Happy New Year 2025

Tag: championship

Georgia high school wrestler breaks neck at state championship

A Georgia high school wrestler is facing a long recovery after he suffered a broken neck in a “freak accident” during a state championship tournament earlier this week.

Dominic Haines, a Jefferson High School senior, suffered a broken neck in the final seconds of his quarterfinal match of the GHSA Traditional Wrestling State Championships in Macon, Georgia, on Thursday.

Dominic’s coach told FOX 5 that it was a “freak accident.” (Mary Williford)

Assistant wrestling coach Matthew Seaman called it a “freak accident,” telling FOX 5 Atlanta that it happened after his opponent performed a legal takedown.

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“It’s a heartbreaking situation all in all for both sides, obviously for us, but definitely for this opponent who did absolutely nothing wrong,” he told the station.

“This has been years in the works for him,” Seaman added. “Dom’s come up through the youth program at Jefferson, the middle school program, and the high school program; this is a true family. This was his year, everything was coming together.”

Dominic’s father, Zach Haines, said his son is slowly regaining feeling in his lower half. (Mary Williford)

Dominic’s father, Zach Haines, provided updates about his son’s condition in a series of Facebook posts.

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He said after the accident, Dominic had “no feeling from the shoulders down.”

Dominic underwent surgery on Thursday, which his father said went “according to plan.”

In his latest update on social media, Haines said his son has shown positive signs of recovery with some feeling in his lower half. Dominic will undergo another surgery later this week “to fuse the vertebrae from the back since the muscles and ligaments were all completely torn,” his father said in a recent update.

Dominic was competing in a quarterfinal match of the GHSA Traditional Wrestling State Championships last week. (Mary Williford)

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Haines said if his son continues to progress, he could be transferred to a rehabilitation center in a week.

A GoFundMe campaign for Dominic has raised over $62,000 as of Tuesday.

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February 18, 2025
2025 4 Nations Face-Off: Canada to face USA in championship game

Canada was back on the ice on Monday in the 2025 4 Nations Face-Off following the loss to USA, and they took care of business against Finland in a 5-3 victory.

While USA’s six points already puts them in the championship game on Feb. 20, making Monday night’s matchup against Sweden a formality, Canada and Finland both came into this game with two points (both 1-1 for the tournament).

Sweden, despite being 0-2, lost both of their matchups in overtime, giving them two points as well.

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Team Canada forward Mark Stone celebrates after a goal during the 4 Nations Face-Off game against Team Finland at TD Garden. (Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images)

So, Canada knew a revenge championship game against USA would require a win over Finland, and the stars showed up to make sure that was the case.

Nathan MacKinnon and Connor McDavid both scored two goals for Canada to lead the way to victory.

Brayden Point also scored in Canada’s three-goals-to-none first period performance, while Sidney Crosby buried an empty net goal after Finland’s desperation charge was thwarted.

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It was McDavid who got Canada on the board first, which is what he did against the U.S. on Saturday night.

Team Canada forward Sidney Crosby celebrates a goal by forward Nathan MacKinnon during the game against Team Finland at TD Garden. (Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images)

The goal was unassisted, as McDavid surveyed the ice before turning toward goal and sniping a low wrist shot past Finland’s Juuse Saros, who was taken out of the game early in the second period in favor of Kevin Lankinen after MacKinnon’s third goal of the tournament, and second of the night, made it 4-0.

The third period, though, saw some fight out of Finland, as Esa Lindell’s first goal of the tournament finally got them on the board. It seemed too little, too late for them, however, as the goal came with 6:41 left in the game.

But Mikael Granlund scored two goals in 23 seconds with an extra man on the ice for Finland due to an empty net. That made it 4-3, and despite dominating the entire game, Canada found themselves needing to bunker down.

Team Canada forward Connor McDavid celebrates his goal against Finland with his line mates at TD Garden. (Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images)

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Just seconds after Granlund’s second goal, Crosby, the stalwart Canadian winger, buried an empty net wrister to seal victory and allow the team their potential revenge game against USA on Thursday night.

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Scott Thompson is a sports writer for Fox News Digital.

February 17, 2025
WWE star Roxanne Perez looks to make history in match for NXT Women’s Championship at Vengeance Day
Roxanne Perez will have a chance at history on Saturday night when she takes part in a fatal four-way match for the NXT Women’s Championship at Vengeance Day.

Fresh off a Royal Rumble where she rewrote the record books by being the longest-lasting competitor, Perez will compete against defending champion Giulia, Bayley and Cora Jade to become the first three-time NXT women’s champion in the brand’s history. The only other two-time champions were Charlotte Flair and Shayna Baszler before they were called up to the main roster.

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Roxanne Perez is shown during the WWE Royal Rumble at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis on Feb. 1, 2025. (Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images)

NXT general manager Ava Raine made the title match a fatal four-way after Jade’s win over Bayley on the final show before Vengeance Day. Perez told Fox News Digital in a recent interview she was “upset” that Raine cut her chances of possibly making history but was “focused” on the ultimate goal.

Perez and Bayley have feuded in recent weeks, and it came to a head when the young women’s superstar dressed up as one of Bayley’s older gimmicks just to be a thorn in her side.

“It’s so much fun,” Perez said. “Did you see the look on her face when I came out as her little old ‘Hugger’ Bayley? I think I got to her. She may have got me after, but I think I definitely got to her. But it’s been very fun.”

The 23-year-old said going up against Bayley was a dream that she had thought about since she was younger.

“I feel like I kind of manifested this since I was a kid. In the past few years, I’ve been saying I want to step in the ring with Bayley. She’s one of my dream opponents, dream matches,” she said. “But now I’m finally realizing I got to prove to her that ‘The Prodigy’ is just a little better, it’s way, way better.”

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Roxanne Perez regained the NXT Women’s Championship at Stand & Deliver 2024. (WWE)

Perez won the NXT Women’s Championship for the first time on Dec. 13, 2022, and held it for 108 days before she lost a six-way ladder match at NXT Stand & Deliver 2023. She regained the title at Stand & Deliver 2024 against Lyra Valkyria.

Giulia defeated Perez at New Year’s Evil back in 2025 as the former Stardom and Marigold star made her impact felt on NXT.

Perez explained to Fox News Digital what having the NXT Women’s Championship meant to her.

“Means everything to me,” she said. “I think winning it the first time, I definitely solidified myself as one of the best wrestlers that WWE has. I solidified myself as ‘The Prodigy.’ And it was the first title I won in WWE, my first singles title. Every single thing, every hurdle, every hard thing that I went through to get here, that proved to me that every single thing was worth it.

“I don’t think that there’s one girl on that roster that loves that title more than me, that wants the title more than me. So, that’s exactly why I’m going to become a three-time NXT women’s champion, and I’m going to take the women’s championship straight to RAW, straight to SmackDown, and maybe, if I decide to vacate it, somebody else will have a chance. But I don’t know. I think it belongs to me. Giulia’s just holding it for now.”

Here’s how the rest of the card will shape up to be:
- Obama Femi vs. Austin Theory vs. Grayson Waller for NXT Championship
- Fallon Henley vs. Stephanie Vaquer for NXT North American Championship
- Trick Williams vs. Eddy Thorpe in a strap match
- Nathan Frazer & Axiom vs. Josh Briggs & Yoshiki Inamura for NXT Tag Team Championship
- Je’Von Evans vs. Ethan Page in a singles match
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Ivy Nile and Chelsea Green and Roxanne Perez during the Women’s Royal Rumble at Lucas Oil Stadium. (Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images)

Vengeance Day will take place in Washington, D.C., starting at 6 p.m. ET.

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Ryan Gaydos is a senior editor for Fox News Digital.
February 14, 2025
Jey Uso chooses Gunther as WrestleMania 41 opponent with world heavyweight championship on the line

Jey Uso won the Royal Rumble and made a decision Monday night about which WWE championship he would contend for at WrestleMania 41 in more than two months.

WWE fans greeted Uso with cheers as they allowed him to move and groove with them for several minutes before Gunther emerged and put a damper on things.

“The Ring General” attacked Uso as he was vibing with fans, trying to make a statement.

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Jey Uso celebrates after winning a men’s Royal Rumble match during the WWE Royal Rumble at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis Feb. 1, 2025. (Joe Camporeale/Imagn Images)

As officials broke up the melee, Uso took the mic and announced who he was going for.

“Maybe I shouldn’t say this,” Uso began while trying to get back up from the beatdown. “Me and you at WrestleMania!”

The crowd roared. Gunther came back down the ramp and tried to get a few more shots in, but Uso met him with a forearm of his own. Gunther was knocked off the apron, and Uso bounced off the ropes and flew over them to hit Gunther on the floor.

In a separate video, Gunther promised Uso “10 weeks of hell.”

“What you saw out there — the selfish attempt from Jey Uso to ruin my legacy because I’m forced to step into the ring at WrestleMania,” Gunther said. “He calls himself ‘Main Event.’ In reality, he’s midcard. He’s a clown. He’s there for the amusement of everybody out there. He’s definitely not in my league.”

Gunther has held the world heavyweight title since August, when he defeated Damian Priest at SummerSlam. His rivalry with Uso goes back a few weeks.

Gunther during a WWE media junket at Hilton Carillion Park in St. Petersburg, Fla., Jan. 26, 2024. (Joe Camporeale/USA Today Sports)

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Uso challenged Gunther for the title at Saturday Night’s Main Event in January but came up short.

Uso has never beaten Gunther on live TV in a singles match. Uso was a part of a six-man tag-team match with Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods last year when they defeated Gunther, Ludwig Kaiser and Giovanni Vinci.

Since then, Kingston and Woods separated from Big E and Gunther and Kaiser split from Vinci.

With one title match set, the Elimination Chamber in March will determine who faces Cody Rhodes for the undisputed WWE championship.

Jey Uso points to the WrestleMania 41 sign. (WWE)

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Elimination Chamber is set for March 1. WrestleMania 41 is scheduled for April 19-20.

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Ryan Gaydos is a senior editor for Fox News Digital.

February 11, 2025
Bills star Dawson Knox gives ‘all the glory to Jesus’ even after AFC Championship loss

Buffalo Bills tight end Dawson Knox is leaning on his faith in both good times and bad.

The Bills were knocked out of the playoffs after suffering a narrow loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Championship game on Sunday. MVP front-runner Josh Allen fell to 0-4 against Patrick Mahomes in the playoffs as the Chiefs move on to the Super Bowl, where they’ll attempt to make history.

Buffalo Bills wide receiver Khalil Shakir (10) celebrates with quarterback Josh Allen (17) and tight end Dawson Knox (88) after a touchdown against the Baltimore Ravens during the second quarter of an NFL divisional playoff football game, Sunday, Jan. 19, 2025, in Orchard Park, N.Y. (AP Photo/Adrian Kraus)

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Despite the heartbreaking end, Knox spoke openly about his faith and his optimism for next season.

“I think it’s easy to be all happy and praise the Lord in the good times, but I wanna give all the glory to Jesus,” Knox. “He’s the reason I’m here, and I’ve got so much gratitude for this building and everybody in here that makes this team so special for this whole city. There’s truly nowhere else I’d rather be.”

Buffalo Bills tight end Dawson Knox (88) runs against Kansas City Chiefs safety Jaden Hicks (21) during the second half of the AFC Championship NFL football game, Sunday, Jan. 26, 2025, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

RAVENS FANS RETURN KIND GESTURE, DONATE THOUSANDS TO DALTON KINCAID CHARITY AFTER CRUCIAL DROP IN BILLS’ LOSS

Knox acknowledged that change in the offseason is inevitable, but added that he believes the Bills will be back in the playoffs next season.

“To Jesus goes all the glory, and I really just am grateful for the season that we had — obviously not the result we wanted. Lots of heartbreak, lots of sad emotions just coming up short, but there’s still those exciting feelings inside that there’s more out there. We’ll be back next year. The future’s bright.”

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

The Bills, who have won five-straight division titles, became the first team to win 11 or more games over five straight seasons that didn’t reach the Super Bowl at least once over that span.

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The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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January 29, 2025
Eagles star Saquon Barkley has heartwarming reaction to rookie teammate’s first career TD in NFC Championship

Saquon Barkley found the end zone three times for his Philadelphia Eagles, as they walloped the Washington Commanders in the NFC Championship to cement their spot in Super Bowl LIX.

But it was the last touchdown scored for Philadelphia that had Barkley jumping and screaming for joy, and there’s a big reason why.

Will Shipley, the rookie out of Clemson, is the third string running back for the Eagles. With Barkley getting the lion’s share, and veteran Kenneth Gainwell spelling him for snaps throughout the season, Shipley has mainly played special teams while getting some time in blowouts.

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Eagles running back Will Shipley reacts during the game against the Carolina Panthers on Dec. 8, 2024, at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia. (Kyle Ross/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Well, a blowout win is what occurred at Lincoln Financial Field on Sunday, and Shipley was given that moment where he could pad the stats a bit. But what transpired was a career first for the young running back, as he scored his first-ever NFL touchdown.

And cameras on the FOX broadcast caught Barkley’s reaction, which was simply heartwarming.

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He went ballistic on the sideline, jumping up and down and screaming as Shipley celebrated on the field. And what was even more impressive than the two-yard score was Shipley’s 57-yard dash down the field that put the Eagles in the red zone once again.

Shipley had just 82 yards on 30 attempts during the regular season, picking up two first downs in the process. He played 58% of special teams snaps and only 6% on offense.

Philadelphia Eagles running back Will Shipley during the Los Angeles Rams game on Nov. 24, 2024, at Sofi Stadium in Inglewood, California. (Jevone Moore/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Barkley’s reaction, though, shows just how much of a team player he is, as he was hyped for his running backs room partner to get his time to shine on the playoff stage.

This isn’t anything new for Barkley in his first year with the Eagles either, as he famously told head coach Nick Sirianni to allow the backups to get their time on the field against his former New York Giants despite being just 13 rushing yards away from a career-high.

“It’s all good,” he told Sirianni. “I’m good. I promise. I’d rather see the young boys eat.”

Barkley would later smash that record anyway, ripping off a whopping 255 yards against the Los Angeles Rams on Nov. 24, 2024, which was the ninth-highest rushing yardage in a single game in NFL history.

Stream Super Bowl LIX for free on Tubi. (Tubi)

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Everybody ate for the Eagles in this divisional demolition, and even though he wasn’t on the field, Barkley was loving every second of his teammates putting in work to cap a conference title that sends them to the “Big Game” in the “Big Easy.”

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Scott Thompson is a sports writer for Fox News Digital.

January 27, 2025
NFL world mocks Giants after Saquon Barkley dominates in NFC Championship

Saquon Barkley put up more ridiculous numbers in the Philadelphia Eagles’ NFC Championship victory over the Washington Commanders on Sunday night, leading to jabs at the New York Giants.

Barkley finished with 118 rushing yards on 15 carries and scored two touchdowns. Both scores came in the first quarter – one was a 60-yard scamper that got Eagles fans buzzing early.

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Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley, #26, celebrates after scoring against the Washington Commanders during the first half of the NFC Championship NFL football game on Sunday, Jan. 26, 2025 in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola)

As the Eagles celebrated getting to the Super Bowl for the second time in three years, NFL fans mocked the Giants for letting Barkley go in the offseason.

New York chose to re-sign Daniel Jones to a four-year contract before the 2023 season and gave Barkley a one-year deal. Before the 2024 start, the Giants let Barkley walk to free agency, much to the chagrin of Giants fans. He decided to sign with one of their archrivals.

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New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley, #26, takes the field at MetLife Stadium on Sunday, Jan. 7, 2024. (Kevin R. Wexler / USA TODAY NETWORK)

Tom Brady and the rest of the NFL world made sure to let the Giants know they made a huge mistake.

“Giant mistake letting him go,” Brady said during the FOX broadcast.

In Barkley’s first season with Philadelphia, he nearly ran for the most yards in a single season. He may have gotten the record, but he was held out of the Eagles’ last game of the season to rest for the playoffs. It turned out to be a crucial move as he has yet to let his foot off of the gas pedal in the postseason.

He has 442 rushing yards and five rushing touchdowns in three playoff games so far.

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Stream Super Bowl LIX for free on Tubi. (Tubi)

The Eagles will play the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX.

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Ryan Gaydos is a senior editor for Fox News Digital.

January 27, 2025
Travis Kelce, Taylor Swift celebrate Chiefs’ AFC Championship win

Taylor Swift was seen entering Arrowhead Stadium to cheer on the Kansas City Chiefs in their effort to make history and compete for a third straight Super Bowl championship.

Swift was far from the focal point of the contest as the Chiefs topped the Buffalo Bills. The CBS broadcast showed her reacting to a big play in the game along with at least two shots of her hanging out with her mother, Andrea, and Travis Kelce’s mom, Donna.

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Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift kiss after the AFC Championship NFL football game against the Buffalo Bills on Sunday, Jan. 26, 2025 in Kansas City, Missouri. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

The next time Swift was shown was on the field as she and Donna watched Travis celebrate the team’s third consecutive conference title. Cameras also caught the two lovebirds sharing a few kisses in the mix of the celebration.

Swift was a major focus for the NFL and broadcasts during the 2023 season as she and the Chiefs’ star tight end announced themselves to the world as a couple. The “Swift Effect” was real, and her fandom drew an increase in viewership for the game.

However, Swift herself expressed some dismay with the attention she received in a 2023 interview with Time magazine.

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Donna Kelce, left, stands with her son, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, and Taylor Swift after the AFC Championship NFL football game against the Buffalo Bills on Sunday, Jan. 26, 2025 in Kansas City, Missouri. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

Taylor Swift and Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, #87, react after the AFC Championship game against the Buffalo Bills at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on Sunday, Jan. 26, 2025 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images)

“I don’t know how they know what suite I’m in,” she said. “There’s a camera, like, a half-mile away, and you don’t know where it is, and you have no idea when the camera is putting you in the broadcast, so I don’t know if I’m being shown 17 times or once.

“I’m just there to support Travis. I have no awareness of if I’m being shown too much and pissing off a few dads, Brads, and Chads,” she added, referencing the hype that came with her appearances – good and bad.

This season, Swift was seen at Arrowhead Stadium a few times, but she also had to continue with her “Eras Tour.” When the Chiefs were off, she and Kelce were spotted in New York City having dinner multiple times.

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Stream Super Bowl LIX for free on Tubi. (Tubi)

Now, Swift is likely to be back for the big game when Super Bowl LIX heads down to New Orleans.

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Ryan Gaydos is a senior editor for Fox News Digital.

January 27, 2025
Chiefs catch break on crucial 1st-half play in AFC Championship; fans wonder if refs got it right

The Kansas City Chiefs received a favorable call late in the first half of the AFC Championship against the Buffalo Bills on Sunday.

On 3rd-and-5 with 3:13 left in the second quarter, Patrick Mahomes scrambled and found just enough space to throw up a ball to Xavier Worthy. The rookie wide receiver and Bills safety Cole Bishop both leaped for the ball. It appeared Bishop may have gotten the ball while he was in the air, but Worthy managed to get his arm around it as they came down the ground.

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Chiefs wide receiver Xavier Worthy works for a catch against the Buffalo Bills during the first half of the AFC Championship, Jan. 26, 2025, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

The officials ruled that Worthy had completed the catch, and it was the Chiefs’ ball instead of an interception for the Bills. Buffalo was also called for a holding penalty, so it was unlikely the ball would have gone back to them.

Bills head coach Sean McDermott challenged whether it was a completed catch. The replay appeared to show the tip of the football hitting the ground. But still, the play was ruled a catch.

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Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes scrambles for a touchdown during the first half of the AFC Championship against the Buffalo Bills, Jan. 26, 2025, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

A few plays later, the Chiefs scored on a Patrick Mahomes touchdown run. Kansas City had a 21-10 lead.

NFL fans were quick to point out that the questionable call went in the favor of the Chiefs.

NFL officials’ alleged favoritism toward the Chiefs was in the spotlight over questionable calls in their divisional round win over the Houston Texans.

Mahomes was asked about the alleged favoritism during the week.

“I don’t feel that way,” he said. “… I just try to play football at the end of the day. The referees are doing their best to call the game as fair and proper as best they can.

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Stream Super Bowl LIX for free on Tubi. (Tubi)

“For me, it’s go out there, play hard, try to do whatever I can to win the football game and then live with the results based on my effort and how I play the game, and that’s what we preach here in Kansas City.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Ryan Gaydos is a senior editor for Fox News Digital.

January 27, 2025
National anthem at Eagles-Commanders NFC Championship has fans feeling patriotic: ‘Can’t get any better’

The Philadelphia Eagles and Washington Commanders were more than just division rivals on Sunday at Lincoln Financial Field as they played for a spot in Super Bowl LIX.

But one thing both fan bases could agree on was how great the national anthem performance was before the game.

Fans took to social media to voice their love for the patriotic scene that involved an actual Eagle, a brilliant rendition by Mark Kate Morrissey, who plays Elphaba in Broadway’s “Wicked,” and fighter jets doing a flyover.

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Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels kneels before the start of the NFC Championship against the Eagles, Sunday, Jan. 26, 2025, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Derik Hamilton)

“I’m not an Eagles fan but their national anthem is the absolute best with the bald eagle flying in the stadium,” one X user wrote. “It can’t get any better.”

“Absolutely beautiful!” another one added.

An American flag the size of the football field was displayed by numerous fans, creating a perfect wide shot of the whole scene before the two teams got to work on the gridiron.

But the live eagle flying around the stadium from one trainer to another while Morrissey reached the climax of “The Star-Spangled Banner” was talked about the most on social media.

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Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley runs with the ball for a touchdown against the Washington Commanders during the first half of the NFC Championship at Lincoln Financial Field. (Eric Hartline-Imagn Images)

A general view during the national anthem before the start of the game between Philadelphia Eagles and San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Championship game at Lincoln Financial Field. (Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports/File)

“Not an Eagles fan but DAMN…that Bald Eagle flying during the singing of the National Anthem brought tears of pride to my eyes,” another X user said.

As Morrissey finished singing, four F-16s from the 177th Fighter Wing flew over the stadium, putting the cherry on top of the patriotic scene.

Things got off to a hot start for the Eagles faithful in this game, too, as the home team saw star running back Saquon Barkley score two touchdowns in the first quarter, including one on the Eagles’ first offensive snap of the game to take a commanding lead from the start.

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Many teams pull out all the stops for their national anthems during the season, but fans believe the Eagles are the cream of the crop after what transpired in this conference championship game.

Stream Super Bowl LIX for free on Tubi. (Tubi)

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Scott Thompson is a sports writer for Fox News Digital.

January 26, 2025