ReportWire

Tag: NFL

  • Super Bowl 2025 odds: 49ers are early favorites; Chiefs, Ravens and Bills among top teams

    Super Bowl 2025 odds: 49ers are early favorites; Chiefs, Ravens and Bills among top teams


    The Chiefs beat the 49ers in overtime to win Super Bowl LVIII. 

    Is it too early to start looking ahead to Super Bowl LVIX held in New Orleans? Never. The San Francisco 49ers are Super Bowl favorites at +500 on BetMGM, despite losing to the Kansas City Chiefs (+700 to repeat) in Super Bowl 58. The Baltimore Ravens (+850), Buffalo Bills (+1200) and Detroit Lions (+1200) have the next-best odds.

    Of course, the Chiefs are still one of the favorites to win the AFC. It’s assumed that general manager Brett Veach will do everything in his power to find help for Patrick Mahomes after the offense’s struggles for most of the regular season.

    Along with the Chiefs, the Ravens, Bills and Bengals are the favorites from the AFC. The Jets have worse odds now (+3000) than they did at this time last season (+2500), and that was even before they had acquired Aaron Rodgers from Green Bay, though rumors were already swirling that Rodgers wanted out of Wisconsin and into the Big Apple.

    Of the teams with new head coaches, the Los Angeles Chargers (+2500) have the best odds with new coach Jim Harbaugh. Los Angeles is $45 million over the salary cap for next season, according to OverTheCap.com.

    If you’re looking for teams that can make a splash in free agency, the Commanders, Titans, Patriots, Bengals and Colts have the most salary cap room right now.

    Detroit (+1200) has completed its 180 turn from lovable losers to now a favorite in the NFC. Dallas and Philadelphia are still near the top of their respective conferences, but there will be changes for both teams this offseason. Dallas lost defensive coordinator Dan Quinn to Washington and Philadelphia hired Kellen Moore to be its new offensive coordinator and Vic Fangio to lead its defense.

    The Carolina Panthers, Tennessee Titans and New England Patriots all have the worst odds of winning the Super Bowl. All three teams will have new coaches next year.

    Putting bets on favorites this far out probably isn’t a good betting strategy, though. Consider that the Chiefs had worse odds entering this year’s playoffs (+1000) than they did after last year’s Super Bowl win (+600).

    Super Bowl 59 odds (@BetMGM)

    To help understand where these teams might be going this offseason, especially around expectations, we checked in with our beat writers to gauge how they view the teams going into the offseason.

    GO DEEPER

    Super Bowl 2025 odds: Texans, Eagles and Falcons have biggest swings from last preseason

    Detroit Lions +1200

    The Lions have the fifth-best Super Bowl odds in 2024, and that feels just about right. In their first postseason run together, with the fifth-youngest roster in the NFL, the Lions reached the NFC Championship game and held a 24-7 lead. Had they made the necessary plays to win the game, it would’ve been them in Las Vegas hoping to hoist the Lombardi. Instead, they’ll use a disappointing loss as motivation and work to get there next season. Detroit’s best talent — Penei Sewell, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Aidan Hutchinson, Sam LaPorta, Jahmyr Gibbs, etc. — should only get better with age. QB Jared Goff has now taken two teams to NFC Championship games and is coming off another strong season. Offensive coordinator Ben Johnson is back for another year, turning down head coaching opportunities yet again. And the Lions will look to improve a secondary that needs an influx of talent. Detroit’s schedule and division look tougher on paper, but considering all the Lions have going for them, they’re well-positioned for another deep postseason run.  —Colton Pouncy, Lions writer

    New York Jets +3000

    The Jets, as much as any team on this list, have the ability to swing wildly in either direction. That’s the Aaron Rodgers factor. The Jets have a lot of holes to fill on offense (offensive line, wide receiver) and problems to overcome (offensive coordinator) but ultimately how far the Jets go (or not) depends largely on what version of Rodgers they get. He will turn 41 this season and is coming off Achilles surgery, so it’s fair to be skeptical that the Jets will make noise — but they still have one of the best NFL defenses, which will mostly remain intact, and bring back two stars on offense in Garrett Wilson and Breece Hall. —Zack Rosenblatt, Jets writer

    Green Bay Packers +2500

    I’m surprised the Packers’ odds are that long, considering how they finished the 2023 season. After starting 3-6, they made the playoffs, dismantled the Cowboys in the wild-card round, and gave the 49ers a fight in the Divisional Round. In his first season as the full-time starting quarterback, Jordan Love showed why he can be the guy for Green Bay for the next decade-plus, and most of his supporting cast, on an offense that flourished in the second half of the season, will return in 2024. The big questions are in the other two phases. Can the Packers straighten out their kicking game (pun intended), and can new defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley maximize the talent on his side of the ball in a way Joe Barry couldn’t? If Green Bay can do both, there’s no reason the Packers can’t be in contention to bring the Lombardi Trophy back home. —Matt Schneidman, Packers writer

    To take the Dolphins as serious Super Bowl contenders, they have to beat teams on the same level as them or better on a semi-consistent basis. That didn’t happen in 2023, with only one win against a team that finished with a winning record — Dallas Cowboys in Week 16. The 2024 schedule will be tougher, too, playing the AFC South, NFC West and the Packers outside of Miami’s AFC East opponents.

    Tua Tagovailoa, as of now, will enter the final year of his rookie contract in 2024. Will Miami take care of its quarterback before Week 1? Plus, you have to wonder if the defense can come together after numerous injuries, specifically at edge rusher, which took a toll late in the 2023 campaign. Then you have to wonder if the Dolphins are the best or even second-best team in the AFC East with the Bills as the reigning champs and Aaron Rodgers set to take more than a handful of snaps at QB like last year’s injury-plagued season. —Larry Holder, NFL senior writer

    You know the Texans will be one of the sexiest bets heading into the 2024 season — two of the top young players at premium positions with quarterback C.J. Stroud and edge rusher Will Anderson. Throw in budding star coach DeMeco Ryans and an improving roster, and Houston has all the makings of the team ready to take the next step.

    Now, the Texans won’t be facing a bottom-barrel schedule this season after winning the AFC South. So they’ll get the Chiefs, Ravens and Bills, along with the AFC East and NFC North joining their AFC South slate — throw a healthy NFL Draft compadre, Anthony Richardson, back for the Colts. But the Texans seemed to stand tall against all comers during the 2023 regular season before falling flat against the Ravens in the AFC divisional round. I expect the Texans to improve in 2024 and for Stroud only to get better after one of the strongest rookie QB campaigns in recent memory. If that happens, you never know … —Holder

    (Top photo: Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)





    The New York Times

    Source link

  • A Super Bowl That Went From Dud to Dynamite

    A Super Bowl That Went From Dud to Dynamite


    Photo: Timothy A. Clary/AFP via Getty Images

    So many great moments in sports history, moments that seem like destiny in retrospect, were impossible to foresee or even necessarily understand while they were happening. The Falcons’ blowing a 28-3 lead to the Patriots was an all-time Super Bowl moment, but before it went down, the only thing on everyone’s minds was “all right, this game is over, I can go to bed early tonight.” (This included the President at the time.) You never know when something incredible is going to happen.

    The flip side of that is that you never know when something incredible isn’t going to happen. And for most of Super Bowl LVIII on Sunday, nothing incredible happened. For about two and a half hours, it was arguably the dullest Super Bowl in recent memory. But the game was still close, and you can never go to bed when the game is still close, or you might regret it the next morning — like anyone who missed the end of this one will, because, wouldn’t you know it, something incredible ended up happening.

    The Kansas City Chiefs ended up beating the San Francisco 49ers in overtime, 25-22, on a touchdown pass from Patrick Mahomes to Mecole Hardeman, a player whose fumble against the Bills earlier in the playoffs nearly ended his team’s season. It was only the second overtime game in Super Bowl history — the first being the aforementioned Patriots-Falcons game seven years ago. This one didn’t have the epic swings of that classic (still the most insane Super Bowl I’ve ever seen), but the thing about football is that a great ending can make up for two and a half  hours of muck.

    And there was a lot of muck. This Super Bowl had seemed to be set up for greatness: It featured two of the league’s signature franchises, the five-time champion 49ers and the defending champion Chiefs. It starred the 49ers’ Brock Purdy, a more unlikely Super Bowl quarterback underdog story than Tom Brady ever was, and the Chiefs’ Mahomes and Travis Kelce, by far the two most famous players in the NFL. The pregame hype about whether Kelce’s girlfriend — who is perhaps better known for other endeavors — would arrive from a concert in Japan in time for kickoff rivaled the hype for the game itself. The Super Bowl was even in Las Vegas. Epic!

    But for most of the night, the two best teams in football were very much not at their best, and the sport, on its biggest night, looked a lot uglier and sloppier than usual. There were penalties and turnovers and blocked kicks and muffed punts and mental mistakes, and no points at all until midway through the second quarter.

    For a while, the most exciting moment of the night was a 49ers trick play that was well-conceived and well-executed, but not all that aesthetically pleasing (let alone dramatic). Purdy, the grand underdog story, had a perfectly dull, uninspired, vanilla wafer of a game, as is his wont. (He’s great, but no kid is ever going to pretend to be Brock Purdy in their backyard.) Mahomes, the anointed Next Brady, had perhaps his worst game of the season, thanks in large part to the relentless 49ers defense. Jake Moody and Harrison Butker kicked the two longest field goals in Super Bowl history. (Yawn.)

    Oh, and about that couple: The star tight end (and aforementioned boyfriend) only had one showcase moment, and it was when he was so furious at his 65-year-old coach he nearly knocked him over. And — I am sorry to be the one to say this, but I don’t cover the Super Bowl in person every year not to report the news — but when Swift was shown on the jumbotron at Allegiant Stadium, she was undeniably, unabashedly booed by the vast majority of the fans in the stands. True, 49ers fans outnumbered Chiefs fans by a significant amount, and the booing happened before Swift impressively chugged a beer in one swig (the sort of skill that does tend to sway your average football fan), but still: Taylor Swift being jeered by 40,000 people is probably not what the NFL had in mind for the evening.

    And then,in the last half of the fourth quarter, suddenly everything came together, turning a stuttering, scattershot game taut. Purdy hit Jauan Jennings — who had thrown for the aforementioned trick play touchdown early and was this close to becoming the least-likely Super Bowl MVP in history — for a touchdown with 6:06 remaining. The Chiefs then ominously blocked the Niners’ extra point, leaving their deficit at only three. The two teams traded field goals the rest of the quarter, sending it into overtime, where the 49ers won the coin toss and, curiously, chose to take the ball first. Under the new NFL overtime rules, both teams are guaranteed to get the ball at least in overtime, and, theoretically, you’d want to get it second so that you’d know how much the other team scored first. 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan’s logic made some sense: If both teams were to score the same number on their first two possessions in overtime, that would give the 49ers the ball on the third and final possession, needing only a field goal to win. But it felt Shanahan outsmarted himself. After San Francisco was (barely) held to a field goal, the Chiefs drove down for the winning touchdown — ending the 49ers’ season and surely leaving Shanahan wondering what if.

    As far as the NFL was concerned, this was exactly the right ending, no matter what had preceded it. The Chiefs’ second title in a row makes them the first team to repeat since the Patriots in 2004-05. It keeps Mahomes (increasingly the face of the league) on a Tom Brady-type pace, with his third ring and his second Super Bowl MVP. On the Jumbotron, as the Lombardi Trophy was awarded, Kelce led Chiefs fans in the stands in a rousing, if not particularly melodic, rendition of “Fight For Your Right to Party” as his megastar girlfriend looked on and smiled. No one booed when they saw her this time: Those 49ers fans had long left. The rest of us were pretty pleased we’d stuck around.


    See All







    Will Leitch

    Source link

  • Keeler: Kyle Shanahan ignored Christian McCaffrey in third quarter. And it cost him Super Bowl LVIII.

    Keeler: Kyle Shanahan ignored Christian McCaffrey in third quarter. And it cost him Super Bowl LVIII.

    Cherry Creek did Valor Christian dirty. A game that should’ve been in Christian McCaffrey’s hands in the third quarter wound up in Patrick Mahomes’ mitts during overtime.

    Oh, there will be other Super Bowls for Kyle Shanahan, pride of Cherry Creek, son of Broncos icon Mike Shanahan. But if Chiefs 25, 49ers 22 stings a little more on Monday in Broncos Country, it’s because Little Shanny waited too stinking long to change course. It’s because the AFC’s newest dynasty feels as if it’s riding a wave of Front Range tears.

    And let’s be frank: It’s because McCaffrey, the 49ers star and former Valor bell cow, touched the ball 14 times in the first half and just three times in the third quarter, a stretch that helped Mahomes and Patriots West get up off the mat.

    It wasn’t the same script as the one that burned young Shanahan as badly as when he was offensive coordinator with the Falcons — a 28-3 Super Bowl lead turned, inexplicably, into another Tom Brady triumph.

    But the beats felt eerily close. Little Shanny responded to a touchdown cushion and a Mahomes interception coming out of halftime with six straight pass plays … which amassed negative-2 net yards. For a painful, fleeting moment, Kyle forgot he had the best tailback in the free world. He let Mahomes hang around too long.

    We already know how much the football gods love No. 15. Why tease or tempt them? Look at Kansas City’s postseason path. Miami at home? Minus-27 wind chill. Buffalo on the road? Wide right. Baltimore on the road? Lamar Jackson forgot he was Lamar and tied himself up in knots trying to be Mahomes.

    With 2:32 left in the third stanza, those gods finally struck. A Chiefs punt scraped the heel of Niners special-teamer Darrell Luter Jr. and eventually was recovered by KC’s Jaylen Watson at the San Fran 16.

    Never one to refuse a gift, Mahomes pounced on the very next play, finding a wide-open Marquez Valdes-Scantling in the front of the end zone for an easy score and the Chiefs’ first lead of the evening, 12-10.

    San Fran, meanwhile, had opened with stanza with the rock at the KC 44, thanks to a clutch pick. Nothing. Shanahan got it back at the Niners 36. Still nada.

    This after Little Shanny and the Niners had ceded the halftime stage to Usher nursing a 10-3 lead — a scoreline that flattered the defending champs.

    Midway through the second quarter, the Chiefs’ ball of championship steel wool appeared to be unraveling, one strand at a time. CBS cameras showed Travis Kelce running over to coach Andy Reid, like a man possessed, and shoving his longtime coach in his side, raging and barking as if Captain Cheeseburger had just name-dropped one of Taylor Swift’s ex-paramours.

    Despite both teams’ sloppy starts, Shanahan was at least wise enough not to forget what he had in the backfield — McCaffrey touched the ball 14 times those first two quarters, nine of them carries.

    But the sweetest came on what looked, at first, like a broken play salvaged by speed and insanity. Slowed down, though, it became apparent that The Son of The Mastermind is indeed a chip off the old zone block.

    With 4:23 left until halftime, Niners wideout Jauan Jennings caught a lateral in the left flat, eyes upfield. Only he shifted quickly to his right, flicking a pass, this one a wounded duck, in the direction of McCaffrey. The Denver native had to spring to snare the ball in mid-flight, building up a head of steam the way Popeye does after wolfing down a can of spinach.

    Valor Christian’s finest, sure enough, proved strong to the finish. With at least two Niners blockers obstructing traffic in the right flat, McCaffrey turned what looked like sheer insanity into a 21-yard touchdown sprint and a 9-0 cushion.

    Kyle learned his lessons well. But the son of Mike, who coached the Broncos to back-to-back championships, also knew when to fold ’em on this stage. When to hold ’em. When to walk away. And, most importantly, when to run.



    Sean Keeler

    Source link

  • Where you can watch the 2024 Super Bowl live now

    Where you can watch the 2024 Super Bowl live now


    NFL: JAN 28 AFC Championship Game - Chiefs at Ravens
    Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (87) is congratulated by quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) and tight end Noah Gray (83) after catching a touchdown pass in the first quarter during the Kansas City Chiefs game versus the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC Championship Game in January 2024.

    Mark Goldman/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images


    At long last Super Bowl LVIII, is here. Instead of having FOMO for the people watching the San Francisco 49ers vs. Kansas City Chiefs game live at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, NV, we’re watching the game from home.

    Figuring how to watch the game can be about as tricky as deciphering Andy Reid’s playbook — not all streaming services that carry NFL football will carry today’s game. So instead of spending your time searching for answers to your Super Bowl-related questions (like how to watch the 2024 Super Bowl without cable), we’ve assembled all the information you need to watch the big game live.

    Note: CBS Essentials and Paramount+ are both subsidiaries of Paramount.

    What time does the Super Bowl start airing?

    Super Bowl LVIII kickoff is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. ET (3:30 p.m. PT) on Sunday, Feb. 11, 2024. Expect some NFL-worthy fanfare, including country star Reba McEntire singing the national anthem and Post Malone’s version of “America the Beautiful” before kickoff. Also performing, singer Andra Day will sing hymn “Lift Every Voice and Sing.”

    CBS and Paramount+ will offer seven hours of pregame coverage live from Las Vegas before kickoff.

    What channel is the Super Bowl on this year?

    The Super Bowl will broadcast live on CBS and stream on Paramount+. A more family-friendly version game will be simulcast on Nickelodeon, which you can also watch via Paramount+.

    Can you watch the 2024 Super Bowl for free?

    If you’re one of the millions of households who bid their cable company farewell, you can still watch the 2024 Super Bowl without cable. There are three ways to watch Super Bowl LVIII for free even if you don’t have cable.

    • Paramount+ offers a free seven-day trial, which allows you to watch the Super Bowl for free while testing out the platform (new members only). You’ll be able to watch immediately on your mobile device or smart TV. Once the seven-day free trial has expired, you’ll be charged regular Paramount+ pricing ($5.99 per month for Paramount+ Essential or $11.99 per month for Paramount+ with Showtime). You can cancel at any time.
    • Fubo is a sports-centric streaming platform that gives subscribers access to a live feed of their local TV networks plus a wealth of popular cable TV channels. With a Fubo subscription, you can watch the CBS Super Bowl LVIII live feed without a cable subscription by signing up for the platform’s seven-day free trial. You can cancel anytime, or allow your free trial to rollover into a Fubo subscription starting at $80 per month.

    • The Super Bowl is is available to stream on Amazon Prime via a Paramount+ on Prime Video add-on subscription. Prime Video also carries some of the best sports docs, including “Kelce,” which documents Philadelphia Eagles star Jason Kelce’s (assumed) last season in the league. Amazon is also offering a seven-day free trial of Paramount+. Tap the button below to start your trial and watch today’s game for free.

    • You can watch the Super Bowl with a digital HDTV antenna, which allows you to pull in your local CBS affiliate with no monthly charge.

    All the ways to watch the Super Bowl 2024

    In addition to the streamers listed above, the 2024 Super Bowl can be watched on the following paid streaming services.

    • Hulu + Live TV: If you want to watch the 2024 Super Bowl without cable and you still want access to your local network channels, Hulu + Live TV will carry the live CBS Super Bowl LVIII feed. You’ll also have access to Hulu’s extensive catalog of original and on-demand content, including “The Bear” and “Only Murderers In The Building.” A Disney+ and ESPN+ subscription are also included. Hulu + Live TV does not offer a free trial, but is much cheaper than a cable subscription at $77 per month.
    • NFL+:  If you want to watch the Super Bowl on your phone, tablet or other mobile device, NFL+ gives you access to today’s game, plus you’ll be able to watch out-of-market NFL games next season. NFL+ is $6.99 per month. (Note that you cannot access NFL+ games on your TV.)
    • The Super Bowl is is available to stream on Amazon Prime via a Paramount+ on Prime Video channels add-on subscription. Prime Video also carries some of the best sports docs, including “Kelce,” which documents Philadelphia Eagles star Jason Kelce’s (assumed) last season in the league. 

    Who’s performing at the NFL Super Bowl halftime show?

    Eight-time Grammy Award winner Usher will headline the Apple Music Super Bowl LVIII Halftime Show for the first time in his career. The 45-year-old singing sensation previously appeared as a guest for the Super Bowl XLV halftime show, which was headlined by the Black Eyed Peas.

    Usher told CBS News performing at the Super Bowl is a moment he’s waited for his entire life. The superstar was handpicked by Jay-Z, whose Roc Nation has executive produced the show since partnering with the NFL in 2019.

    What is the Nickelodeon 2024 Super Bowl broadcast?

    For the first time in history, the Super Bowl will be broadcast in two different formats. In addition to the CBS 2024 Super Bowl broadcast, the game will be simulcast on Nickelodeon. Nickelodeon’s family-friendly version of Super Bowl LVIII will feature virtual-reality graphics and Nick characters in the game broadcast. The kid-themed Super Bowl LVIII broadcast comes on the heels of “Nickmas”, the NFL’s Christmas Day broadcast on Nickelodeon during the Kansas City Chiefs vs. Las Vegas Raiders game.

    You may not see Taylor Swift on the Nickelodeon Super Bowl 2024 broadcast, but fans can expect to see SpongeBob SquarePants at the game.



    Source link

  • How and where to watch today’s Kansas City Chiefs vs. San Francisco 49ers Super Bowl game

    How and where to watch today’s Kansas City Chiefs vs. San Francisco 49ers Super Bowl game


    NFC Championship - Detroit Lions v San Francisco 49ers
    Christian McCaffrey #23 of the San Francisco 49ers rushes during the NFC Championship game against the Detroit Lions at Levi’s Stadium on Jan. 28, 2024 in Santa Clara, CA. The 49ers defeated the Lions 34-31.

    Michael Zagaris / Getty Images


    For the second time in four years, the Kansas City Chiefs will face the San Francisco 49ers in the Super Bowl. Today’s matchup between Christian McCaffrey’s Niners and Patrick Mahomes’ Chiefs is almost sure to go down in the history books as one of the best championship games.

    If you want to catch today’s game, there are a few ways to do it, with or without a cable TV subscription. To help you make sense of all your Super Bowl LVIII live streaming options, we’ve put together this guide with all the ways you can watch today’s game. Best of all, with some of these streamers, you can watch today’s Super Bowl for free.

    Note: CBS Essentials and Paramount+ are both subsidiaries of Paramount.

    When is the 2024 Super Bowl? Who’s playing?

    Super Bowl LVIII will be played between the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday, Feb. 11, 2024 at 6:30 p.m ET (3:30 p.m. PT). 

    What network is the 2024 Super Bowl on?

    Super Bowl 2024 will air live on CBS. A family-friendly version of Super Bowl, hosted by SpongeBob Squarepants and Patrick Star, will air on Nickelodeon. You can stream both versions of Super Bowl LVIII live on Paramount+.

    How to watch the 2024 Super Bowl without cable for free

    If you’ve cut the cord with your cable company, or your cable subscription doesn’t include CBS or Nickelodeon, you can still watch the 2024 Super Bowl via a streaming platform’s free trial.

    Stream the 2024 Super Bowl for free on Paramount + 

    You can stream Super Bowl LVIII and the Apple Music Super Bowl Halftime Show today through a subscription to Paramount+. The streamer offers access to all NFL games locally and nationally televised on CBS on all its subscription tiers. You can watch top-tier soccer like the Champions League live and SEC college football games (with a Paramount+ with Showtime subscription) as well. All tiers of Paramount+ offer shows such as “1923,” “Survivor” and “NCIS” on demand.

    The streamer offers a one-week free trial and allows you to cancel anytime. Sign up today, watch the 2024 Super Bowl and you’ll still have a few days left to watch Paramount+ content and decide if you want to keep your subscription or cancel. You won’t be charged until your seven-day free trial ends.

    After the free trial period ends, a subscription to Paramount+ Essential is $5.99 per month. Bundle Paramount+ with Showtime for just $11.99 per month.

    Get Paramount+ for free as part of Walmart+ and watch the 2024 Super Bowl

    The Walmart+ shopping subscription service includes access to the Paramount+ Essential tier (catch all live NFL games airing on CBS and Super Bowl LVIII). Walmart+ subscribers also get discounts on gasoline at Mobil and Exxon stations, access to special members-only deals, same-day home delivery from your local store and more. 

    Walmart+ costs $98 per year. Tap the button below to learn all the benefits of Walmart+, and to start your 30-day free trial.

    Why we like Walmart+:

    • Walmart+ members get access to this game through the Paramount+ streaming service, a $72 value.
    • You can get groceries delivered to your home quickly — sometimes same day —  without paying Instacart-like markups.
    • Walmart+ members get early access to Walmart’s Black Friday deals.
    • You can make returns from home — Walmart will pick them up for you. (Restrictions apply; must be present for pickup.)

    Watch the 2024 Super Bowl free on Amazon Prime Video

    The Super Bowl is is available to stream on Amazon Prime via a Paramount+ on Prime Video add-on subscription. Prime Video also carries some of the best sports docs, including “Kelce,” which documents Philadelphia Eagles star Jason Kelce’s (assumed) last season in the league.

    Amazon is offering a seven-day free trial of Paramount+. Tap the button below to start your trial and watch today’s game for free. After the free trial period ends, a subscription to Paramount+ Essential is $5.99 per month, while the Paramount+ with Showtime tier is $11.99 per month.

    Watch the 2024 Super Bowl free with Fubo

    You can watch the 2024 Super Bowl for free today on Fubo. Fubo is a sports-centric streaming service that offers access to almost every NFL game of the season. Packages include CBS, Fox (“NFL on Fox”), NBC (“Sunday Night Football”), ABC and ESPN (“Monday Night Football”), NFL Network and more, so you’ll be able to watch more than just the Super Bowl, all without a cable subscription.

    To watch the 2024 Super Bowl without cable, start a seven-day free trial of Fubo. You can begin watching immediately on your TV, phone, tablet or computer. In addition to NFL football, Fubo offers college football, NCAA March Madness, MLB, NBA, NHL, MLS and international soccer games. Fubo Pro Tier is priced at $80 per month after your free seven-day trial.

    Top features of Fubo Pro Tier:

    • There are no contracts with Fubo — you can cancel at any time.
    • The Pro tier includes 188 channels, including NFL Network. (You’ll need to upgrade to Ultimate for NFL RedZone.)
    • Fubo includes all the channels you’ll need to watch college and pro football, including CBS.
    • All tiers come with 1,000 hours of cloud-based DVR recording.
    • Stream on your TV, phone, tablet and other devices.

    Watch the 2024 Super Bowl for free with a HDTV antenna

    2024-gesobyte-amplified-hd-digital-tv-antenna-copy.jpg

    Amazon


    You can also watch the 2024 Super Bowl with an HDTV antenna. An HDTV antenna pulls in your local CBS affiliate (plus other networks, such as ABC, NBC, Fox and PBS, where available) without requiring a monthly fee.

    One of the bestselling HDTV antennas on Amazon is the Gesobyte amplified digital TV antenna. It boasts a range of up 250 miles, with a short-range mode for when you’re within 35 miles of the broadcast tower. The antenna can be hung on a window or a wall, though it may take some experimentation to find the best location for your home.

    The 4.3-star-rated antenna comes with a 18-foot coaxial cable so you can connect it to your TV. Get it at Amazon for $30.

    What is the Nickelodeon 2024 Super Bowl broadcast?

    For the first time in history, the Super Bowl will be broadcast in two different formats. In addition to the CBS 2024 Super Bowl broadcast, the game will be simulcast on Nickelodeon. Nickelodeon’s family-friendly version of Super Bowl LVIII will feature virtual-reality graphics and Nick characters in the game broadcast. The kid-themed Super Bowl LVIII broadcast comes on the heels of “Nickmas”, the NFL’s Christmas Day broadcast on Nickelodeon during the Kansas City Chiefs vs. Las Vegas Raiders game.

    You may not see Taylor Swift on the Nickelodeon Super Bowl 2024 broadcast, but fans can expect to see SpongeBob SquarePants at the game. You’ll be able to watch the Nickelodeon Super Bowl LVIII live feed with either Paramount+ or Fubo.

    Super Bowl Sunday timeline

    Whether you watch the game on Paramount+ or Fubo or your local cable TV provider, you’ll be able to catch all the Super Bowl 2024 coverage, not just the big game. Keep reading to learn how and when to see Usher, Reba McEntire and Post Malone perform.

    Super Bowl 2024 pregame coverage: CBS Sports will host seven hours of pre-game coverage on CBS and Paramount+ beginning at 11:30 a.m. ET.

    • 11:30 a.m. ET, “NFL Slimetime”: hosts Nate Burelson and Young Dylan preview the game with NFL highlights, picks and interviews.
    • 12:00 p.m. ET, “Road to the Super Bowl”: NFL Films’ annual sports doc takes a look back at the 2023-2024 NFL season. The one-hour film features more than 125 NFL players’ and coaches’ mic’d up moments leading up to Super Bowl LVIII.
    • 1:00 p.m. ET, “You are Looking Live!”: The story of “The NFL Today” takes a look back on 50 years of NFL studio coverage, including interviews with surviving original cast members Brent Musburger and Jayne Kennedy, as well as current TV personalities.
    • 2:00 p.m. ET, “The NFL Today”: Live from the Bellagio Hotel and Allegiant Stadium, fans will be treated to four hours of pregame coverage leading up to kickoff. Host James Brown will be joined by analysts Phil Simms, Bill Cowher, Nate Burleson, Boomer Esiason and JJ Watt, and lead NFL insider Jonathan Jones. Ian Eagle, Charles Davis, Matt Ryan and Jason McCourty will provide additional commentary, along with Kyle Brandt and more.

    Super Bowl 2024 kickoff and game schedule: Starting at 6:30 p.m., the San Francisco 49ers face the Kansas City Chiefs, with musical performances by Reba McEntire, Post Malone and Andra Day just before kickoff.

    • 6:10 p.m. ET (approximately): Live from Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, NV, Post Malone will sing “America the Beautiful”, followed by the national anthem sung by Reba McEntire. Singer Andra Day will also perform hymn “Lift Every Voice and Sing.” Actor Shaheem Sanchez will sign Day’s song as well as perform the ASL version of Usher’s halftime performance. 
    • 6:30 p.m. ET, Super Bowl LVIII begins: Jim Nantz and Tony Romo are scheduled to call the game, with reporters Tracy Wolfson, Evan Washburn and Jay Feely and rules analyst Gene Steratore. Armando Quintero and Benny Ricardo call the Network’s SAP coverage in Spanish. 

    2024 Super Bowl postgame coverage: When the game is over, the action continues with CBS’ postgame coverage, including the presentation of the Vince Lombardi Trophy to the winners.

    • 9:30 p.m -10:00 p.m. ET (approximately), postgame coverage begins: “The NFL Today” team will recap the Super Bowl and Jim Nantz will present the Vince Lombardi Trophy to the winners of Super Bowl LVIII.



    Source link

  • Jason Kelce wears Chiefs overalls to Super Bowl LVIII

    Jason Kelce wears Chiefs overalls to Super Bowl LVIII


    With the Eagles eliminated from the postseason, future Hall of Famer Jason Kelce has diverted his attention to his brother Travis’ path to another championship. Ahead of the younger Kelce and the Chiefs taking on the 49ers in Super Bowl LVIII, Jason showed up to the Big Game in style, rocking a pair of Kansas City overalls.

    Outside of Taylor Swift and Usher, Kelce’s ‘fit was the most anticipated of any celebrity out in Las Vegas. He went full Midwest. Respect for owning his Ohio roots and for rooting on his brother’s squad. 

    Jason and Taylor are ready to go:

    Follow Shamus & PhillyVoice on Twitter: @shamus_clancy | @thePhillyVoice

    Like us on Facebook: PhillyVoice Sports

    Add Shamus’ RSS feed to your feed reader





    Shamus Clancy

    Source link

  • Video: Kelce gives CLE some love at Super Bowl week

    Video: Kelce gives CLE some love at Super Bowl week


    *Watch the above video to see NFL star and NE Ohio native Jason Kelce give Cleveland Heights some love*

    LAS VEGAS (WJW) — Nevada is nearly 2,000 miles from Cleveland but NFL star Jason Kelce, who is in Las Vegas for Super Bowl week, has his hometown on his mind.

    Jason is in Vegas today to root for his brother Travis who is playing in the big game with the Kansas City Chiefs. The Chiefs play the San Francisco 49ers at 6:20 p.m.

    The Kelce brothers are graduates of Cleveland Heights High School.

    A NE Ohio native, Kate Stromberg, who is in Las Vegas just happened to cross paths with Jason and asked him to give a shout out to her dad Gary Stromberg who is a Cleveland Heights High School graduate from the class of 1968, and spent 31 years as FOX 8 News reporter.

    Courtesy: Kate Stromberg

    Jason not only agreed, as you’ll see in the video player at the top of this story, but he was rather enthusiastic about it!

    *Gary Stromberg wrote a book about prominent graduates from Cleveland Heights High School and other inspiring grads. The book is titled ‘Every Tiger has a Tale’.



    Paul Kiska

    Source link

  • How many Super Bowls have the Chiefs won? All of Kansas City’s past victories and appearances

    How many Super Bowls have the Chiefs won? All of Kansas City’s past victories and appearances


    There’s something to be said about the heart of a champion. The Kansas City Chiefs have proven it time and again. So it will be hard to bet against the defending champions when they take on the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LVIII on Sunday night at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.

    Chiefs’ 2024 season leading up to the Super Bowl

    Kansas City had an up-and-down regular season but still won 11 games and captured the AFC West title for the eighth consecutive year. The Chiefs then went on the road in the playoffs, which many thought would lead to their undoing considering their relative lack of postseason experience away from the friendly confines of Arrowhead Stadium.

    It turns out, it didn’t matter. Defense and timely performances from key offensive superstars played large roles in wins at Buffalo and Baltimore.

    “We know nothing is going to be given to us. We’ve got an even bigger target on our back than we did last year,” Chiefs safety Justin Reid said last Saturday. “But as far as the mentality in the room, we’re working to continue this dynasty, and continue to build on what we did last year, not just rest on our laurels of what we did.”

    Kansas City Chiefs celebrate AFC Championship win
    Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, left, celebrates with teammates defensive tackle Chris Jones (95) and quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) after defeating the Baltimore Ravens 17-10 in the AFC Championship Game at M&T Bank Stadium on Sunday, Jan. 28, 2024, in Baltimore. 

    Emily Curiel/The Kansas City Star/Tribune News Service via Getty Images


    Kansas City has positioned itself as the NFL’s gold standard in the post-Tom Brady era. Brady’s New England Patriots won six Super Bowls, tying them with the Pittsburgh Steelers for the most in NFL history. However, if the Chiefs can get the job done on Sunday night, they’ll be more than halfway to equaling that mark. And with a young superstar quarterback in Patrick Mahomes, a surefire Hall of Fame coach in Andy Reid, and a front office that always seems to retool the roster, there’s no reason to believe they won’t continue to be a perennial Super Bowl contender for the foreseeable future.

    How many Super Bowls have the Chiefs won?

    The Kansas City Chiefs are the defending Super Bowl champions and have won three total:

    • 2023: Kansas City Chiefs def. Philadelphia Eagles 38-35
    • 2020: Kansas City Chiefs def. San Francisco 49ers 31-20
    • 1970: Kansas City Chiefs def. Minnesota Vikings 23-7

    How many Super Bowls have the Chiefs appeared in?

    This Sunday will mark Kansas City’s sixth trip to the Big Game and its fourth in the last five years, including a 31-20 victory over the 49ers in 2020 at Super Bowl LIV in Miami:

    • 2024: Kansas City Chiefs v. San Francisco 49ers
    • 2023: Kansas City Chiefs def. Philadelphia Eagles 38-35
    • 2021: Tampa Bay Buccaneers def. Kansas City Chiefs 31-9
    • 2020: Kansas City Chiefs def. San Francisco 49ers 31-20
    • 1970: Kansas City Chiefs def. Minnesota Vikings 23-7
    • 1967: Green Bay Packers def. Kansas City Chiefs 35-10

    Here’s a look back at their championship game history:

    The last Chiefs Super Bowl win, in detail

    Feb. 12, 2023: A third ring for Kansas City —The Chiefs trailed the Philadelphia Eagles by 10 points at halftime and by six after three quarters of Super Bowl LVII in Glendale, Arizona, but eventual MVP Mahomes threw two touchdown passes in the first 5:38 of the fourth to open an eight-point advantage. The Eagles tied the game with an eight-play, 75-yard drive that was capped by Jalen Hurts’ 2-yard run and subsequent two-point conversion plunge. Mahomes, however, got the ball back with plenty of time to spare and marched the Chiefs 66 yards before Harrison Butker booted a 27-yard field goal with eight seconds left, giving K.C. the 38-35 victory.

    Chiefs vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Super Bowl 2021

    Feb. 7, 2021: A repeat wasn’t in the cards, thanks to Brady — Mahomes, star tight end Travis Kelce and the rest of an extremely talented group finished the regular season 14-2 and looked like a lock to become the first team to repeat as Super Bowl champions since the Patriots in 2004. But Brady and his new team, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, had other ideas. The 43-year-old quarterback became the oldest player to win Super Bowl MVP, his record-breaking fifth, and the first to do it with two different franchises, as the Buccaneers cruised to a 31-9 victory at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida.

    Chiefs vs. San Francisco 49ers at Super Bowl 2020

    Feb. 2, 2020: Long wait ends with comeback win over 49ers — The Chiefs erased a 10-point deficit entering the fourth quarter with 21 unanswered points on their way to their second league championship and first in 50 years. Super Bowl LIV MVP Mahomes threw for 286 yards and two touchdowns and ran for another score. The title was the first for head coach Andy Reid, who has since gone on to join the short list of the greatest coaches in NFL history.

    Chiefs vs. Minnesota Vikings at Super Bowl 1970

    Jan. 11, 1970: Lessons learned and championship earned — Led by Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback Len Dawson and coach Hank Stram, the Chiefs defeated the Minnesota Vikings 23-7 in Super Bowl IV at Tulane Stadium in New Orleans. Dawson, who was named MVP, threw for 142 yards and a touchdown as the Chiefs, like the New York Jets the year before, showed with relative ease that the upper-echelon teams from the AFL had come a long way in a very short time.

    Chiefs vs. Green Bay Packers at Super Bowl 1967

    Jan. 15, 1967: Chiefs no match for Bart Starr-led Packers — They will always be remembered as the first team to represent the AFL in the Super Bowl following the league’s merger with the NFL, but the game, itself, was anything but a celebration for the Chiefs. Kansas City hung around early and only trailed by four points at the half, but did not score over the last two quarters on its way to a humbling 35-10 loss. Coming into the game, many prognosticators believed that type of outcome was inevitable, given the strength of the more-established NFL representative. Green Bay’s Bart Starr threw for 250 yards and two touchdowns and was named MVP.

    Super Bowl LVIII will air on CBS and Nickelodeon and stream on Paramount+ on Sunday, Feb. 11 from Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. Kickoff is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. ET.



    Source link

  • Welcome to the ‘Doink Cam’: How CBS’ Super Bowl TV innovation came to life

    Welcome to the ‘Doink Cam’: How CBS’ Super Bowl TV innovation came to life


    Harrison Butker has earned his reputation as one of the NFL’s great kickers. The two-time Super Bowl champion has made all 14 of his kicks in the Kansas City Chiefs’ postseason victories this season and has become as dependable in his art as Stephen Curry is at his.

    But in a bit of great irony, it was a Butker missed field goal at last year’s Super Bowl that prompted an epiphany from Jason Cohen, a CBS Sports vice president of remote technical operations.

    With 2:24 left in the opening quarter of Super Bowl LVII between the Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles, Butker’s 42-yard field goal attempt smashed the top of the left upright at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz. (Said Fox broadcaster Kevin Burkhardt in describing the play: “So a good drive ends with the ‘doink!’”)

    It just so happened that Cohen and Mike Francis, a vice president of engineering and technology at CBS Sports, were sitting in the end zone where the kick was missed. As the sound of the miss reverberated in their section, Cohen and Francis looked at each other with excitement.

    “The ball ricocheted off the pole and made this very loud sound — a ‘doink,’” Cohen recalled this week. “We looked at each other and I said, ‘We need a camera in the uprights.’”

    Immediately after Butker’s miss, Cohen texted NFL’s senior director of broadcasting, Blake Jones, who was, well, working. He excitedly told Jones that he wanted to place a camera in the uprights at this year’s Super Bowl when CBS was airing the game. An amused Jones texted Cohen back immediately and said they should talk after the Super Bowl.

    Months of planning and testing has produced a set of  “doink” cameras for Sunday’s game. The CBS broadcast will feature six total 4K cameras that have been inserted into the Allegiant Stadium uprights of both end zones. Two of the cameras on each upright are positioned to face out to the field on a 45-degree angle. Another faces directly inward to get a side profile shot of the ball as it flies through. They have high-resolution zoom capabilities and super slow-motion replay capabilities. CBS will be able to get fantastic replays of any field goal or extra point, but the dream will be if someone hits the post for the doink.

    “The doink camera isn’t just if it hits the upright,” said CBS Sports executive producer and executive vice president of production Harold Bryant. “If there is a field goal that’s tight, we have three different angles on each upright, so we can see it in three different positions.”

    Immediately after he texted Jones, Cohen started digging around the internet and found a company, Sportsfield Specialities, that designs and manufactures sports construction equipment including football goalposts. He sent in a LinkedIn request during the game to the company’s director of sales. Cohen and his team ultimately spent months composing engineering drawings and schematics to make sure that the integrity of the uprights would not be compromised. Sportsfield helped CBS with the engineering of the pole and cutting holes. Cohen said Fletcher Sports, a speciality camera-capture company that often works with CBS Sports, designed the inserts that go into the uprights and figured out how to make the cameras fit.

    The proof of concept initially came in a preseason game between the New York Jets and Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Aug. 19 at MetLife Stadium. Cohen and his group consulted with kicking analyst Jay Feely to get his perspective on where he thought might be a good place for the cameras.

    “We presented our ideas early enough on this where we had a preseason plan,” Cohen said. “The NFL had time to evaluate the plan, and then come back to us with their feedback after the preseason test.”

    The next live test came at Allegiant Stadium in October for a Week 6 game between the New England Patriots and Las Vegas Raiders. There had been plenty of trial and error to get to this point, but the doink cameras made their television debut for a successful kick.

    Ryan Galvin, the lead replay producer for this year’s Super Bowl, explained how the process of a doink camera replay getting on the air would work in practical terms. At the Super Bowl, production specialist Amanda Smerage will run the machine that controls the six cameras from the uprights. They call it “DOINK” in the production truck. Steve McKee, who normally produces the team of Andrew Catalon, Matt Ryan and Tiki Barber but is working as a replay producer for this year’s Super Bowl, will monitor those cameras. He will alert Galvin if DOINK produces something memorable.


    Doink Cam fits inside the uprights to give a unique view of field-goal and extra-point attempts. CBS will have three of them in each goalpost. (Courtesy of Jason Cohen)

    Galvin, who has 60-something replay feeds at his disposal, ultimately has to decide what replays to use, including the doink cameras, in real-time throughout the game. Galvin loves the technology but is quick to point out that ultimately you have to produce the game in front of you and rely on the people around you.

    “A brand-new look for the viewer can be tricky,” said Galvin, who will work his seventh Super Bowl. “Will it be slightly confusing? Can people ‘get it’ in six seconds? I’m not smart enough to answer that. I know that Jason Cohen and our entire operations team work incredibly hard to fill a toolbox of cameras and replay machines for our crew. My job is to get the best replay on the air when appropriate.”

    Jones said that the NFL is always trying to identify the next broadcast innovation. For instance, pylon cam is now standard for major NFL games across all the broadcast partners. The Super Bowl often lends the opportunity to do something unique, and sometimes what debuts at a Super Bowl can become a standard in-game production.

    Ultimately, such broadcast innovations are dictated by the networks because they are the ones that have to invest the budget and research and development. If the viewing public immediately falls in love with a certain camera, the NFL’s other media partners would certainly take notice.

    “It used to be that sky cam was something you would only see at the big prime-time games,” Jones said. “Now that’s going into the more regular Sunday afternoon games. We’ll learn a lot after this week. In the end, these are network decisions that we’re supporting and facilitating rather than necessarily saying you have to have cameras X, Y, and Z. This one is a pretty unique use case, and you need a certain part of the game to happen a certain way to get that ‘wow’ factor. It’ll be interesting to see how it all plays out.”

    “There is no history to go off of as to what is the perfect camera to catch the perfect doink,” Cohen said. “A part of this is going to be luck. Where will a ball possibly strike? What I’ll tell you is that we put cameras in different positions for the preseason game in August and the game in October where we looked at every possible angle, trying to see what the pros and cons were. … What we came up with is what we think are the right height, angle and wide-angle lens.”

    Doink Cam


    A Doink Cam in place and ready to go inside a goalpost, with Plexiglass cover. (Courtesy of Jason Cohen)

    Cohen said what testing revealed was it’s not just about the image of the football coming toward viewers, but viewers also needed to see the other goal post as a frame of reference to see if the ball went through or not. Sportsfield Specialities was able to get the cameras where CBS wanted them through custom fitting. There is a camera cylinder tube with a piece of unbreakable Plexiglass that gets slid into the pole through a back opening of the upright. “Think of it like there’s like a little door or a chamber in the back of the upright, and this little camera slot gets kind of inserted inward,” Cohen said. “Then a piece of Plexiglass that’s curved and gets pushed forward so that it’s completely flush with the rest of the upright.”

    The doink cameras and proper wiring were placed inside the Allegiant Stadium uprights on Wednesday. Testing was scheduled for Thursday night, when the final field installation happens. There will also be a run-through on Friday. Cohen said he will be sitting in one of the CBS production trucks on Super Bowl Sunday with other CBS brass. He admits he’s rooting for a doink.

    “Look, you never root for someone else’s misery, and I don’t want to put bad karma on the world and hope that field-goal kickers don’t do their job,” Cohen said. “But this is the kind of innovation that if someone hits the post and our cameras get a great look, it’s going to make us really feel happy about all of the work and effort we put into inventing this angle. So as they line up for kicks on Sunday, I’m definitely going to be holding my breath a bit.”

    go-deeper

    GO DEEPER

    Super Bowl broadcast Q&A: Jim Nantz, Tony Romo and Tracy Wolfson on the big game

    (Top photo of a monitor showing the view from “Doink Cam” during a test at a preseason game between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and New York Jets: Courtesy of Jason Cohen)





    The New York Times

    Source link

  • Eagles honors: Best players, performances, and plays from the 2023 season

    Eagles honors: Best players, performances, and plays from the 2023 season


    Each year the NFL televises its “NFL Honors” award show, during which they recognize the league’s best players, performances and plays from the season. That was a couple nights ago. This will be our Philadelphia Eagles version of that.

    Last year, Jalen Hurts was a finalist for MVP and Offensive Player of the Year honors, and Brandon Graham was up for NFL Man of the Year. This year, the only Eagle who was a finalist for an award was Jalen Carter for Defensive Rookie of the Year. He didn’t win.

    Many of you still aren’t ready to read anything positive about the Eagles after their epic collapse to close the 2023 season, and certainly, I don’t blame anyone for that, but we do this every year, so… 🤷‍♂️.

    Most Valuable Player: WR A.J. Brown

    During the first half of the season, Brown had six consecutive games with at least 125 receiving yards, an NFL record.

    1. At Buccaneers: 9 catches, 131 yards
    2. Commanders: 9 catches, 175 yards, 2 TDs
    3. At Rams: 6 catches, 127 yards
    4. At Jets: 7 catches, 131 yards
    5. Dolphins: 10 catches, 137 yards, 1 TD
    6. At Commanders: 8 catches, 130 yards, 2 TDs

    There were plenty of highlight reel catches along the way, like this: 

    Brown eventually cooled off when the Eagles’ offense as a whole sputtered down the stretch, but for a while when the Eagles’ season was going well, he basically was the offense.

    Coach of the Year: Special teams coordinator Michael Clay

    The Eagles’ special teams were a rare weakness for the 2022 Eagles, but they were the No. 1 unit in the NFL in 2023, by DVOA. Clay went from the hot seat to one of the more valued members of the coaching staff in one season.

    Comeback Player of the Year: P Braden Mann

    There weren’t many good options here, so I settled on Mann, who the Jets cut during the 2022 offseason, and who didn’t have a job anywhere to start the 2023 season. After the Eagles had finally seen enough of Arryn Siposs (way too late), they signed Mann after Week 2 and he turned in a really good season, finishing eighth in punter EPA.

    If this were “Setback Player of the Year,” as in, guys who were awesome in 2022 and then not so awesome in 2023, there’d be plenty of options.

    Offensive Player of the Year: LT Jordan Mailata

    On an offensive line with two future Hall of Famers, I thought Mailata was quietly stellar in 2023, both in the run game and in pass protection.

    Defensive Player of the Year: LB Haason Reddick

    Including the playoffs in 2022, Reddick notched 19.5 sacks and 6 forced fumbles, both of which led the NFL. In 2023, his numbers were way down, as he notched 11 sacks and just 1 forced fumble. He had no sacks in the final four games, though in fairness (a) he did generate consistent pressure whereas the rest of his defensive line teammates were (mostly) invisible, and (b) opposing offenses were able to easily find flaws in Matt Patricia’s defensive scheme by showing pre-snap looks that would cause Reddick to drop into coverage.

    But clearly, Reddick was the best player on a defensive unit that grossly underperformed in 2023.

    Offensive Rookie of the Year: QB Tanner McKee

    The Eagles only drafted two offensive players in 2023 — OL Tyler Steen and QB Tanner McKee. Steen had extended action in just one game, against the Cowboys Week 9, and he struggled mightily. Otherwise, he lost a camp battle for the starting RG job to Cam Jurgens, and the team trusted Sua Opeta over him whenever they needed a reserve guard. It’s kind of tough to reward that.

    McKee didn’t play a single regular season snap, but he crushed the preseason, so, uh, we’ll go with him, I guess.

    Defensive Rookie of the Year: DT Jalen Carter

    As noted above, Carter was a finalist for NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year. He finished second, behind Houston’s Will Anderson:

    There was a point in the season when Carter looked like the likely Defensive Rookie of the Year, but he fizzled down the stretch, while Anderson finished with a bang.

    Still, Carter’s immense talent was obvious at times during his rookie season, and he finished with 33 tackles, 6 sacks, and 2 forced fumbles. It’s rare for interior defensive linemen to put up big numbers as rookies, as we’ve documented here in the past. But just to show that point again, below is a table of the four interior defensive linemen who were named to the All-Pro team in 2023, and their stats in their rookie seasons:

    Player  Tackles  Sacks  FF 
    Aaron Donald, Rams  48  9  2 
    Chris Jones, Chiefs  28  2  0 
    Justin Madubuike, Ravens  19  1  0 
    Dexter Lawrence, Giants  38  2.5  1 

    If Carter can keep his head on straight, he has a bright future in the NFL.

    Clutch Performance of the Year: Jake Elliott’s 59-yard FG to send the Eagles to overtime vs. the Bills

    Elliott made a 59-yard field goal in the rain and into the wind to send the game to overtime:

    Elliott said postgame that it was the most difficult kick he has ever made.

    That was the third monster kick he had made at that point in the season. In Week 2 against the Vikings, he hit a 61-yarder into the wind at the end of the first half, and in Week 4 he hit a 54-yarder in OT to beat the Commanders.

    Celly (celebration) of the Year: 🤷‍♂️

    Honestly, I couldn’t think of any, which maybe is a sign of a team that didn’t have a whole lot of fun playing football together?

    UPDATE: As pointed out by one of our readers, they did have the poorly executed Dwayne Wade – LeBron James alley-oop reenactment:

    That was good.

    MORE: The Eagles were ’emotionally tired’ during late-season collapse

    Follow Jimmy & PhillyVoice on Twitter: @JimmyKempski | thePhillyVoice

    Like us on Facebook: PhillyVoice Sports

    Add Jimmy’s RSS feed to your feed reader





    Jimmy Kempski

    Source link

  • NBA trade deadline winners, losers: Did rest of league catch up with Denver Nuggets?

    NBA trade deadline winners, losers: Did rest of league catch up with Denver Nuggets?

    While the Nuggets didn’t change their 18-man roster at the 2024 NBA trade deadline, other contenders around the league made a variety of moves — mostly on the margins — in an effort to steal the throne from Denver.

    From the view at altitude, here are the winners and losers of the deadline:

    Winner: New York Knicks

    The leader of every other winners-and-losers think-piece is the leader of this one, too. New York landed Bojan Bogdanovic and Alec Burks on deadline day at relatively low cost, but the Nuggets already got a close-up view of the new Knicks when O.G. Anunoby registered six steals against them at MSG. With Milwaukee reeling and Philadelphia hedging after Joel Embiid’s injury (Buddy Hield was a solid middle-ground acquisition), New York suddenly transformed into the most proactive win-now team in the East this deadline.

    Loser: Dallas Mavericks

    In arguably the highest-profile trade on actual deadline day, Dallas overpaid for P.J. Washington, whose 13.6 points per game felt somewhat like empty calories in Charlotte. The trade was simultaneously an admission of failure in the Grant Williams Experiment and a brand-new roll of the dice. More importantly, the Mavericks did what the Knicks avoided: They traded a precious first-round pick (2027). Future: mortgaged. Draft assets are close to extinct now for Dallas, a franchise throwing darts at the wall and hoping one will stick before it’s too late to salvage and extend the Luka Doncic era.

    Winner: Boston Celtics

    Is Xavier Tillman going to be a significant role player in Joe Mazzulla’s playoff rotation? Probably not. Will the Celtics feel a lot more comfortable having an affordable, playable backup big ready to aid the injury-prone Kristaps Porzingis and aging Al Horford? Absolutely. Especially if they’re dealing with six or seven games of Nikola Jokic. This was a depth move that felt tailored to fit a Nuggets NBA Finals matchup, but it cost Boston only two second-round picks to add a salary under $2 million.

    Loser: Oklahoma City Thunder

    The Thunder should have done what Boston did. Don’t get me wrong: Gordon Hayward seems like an outstanding veteran addition to a young team. A lot of teams would have pursued him if Charlotte had bought out his contract. But Oklahoma City’s biggest need still hasn’t been addressed. Back in October, I asked Michael Porter Jr. for his first impressions of Chet Holmgren after Denver won in OKC. “I think he’s very, very talented,” Porter said. “To me, he’s more of a four.” Holmgren, who has an even more injury-prone body type than Porzingis and already missed all of last season, is the Thunder’s starting five. Sophomore charge-taking specialist Jaylin Williams (6-foot-9) backs him up. The center position runs dry from there. For a team so small and with a rebounding weakness (No. 27 in the league), it seems neglectful not to dip into a horde of 10,000 picks and add a more traditional five to at least deploy in bench lineups. Without reinforcements, Holmgren is susceptible to getting worn down by Jokic in a long series.

    Winner: Monte Morris

    Congratulations to one former Nuggets backup point guard, who moved from the league’s most puzzling team (Detroit) to a Western Conference title contender. Smart trade for the Timberwolves, who needed more offense to support their top-rated defense. Minnesota’s two most common lineups involving point guard Mike Conley have net ratings of 9.6 and 7.6, respectively, in 635 combined minutes. The most common lineup without Conley on the floor is a minus-5.1 in 127 minutes (a lineup including Anthony Edwards and Karl-Anthony Towns), and second-most common without Conley is a modest 4.9 in 100 minutes (using all four starters except him). Morris supplies 3-point shooting and an upgrade in turnover prevention for an offense that’s third-worst in the NBA at protecting the ball in clutch time.

    Loser: Bruce Brown

    Pour one out for a different former Nuggets backup point guard. Brown did the Reverse Morris three weeks ago, getting traded from a young playoff-caliber core in Indianapolis to a losing team. But the league-wide expectation was that Toronto would flip Brown. There was a market for his versatility and recent championship experience. So he waited and waited, until the deadline passed Thursday, leaving him temporarily stranded in Canada. Brown was just one bullet point on a list of head-scratching decisions by the Raptors, also including their forfeiture of a 2024 first-round pick among other assets for Kelly Olynyk and Ochai Agbaji.



    Bennett Durando

    Source link

  • Best streaming platforms for watching the 2024 Super Bowl

    Best streaming platforms for watching the 2024 Super Bowl


    patrick-mahomes-super-bowl.jpg
    Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) looks on during the Super Bowl LVIII Opening Night presented by Gatorade featuring the AFC Champions Kansas City Chiefs and the NFC Champions San Francisco 49ers on Monday, Feb. 5, 2024, at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada. 

    Marc Sanchez/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images


    The 2024 Super Bowl is almost here. If you can’t fly to Las Vegas to watch the San Francisco 49ers vs. Kansas City Chiefs game live at Allegiant Stadium, you’ll likely be watching the game on TV at home. or watching on the mobile device of your choice.

    If you’ve cut the cord to your cable TV company, you’ll need a digital TV antenna or streaming subscription to watch the game on your TV. Not all streaming platforms, however, will broadcast Super Bowl LVIII.

    To help you make sense of your Super Bowl streaming options, the experts at CBS Essentials have rounded up all your options for watching Sunday’s game. Read on to learn how you can stream the game for free.

    Note: CBS News and Paramount+ are both subsidiaries of Paramount.

    Stream the 2024 Super Bowl for free with Paramount+ 

    paramount-3.png

    Paramount+


    Paramount+ gives you access to CBS original content, NFL football games airing on CBS and NCAA college football. Paramount+ is also the exclusive streaming home to Super Bowl LVIII.

    Right now, Paramount+ is offering a seven-day free trial of the service to new subscribers. That means you can watch the 2024 Super Bowl for free. After the free trial period, you’ll pay $5.99 per month for the ad-supported Paramount+ Essential plan, or $11.99 per month for the ad-free Paramount+ with Showtime tier.

    What you’ll get with Paramount+: 

    • You’ll have access to all NFL games airing on CBS locally and nationally televised on all its subscription tiers.
    • Paramount+ has CBS programming, including hit shows like “Survivor,” “Young Sheldon” and “NCIS.”
    • Paramount+ has original programming like “1923,” “Lawmen Bass Reaves” and “Tulsa King.”
    • Paramount+ has professional soccer, including the Champions League live.
    • Paramount+ features SEC college football games (with a Paramount+ with Showtime subscription).

    Get Paramount+ as part of Walmart+ and stream Super Bowl LVIII

    The Walmart+ shopping subscription service includes access to the Paramount+ Essential tier (with live NFL games and Super Bowl LVIII). Walmart+ subscribers also get discounts on gasoline at Mobil and Exxon stations, access to special members-only deals, same-day home delivery from your local store and more. 

    Walmart+ costs $98 per year. Tap the button below to learn all the benefits of Walmart+, and to start your 30-day free trial.

    What you’ll get with Walmart+:

    • Walmart+ members get access to this game through the Paramount+ streaming service, a $72 value.
    • You can get groceries delivered to your home quickly — sometimes same day —  without paying Instacart-like markups.
    • Walmart+ members get early access to Walmart’s Black Friday deals.
    • You can make returns from home — Walmart will pick them up for you. (Restrictions apply; must be present for pickup.)

    Watch the 2024 Super Bowl for free on Fubo

    fubo.png

    FuboTV


    If you’re new to streaming sports, you should know about Fubo. Fubo is a sports-centric streaming service that offers access to almost every NFL game of the season, your local TV affiliates, hundreds of cable TV channels and 1,000 hours of cloud DVR storage. It’s the ultimate replacement for your costly cable TV subscription.

    Start watching sports on Fubo just in time for the 2024 Super Bowl by starting a seven-day free trial of Fubo. You can begin watching immediately on your TV, phone, tablet or computer. Fubo starts at $80/month for the Pro tier (includes 188 channels).

    What you’ll get with Fubo Pro Tier:

    • There are no contracts with Fubo — you can cancel at any time.
    • The Pro tier includes 188 channels, including NFL Network. (You’ll need to upgrade to the Ultimate tier for NFL RedZone.)
    • Fubo includes all the channels you’ll need to watch college and pro football, including CBS.
    • In addition to NFL football, Fubo offers MLB, NBA, NHL, MLS and international soccer games. 
    • All Fubo tiers come with 1,000 hours of cloud-based DVR recording.
    • Stream on your TV, phone and mobile devices.

    Watch the 2024 Super Bowl with Hulu + Live TV

    hulu.png

    Hulu


    If you’ve completely cut cable and you’re looking to stream sports while still accessing local programming, Hulu + Live TV will save you a bundle. You can watch programming aired locally on CBS, ABC, NBC and Fox affiliates, plus the NFL Network, NBA on TNT, Major League Baseball games and more.

    You’ll be able to watch Super Bowl LVIII with Hulu + Live TV, which includes your local CBS affiliate. Hulu + Live TV comes bundled with ESPN+ and Disney+ for $77 per month.

    What you’ll get with Hulu + Live TV:

    • You won’t need a cable subscription when you subscribe to Hulu + Live TV.
    • Watch top-tier sports like NFL football, the NBA on TNT and the 2024 MLB season with Hulu + Live TV.
    • Unlimited DVR storage is included. 
    • You won’t need a clunky cable box with Hulu + Live TV.

    Watch the Super Bowl live with NFL+

    nfl.png

    NFL


    If you want to watch Super Bowl LVIII on your phone or tablet, check out NFL+. You’ll get access to the 2024 Super Bowl on your mobile device, plus out-of-market NFL games next season. Or, boost your NFL experience and upgrade to NFL+ Premium with NFL RedZone and watch up to eight NFL games simultaneously next season.

    The premium streaming service, which starts at $7 per month, offers access to the NFL Network. Start with a seven-day free trial, or take advantage of the NFL+ deal on an annual subscription, now 60% off. 

    Why you’ll get with NFL+:

    • You can watch the 2024 Super Bowl live on your phone or mobile device.
    • You get access to all NFL preseason games, including those that are out of market.
    • NFL+ lets you watch stream local and primetime regular season games on your phone or tablet, but not your TV.
    • NFL+ includes the NFL Network (and NFL RedZone with NFL+ Premium), so it’s a good option for those who are looking to stream football on the go.

    How to stream the 2024 Super Bowl for free

    If you’re looking to stream the 2024 Super Bowl, but aren’t sure if you want to commit to another streaming subscription, both Paramount+ and Fubo let you test drive the platform with a seven-day free trial. Neither platform requires a long-term contract, so you can cancel anytime.

    Tap the buttons below to learn more about your free streaming options for Super Bowl LVIII.



    Source link

  • What time is the Super Bowl Halftime Show? How to watch Usher’s 2024 performance

    What time is the Super Bowl Halftime Show? How to watch Usher’s 2024 performance


    usher-in-red.jpg

    Scott Legato/Getty Images for iHeartRadio


    The 2024 Super Bowl will be played this Sunday at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, NV. Though the San Francisco 49ers vs. Kansas City Chiefs game is one of the best Super Bowl matchups in recent history, fans are just as excited for the Apple Music Super Bowl LVIII Halftime Show starring Usher.

    Usher promises viewers “a show unlike anything they’ve seen before,” which means you’re not going to want to miss a beat. Keep reading for all the details on Usher’s Super Bowl halftime show, including what time you can expect Usher to take the stage.

    Note: CBS Essentials and Paramount+ are both subsidiaries of Paramount.

    When is the Super Bowl LVIII halftime show?

    The 2024 Super Bowl will be played Sunday, Feb. 11, 2024 at 6:30 p.m ET (3:30 p.m. PT).

    The Super Bowl halftime show typically starts about 90 minutes to two hours after kickoff, or around 8:00 p.m. ET (5:00 p.m. PT).

    How long does the first half of the Super Bowl usually last?

    Most Super Bowl games last about three and a half hours. That means you can expect the first half of this game to last about an hour and a half.

    How long is the Super Bowl halftime show?

    While halftime in a regular NFL game lasts roughly 13 minutes, the Super Bowl gets a supersized halftime to allow for moving the sets (and performers) on and off the field. Still, you should expect Usher’s performance to be approximately 13 minutes long.

    How to watch the Apple Music Super Bowl LVIII Halftime Show

    The Super Bowl LVIII halftime show will air live on CBS and Nickelodeon and stream live on Paramount+.

    How to watch the 2024 Super Bowl halftime show without cable

    While most cable packages include CBS and Nickelodeon, it’s easy to watch the 2024 Super Bowl, and Usher’s halftime show, if CBS or Nickelodeon aren’t included in your cable subscription, or if you don’t have cable at all. Your best options for watching are below.

    Stream the 2024 Super Bowl halftime show for free on Paramount + 

    If you don’t have a cable TV package that includes CBS or Nickelodeon, you can stream the Super Bowl LVIII halftime show through a subscription to Paramount+. Not only can you watch the 2024 Super Bowl and Usher’s halftime performance with a Paramount+ subscription, the streamer also offers access to all NFL games locally and nationally televised on CBS on all its subscription tiers. In addition, you can watch top-tier soccer like the Champions League live and SEC college football games (with a Paramount+ with Showtime subscription), plus popular shows such as “Survivor” and “NCIS.” 

    If you’re not a Paramount+ subscriber, the streaming service is offering a seven-day free trial. That means you can watch Super Bowl LVIII, including the halftime show, for free. After that, a subscription to the Paramount+ Essential plan is $5.99 per month. Bundle Paramount+ with Showtime for just $11.99 per month

    Tap the button below to sign up.

    Get Paramount+ as part of Walmart+ and watch the 2024 Super Bowl halftime show

    The Walmart+ shopping subscription service includes access to the Paramount+ Essential tier, which gives viewers access to Super Bowl LVIII and the Super Bowl LVIII halftime show, plus all live NFL games airing next season on CBS. Walmart+ subscribers also get discounts on gasoline at Mobil and Exxon stations, access to special members-only deals, same-day home delivery from your local store and more. 

    Walmart+ costs $98 per year. Tap the button below to learn all the benefits of Walmart+, and to start your 30-day free trial.

    Why we like Walmart+:

    • Walmart+ members get access to this game through the Paramount+ streaming service (a $72 value).
    • You can get groceries delivered to your home quickly — sometimes same day —  without paying Instacart-like markups.
    • Walmart+ members get early access to Walmart’s Black Friday deals.
    • You can make returns from home — Walmart will pick them up for you. (Restrictions apply; must be present for pickup.)

    Watch the Super Bowl halftime show free with FuboTV

    You can also catch the show on FuboTV. FuboTV is a sports-centric streaming service that offers access to almost every NFL game, including the Super Bowl and the Usher halftime show. Packages include CBS, Fox (“NFL on Fox”), NBC (“Sunday Night Football”), ESPN (“Monday Night Football”), NFL Network and more, so you’ll be able to watch more than just this one event.

    To watch the show without cable, start a seven-day free trial of Fubo. You can begin watching immediately on your TV, phone, tablet or computer. In addition to Usher’s performance, you’ll have access to NFL football, FuboTV offers MLB, NBA, NHL, MLS and international soccer games. FuboTV Pro Tier is priced at $80 per month after your free seven-day trial.

    Top features of FuboTV Pro Tier:

    • There are no contracts with FuboTV — you can cancel at any time.
    • The Pro tier includes 169 channels, including NFL Network. (You’ll need to upgrade to Ultimate for NFL RedZone.)
    • FuboTV includes all the channels you’ll need to watch college and pro football, including CBS (not available through Sling TV).
    • All tiers come with 1,000 hours of cloud-based DVR recording.
    • Stream on your TV, phone, and other devices.

    Watch the 2024 Super Bowl halftime show on Hulu + Live TV

    You can watch the halftime show with Hulu + Live TV. The bundle features access to 90 channels, including CBS. NBC, ABC, Fox and ESPN. Unlimited DVR storage is also included. Watch every NFL game on every network next season with Hulu + Live TV, plus catch live NFL preseason games, exclusive live regular season games, popular studio shows (including NFL Total Access and the Emmy-nominated show Good Morning Football) and lots more.

    Hulu + Live TV comes bundled with ESPN+ and Disney+. It’s priced at $77.

    Watch the 2024 Super Bowl halftime show on your phone with NFL+

    If you want to catch the Super Bowl LVIII halftime show on your phone, check out NFL+. The premium streaming service is $7 per month, but NFL+ is currently offering an annual subscription at 60% off the regular rate. You’ll pay just $20 for a yearly subscription.

    NFL+ offers access to the NFL Network. And yes, that includes games being broadcast out-of-market. To boost your NFL experience even further, you can upgrade to NFL+ Premium with NFL RedZone and watch up to eight NFL games simultaneously. A seven-day, free trial is available.

    Top features of NFL+:

    • You get access to all NFL preseason games, including those that are out of market.
    • NFL+ lets you watch stream local and primetime regular season games on your phone or tablet, but not your TV.
    • Includes the NFL Network (and NFL RedZone with NFL+ Premium), so it’s a good option for those who are looking to stream football on the go.

    Watch the 2024 Super Bowl halftime show live with a digital HDTV antenna

    digital-antenna-update.png

    Amazon


    You can watch the Super Bowl and the 2024 Super Bowl halftime show, NBA, NHL, MLB and college sports on TV with an affordable indoor antenna, which pulls in local over-the-air HDYC channels such as CBS, NBC, ABC, Fox, PBS, Univision and more. Here’s the kicker: There’s no monthly charge.

    Anyone living in partially blocked-off area (those near mountains or first-floor apartments), a digital TV antenna may not pick up a good signal — or any signal at all. But for many homes, a digital TV antenna provides a seriously inexpensive way to watch college football without paying a cable company. Indoor TV antennas can also provide some much-needed TV backup if a storm knocks out your cable.

    This amplified digital antenna can receive hundreds of HD TV channels, including ABC, CBS, NBC, PBS, Fox, Univision and can filter out cellular and FM signals. It received signals 360 degrees and delivers a high-quality picture in 4K, UHD and 1080 HDTV, top-tier sound and features a 16-foot digital coax cable.

    Who is Usher?

    usher-sunglasses.jpg

    Ethan Miller/Getty Images


    Born Usher Raymond IV, the 45-year-old singer, dancer, actor, producer and philanthropist is known to fans as Usher. The Texas native grew up in Chattanooga, TN, where he was encouraged by his mother, Jonetta Patton, to join a local church youth choir. After hearing him sing, Usher’s grandmother encouraged him to sing professionally.

    The family later moved to Atlanta, Georgia, hoping the city would provide more opportunity for the budding singer.  A performance on the TV talent search show “Star Search” helped earn Usher a meeting with famed LaFace Records owner L.A. Reid, who signed the young singer.

    Usher went on to become a top recording artist who has won eight Grammy Awards, 18 Billboard Music Awards, 12 Soul Train Music Awards and eight American Music Awards. Usher has been inducted into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame and the Hollywood Walk of Fame and has received both the Freedom Award and President’s Volunteer Service Award for his philanthropic work.

    In addition to his successful music career and his charitable efforts, Usher served as a judge on NBC’s “The Voice” and has appeared in such films as “Scary Movie 5”, “Muppets Most Wanted” and “The Incredibles 2.” 

    Usher is the father of four children. 

    What are Usher’s most popular songs?

    Known for swoon-worthy hits like “U Remind Me” and iconic dance hits like “Yeah!” (featuring Lil Jon and Ludacris), it’s no wonder Usher has nine Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles. Often called “The King of R&B,” the 45-year-old crooner has been performing live since he was 15 years old.

    Usher’s other top hits include “Nice & Slow,” “You Make Me Wanna…,” “U Got It Bad,” “U Don’t Have To Call,” “Burn,” “There Goes My Baby,” “Love In This Club” (featuring Young Jeezy), “OMG” (featuring will.i.am),  “DJ Got Us Fallin’ in Love” and “My Boo”(with Alicia Keys).

    Get ready for the 2024 Super Bowl halftime show with an Usher playlist

    Fans can’t predict the winner of the 2024 Super Bowl, but we can lock in on getting ready for Usher’s halftime show. That means brushing up on all of Usher’s hits so we can fully enjoy his halftime show (and proudly sing along) at our own Super Bowl watch party.

    Not signed up for Apple Music? The music streaming service is offering a one-month free trial. Afterwards, you’ll pay $10.99 per month.

    Download the latest Usher playlists and check out Usher’s official halftime show trailer at Apple Music by tapping the button below.



    Source link

  • Raiders quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo previews Sunday’s Super Bowl matchup

    Raiders quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo previews Sunday’s Super Bowl matchup


    Raiders quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo previews Sunday’s Super Bowl matchup – CBS News


    Watch CBS News



    After a long NFL season, Super Bowl LVIII is here. Raiders’ quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, who also spent six seasons with the San Francisco 49ers, joins CBS News to talk about the big game and how he’s working with the USAA to bring veterans to the stands in Las Vegas.

    Be the first to know

    Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.




    Source link

  • OJ Simpson diagnosed with cancer, undergoing chemo

    OJ Simpson diagnosed with cancer, undergoing chemo


    LAS VEGAS, Nev. – Former football star, actor and acquitted murder defendant O.J. Simpson has been diagnosed with cancer, Local 10 News learned Friday.

    According to sources, Simpson, 76, who previously lived in South Florida, was diagnosed with prostate cancer and is currently undergoing chemotherapy in Las Vegas.

    Simpson has been reportedly telling his friends and family that he’s been hearing rumors that he’s in hospice care, but announced on X Friday that that is not the case.

    He said he plans to host “a ton of friends” for the Super Bowl on Sunday.

    Simpson was discharged from parole on Dec. 1, 2021, after his conviction in Las Vegas for armed robbery.

    Simpson had told parole officials before his Oct. 1, 2017, release from prison that he planned to move back to Florida.

    He instead moved to a gated community in Las Vegas, where he played golf and frequently took to Twitter to offer opinions about college and pro sports, especially football.

    “Life is fine,” he told The Associated Press during a June 2019 interview.

    Simpson’s saga makes him, in the words of one of his Las Vegas trial lawyers, one of the most famous people on the planet.

    He grew up in public housing in San Francisco, attended the University of Southern California and won the Heisman Trophy as college football’s best player in 1968. He became an NFL Hall of Famer and the first running back to gain 2,000 yards in a season with the Buffalo Bills in 1973. He acted in movies and served as a rent-a-car company pitchman and a football commentator.

    In what became known as “The Trial of the Century,” he was acquitted in 1995 of the double slayings of his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend Ronald Goldman.

    The trial was the focus of gavel-to-gavel TV coverage, with Simpson represented by a legal “Dream Team” that included the late Johnnie Cochran Jr. and F. Lee Bailey.

    In a separate case more than a decade later, Simpson was convicted by a jury in Las Vegas and sentenced to prison for leading five men, including two with guns, in a 2007 confrontation with two sports collectibles dealers in a cramped room at an off-strip Las Vegas casino hotel.

    Simpson insisted he only wanted to retrieve personal mementoes and items stolen from him following his acquittal in the double killings.

    Simpson served nine years in a Nevada prison for armed robbery.

    Copyright 2024 by WPLG Local10.com – All rights reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.





    Amanda Batchelor

    Source link

  • A Taylor Swift love story: How pop icon is bringing a new, young audience to the NFL

    A Taylor Swift love story: How pop icon is bringing a new, young audience to the NFL


    Arrie Flathouse took her first steps to Taylor Swift’s hit song “Tim McGraw.”

    The pop icon was a constant part of the now 16-year-old Arrie’s childhood as she grew up in the Houston area with two older sisters who adored Swift. Arrie came to love Swift, too, dressing up as her for Halloween and listening to her albums.

    GO DEEPER

    What Taylor Swift songs capture the 2023 NFL season: Dear John, Karma, Anti-Hero

    Arrie never got much into football, though, despite having a mom, Kara, who spent her weekends tuned into college and NFL games. That included games played by the Chiefs since Kara, like Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes, is a Texas Tech alum. Despite Kara’s attempts to get her daughters interested, football never clicked with Arrie, so Kara usually spent those weekend afternoons watching games alone.

    But that changed last summer after Arrie saw clips of the “New Heights” podcast, on which one of the hosts, Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, described his attempts to give Swift his number via a friendship bracelet.

    The little exchange had quite an impact on Arrie.

    Already a devoted listener to the podcast, Kara got so excited when her daughter started talking about the Kelce clips. Over the following months, social media worked its magic, and by the time Swift showed up to her first Chiefs game in late September, Arrie was tuned in.

    “This is crazy,” Arrie said. “This isn’t Swifties’ theories. This is for real. So that’s when I started watching football because I was like, ‘If she’s gonna be at the games, I’ve got to see her.’”

    Arrie has since tuned into pretty much every Chiefs game, embracing not only the Taylor Swift-Travis Kelce romance but the entire Kelce family. She’s watched Amazon Prime’s documentary about his brother, Eagles center Jason Kelce, became a devoted listener of the Kelce brothers’ “New Heights” podcast and even started watching Eagles games.

    “Even if Taylor is not there, I think I enjoy (the game) a lot more,” said Arrie, whose parents promised to buy her a Travis Kelce jersey soon.

    go-deeper

    GO DEEPER

    2024 Super Bowl party props sheet: Taylor Swift, Reba McEntire, Usher, commercials and more fun bets

    Kara smiles listening to her daughter describe her newfound interest in a sport she bonded over with her own dad. Kara doesn’t want to push too hard, but she loves it when she sees Arrie’s head pop over the stair banister if she hears football on the TV. Much to Kara’s delight, that tends to lead to quality time together watching games with her daughter. It’s also led to questions about the sport itself.

    “It’s been really fun for me,” said Kara, who posted a viral video in the fall about her glee that Swift finally converted her daughter to a football fan. “I love it.”

    The Flathouse family isn’t an anomaly. Far from it. Swift’s arrival on the football stage has led to countless stories of football-loving parents bonding with their Swiftie kids. Even Chiefs CEO Clark Hunt is hearing them.

    “I frequently have dads come up to me and say, ‘My 10- and 12-year-old daughters never used to watch football, but they now tell me anytime the Kansas City Chiefs are playing to tell them so they can watch,” Hunt said this week in Las Vegas, where the Chiefs are preparing to face the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LVIII. “I was at a function a little over a week ago and I had a woman, probably in her mid-20s, who came up to me, introduced herself as a Swiftie and told me her entire family is Dallas Cowboys fans and that she used to not follow football at all, but now she’s all-in on the Kansas City Chiefs. I think there are a lot of examples like that out there.”

    One story just like that belongs to Todd Kale, a Cowboys fan who posted a now-viral video of his 11-year-old daughter Briley reciting football facts from the couch.

    The Kale family lives near Houston. They’re Cowboys season-ticket holders and their five daughters love going to games. They know the big-name Dallas players but never really watched the game with their dad, instead embracing the atmosphere of a game day or just enjoying eating hot wings, their Sunday ritual, rather than engaging much with the actual football.

    But Briley, the middle child of the family, grew up a Swift fan thanks to her older sisters and has passed the love for Swift onto her younger siblings. Todd wasn’t sure how Briley first learned of Swift’s connection to Kelce, but a few months back, he was watching a Sunday night game with his wife and realized Briley was in the living room. She started asking questions: What’s a safety? What’s a cornerback? How many points is a touchdown worth?

    It didn’t take long for Todd to realize where this was coming from.

    “It definitely intrigued her that somebody she really likes is now involved in something I really like,” Todd said.

    Briley has since watched more Chiefs games and has picked up knowledge about the sport itself, absorbing it all.

    “It’s every dad’s dream. … She liked football before, but I think she just liked the experience of it,” Todd said. “Now she’s learning more about the game.”

    go-deeper

    GO DEEPER

    Kelce aims to add ‘some hardware’ following Swift’s Grammy success

    Swift has been a storyline all season — with Kansas City winning nine of the 12 games she has attended — and the Chiefs’ Super Bowl run has only ratcheted that up a higher level.

    “There’s no doubt her being a fan has put a more intense focus on the team than we would’ve had otherwise,” Hunt said. “It has opened up the fan base to a whole new demographic that we really didn’t have in young women. You’ve seen that in a lot of ways, specifically our TV ratings. They are much higher because of Taylor Swift being a part of the team, as Kelce says.”

    Hunt’s not wrong about the TV ratings. Not only did the average number of viewers tuning into Chiefs regular-season prime-time games increase this season from the previous two (a 39.4 percent jump compared to last year alone), but so did the percentage of female viewers (up 3 percent), according to Nielsen. And that viewership jump has carried over to the postseason. The Chiefs’ divisional-round win over Buffalo averaged 50.4 million viewers, making it the most-watched divisional-round or wild-card game ever. The Chiefs’ victory over the Ravens was the most-watched AFC Championship Game ever, with an average of 55.47 million viewers tuning in.

    The league’s social media team has played a big role in ushering in new audiences, as well. The team embraced Swift’s first game in September, trying to be conscious of all of the new eyeballs on their feeds while not going overboard, said Ian Trombetta, NFL SVP of social and influencer marketing.

    That theme has remained consistent throughout the season, though the strategy varies depending on the platform, Trombetta said. With some of those that skew younger, like TikTok and Snapchat, there’s more reason to embrace Swifties with their posts.

    “We’re also thinking about this in the sense of not just what we’re posting on social media, but also how our partners are covering it,” Trombetta said. “So that could be a broadcast partner. That could be a sponsor, etc. And when you take all that into totality, it can get pretty, pretty hot just in terms of the amount of coverage. And, so for us, I think it really was a reminder for us to take a broader view of all the coverage and understand our role in it.”

    go-deeper

    GO DEEPER

    Taylor Swift at the Super Bowl would be a ‘gift from the gods’ for CBS’ broadcast

    Swift’s emergence onto the NFL scene has helped lead to record-setting engagement, with triple-digit growth in consumption across various platforms, per Trombetta. Their audience continues to skew younger and diversify in male/female split as well, he said.

    Swift’s Super Bowl attendance is up in the air thanks to her Eras Tour stop in Tokyo, If Swift is there to watch Kelce’s Chiefs take on the San Francisco 49ers, the league social team will devote some time to her arrival and reactions, but with so much happening around the Super Bowl between the football and the spectacle, it won’t just be the Taylor Swift social feed.

    “I think we’ve gotten to the point now though, that by and large, it’s been a very celebratory thing,” Trombetta said. “And certainly a positive for the league, a positive for the Chiefs, a positive for the Kelce family, and obviously with Travis, and I think it’s been a positive for Taylor as well. So we’ll continue to lean into it in different ways, but also be respectful of their relationship. So not invading any privacy and looking to take cues where some of the lines might be on the amount of coverage and also keep the game front and center. That’s really important for us.”

    Still, there’s no doubt the league has brought in new fans thanks to Swift, as the Flathouse and Kale families can attest.

    The Flathouse family on Sunday will be hosting an “I’m in My Super Bowl Era” themed party in honor of the Chiefs-Swift crossover.

    There will be a giant friendship bracelet garland along with appropriately themed food and drink, including an “electric” mocktail, in honor of a word Kelce likes to use a lot.

    But what about next season when the Swift magic may have run its course? It doesn’t matter for Arrie, who plans on still tuning into NFL games.

    “I feel like I’m hooked now,” Arrie said.

    — The Athletic’s Nate Taylor contributed to this report.

    (Photo illustration: Daniel Goldfarb / The Athletic;
    Photos: Jamie Squire, Patrick Smith and Sarah Stier / Getty Images)





    The New York Times

    Source link

  • Drake, the Meat Messiah. Plus, Boaz Yakin on ‘Once Again (For the Very First Time).’

    Drake, the Meat Messiah. Plus, Boaz Yakin on ‘Once Again (For the Very First Time).’


    Van Lathan and Rachel Lindsay kick off the show with some Super Bowl, and unfortunately, Taylor Swift talk (3:05) before reacting to an alleged video leak of Drake (26:56). Then, they dig into Mo’Nique’s appearance on Club Shay Shay (39:59), before welcoming writer-director Boaz Yakin to discuss his upcoming film, executive-produced by Van, Once Again (For the Very First Time) (55:23),

    Hosts: Van Lathan and Rachel Lindsay
    Guest: Boaz Yakin
    Producers: Donnie Beacham Jr. and Ashleigh Smith

    Subscribe: Spotify / Apple Podcasts / Stitcher



    Van Lathan

    Source link

  • Damar Hamlin on a lesson of the past year: ‘Trust what you know and trust what got you here’

    Damar Hamlin on a lesson of the past year: ‘Trust what you know and trust what got you here’

    Damar Hamlin learned a lot about himself over the past year. That’s no surprise after his near-death experience on the field about 13 months ago.Hamlin spoke for a few minutes Thursday on a platform overlooking radio row at this year’s Super Bowl. It was easy to take in the enormity of the event from that vantage point, and Hamlin — there with fellow Buffalo Bills defensive back Dane Jackson — reflected a bit.“To give everybody some more perspective, I would just say, trust what you know and trust what got you here,” Hamlin said. “Along the journey of the ups and downs, I had my own, he had his own, and we was able to keep each other, hold each other accountable to what got us there in the moment.”Hamlin and Jackson have been teammates not only with the Bills but also in college at Pittsburgh. Both are from the Pittsburgh area. Hamlin was at last year’s Super Bowl too — in a suite with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell.His story is no longer front and center in quite that way, and he said he’s pretty relaxed this week.“I’ve been enjoying it a lot. I’m seeing players all across the league,” he said. “It’s not too often that we all get to get together and see each other outside of having to perform, where you’ve got to be in your own zone.”Hamlin went into cardiac arrest during a game at Cincinnati on Jan 2, 2023. He needed to be resuscitated and the game was called off. Hamlin played in five games this season, plus both of Buffalo’s postseason matchups. He actually carried the ball in the divisional round against Kansas City on an ill-fated fake punt that was stopped.He was the runner-up for Comeback Player of the Year, which speaks to the impact his health ordeal had. Hamlin actually received the most first-place votes but had fewer points than winner Joe Flacco.The football world took a keen interest in Hamlin’s comeback. He leads the Chasing M’s Foundation, which is dedicated to the health and safety of young people through sports. He’s hoping kids across the country can have access to the life-saving care he did.“People donated to show support and show love. They seen that I was a young kid who cared about other people and I cared about giving back,” Hamlin said. “Everyone had a hand in wanting to give me the ability to be able to do that on a bigger scale.”After this Super Bowl comes another offseason. For Jackson, that means going with the flow.“I don’t really like planning too many things,” Jackson said. “I’m the type of guy, I might change my mind at the last minute.”Hamlin, however, sounds focused — not just on the next few months, but on the long term. He was able to return to the field, but he also, quite understandably, understands there’s more to life than football.“I’m trying to handle business. I’m trying to take care of all opportunities that I can,” he said. “I’m trying to capitalize on all business opportunities. I want to make sure I’m setting myself up for the future.”

    LAS VEGAS —

    Damar Hamlin learned a lot about himself over the past year. That’s no surprise after his near-death experience on the field about 13 months ago.

    Hamlin spoke for a few minutes Thursday on a platform overlooking radio row at this year’s Super Bowl. It was easy to take in the enormity of the event from that vantage point, and Hamlin — there with fellow Buffalo Bills defensive back Dane Jackson — reflected a bit.

    “To give everybody some more perspective, I would just say, trust what you know and trust what got you here,” Hamlin said. “Along the journey of the ups and downs, I had my own, he had his own, and we was able to keep each other, hold each other accountable to what got us there in the moment.”

    Hamlin and Jackson have been teammates not only with the Bills but also in college at Pittsburgh. Both are from the Pittsburgh area. Hamlin was at last year’s Super Bowl too — in a suite with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell.

    His story is no longer front and center in quite that way, and he said he’s pretty relaxed this week.

    “I’ve been enjoying it a lot. I’m seeing players all across the league,” he said. “It’s not too often that we all get to get together and see each other outside of having to perform, where you’ve got to be in your own zone.”

    Hamlin went into cardiac arrest during a game at Cincinnati on Jan 2, 2023. He needed to be resuscitated and the game was called off. Hamlin played in five games this season, plus both of Buffalo’s postseason matchups. He actually carried the ball in the divisional round against Kansas City on an ill-fated fake punt that was stopped.

    He was the runner-up for Comeback Player of the Year, which speaks to the impact his health ordeal had. Hamlin actually received the most first-place votes but had fewer points than winner Joe Flacco.

    The football world took a keen interest in Hamlin’s comeback. He leads the Chasing M’s Foundation, which is dedicated to the health and safety of young people through sports. He’s hoping kids across the country can have access to the life-saving care he did.

    “People donated to show support and show love. They seen that I was a young kid who cared about other people and I cared about giving back,” Hamlin said. “Everyone had a hand in wanting to give me the ability to be able to do that on a bigger scale.”

    After this Super Bowl comes another offseason. For Jackson, that means going with the flow.

    “I don’t really like planning too many things,” Jackson said. “I’m the type of guy, I might change my mind at the last minute.”

    Hamlin, however, sounds focused — not just on the next few months, but on the long term. He was able to return to the field, but he also, quite understandably, understands there’s more to life than football.

    “I’m trying to handle business. I’m trying to take care of all opportunities that I can,” he said. “I’m trying to capitalize on all business opportunities. I want to make sure I’m setting myself up for the future.”



    Source link

  • 49ers win big at NFL’s 2024 Honors Ceremony

    49ers win big at NFL’s 2024 Honors Ceremony

    (FOX40.COM) — The NFL hosted its 13th annual award ceremony, known as NFL Honors, on Thursday, and some current and former members of the Super Bowl-contending San Francisco 49ers were able to come away with some hardware.

    49ers star All-Pro running back and Stanford alumni Christian McCaffrey, who compiled nearly 1,500 rush yards (1,459), over 2,000 yards from scrimmage (2,023), and over 20 touchdowns (21) during the 2023-2024 season, was named the NFL’s Offensive Player of the Year.
    •Video Above: 49ers fans in the Sacramento area celebrate the NFC title win

    Those stats are even more impressive when one considers that McCaffrey sat out the team’s final game of the season.

    McCaffrey beat out Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill, Dallas Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb, and Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott to win the award. He also beat out Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson, who would win Most Valuable Player later in the night for the second time in his young career.

    CMC becomes the first Niners player to win OPOY since Jerry Rice won it in 1993, and the fifth Niners player in the organization’s history to win the award, joining Rice, Joe Montana, Steve Young, and Roger Craig.

    But McCaffrey wasn’t the only Niners player to receive attention at the awards ceremony. Former linebacker Patrick Willis, who was drafted by the 49ers in 2007 and spent his entire career with the team, was announced as a 2024 inductee into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

    According to Pro Football Focus, a sports analytics company that “focuses on thorough analysis of the NFL,” Willis was the highest-graded linebacker in the company’s history.

    The rest of the 2024 Hall of Fame class is made up of defensive legends like Julius Peppers, Dwight Freeney, Steve McMichael, and Randy Gradishar, along with wide receivers Andre Johnson and Devin Hester.

    McCaffrey takes the field on Sunday against the Kansas City Chiefs at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada for Super Bowl LVIII, where he’ll look to add a Lombardi trophy to his impressive resume.



    Aydian Ahmad

    Source link

  • 2/8: Prime Time with John Dickerson

    2/8: Prime Time with John Dickerson


    2/8: Prime Time with John Dickerson – CBS News


    Watch CBS News



    John Dickerson reports on a Trump ballot eligibility case before the Supreme Court, the DOJ refusing to charge President Biden over his handling of classified documents, and how Las Vegas is preparing to welcome hundreds of thousands of Super Bowl fans.

    Be the first to know

    Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.




    Source link