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As the Kansas City Chiefs prepare to face the Philadelphia Eagles in the Super Bowl for the second time in three years, Travis Kelce has high praise for the NFC champs.

On the latest episode of the New Heights podcast (starts at 10:00 mark), Kelce referred to the Eagles as a "hell of a f--king football team" and said they will be the best team Kansas City plays this season.

"And it's man, it's going to be electric. It's going to be absolutely electric," Kelce said. "We know Philly's got the sour taste in their mouth from the last one. And you know that and they're a hell of a fucking football team, man. This would be the best team we play all year."

The last time these two teams played on this stage was electric. Kansas City won 38-35 on Harrison Butker's 27-yard field goal with eight seconds remaining. The 73 combined points were the third-most in Super Bowl history.

The 340 yards by the Chiefs in that game were their fewest in their four Super Bowl appearances during Patrick Mahomes' career.

While many of the principal players from that matchup are back for Super Bowl 59, the Chiefs' approach on offense has changed significantly. It's still built around Mahomes being Superman, but the 2022 season was really the last time he aired it out like he did early in his career.

Now, Mahomes takes a more cerebral approach because the Chiefs don't have as many explosive players around him. Kelce has lost a step now that he is 35 years old. Rashee Rice looked like he was going to be a breakout star before tearing his LCL in Week 4.

The Eagles built their 2024 team in a way that is very reminiscent of the 2022 squad, except they now have Saquon Barkley at running back instead of Miles Sanders. Even though Sanders was very good that season (1,269 yards, 11 touchdowns), Barkley is putting together one of the best running back seasons in NFL history.

Saquon Barkley just notched his third rushing TD of 60+ yards in the playoffs this year 😦

NO other player in NFL history has 3️⃣ 60+ yard TDs in their ENTIRE playoff career

📺: #WASvsPHI on FOX
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus 
pic.twitter.com/lH7nwFyt3Q

— NFL+ (@NFLPlus) January 26, 2025

The Eagles defense is better by certain metrics now than it was during the 2022 season. They finished second in the NFL in points allowed per game (eighth in 2022) and first in defensive DVOA (third in 2022).

No matter how good the Eagles—or any team—have been throughout the course of an entire season, the Chiefs have proven they deserve any benefit of the doubt in a playoff matchup.

Kelce's assessment that this Philadelphia squad is the best team the Chiefs will play all season is arguably correct. The other teams challenging the Eagles would be the Baltimore Ravens and Buffalo Bills, the latter of which just had their hearts broken again by Kansas City in the postseason.

The Eagles will attempt to be the first team to beat Kansas City in the playoffs since the Cincinnati Bengals in the 2021 AFC Championship Game when the two teams square off in Super Bowl 59 on Feb. 9 at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans.

Following a report that the Sacramento Kings are open to trading star point guard De'Aaron Fox, teams have wasted no time in trying to acquire him.

ESPN's Shams Charania reported during an episode of SportsCenter that the Kings have already "gotten dozens of calls in the last seven, eight, nine hours."

Fox has one year remaining on his contract and is scheduled to earn $37.1 million for the 2025-26 campaign. He bypassed a three-year, $165 million maximum extension from the Kings before this season, as he will be eligible for a four-year, $229 million maximum extension next summer. If he's selected to an All-NBA team this year, he would be eligible for a five-year, $345 million supermax deal.

Charania explained that any team that trades for Fox would want the security of knowing whether he's willing to sign an extension beyond his current deal.

"Wherever he might land, that team would want to know whether he'll be able to stay long-term, whether that team is gonna have a chance to keep him," Charania said.

Charania added that the San Antonio Spurs are "atop that list of preferred destinations" for Fox.

The 27-year-old has spent his entire eight-year NBA career in Sacramento since the franchise drafted him fifth overall in 2017. In 43 games this season, he leads the team with averages of 25.2 points and 1.5 steals while also adding 5.0 rebounds and 6.2 assists.

Despite Fox's individual success, the Kings rank 10th in the West with a 24-22 record. Head coach Mike Brown was fired last month following the team's slow start. Under interim head coach Doug Christie, Sacramento has won 11 of its past 15 games.

The Feb. 6 trade deadline is just over a week away, so teams will have to move quickly if they want to convince the Kings to let go of their top homegrown talent.

There is reportedly some belief within the NFL that head coach Pete Carroll and quarterback Russell Wilson could be headed for a reunion with the Las Vegas Raiders.

According to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, two anonymous former Carroll assistant coaches said they believe Wilson and Carroll can co-exist after they "rekindled their relationship" on the heels of a "rocky ending" together with the Seattle Seahawks.

One of Carroll's former assistants told Fowler, "I think both would be open to it, especially with this QB class the way it is," and another predicted that the Raiders will sign Wilson in free agency.

Last week, the Raiders announced the hiring of Carroll as their new head coach following the firing of Antonio Pierce.

Carroll was the Seahawks' head coach from 2010 to 2023, and Wilson was his starting quarterback for much of that tenure, serving in that role from 2012 through 2021.

The Seahawks went 104-53-1 in games Wilson started, reached the playoffs eight times and made it to two Super Bowls, winning one.

Wilson was traded from the Seahawks to the Denver Broncos before the 2022 season, and Carroll stayed on as the head coach in Seattle for two more years, going 9-8 each season with one playoff berth and no playoff wins.

Aside from landing a massive contract extension, the move to Denver did not work out well for Wilson.

In his first season with the Broncos, he went 4-11 and and had the worst statistical season of his career, throwing for 3,524 yards, 16 touchdowns and 11 interceptions.

Wilson improved the next season following the arrival of head coach Sean Payton, throwing 26 touchdowns and just eight picks, but once the Broncos were eliminated from playoff contention, Wilson was benched and ultimately cut once the season ended.

The 36-year-old signal-caller landed with the Pittsburgh Steelers on a low-cost, one-year deal, and he experienced his fair share of ups and downs during his one season in the Steel City.

After missing the first six games of the season due to injury, Wilson went 6-5 in 11 starts, completing 63.7 percent of his passes for 2,482 yards, 16 touchdowns and five interceptions.

Despite the Steelers losing their final four games of the regular season, they reached the playoffs with a 10-7 record, although they fell 28-14 to the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC Wild Card Round.

The Raiders have now missed the playoffs in three consecutive seasons, and their 4-13 record in 2024 was their worst since going 3-13 in 2014.

Pierce was fired after only one full season on the job, but he was arguably merely the scapegoat for the Raiders' shortcomings at quarterback.

Free-agent signing Gardner Minshew fell flat to the tune of nine touchdown passes and 10 interceptions, while second-year man Aidan O'Connell had eight touchdowns and four picks, but went just 2-5 as a starter.

The Raiders hired Carroll in hopes of changing the culture and getting back to their winning ways, but that won't be possible without stabilizing the quarterback position.

Vegas has the No. 6 overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft, so while it is possible Miami quarterback Cam Ward or Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders could fall to that spot, it is far from guaranteed with quarterback-needy teams owning the top three picks.

Wilson could be a quality stopgap until the Raiders find their long-term answer under center since he would likely be cheap and has plenty of experience succeeding with Carroll as his head coach.

WWE announced Wednesday that it is bringing a premium live event to Paris this summer.

In a teaser video, WWE revealed that Clash in Paris will take place in the Paris La Défense Arena in France's capital city on Aug. 31.

It will mark the second time a WWE PLE has emanated from France, following Backlash at the LDLC Arena in Lyon, France, on May 4, 2024.

Over the past couple of years, WWE has clearly made a concerted effort to hold more premium live events outside the United States, and the company has been rewarded for that decision with large and raucous crowds.

In 2023, WWE PLEs were hosted in Canada, Puerto Rico Saudi Arabia and England, and that was followed by PLEs in Australia, France, Saudi Arabia, Scotland, Canada and Germany last year.

The upcoming Elimination Chamber show will take place in Toronto on March 1, and now Clash in Paris is on the 2025 schedule as well.

Clash in Paris is seemingly the next edition of foreign PLEs that were held in Europe in both 2022 and 2024.

It started with Clash at the Castle in Cardiff, Wales, in September 2022, followed by Clash at the Castle last year in Glasgow, Scotland.

There was also a PLE called Bash in Berlin that occurred in Berlin, Germany, on Aug. 31, 2024.

With a two-night SummerSlam set for MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, in early August, Clash in Paris will likely serve as a follow-up to that event in some respects.

For much of its existence, WWE rarely strayed from the United States and Canada, but in lockstep with the financial success it has enjoyed thanks to rights deals with Netflix and NBCUniversal, WWE has become more of a global brand than ever before.

Overseas PLEs have almost always drawn a ton of wrestling-loving fans over the past couple of years, making for a fun and unique atmosphere since those fans.

Backlash France was a highly regarded show headlined by a WWE Championship match between Cody Rhodes and AJ Styles, so Clash in Paris will have lofty standards to live up to later this year.

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Despite sitting in second place in the Western Conference and boasting a haul of future draft picks, the Houston Rockets don't seem like they will put themselves in the market for De'Aaron Fox.

On the latest episode of The Hoop Collective Podcast (starts at 16:05 mark), ESPN's Tim Bontemps noted there's no sense the Rockets will attempt to pursue the 27-year-old.

"I checked in after the Shams spoke to De'Aaron Fox thing," he said. "I think this summer, depending on how things played out, Fox would have been a serious consideration for them. But again, I don't think the Rockets are going to get involved here."

ESPN's Shams Charania reported on Tuesday that the Sacramento Kings are expected to open trade talks involving Fox prior to the NBA trade deadline on Feb. 6 in part because he has not shown a willingness to sign a long-term extension.

One potential complicating factor for interested teams is Fox and his representatives have a target destination in mind, with Charania citing the San Antonio Spurs being among the clubs believed to be atop his preferred list.

There's always the possibility that Fox gets traded to a club that's not the Spurs, settles in nicely and decides to sign a new contract. But if the organization doesn't receive any assurance ahead of time, it's hard to imagine the front office feeling comfortable giving up all that it would take to get Fox from the Kings.

The Rockets are one of the few teams that could almost certainly meet Sacramento's trade demands without really thinking that much about it. They have 10 first-round draft picks between 2025 to '31, including two potentially extremely valuable selections in '27 when they have swap rights with the Brooklyn Nets and an unprotected pick from the Phoenix Suns.

This would also seem like the time for Houston to make a big move that would fortify its status as a top-tier contender in the Western Conference. Head coach Ime Udoka's team is currently second in the West with a 32-14 record on the strength of an elite defense.

If the Rockets could find a go-to scoring option for their offense, they would have the ingredients to at least challenge a team like the Oklahoma City Thunder.

There will almost certainly come a point when the Rockets want to cash in with a major move using their draft capital, but they may be preaching patience right now because the free-agent class of 2026 looks very strong at this point.

Fox is under contract through the 2025-26 season. He's averaging 25.2 points on 46.8 percent shooting, 6.2 assists and 5.0 rebounds per game in 43 starts for the Kings this season.

The Kings have been playing much better under interim head coach Doug Christie. They are 11-4 in 15 games since firing Mike Brown and have moved within two games of the Los Angeles Clippers for the No. 6 seed in the Western Conference.

Damian Lillard remains winless at Moda Center in two games as a member of the Milwaukee Bucks.

The Bucks, playing on the second night of a back-to-back, were defeated 125-112 by the Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday night. Lillard scored 20 points on 7-of-17 shooting and dished out six assists in 38 minutes.

The game did start on a high note for Lillard, who received a warm welcome from the Portland crowd during pregame introductions.

A warm welcome back for Damian Lillard. pic.twitter.com/MHGpNvmLWX

— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) January 29, 2025

That was about the end of the good vibes for Lillard. His 20 points were his fewest in a game since Jan. 4 when he scored 16 against these same Trail Blazers in Milwaukee.

There haven't been a lot of wins by the Blazers in recent years, but they certainly have fun going up against Lillard and the Bucks.

Damian Lillard's 4 games vs. Blazers since the trade:

Loss
Loss
Loss
Win

0-2 in Portland as a visitor.

— Underdog NBA (@UnderdogNBA) January 29, 2025

I miss Damian Lillard in Portland man..

I am so glad I never took him for granted when he was a Blazer..This dude will FOREVER be the Blazers GOAT.

This will FOREVER be HIS City and HIS arena!! ❤️♾️ pic.twitter.com/vcyW8s1jRi

— ᴛʏʟᴇʀ (@blazersforreal) January 29, 2025

https://twitter.com/brewcitypaul/status/1884468369077768564

"I know we for sure get up for them."

The Blazers now own a three game winning streak over the Milwaukee Bucks and tonight was pure domination as the closest the Bucks got in the 4th was 7 pts with 11 mins to go.

My full wrap from Moda: pic.twitter.com/k0VYIwOvmI

— Brenna Greene (@BrennaGreene_) January 29, 2025

The big winner of the game was Anfernee Simons, who thrived up against his former mentor and teammate. He dropped 25 points on 9-of-17 shooting and had one moment in the third quarter when he was able to shake off Lillard in a manner similar to what Lillard has done to opposing players throughout his career.

"Simons dancing with his mentor..."

Anfernee Simons spent 5 seasons learning the trick of the trade from Damian Lillard...

And gets the tough floater to fall here! pic.twitter.com/iXr8bpS2Cx

— NBA (@NBA) January 29, 2025

The biggest issue for the Bucks in this game was trying to contain Deni Avdija. The 24-year-old put up a season-high 30 points in 38 minutes. Deandre Ayton, returning to the lineup after a three-game absence, recorded his third straight double-double (21 points, 14 rebounds).

Milwaukee definitely looked like an older team playing its second game in as many nights. Khris Middleton, after playing 27 minutes against the Utah Jazz on Monday, had zero points in 15 minutes against the Blazers. This is the second time in three games he's been held scoreless.

Giannis Antetokounmpo did all he could to carry the Bucks with 39 points, 12 rebounds and five assists. He's recorded a double-double in 17 consecutive games, including three straight games with at least 30 points and 10 rebounds.

Even though the Bucks have figured out some of the issues that contributed to their slow start this season, playing on the road remains a problem. They are now 9-12 away from Fiserv Forum.

Lillard and the Bucks will wrap up their four-game Western Conference road trip on Friday when they take on the San Antonio Spurs at Frost Bank Center.

A trade with the Sacramento Kings is reportedly not on the table for the Miami Heat as it relates to disgruntled veteran Jimmy Butler.

Speaking Wednesday on his Brian Windhorst and The Hoop Collective podcast (beginning at the 17:09 mark), ESPN NBA insider Brian Windhorst suggested that the Kings are not in the mix for Butler:

"As of the recording of this podcast, I do not believe that Jimmy Butler going to Sacramento is part of the option here. I have my reasons for that. Could change. This podcast is being recorded the day before it's posting. There's not been discussion, I think, with the Butler side. Not that that's absolutely vital, but I can just leave it at that."

The Kings made headlines on the rumor mill Tuesday when ESPN's Shams Charania reported that they were expected to "open talks" for a possible trade involving one-time All-Star guard De'Aaron Fox.

Butler, 35, seems like a sure bet to get moved prior to the Feb. 6 NBA trade deadline given his tumultuous relationship with the Heat currently.

He is in the midst of his third suspension this month, as he was first suspended seven games for conduct detrimental to the team, then two games for missing a team flight and now indefinitely for walking out of practice Monday.

Prior to his initial suspension, Butler suggested that he wanted to be traded, and as part of the suspension announcement, the Heat confirmed as much and noted that they would listen to offers.

An ideal scenario for Miami would be to trade Butler in a deal that brings back a player who would help the team now and in the future, which perfectly describes Fox.

The 27-year-old Fox is in the midst of his third consecutive season averaging 25 points or more per game, as he is putting up 25.2 points, 6.2 assists, 5.0 rebounds, 2.0 three-pointers made and 1.5 steals per contest, while shooting 46.8 percent from the field and 32.4 percent from long range.

While Fox has been a highly productive player throughout his eight-year career in Sacramento, he has only reached the playoffs once, which may be a contributing factor in why he has not wanted to make a long-term commitment to the organization.

Fox can become a free agent after next season, and ESPN's Tim Bontemps noted on Brian Windhorst and The Hoop Collective that the Heat want to have salary cap space entering the 2026 offseason with the goal of signing a player like Fox.

Bontemps also brought up the Kentucky connection with the Heat, as Fox starred at the University of Kentucky, as did Miami's top two players in Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo, and team president Pat Riley.

While the Heat may try to make a run at trading for Fox, Windhorst suggested that Butler is not the type of return the Kings are looking for.

Butler is a six-time All-Star who has twice led the Heat to the playoffs, but he can become a free agent during the offseason if he opts out of his contract.

Also, the Kings are only on the fringes on playoff contention, as their 24-22 record has them 10th in the Western Conference, which is the final spot in the postseason play-in tournament.

Butler would perhaps help the Kings remain competitive playing alongside Domantas Sabonis and DeMar DeRozan, but it seems likely that the Kings would prefer to bring in quality pieces for the future in any trade involving Fox.

Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick commented on Bronny James' struggles during the Lakers' 118-104 road loss to the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday night.

Bronny, who was recalled from the G League on Monday, played a season- and career-high 15 minutes off the bench, finishing with no points on 0-for-5 shooting, along with three rebounds, one assists, one block and three turnovers.

After the game, Redick told reporters that the rookie was placed in a difficult position to succeed, saying: "Maybe put him in a tough spot. Flying up yesterday, nationally televised game in Philly and all that stuff. He didn't play well, but he's been playing great in the stay-ready games, and he's been playing great in the G [League]."

JJ Redick says he played Bronny in the 1st quarter hoping he'd bring the team "energy"

"He didn't play well, but he's been playing great in the stay-ready games and in the [G League]. I have confidence in him." pic.twitter.com/SNk4G5swIa

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) January 29, 2025

Since making his debut in the Lakers' season opener and becoming one half of the first father-son duo in NBA history alongside his dad, LeBron James, Bronny has played sparingly for the Lakers and spent time shuttling between the NBA and the G League.

Prior to Tuesday, Bronny had not played more than five minutes in an NBA game, and although he saw action in five previous games this month, he only played a grand total of 11 minutes across those contests.

The No. 55 overall pick in the 2024 NBA draft has scored just four points all season at the NBA level, but his talent has been on full display in the G League.

In three appearances for the South Bay Lakers, Bronny is averaging 23.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, 4.7 assists, 3.7 three-pointers made and 2.0 steals, while shooting 43.4 percent from the field and a sizzling 45.8 percent from beyond the arc.

There was plenty of criticism when the Lakers drafted Bronny due to the belief that nepotism played a role. It can be argued that Bronny did not put up draft-worthy numbers in his only collegiate season at USC when he averaged 4.8 points per game on 36.6 percent shooting.

Being the son of the NBA's all-time leading scorer and arguably the greatest player in league history likely played a role in Bronny getting drafted, but he has shown on multiple occasions in the G League that he possesses a ton of potential.

Entering Tuesday's game, Bronny was coming off scoring a career-high 31 points in the G League, and Redick noted that he thought it would be good to get some fresh legs on the floor on the second night of back-to-back games, saying: "Just felt like on a back-to-back, just him giving us energy, I think, was the goal. I have confidence in him, but obviously didn't provide that at a high level."

Bronny noted his call up from the G League "came out of nowhere," although he expressed his belief that he is "a whole lot more prepared now" than he was earlier in the season.

L.A. dropped to 26-19 on the season with Tuesday's loss, snapping a four-game winning streak in the process.

Despite the loss, the Lakers are still fifth in the Western Conference, which is an ideal spot to be in given that the Nos. 7 through 10 seeds will have to go through the postseason play-in tournament to reach the playoffs.

The Lakers are only up 1.5 games on the seventh-place Minnesota Timberwolves, though, so they can ill afford to get complacent.

With every game being so meaningful in the deep and competitive Western Conference, it is fair to wonder if Redick will think twice about giving Bronny extensive playing time again this season.

The Lakers will return to action Thursday for a road game against the 6-39 Washington Wizards.

In the closing moments of Monday's Raw, CM Punk and Cody Rhodes electrified the fans, captivating them with a verbal exchange that was among the best things the company has done creatively in this young 2025.

GOOSEBUMPS.#RawOnNetflix#RoyalRumble pic.twitter.com/hi91aBVLsL

— WWE (@WWE) January 28, 2025

Punk warned Rhodes that it was he, his friend, who was coming for the Undisputed WWE Championship after winning the men's Royal Rumble match this Saturday in Indianapolis and that he would stab him in the front instead of the back, like The American Nightmare's other so-called "friends."

Despite the clear setup for a WrestleMania main event and a social media response that suggested fans are ready to see that matchup on the grandest stage, the WWE Universe should not fall for this red herring.

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Other Directions

As far back as SmackDown before Survivor Series: WarGames, Punk and Roman Reigns have laid the groundwork for a rivalry that should culminate in a high-profile main event, possibly at WrestleMania 41.

While there is still potential for The Original Tribal Chief to be busy with The Rock in Las Vegas come April 19-20, the Punk-Reigns match generated incredible social media interest, including 1.4 million views on YouTube for their face-to-face confrontation and 6.8 million for a YouTube short of their interaction during the men's WarGames match.

If Rock is unavailable and that dream match with The OTC is off the table, the biggest and most logical match-up available to WWE for its signature event is the battle between "Paul Heyman guys."

Also available for The Best in the World is a date with world heavyweight champion Gunther.

The Straight Edge Superstar gave his hometown fans in Chicago a taste of what that match may look like during the recent WWE Holiday Tour. He has also called out The Ring General before. The question is whether the company hierarchy believes the match is big enough to warrant top billing on The Grandest Stage of Them All.

For Rhodes, there are several directions to go in, including a match with The Rock, with whom he planted the seeds for a contest on the Raw after last year's WrestleMania.

If that does not come to fruition, an Undisputed WWE Championship match against John Cena is another option.

With The GOAT embarking on his retirement tour, he will seek a historic 17th world title. What better match to build the biggest show around than a battle between the heroic babyface of the previous era and this era's answer to him?

Punk laid out his reasoning for targeting Rhodes on Raw, and the company could easily build around that coming out of Saturday's show.

Still, there is a precedent for not buying into the tense confrontation from this week's Netflix broadcast that dates back to last year's go-home episode before the Royal Rumble.

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We Have Seen This Before

One year ago, on the final Raw before the Rumble, Punk and Rhodes had a tense confrontation in which the former talked about the late Dusty Rhodes and claimed he was a better representative of the American Dream than Cody.

It ended with the competitors face-to-face, each jockeying for a WrestleMania main event and claiming to win the 2024 men's Royal Rumble.

While the first faceoff featured two men chasing the same goal, and the latest saw Punk looking to take the WWE title that Rhodes won via his Rumble victory a year ago, it is still not indicative of an impending showdown for the top prize in professional wrestling.

After all, they were a huge part of that go-home show in 2024, with no evidence or expectation that a clash between them was ever on the horizon.

Monday's confrontation also served as a reminder from Punk to Rhodes that he is burning the candle at both ends, leading to him losing the title, regardless of whether it's The Best in the World or another challenger.

It also put Punk in a position to "keep up," as Rhodes noted. The Second City Saint has been sidelined by personal vendettas with Drew McIntyre and Seth Rollins since returning to the ring, keeping him out of title contention and taking his focus off of his end goal of capturing a championship.

Will history repeat itself in the form of a program with Reigns that prevents Punk from standing tall on the WrestleMania stage, with a championship held high overhead? It very well could.

There is undoubtedly money to be made from a Punk-Rhodes matchup. Their two verbal encounters have been electric and left fans genuinely intrigued by what a program between the two of them may look like.

As was the case a year ago, though, their most recent altercation felt more like WWE farming for a reaction while ensuring this year's men's Rumble is the most unpredictable of all time rather than an honest attempt to highlight the feud that will main-event WrestleMania 41.

If not, and the pair do battle inside Allegiant Stadium in April, great. They have earned that spot and provided proof of their ability to captivate the audience.

For now, though, it feels like a preview of things still to come rather than a match that is in immediate plans for this upcoming Road to WrestleMania.