice
The men are also linked to the burglaries of an unnamed Tampa Bay Buccaneers player, who was robbed of items valued at $167,000, and an unnamed Memphis Grizzlies player, who was robbed of jewelry, watches and luggage valued at $1 million.
The complaint also includes a photo of three of the men after they allegedly burglarized the home of Milwaukee Bucks player Bobby Portis in November 2024. In the photo, they are posing with a safe allegedly belonging to Portis, which contained watches, chains, personal items, jewelry and cash.
Notably, one of the men can be seen wearing a Kansas City Chiefs T-shirt in the photo, an apparent connection to the burglaries of Mahomes and Kelce which occurred weeks prior.
According to the complaint, the men would enter homes through a broken window or by using a crowbar to pry open a sliding door. The group allegedly used “throw phones” as a means to “thwart law enforcement.”
Four of the men charged on Tuesday also face charges stemming from the December 2024 robbery of the home belonging to Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow. All four suspects were arrested on January 10 and later indicted on January 21.
According to a criminal complaint obtained by CNN, the suspects were pulled over for a traffic violation when officers found “an old LSU shirt and Bengals hat, believed to be stolen from the December 9, 2024 burglary in Hamilton County.”
All four of the men pleaded not guilty to charges of participating in a criminal gang, engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, obstructing official business and possession of criminal tools.
“That would be a significant pay decrease from podcasting,” said Kelce, who retired from the NFL after a 13-year career with the Philadelphia Eagles in March 2024. “So, I’m navigating that.”
Kelce and his brother, Travis Kelce, host the popular “New Heights” podcast, which reportedly signed a nine-figure deal with Amazon’s podcast studio Wondery in August 2024.
The deal is said to include global distribution rights to the popular podcast, ad-sales representation, rights to past episodes, and the right to launch international adaptations of the podcast, per The Hollywood Reporter.
New Heights/YouTube
“We’ve been watching the growth of the podcast, really since it was launched, and I have been building a relationship with Travis and Jason and getting to know them for a while now,” Wondery CEO Jen Sargent said at the time. “Sports is a really exciting category for podcast listeners. It’s a strategic priority of Wondery’s and Amazon’s. So there were a lot of reasons to think about joining forces here on the ‘New Heights’ podcast.”
During his Pardon My Take interview, Jason also explained how his growing family makes it hard to think about devoting himself to coaching at the moment.
“There’s also just the time commitment of those guys,” Kelce said. “I got three young kids, a fourth on the way. I don’t know that I’m ready for that yet.”
Jason and his wife, Kylie Kelce, share three daughters: Wyatt, 5, Ellie, 3, and Bennett, 23 months. In November 2024, Kylie revealed she and Jason are expecting their fourth baby, another daughter.
While coaching might not be in the cards right now, Jason acknowledged, “Part of me would love to do that.”
In addition to his podcasting gig, Jason also signed a three-year broadcasting deal with ESPN in May 2024, reportedly worth $24 million.
ESPN won a bidding war with CBS, NBC and Prime Video, who were all actively trying to earn the services of Jason.
Jason made his TV debut as a cohost on the network’s Monday Night Countdown in September 2024, alongside Scott Van Pelt, Ryan Clark and Marcus Spears. He is expected to return to the show when the 2025-2026 NFL season kicks off in the fall.
The former football star launched his late-night program, They Call It Late Night with Jason Kelce, in January 2025, which ran for six episodes. ESPN has not announced if They Call It Late Night will return for another season.
Tom Brady made sure his son Benjamin, 16, was feeling icy on Super Bowl Sunday.
In a video posted to Brady’s YouTube page on Monday, February, 17, the former NFL quarterback can be seen preparing for his first Super Bowl in the broadcast booth, which went down on February 9 when the Philadelphia Eagles defeated the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX.
The morning of the game, Benjamin — who Tom shares with his ex wife, Gisele Bündchen — arrived at his dad’s hotel room for a surprise.
“Alright Benny, close your eyes,” Tom tells him in the video. “And put your wrist out. Don’t look.”
Tom then unveiled a massive silver watch, which he placed on his son’s right wrist. “It feels shiny,” Benjamin said with a laugh while wearing a t-shirt repping Super Bowl halftime show performer Kendrick Lamar.
Tom Brady/YouTube
After opening his eyes, Benjamin excitedly reacted to his new bling. “Whoaaaaaa,” he said while showing off the watch. “Yooooo!”
Tom then FaceTimed with his older son, Jack, 17, who he shares with his ex, Bridget Moynahan. Jack didn’t make it to New Orleans for the Super Bowl, instead telling his dad it was “a little cold” where he was in New York City.
In addition to his two sons, Tom shares his daughter, Vivian, 12, with Bündchen.
On February 5, just four days before the Super Bowl, it was reported that Bündchen, 44, gave birth to her first baby with her boyfriend, Joaquim Valente. Brady, 47, and Bündchen finalized their divorce in October 2022 after nearly 14 years of marriage.
Backgrid/MEGA
As for Tom’s extravagant gift to his son, the future Hall of Famer is a notorious watch collector. In December, he auctioned off numerous watches from his personal collection via Sotheby’s “The GOAT Collection: Watches & Treasures from Tom Brady.”
In December, Tom posted a heartfelt birthday message to Ben via Instagram, saying, “I’m so proud of the young man you are.”
“You’re a student, artist, athlete, musician, and teammate… but most of all you’re the best brother and son anyone could ask for,” Tom wrote. “You pour so much into everything you do, and it shows in the way you inspire others around you. Thanks for always making us laugh…. Even when you’re not supposed to! .”
Tom added, “I can’t wait to see all the great things you’ll continue to achieve. Dad loves you sooooooooo much! .”
Kelce — whose contract runs through next season and includes an $11.5 million bonus due on March 15 — has until March 14 to inform the Chiefs of his decision, according to The Athletic.
“I know everybody wants to know whether or not I’m playing next year and right now I’m just kicking everything down the road,” Kelce said on the February 12 episode of his “New Heights” podcast. “I’m not making any crazy decisions, but right now the biggest thing is just being there for my teammates and being there for my coaches, understanding that a lot that goes into this thing.”
Kelce continued, “You know, I’ve been fortunate over the past five, six years — I’ve played more football than anybody. And it’s because [of] the people that are in that building and the fact that we keep going to these AFC Championships and these Super Bowls, that means I’m playing an extra three games more than everybody else in the entire league. That’s a lot of wear and tear on your body and it’s a lot of time spent in the building focusing on your craft, focusing on the task at hand … and that process can be grueling. It can weigh on you.”
Keep scrolling to see what the rest of the NFL world has said about Kelce’s potential retirement:
Peyton Manning
Peyton Manning.Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images
Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton Manning, who retired from the NFL after 18 seasons in March 2016, offered up some advice to Kelce in the case he does decide to hang up his cleats.
“I hope he takes some time and he doesn’t make a rushed decision,” Manning, 48, told E! News at the Saturday Night Live 50th Anniversary Special on Sunday, February 16.
Manning added, “So, the last thing you want to do is say, ‘OK, I’m going to make a decision now.’ Take some time. Take a full month. Let some things digest and calm down. He can make a better decision then.”
Colin Cowherd
Colin Cowherd.Jerod Harris/Getty Images for The Volume
“This is the perfect time for a clean break. He’s got tons of money, lots of options,” Cowherd, 61, said February 13 on his FS1 show, The Herd. “I think one of the mistakes basketball [and] football teams do is they cling to the end. It’s time for a clean break. He’s expensive, he’s a tight end, this is a good tight end draft, if they were gonna move up and be aggressive outside of left tackle, it’d be for [a] tight end.”
Cowherd added, “He blocks, he’s tough, the physicality, the temperament, but it may be time to quit. You start looking at Travis Kelce over the last seven years; he’s played another season of NFL football for playoff games, and we ask our tight ends to block often the best athlete on the other side of the field.”
Craig Carton
Sports radio personality Craig Carton, who cohosts FS1’s Breakfast Ball, pushed back when his cohost, NFL legend Mark Schlereth, suggested Kelce become a “situational player” for the Chiefs.
“I don’t think you can ask him to be a role player, third-down only type of guy,” Carson said February 17 on Breakfast Ball. “Isn’t he better off just retiring at that point? I’m saying ego-wise.”
Jason Kelce
Jason Kelce.Kara Durrette/Getty Images
Kelce’s older brother, Jason Kelce, promoted patience when it came to Travis figuring out his future.
On a February episode of “New Heights,” Jason, 37, who retired from the NFL after 13 seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles in March 2024, told Travis to “take your time” and “get away” from the noise before making a decision.
“I’ll let Travis make that decision on his own,” Mahomes told reporters. “He’s given so much to this team and to the NFL and been such a joy not only for me to work with but [for] people to watch. But it’s if he wants to put in that grind. It’s a grind to go out there and play 20 games, whatever it is, and get to the Super Bowl.”
Mahomes, 29, added, “I know he still has love for the game. He’ll get to spend some time with his family and make that decision on his own, but he knows he’ll come back here with open arms.”
Charles Omenihu
Chiefs defensive end Charles Omenihu gave a passionate pitch for Travis to return to the team next season.
“This would be my message to Trav: ‘Big dawg, like, we, the whole organization, can’t go out like that,’” Omenihu, 27, said February 13 on Fox Sports’ The Facility.
The Chiefs defensive end added, “He’s a Hall of Famer from the moment he says, ‘I’m done,’ right?’ But I think Trav has a lot left, I think Trav is an extreme competitor, I think he’s somebody that loves the game. I think in the storied career that he’s had, going out like that, in my opinion, wouldn’t be something that he would do.”
Stephen A. Smith
In discussing whether or not Travis should retire, ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith answered, “I’m gonna say no.”
“I know Travis Kelce a little bit and it’s a real hard time for him right now,” Smith, 57, said February 13 on First Take. “The Super Bowl performance is something that shouldn’t really hinder him. I guess the reason why I would lean towards him not retiring is when I think you’re a three-time champion, you’re as elite as he is, you don’t want to go out like that, the way they went out in this particular Super Bowl.”
Dianna Russini
Dianna Russini, senior NFL insider for The Athletic, hinted that Travis is trending toward a return to the Chiefs.
“I can just tell you from having a few conversations with people around the league over the last few days there’s definitely a sense that Travis is going to try to play more,” Russini said Wednesday, February 19, on The Rich Eisen Show. “I haven’t heard anyone say, ‘Yeah, he’s really struggling with what he wants to do.’”
She added, “This is going to be his decision, his decision only. But for this Chiefs’ operation looking to move forward here, I think they feel pretty good that Travis has got a little bit more left in him.”
Boston Bruins star Charlie McAvoy was hospitalized following Team USA’s dramatic win over Canada in the 4 Nations Face-Off.
“Charlie was admitted to Massachusetts General Hospital on Monday to undergo testing related to an upper-body injury sustained during the 4 Nations Face-Off and is currently being evaluated by Boston Bruins Head Team Physician Dr. Peter Asnis,” the Bruins announced on Tuesday, February 18.
McAvoy, 27, will not be available when USA and Canada rematch in the 4 Nations Face-Off championship game on Thursday, February 20.
“The Boston Bruins will provide further updates on his condition and status as soon as they become available,” the team added.
McAvoy suffered the injury during Team USA’s 3-1 round robin victory over Canada on Saturday, February 15. The first-ever 4 Nations Face-Off featured USA, Canada, Sweden and Finland in a best-on-best tournament. USA and Canada both advanced to the title game on Thursday at Boston’s TD Garden.
Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images
It is not immediately clear when McAvoy was hurt, but the Long Beach, New York native laid a big hit on Edmonton Oilers star Connor McDavid during the 1st period of Saturday’s game, which helped set the tone for the heated matchup.
“That hit Charlie threw on [McDavid] was kind of a game-changer,” Team USA defenseman and Columbus Blue Jackets star Zach Werenski said after the game. “He’s been known to do that. He’s great with his size, he’s really good defensively and I thought that was a perfectly timed hit to get our team going in the right direction.”
Team USA’s Matthew Tkachuk, a star for the Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers, echoed the sentiment about McAvoy’s hit.
“That also is a message-sending moment, probably one of the plays of the game,” Tkachuk, 27, told reporters after the win. “They just scored a goal, the building was rocking and Charlie comes there and pops McDavid, like one of the hardest hits I’ve seen.”
Tkachuk did not play in Team USA’s game against Sweden on Monday, February 17, after also suffering an injury against Canada. In addition, the Americans were without Toronto Maple Leafs star Auston Matthews and Tkachuk’s brother, Brady Tkachuk, a star for the Ottawa Senators, due to injuries.
While no definitive word has been made, both Tkachuk brothers and Matthews, 27, are expected back for the championship game.
Team USA and Team Canada meet again for the 4 Nations Face-Off title on Thursday, February 20, at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN.
Blake Griffin.Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for The Michael J. Fox Foundation
Retired basketball superstar Blake Griffin admitted things are currently tenuous between the NBA and many sports fans.
Griffin, 35, who announced his retirement in April 2024 after 14 seasons in the league, discussed the NBA’s heavily debated dip in popularity during an exclusive interview with Us Weekly.
“I think that there’s a disconnect right now between the average NBA fan and the NBA — and teams and players, for that matter,” said Griffin, who spoke to Us via his partnership with Red Lobster. “You can kind of see it with some of the ratings.”
NBA broadcasts on ESPN, TNT and ABC were down 19 percent from last season before Christmas, according to a report by the Sports Business Journal. Griffin theorized the fast-paced nature of modern day sports fandom isn’t making it easy to attract eyeballs.
“The biggest thing is the NBA plays every night,” Griffin said. “Same thing with hockey, right? With football, there are dedicated days where people sit and watch. People know they don’t have to watch [NBA] games, but they can still be informed and know what’s going on. They can watch highlights. They’re getting highlights throughout the game on their phone, on social media while the game is still going on. They’re not missing anything.”
While acknowledging some of the game’s current shortcomings, Griffin — who will join Prime Video’s NBA coverage as an analyst in October — pushed back against the narrative that the NBA’s on-court product has become lackluster.
Blake Griffin.David Calvert/Getty Images for American Century Investments
“I actually think the style and the pace of play is probably the least of people’s true concerns,” he said. “I think it’s the easiest thing to nitpick when it comes to fans being disgruntled or living in the past. I mean, you’re watching guys that are even more skilled than back in the day. I don’t mean that from the standpoint of, ‘Guys are better now,’ but the game is different, right? They’re getting up more threes, everybody can dribble, everybody steps out. The game is just different.”
Griffin added, “The argument of, like, ‘Who’s better? The guys back in the day or the guys now?’ There’s just this very easy, simple answer. There’s this thing called evolution, and it happens in sports as well. Guys get bigger, guys get stronger, guys get faster.”
Before Griffin brings his analytical takes to television, he has partnered with Red Lobster on The Greatest Lobsterfest of All Time. To celebrate, fans can order their Lobster Lover’s Dream Blake Griffin’s Way with Rock Lobster Tail, new Garlic Butter-Poached Maine Lobster and new Lobster Mac & Cheese all on one plate.
“I have been getting down on Red Lobster since I was, like, 6 or something like that,” Griffin gushed. “I wasn’t a picky eater as a kid. I think sometimes kids can shy away from anything that isn’t chicken tenders. So, I was all about it. The Cheddar Bay Biscuits, their fries were incredible to me when I was a kid.”
The Greatest Lobsterfest of All Time — which includes the first ever Create-Your-Own option — runs until April 20.
Two people have reportedly been shot as over a million people gathered in downtown Philadelphia to celebrate the Eagles’ Super Bowl victory.
The individuals, both women, were shot on Friday, February 14, along Philadelphia’s Ben Franklin Parkway, according to CBS News Philadelphia. Police said the women were shot in the leg and showed up at the medic tent located at 23rd and Spring Garden streets in the city’s Spring Garden neighborhood for treatment. They are reportedly both in stable condition.
An aerial shot from a CBS helicopter showed an ambulance in the midst of a huge crowd of people, with a stretcher visible outside the vehicle.
The incident occurred as the Eagles and their fans congregated to celebrate the team’s Super Bowl LIX victory over the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, February 9. Members of the team, including quarterback Jalen Hurts and running back Saquon Barkley, head coach Nick Sirianni and former Eagles star Jason Kelce were all part of the festivities.
Prior to the Super Bowl, the Chiefs announced they would not hold a victory parade if they emerged victorious. At their parade in February 2024, one person was killed and 24 others were injured in a mass shooting near the parade route.
The parade officially began at 11 a.m. ET, but fans had already packed the parade route before 7 a.m., as evidenced by video taken by 94WIP host Eliot Shorr-Parks.
CHARLY TRIBALLEAU/AFP via Getty Images
The School District of Philadelphia announced all schools and administrative offices were closed on Friday for the Super Bowl celebration.
Before players began making their way down Broad Street, some Eagles fans roasted up a pig made to resemble Chiefs quarterback, Patrick Mahomes. The hog had Mahomes’ No. 15 carved into its side and was finished off with a curly wig.
Eagles’ safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson raised some eyebrows with his parade attire, wearing a sweatshirt reading “Swifties Can LIX My Balls,” a reference to the Eagles’ Super Bowl LIX victory over the Chiefs and Travis Kelce, who is dating Taylor Swift.
CHARLY TRIBALLEAU/AFP via Getty Images
Gardner-Johnson, 27, has been feuding with fans of the pop star after he wrote “Should’ve Stayed with that thick s—’ via his Instagram Story shortly after the Super Bowl alongside a photo of him taunting Kelce, 35, during the game.
The football star was making a clear reference to Kelce’s ex girlfriend Kayla Nicole, who the tight end dated on-and-off for five years before calling it quits in 2022. Nicole attended the Super Bowl in New Orleans and celebrated with Eagles fans (despite telling Us Weekly before the game that she thought the Chiefs would win). Kelce and Swift, 35, started dating in September 2023.
