NFL
Cooper DeJean, Josh Sweat and the Philadelphia Eagles’ ferocious defense denied Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce and the Kansas City Chiefs a Super Bowl three-peat. It wasn’t even close. DeJean got a pick-6 on his 22nd birthday, Sweat tormented Mahomes and the Eagles routed the Chiefs 40-22 on Sunday to secure the franchise’s second Super Bowl championship. Jalen Hurts threw for two touchdowns and ran for a score on a tush push, and Vic Fangio’s defense was so dominant that the Eagles didn’t need much from Saquon Barkley. With Donald Trump becoming the first president in office to attend a Super Bowl, the Eagles outplayed Kansas City in every facet.
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes had one of his worst games as a professional at the worst of times on Sunday night. The two-time NFL MVP was intercepted twice, including a pick-6, and was sacked six times by the Philadelphia defense as the Eagles rolled to a 40-22 victory. Mahomes and the Chiefs were trying to make history as the first team to win three straight Super Bowls. Instead, they were saddled with a lopsided loss in the big game. It reminded many of the 31-9 loss that Kansas City endured against the Buccaneers in the Super Bowl four years ago.
Jalen Hurts has often been judged by his failings more than his successes over the course of his career. Getting benched at halftime of a college football championship game. Being forced to transfer from Alabama to Oklahoma just to be able to regain a starting job. Getting drafted in the second round to be a backup and then having his passing prowess questioned as he quickly became a starter. All those doubts helped fuel Hurts along the way and now he will be forever known as a Super Bowl MVP.
Cooper DeJean took one to the house, Zack Baun made a pick in his old professional home and the Eagles defense so thoroughly thrashed Patrick Mahomes that by the time Kendrick Lamar had “Game Over” brightened in the Superdome stands to end his halftime set, it was just as clear, so too, was the Super Bowl. From Broad Street to Bourbon Street, the Eagles defense this season never failed defensive mastermind Vic Fangio. The Eagles overwhelmed Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs in 40-22 victory on Sunday to win only the franchise’s second Super Bowl.
Former Giant and current Eagle Saquon Barkley rushed for 31 yards in the first half of Philadelphia's Super Bowl win and set the NFL season rushing record, postseason included, topping the mark of 2,476 yards set by Terrell Davis. The AP NFL Offensive Player of the Year needed only 30 yards to top Davis’ total set in 1998 when he helped the Denver Broncos win the Super Bowl. Also that season, Davis was the last running back to win Super Bowl MVP. Barkley finally got the mark after a slow first half on a 2-yard run on the last play of the half. Barkley finished with a modest 57 yards rushing in Eagles’ 40-22 win over Kansas City.
There was no couple's celebration for Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce after the Super Bowl. Last year, the two celebrated the Kansas City Chiefs' title with a kiss on the field at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. They didn't get to repeat it. The Chiefs lost 40-22 to the Philadelphia Eagles. It was the first time the team had lost a playoff game with the singing superstar in attendance. Swift was booed by the heavily pro-Eagles crowd when shown on the video boards early in the game. Swift and Kelce have been a couple since early last season.
Aaron Rodgers is still contemplating whether to continue his playing career. If he does, it appears it won’t be with the New York Jets. The team has told the 41-year-old quarterback it is “moving on from him,” Fox Sports reported Sunday. Rodgers said toward the end of the Jets’ 5-12 season he was undecided on his playing future and wanted to take a mental break. There was also uncertainty as to whether the Jets would even want to move forward with Rodgers. The Jets recently hired general manager Darren Mougey and coach Aaron Glenn, and owner Woody Johnson said at their introductory news conference on Jan. 27 the new regime would have the final say in that decision.
Donald Trump made history Sunday as the first sitting president to attend the Super Bowl. After flying from Florida to New Orleans, he met with emergency personnel who responded to a New Year's Day terrorist attack on the city's historic French Quarter and relatives of the victims. As for the Chiefs-Eagles matchup, Trump thinks Kansas City will win, with quarterback Patrick Mahomes the difference-maker. Trump says in a pregame interview with Fox News Channel's Bret Baier that “I guess you have to say that when a quarterback wins as much as he’s won, I have to go with Kansas City.”
“Salutations!,” the actor Samuel L. Jackson dressed as Uncle Sam introduced Kendrick Lamar at New Orleans’ Caesars Superdome for the 2024 Super Bowl halftime show. It was a powerful, commanding creative choice by the first solo hip-hop artist to ever headline the coveted slot. As if there were any doubts of the Pulitzer Prize winning rapper’s ability to put on a show. In a review, The Associated Press' Maria Sherman describes Lamar's performance as a continued victory lap. SZA was a previously announced guest performer and frequent Lamar collaborator. Lamar performed his Drake diss track “Not Like Us."
Cooper DeJean became the first player in Super Bowl history to intercept a pass or score a touchdown on his birthday when he returned a poor throw by Patrick Mahomes 38 yards for a TD to give Philadelphia a 17-0 lead over Kansas City in the second quarter. DeJean undercut a route by DeAndre Hopkins and picked off Mahomes before racing in for the first pick-6 in a Super Bowl since Robert Alford had one for Atlanta against Tom Brady and New England eight years ago.
NBA
Damian Lillard scored a season-high 43 points to go along with eight rebounds and eight assists as the Milwaukee Bucks defeated the Philadelphia 76ers 135-127 on Sunday. Gary Trent Jr. added a season-high 23 points and Bobby Portis had 18 points and 12 rebounds. The Bucks were missing two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo for a fourth straight game as he deals with a strained left calf. Bucks coach Doc Rivers said before the game that Antetokounmpo likely will remain out through the All-Star break. The Bucks had season highs in points, 3-point baskets (24) and field-goal attempts (105).
Cade Cunningham had 19 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds, and the Detroit Pistons beat the short-handed Charlotte Hornets 112-102 on Sunday. The triple-double was Cunningham’s eighth of the season, the third-highest total in franchise history. Grant Hill had 13 in 1996-97 and 10 in 1995-96. Tobias Harris added 20 points for the Pistons, who never trailed, and Jalen Duren had 16 points and 12 rebounds. Miles Bridges scored 30 points for Charlotte, which has lost seven of eight. Seth Curry added 26.
Dillon Brooks scored 19 points, Jalen Green added 18 and the short-handed Houston Rockets snapped a six-game skid with a 94-87 win over the Toronto Raptors on Sunday. The Rockets were without Fred VanVleet for a fifth straight game because of an ankle injury and Steven Adams was out because they played Saturday. All-Star Alperen Sengun left in the first quarter with back spasms. Jeff Green and Jock Landale filled in for Sengun and Green had a season-high 14 points while Landale added 11 with a season-best 10 rebounds.
NHL
Nick Schmaltz scored the shootout winner, leading the Utah Hockey Club to a 5-4 win over the Washington Capitals. Josh Doan and Dylan Guenther each had a goal and an assist, and Michael Carcone and Jack McBain also scored for Utah, which has won three of its last four games. Karel Vejmelka stopped 30 of 32 shots in relief and all three shootout attempts for Utah after replacing Connor Ingram, who left due to an upper-body injury.
Victor Hedman had a goal and an assist as the Tampa Bay Lightning beat the slumping Montreal Canadiens 5-3 Sunday in the final NHL game before the 4 Nations Face-Off. Nick Paul, Brayden Point, Zemgus Girgensons and Anthony Cirelli also scored for Tampa Bay, which stretched its winning streak to four games. Andrei Vasilevskiy made 32 saves. Brendan Gallagher scored twice and Christian Dvorak added a goal for Montreal, which lost its third straight and for the eighth time in nine games.
MEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL
UMass 78 LaSalle 55
WOMEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Syracuse 62 Wake Forest 50
UConn 77 Providence 40
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