Happy New Year 2025

Category: Sports

NFL set to play in Australia in 2026 with marquee teams: report

The National Football League appears to be headed to its fourth continent.

According to a report by the Herald Sun in Australia, the league will play games in Melbourne beginning in 2026.

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The Australian outlet reported that up to three games would be played, with the first at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), which will feature two teams with recent success.

The NFL logo on the field at Hard Rock Stadium on Dec. 25, 2022, in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Megan Briggs/Getty Images)

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One of the games will feature the Philadelphia Eagles and Los Angeles Rams, the Herald Sun says.

The Birds are back in the Super Bowl for the second time in three years after having won it in 2018, while the Rams took home the title three years ago.

The Eagles and Rams are the only two teams that are a part of the NFL’s Global Markets Program in Australia, which was made to build fandom and support outside the United States.

The MCG holds roughly 100,000 people.

It wouldn’t be the first time the NFL toyed with Australia, as the Denver Broncos and then-San Diego Chargers played a preseason game there in 1999.

The Denver Broncos and San Diego Chargers clash at Stadium Australia in Sydney on Aug. 8, 1999. (William West/AFP via Getty Images)

FAMED NFL COACH TONY DUNGY SHUTS DOWN SPECULATION THAT HE WAS CONSIDERING SENATE RUN

The Eagles were featured in the NFL’s first game in South America at the beginning of the season, with their Week 1 matchup against the Green Bay Packers in Brazil.

The outlet said the Victorian government and the NFL “have been in secret talks for months.”

Eagles offensive tackle Jordan Mailata was born in Australia. He was a star rugby player who never played football in high school or college.

The Melbourne Cricket Ground during a match between Australia and the West Indies on Feb. 2, 2024. (Martin Keep/AFP via Getty Images)

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The league will play in Spain for the first time later this year, with the Miami Dolphins’ opponent to be determined. Games have been played in London, Mexico and Germany. The first official overseas game in 2007 featured the Dolphins and New York Giants.

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February 2, 2025
Kevin Durant says teams aren’t held to same ‘loyalty’ expectations as players are after stunning NBA trade

Sunday morning’s Luka Dončić-Anthony Davis swap is being widely regarded as the most shocking and star-powered trade in sports history.

It’s so big that it was believed that ESPN’s Shams Charania, who broke the story, was hacked, and other reporters reached out to him to make sure his X account was secure.

But alas, the Dallas Mavericks decided to trade a 25-year-old MVP candidate just months after he carried them to an NBA Finals appearance in an attempt to improve their defense.

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Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant during the NBA playoff game against the Clippers, April 22, 2023, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

The Mavs traded up to the third pick in the 2018 NBA Draft to select Dončić, whose $207 million extension from 2021 is set to expire this season. Being due for a super-max deal worth $345 million, it’s apparent that it played a role in Dončić being moved five days before the NBA’s trade deadline.

Kevin Durant has been traded before – it’s slightly different, as he requested to be traded from the Brooklyn Nets to the Phoenix Suns (he also left the Oklahoma City Thunder for the Golden State Warriors, and them jumped ship to Brooklyn). But Durant called out NBA teams for their lack of loyalty to their stars, while it’s expected that players be loyal to them –

“Players are held to a different standard of loyalty and commitment to a program, but the organizations don’t get held to that same standard from the outside world, the media members, the fans. We all should be held to that same standard,” Durant said upon hearing the news.

Luka Dončić of the Mavericks handles the ball against Anthony Davis of the Los Angeles Lakers at American Airlines Center on Feb. 26, 2023, in Dallas. (Ron Jenkins/Getty Images)

2024-25 NBA CHAMPIONSHIP ODDS: THUNDER FAVORED; LAKERS RISE AFTER DONČIĆ TRADE

“It’s a transactional game. There’s a lot of money involved, a lot of business involved. We shouldn’t be too shocked about trades and guys moving to different teams, coaches moving to different teams. It’s just the nature of playing basketball and us making this much money, too. It’s a pretty wild time, especially around trade deadline.”

After this megadeal, Durant says the stove could be hot in the NBA.

“You start seeing stuff like that, as an organization, you might get a little more courage to do some stuff. You see another team trade away somebody like that. This got to be the biggest trade I’ve seen since I’ve been in the league or since I’ve been watching the sport. This is insane. So yeah, every other team might get confidence and say f— it, I’ll trade a few of my top players if this ain’t working.”

It’s the first time in NBA history two reigning All-NBA players were traded for one another midseason.

The Lakers received Dončić, Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris, while the Mavericks took on Davis, Max Christie and Los Angeles’ 2029 first-round pick. To settle it all out, the Utah Jazz acquired Jalen Hood-Schifino and two second-round picks.

The Slovenian led the NBA with 33.4 points per game last season and won’t turn 26 until later this month. In his career, he averages 28.6 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 8.3 assists, putting himself in the MVP conversation every year of his young career.

Mavericks guard Luka Dončić reacts after a play against the Boston Celtics during the NBA Finals, June 12, 2024, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

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Davis, a defensive player of the year candidate last year, is putting up 25.7 points and 11.9 rebounds this season, both slightly better than his career averages of 24.2 and 10.7.

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February 2, 2025
John Calipari booed in return to Kentucky, but gets last laugh as Arkansas pulls off upset

Last April, John Calipari decided to “step away” from the University of Kentucky after 15 seasons; a day later, he joined the University of Arkansas.

Well, Calipari returned to Kentucky on Saturday night, and despite a championship in 2012 and a .771 winning percentage there, boos still managed to be loud as he returned.

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Well, Calipari got the last laugh, as his Razorbacks took home an 89-79 upset victory over the 12th-ranked team in the country.

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Arkansas head coach John Calipari gives high-fives to his team during the Kentucky game, Saturday Feb. 1, 2025, at Rupp Arena in Lexington. (Matt Stone/Courier Journal/USA Today Network via Imagn Images)

Calipari admitted that it took some getting used to.

“It’s hard to win in here. And I’ve got to be honest with you, I looked up a couple of times and I thought we were losing because I kept looking at Kentucky instead of Arkansas,” Calipari said. “I made it clear it was a privilege and an honor to coach here. We had 15 unbelievable years of a great run and support.”

With Kentucky, Calipari made the NCAA Tournament all but two seasons. Last year’s team was knocked out in the first round as a No. 3 seed against Jack Gohlke and No. 14 Oakland. In 2022, the Wildcats were upset by No. 15 St. Peter’s, and they lost in the Round of 32 in 2023.

Arkansas Razorbacks head coach John Calipari stands on the court before the game against the Kentucky Wildcats at Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center. (Jordan Prather-Imagn Images)

ARIZONA STATE’S BOBBY HURLEY SENDS TEAM TO LOCKER ROOM EARLY AFTER OPPONENT’S ‘NO CLASS’ BEHAVIOR, EJECTIONS

Calipari went 410-122 (.771) with the Wildcats – this year’s Arkansas team is now 13-8 but 2-6 in conference.

The Hall of Fame coach is the winningest active coach in men’s college basketball and has an 867-271 mark during his stops at Massachusetts, Memphis, Kentucky and now Arkansas. He was 248-26 at Rupp Arena and led the Wildcats to a 93-77 win over Vanderbilt in his last home game at Kentucky last March 6.

It wasn’t just a return for Calipari. Adou Thiero, D.J. Wagner, and Zvonimir Ivisic combined to score 42 points against their former team in Lexington en route to the win.

Arkansas coach John Calipari takes the court before the Kentucky Wildcats’ game, Saturday Feb. 1, 2025, in Lexington. (Matt Stone/Courier Journal/USA Today Network via Imagn Images)

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With Arkansas leading 46-45 at the half, Thiero and Wagner combined for a 12-2 run and a 58-47 lead to start the second half. Thiero opened with a dunk and ended the run with a three, and the Razorbacks never looked back.

Fox News’ Paulina Dedaj and the Associated Press contributed to this report.

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February 2, 2025
Lakers, Mavericks pull off wild blockbuster as Luka Dončić, Anthony Davis swap teams: reports

The NBA world was hit with perhaps the craziest trade in a generation in the wee hours of Sunday morning.

According to multiple reports, the Los Angeles Lakers and Dallas Mavericks came to an agreement to swap Luka Dončić and Anthony Davis as part of a three-team blockbuster deal.

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The Lakers received Dončić, Maxi Kleber, and Markieff Morris, while the Mavericks took on Davis, Max Christie, and Los Angeles’ 2029 first-round pick.

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Luka Doncic #77 of the Dallas Mavericks handles the ball against Anthony Davis #3 of the Los Angeles Lakers in the first half of the game at American Airlines Center on February 26, 2023 in Dallas, Texas. (Ron Jenkins/Getty Images)

To settle it all out, the Utah Jazz acquired Jalen Hood-Schifino and two second-round picks.

ESPN’s Shams Charania broke the trade early Sunday morning, and because of the starpower involved, the immediate reaction was that the reporter had been hacked. However, it was later confirmed by multiple other outlets.

Charania reported that the Mavs approached Los Angeles recently, saying their 25-year-old global superstar was available via trade; Dallas general manager Nico Harrison told ESPN that he was concerned about the team’s defense, which is now massively improved by replacing Dončić with Davis.

Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (77) reacts after a play during the first half in Game 4 of the NBA basketball finals against the Boston Celtics, Friday, June 14, 2024, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

2024-25 NBA CHAMPIONSHIP ODDS: THUNDER FAVORED; LAKERS RISE AFTER DONČIĆ TRADE

But Dončić is a phenomenon, and a young one at that. The Slovenian led the NBA with 33.4 points per game last season and won’t turn 26 until later this month. In his career, he averages 28.6 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 8.3 assists, putting himself in the MVP conversation every year of his young career.

It was also reported that LeBron James did not find out about the trade until shortly before the news broke, while he was out to dinner in New York shortly after his Lakers defeated the New York knicks – Davis was ruled inactive for the game.

Davis, a defensive player of the year candidate last year, is putting up 25.7 points and 11.9 rebounds this season, both slightly better than his career averages of 24.2 and 10.7.

Anthony Davis #3 of the Los Angeles Lakers talks to the media after winning the In-Season Tournament Championship game against the Indiana Pacers on December 9, 2023 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Juan Ocampo/NBAE via Getty Images)

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The Mavericks lost in the NBA Finals last year, and Dončić received some criticism for his defense and attitude. Perhaps there is more to the story than what’s public right now.

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February 2, 2025
Angel Reese becomes first player ejected from Unrivaled league and then calls coverage of it ‘clickbait’

Controversial women’s basketball superstar Angel Reese became the first player to be ejected from a game in the startup Unrivaled league on Saturday. She then called a Sports Illustrated article covering the incident “clickbait.”

Reese was ejected during the Rose Basketball Club’s matchup against Vinyl Basketball Club in the second quarter. She was called for a foul against Tiffany Hayes, then she earned a technical foul after making an offensive gesture toward a referee. When she started arguing that foul, she got a second technical, and refs tossed her from the game after that.

Reese wasted very little time after the historic ejection to vent her feelings on social media, firing off a series of posts on X. One was a re-sharing of the Sports Illustrated article covering the ejection, which she captioned with her criticism.

“Clickbait. Everything I do keep going viral,” Reese wrote over the article.

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Reese and Rose Basketball Club were already in last place with a 1-4 record going into Saturday’s game, but things got worse after the star’s ejection. Rose lost 79-73 as Vinyl’s Rhyne Howard dropped 33 points on Reese’s squad amid the ejection.

Reese has been one of the most controversial stars in women’s basketball ever since her infamous late-game showboating in the 2023 NCAA women’s basketball championship game. Reese led LSU to a 102-85 victory over Caitlin Clark and Iowa that March and bragged about it by pointing to her finger in front of Clark’s face to remind her rival who was getting the ring.

It was a moment that Reese says “changed my life forever,” in the first episode of her podcast.

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Angel Reese of the Rose takes a moment against the Vinyl during a timeout at Wayfair Arena. (Jim Rassol-Imagn Images)

“I think it’s really just the fans, her fans, the Iowa fans, now the Indiana fans, that are really just, they ride for her, and I respect that, respectfully. But sometimes it’s very disrespectful. I think there’s a lot of racism when it comes to it,” Reese said.

Reese even alleges that some fans have made AI-generated images of her, depicting her without clothes on, and sent them to her family members.

The two renewed their rivalry the following season in the 2024 Elite 8, as Clark got her revenge by defeating Reese and LSU 94-87. After the game, Reese cried at the post-game press conference as she recounted the harassment she received following the previous season’s controversy.

INSIDE CAITLIN CLARK AND ANGEL REESE’S IMPACT ON MEN’S BASKETBALL

Sky forward Angel Reese walks on the court at Wintrust Arena in Chicago, Aug. 25, 2024. (Kamil Krzaczynski-USA Today Sports)

In four head-to-head WNBA matchups this past season, Clark’s Indiana Fever beat Reese’s Chicago Sky three times. In just two of those contests, Reese put up more points than Clark, while pulling down more rebounds than Clark in all four meetings. Clark registered more assists in all four meetings.

Reese’s Sky also committed several controversial fouls against Clark in those meetings, including one from Reese herself when she slammed her arm into Clark’s head in a game in June, resulting in a flagrant-1.

The two won’t be bringing their rivalry to Unrivaled, at least not this year. Clark declined to join the league despite an aggressive push from its ownership group.

But even with Clark not in that league, Reese is still finding ways to stir trouble.

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Jackson Thompson is a sports writer for Fox News Digital. He previously worked for ESPN and Business Insider. Jackson has covered the Super Bowl and NBA Finals, and has interviewed iconic figures Usain Bolt, Rob Gronkowski, Jerry Rice, Troy Aikman, Mike Trout, David Ortiz and Roger Clemens.

February 2, 2025
Ottawa Senators fans boo USA national anthem after Trump issues tariffs

When Canadian and American teams face off against one another, it is commonplace for both countries’ national anthems to be played or performed.

That was the case at Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, when the Minnesota Wild visited the Senators for an NHL bout.

The visiting team’s anthem is normally performed first, as was the case on Saturday night.

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The Canadian Tire Centre prior to a game between the Ottawa Senators and the Utah Hockey Club on Jan. 26, 2025, in Ottawa, Canada. (Chris Tanouye/Freestyle Photography/Getty Images)

But, before the home crowd heard its own anthem, they let out boos at the end of “The Star-Spangled Banner.”

The game came on the same day that President Donald Trump signed an executive order, which will go into effect Tuesday, consisting of a 25% additional tariff on imports from Canada and Mexico and a 10% tariff on imports from China.

Energy resources from Canada will have a lower 10% tariff, according to the White House. In a statement obtained by Fox News Saturday, the Trump administration said the order is in response to an “extraordinary threat posed by illegal aliens and drugs, including deadly fentanyl, (that) constitutes a national emergency.”

Ahead of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announcing his resignation, Trump said he would “love” if Canada could become the “51st state.”

The crowd at the Canadian Tire Centre during the singing of the national anthems on Oct. 14, 2024, in Ottawa, Canada. (André Ringuette/NHLI via Getty Images)

On their four-game homestand that wrapped up following their TK victory, the Senators hosted all USA teams – there are seven Canadian teams in the National Hockey League and 25 teams based in the states.

The Senators will kick off a four-game U.S. road trip against the Nashville Predators, Tampa Bay Lightning (two games), and Florida Panthers before returning home on Feb. 22 to host the Montreal Canadiens.

Flags are spotlighted before a game between the Ottawa Senators and the Vegas Golden Knights, Oct. 17, 2019, at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. (Marc Sanchez/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

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The long layover comes due to the upcoming 4 Nations tournament featuring the USA, Canada, Finland and Sweden.

Fox News Digital’s Andrea Margolis, Brooke Singman and Diana Stancy contributed to this report.

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February 2, 2025
Former Chiefs assistant coach Eric Bieniemy returns to NFL after one season at UCLA: report

Eric Bieniemy appears to be returning to the NFL ranks. On Saturday, CBS Sports reported that Bieniemy agreed to become the Chicago Bears running backs coach.

Bieniemy is the latest assistant to land with the Bears, as recently hired head coach Ben Johnson continues to fill out his coaching staff. Bieniemy spent last year handling the offensive coordinator duties at UCLA, during the football program’s first season in the Big Ten Conference.

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Eric Bieniemy Offensive Coordinator of the Kansas City Chiefs speaks to the media during the Kansas City Chiefs media availability prior to Super Bowl LIV at the JW Marriott Turnberry on January 29, 2020 in Aventura, Florida. ( Mark Brown/Getty Images)

Bieniemy was a standout running back in college before he became a second round NFL Draft selection in 1991. He also has experience coaching ball carriers, serving as the running backs coach at Colorado — his alma mater — from 2001-02.

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He took the same job at UCLA from 2003-04, before making the leap to the professional ranks when he was named the Minnesota Vikings running backs coach in 2006. Bieniemy returned to Colorado in 2011 when he was named the Buffaloes offensive coordinator. However, Bieniemy largely rose to prominence when he moved into his role as the Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator.

UCLA offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy looks on against the Iowa Hawkeyes in the second half of a NCAA Football game at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena on Friday, November 8, 2024. (Keith Birmingham/MediaNews Group/Pasadena Star-News via Getty Images)

Bieniemy was a member of two Super Bowl winning coaching staffs in Kansas City, but he opted for a change of scenery after the 2022 season.

Bieniemy was named the Washington Commanders assistant head coach and offensive coordinator in 2023 and was given the opportunity to call plays. Chiefs head coach Andy Reid served as the primary offensive playcaller during Bieniemy’s tenure in Kansas City.

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Super Bowl LIX will be streamed on Tubi. (Tubi)

Bieniemy is now expected to bring his championship experience to Chicago’s coaching staff. Meanwhile, Johnson selected former Denver Broncos tight end coach Declan Doyle as the Bears offensive coordinator, while Antwaan Randle El will serve as the team’s assistant head coach. Randle El worked with Johnson in Detroit, handling the Lions wide receivers coaching duties.

Bieniemy’s former team, the Chiefs, will meet the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LIX on Feb. 9.

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Chantz Martin is a sports writer for Fox News Digital.

February 2, 2025
Eagles’ A.J. Brown recalls feeling like a ‘paid actor’ at previous Super Bowl, a loss to the Chiefs

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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The Philadelphia Eagles’ A.J. Brown speaks during a news conference in Philadelphia Jan. 30, 2025, ahead of the Super Bowl against the Kansas City Chiefs. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

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.

Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown reacts after a touchdown during the first half of a game against the Pittsburgh Steelers Dec. 15, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

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.

Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown scores a touchdown during the Super Bowl against the Kansas City Chiefs at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz., Feb. 12, 2023. (Timothy A. Clary/AFP via Getty Images)

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.”

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Super Bowl LIX will be streamed on Tubi. (Tubi)

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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Chantz Martin is a sports writer for Fox News Digital.

February 2, 2025
Travis Kelce fined for taunting Bills on Patrick Mahomes touchdown after not being penalized during game

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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Travis Kelce of the Kansas City Chiefs reacts after a touchdown during the second quarter in the AFC championship game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium Jan. 26, 2025, in Kansas City, Mo. (David Eulitt/Getty Images)

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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Tight end Travis Kelce (87) of the Kansas City Chiefs reacts to safety Damar Hamlin (3) of the Buffalo Bills during the first half of the AFC championship game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium Jan. 26, 2025, in Kansas City, Mo. (Todd Rosenberg/Getty Images)

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.

Super Bowl LIX will be streamed on Tubi. (Tubi)

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.

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Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (87) and quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) wait to lead the team onto the field before a preseason game against the Jacksonville Jaguars Aug. 10, 2024, in Jacksonville, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack, File)

“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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Jackson Thompson is a sports writer for Fox News Digital. He previously worked for ESPN and Business Insider. Jackson has covered the Super Bowl and NBA Finals, and has interviewed iconic figures Usain Bolt, Rob Gronkowski, Jerry Rice, Troy Aikman, Mike Trout, David Ortiz and Roger Clemens.

February 2, 2025
TCU star whose brother was killed in New Orleans terror attack catches game-winning touchdown in Senior Bowl

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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Jack Bech of TCU during Senior Bowl practice at Hancock Whitney Stadium Jan. 29, 2025, in Mobile, Ala. (Derick E. Hingle/Getty Images)

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.

Former Princeton football player Tiger Bech, 27, was killed in the Bourbon Street attack. (2018 Beverly Schaefer via Princeton Athletics)

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.

Ex-Princeton football player Tiger Bech pictured alongside family. (Fox News )

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“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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February 2, 2025