Chiefs vs. Eagles NFL championship, Kendrick Lamar halftime show and more

Trump has arrived in New Orleans, with Air Force One touching down moments ago.

The president exited the plane holding an umbrella and immediately entered the motorcade. He was accompanied by his daughter Ivanka Trump and one of her sons.

Earlier this week the Chiefs’ star tight end said he has multiple seasons remaining. But according to NFL Network, sources say he’s still mulling over his future.

Mike Florio and Chris Simms unpack Patrick Mahomes’ read on being called “villains” and how the fact of the matter is the Chiefs will not back down and will continue to win.

Patrick Mahomes 25+ rushing yards (-171)

It is not surprising this is one of the most bet player props and parlay pieces. Kansas City’s offense isn’t as impressive as the past two seasons, so Mahomes has had to improvise. Mahomes carried the ball 18 times for 57 yards in two playoff games (43, 14) and while he is 1-1 on this prop, it’s the attempts (11, 7) that matter.

Mahomes was 11-5 to the Under 24.5 yards this season, but you should throw most regular season trends or hit rates out the window when it comes to the Super Bowl. For example, Mahomes has at least 29 rushing yards in four Super Bowls even though he has had nine or fewer rushing attempts in each of the four Super Bowls.

Harrison Butker 2+ Made FGs (-140)

This is a sharp play and fun angle, but let’s play devil’s advocate. Butker has made at least two field goals in two of four Super Bowls with a 10-of-11 mark and it’s no secret that this Chiefs offense isn’t as dynamic or high-scoring as the past two seasons. The only problem with this prop is, it may take touchdowns to beat the Eagles, especially if Saquon Barkley finds success.

First TD Saquon Barkley (+450)

Saquon Barkley has scored the first touchdown in six games all season, including the playoffs. He’s not only a reliable back in the red zone; he has a home-run-hitting ability. His first touchdown frequency is higher than anyone else on the field.

Dallas Goedert 40+ receiving yards (-237)

This makes sense at 40+ yards and even to 50+ yards. He’s gone over this number in all three playoff games. The Kansas City Chiefs do a great job of taking away the primary and outside options of the passing attack. However, since they do that, the middle of the field is usually open to exploit them with your tight end. The Kansas City Chiefs give up the most receiving yards (70) per game to tight ends.

This will be Andy Reid’s 45th career postseason game as a head coach. He surpasses Bill Belichick (44 games) for the most by a head coach.

If the Chiefs win on Sunday, Reid will join Belichick and Chuck Noll as the only head coaches with at least four Super Bowl wins.

Reid’s 28 career postseason victories trails Belichick (31) for the most postseason wins by a head coach in history.

In an interview with Apple Music ahead of the show, artist Kendrick Lamar told audiences to expect to see some “storytelling” in his performance tonight.

“I like to always carry on that sense of, you know, make people listen, but also see and think a little,” he said.

Lamar, the first solo hip-hop artist to headline the show, also praised his chosen guest, SZA, who is featured on two tracks of his latest album, “GNX.” He spoke about how he’s seen her grow as an artist, from when she was starting out to the star she is now.

“She always had it, man, she always had it, and I’m just honored to be next to a talent,” he said.

President Donald Trump predicted that the Chiefs will win the Super Bowl today, shouting out quarterback Patrick Mahomes.

“I guess you have to say that when a quarterback wins as much as he’s won, I have to go with Kansas City. I have to go with Kansas City,” Trump said during a pretaped interview with Fox News’ Bret Baier. 

Trump also shouted out Mahomes’ wife, Brittany Mahomes, who has liked content on social media seemingly supporting Trump.

“This great quarterback who has, by the way, a phenomenal wife, OK, she’s a Trump fan, she’s a MAGA fan, so I happen to love her,” Trump said. Trump has previously praised Brittany Mahomes.

The NFL has hired a fashion editor who will host the first ever Super Bowl red carpet.

Kyle Smith told NBC News that he never imagined he’d work for the NFL, and offered his takes on some of football’s biggest stars’ senses of style.

NBC’s Steve Kornacki joins “TODAY” and takes to the big board to look at what the odds are looking like, past wins, star quarterbacks and more.

This is the fifth time in the last six years and the sixth time in franchise history that the Chiefs are playing in the Super Bowl. With wins in the last two years, the Chiefs’ record is 4-2 in the Super Bowl.

Other teams who have won back-to-back Super Bowls:

Green Bay Packers 1966-67

Miami Dolphins 1972-73

Pittsburgh Steelers 1974-75

Pittsburgh Steelers 1978-79

San Francisco 49ers 1988-89

Dallas Cowboys 1992-93

Denver Broncos 1997-98

New England Patriots 2003-04

This is Philadelphia’s fifth trip to the Super Bowl. The Eagles are 1-3 in their history, winning 41-33 in 2018 against Tom Brady and the Patriots. Eagles quarterback Nick Foles was the MVP of the game, throwing for 373 yards and 3 TDs as well as catching a pass for a touchdown. In addition to losing to Kansas City (38-35) in Super Bowl 57, the Eagles also lost to the Oakland Raiders (27-10) in Super Bowl 15 and to the New England Patriots (24-21) in Super Bowl 39.

Animals at zoos across the U.S. are getting in on the Super Bowl fun.

On social media, accounts for various zoos are posting some of the animals’ predictions for who will win.

At the Memphis Zoo, wolves Atlas, Blaze, Cash and Dottie are “howling for the Eagles to take the win.”

Fiona the hippo at the Cincinnati Zoo seemed to agree, with the zoo account sharing that “last time she picked the Philadelphia Eagles in 2018, they won!”

Meanwhile, at Blank Zoo Park in Des Moines, Iowa, “Misha, the Amur tiger, ultimately sided with the Kansas City Chiefs as her Big Game winner,” the zoo said in a Facebook post.

A hippo named Bubbles at the Fort Worth Zoo is also rooting for the Chiefs, “swimming swiftly past the Eagles and going all-in on the Chiefs for the #threepeat,” the zoo said on Instagram.

Mike Florio and Chris Simms unpack what Jalen Hurts learned from the Eagles’ last Super Bowl loss to the Chiefs and how there’s a psychological element at play given their history.

Days before the Philadelphia Eagles take on the Kansas City Chiefs in the Super Bowl, Philadelphia’s mayor sought to dissuade celebrating fans from climbing light poles or onto other equipment.

The request by Mayor Cherelle Parker came more than a week after an 18-year-old Temple University student fell from a light pole after the Eagles won the NFC championship and later died.

“Please, Philadelphia, I implore you as your mayor: Do not climb light poles or anything else,” Parker said Thursday at a news conference about celebration preparations.

Read the full story here.

Trump has departed West Palm Beach on Air Force One and is heading to New Orleans.

According to a White House official, several GOP senators, including Sens. Dave McCormick of Pennsylvania, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, John Barrasso of Wyoming, Tim Scott of South Carolina, Katie Britt of Alabama, Tommy Tuberville of Alabama, Roger Marshall of Kansas and Eric Schmitt of Missouri are flying with Trump.

Also joining them on the plane are the president’s daughter Ivanka Trump and one of her sons, plus Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and his wife, and Rep. Tom Emmer and his wife.

A White House official also said Trump plans to do a meet-and-greet in New Orleans when he arrives that will include the game’s honorary coin toss participants, family members of the victims of the New Year’s terror attack on Bourbon Street, members of the New Orleans Police Department and emergency personnel.

It’s also the second time that two teams have met in the Super Bowl twice in a three-season span (Buffalo vs. Dallas in the 1993 and 1994 Super Bowls).

Kansas City overcame a 10-point halftime deficit to defeat Philadelphia, 38-35, in Super Bowl LVII following the 2022 season, the only Super Bowl ever in which both teams scored at least 35 points.

In a message from the White House ahead of the Super Bowl, President Donald Trump congratulated the players, coaches and staff on the Eagles and Chiefs, saying that they “represent the best of the best in professional football, but they also embody the best of the American Dream.”

“Their hard work, dedication, and tenacity is admirable, and their individual journeys are as inspiring as the drive and determination that has led them to this extraordinary moment,” he added.

In the message, Trump also offered condolences to the families who lost loved ones in the terror attack in New Orleans on New Year’s Day.

“While thousands of fans from across our Nation gather in New Orleans to cheer on their favorite team, we remember that 14 families will be missing a loved one who was tragically murdered during a senseless terrorist attack while celebrating the New Year on Bourbon Street,” the president wrote. “Our thoughts are also with the 35 individuals injured during the attack whose lives were changed forever that fateful night, and our prayers will remain with them for continued strength, comfort, and healing.”

Matt Abdoo, the executive chef and partner of Pig Beach in New York City, joins “TODAY” to share some recipes for Super Bowl party snacks, including everything bagel Buffalo wings, gooey mozzarella sticks, crispy mac and cheese bites and more.

Not long before kickoff, and just “steps away” from the Caesars Superdome, Post Malone is expected to perform at the YouTube Tailgate Concert.

The performance mark the singer’s return to game day celebrations. Last year, he performed an acoustic rendition of “America the Beautiful.”

“The tailgate event began at Super Bowl LIV with a virtual concert from Miley Cyrus during the pandemic,” the NFL said in its announcement. “Since then, it has become a staple of the pregame festivities, with past headliners like The Chainsmokers, The Black Keys, Jason Derulo and Gwen Stefani. This year, YouTube’s global community of artists, creators and fans will be at the heart of the celebration.”

Mike Florio and Chris Simms discuss how rosters stack up between the Eagles and the Chiefs and why Philadelphia would need to hit Kansas City hard in order to beat them in Super Bowl LIX.

The 49ers have granted wide receiver Deebo Samuel and his agent, Tory Dandy, permission to find a trade partner, Samuel told ESPN.

Samuel asked the 49ers to trade him during the players’ exit meetings after the season.

“It was a hard conversation to have with Kyle (Shanahan) because of the relationship that we have,” Samuel told Adam Schefter. “But I have to do what’s best. I’m more than thankful for the Niners giving me the opportunity of a lifetime, but now I think it’s best that we find another team.”

Samuel is scheduled to make $17.55 million in 2025, the final year of a three-year, $71.55 million contract extension.

Read the full article here

We are hours from kickoff and finding out if Jalen Hurts is prepared to do what only one other quarterback has done in the Super Bowl against Patrick Mahomes. Earlier this week, Tom Brady talked about how he did it:

Among the slew of Super Bowl weekend events was an NFL and YouTube-hosted “Creator Flag Football Game” yesterday.

A mix of YouTubers, music stars, pro football legends and other athletes took the field, including: IShowSpeed (aka Darren Jason Watkins Jr.), who has 35.9 million YouTube subscribers; Kai Cenat, who has 7 million subscribers; and retired NFL stars Michael Vick (Team Speed) and Cam Newton (Team Kai), who were quarterbacks.

The Google-owned video giant has touted itself as “the ultimate destination for football culture all year long,” stating in a recent post on its news blog that “fans come to YouTube all season long to watch analysis and commentary on the games, behind the scenes moments and the newest favorite: podcasts from former and current players.”

Last year’s creator flag-football game generated over 100 million video views across platforms, according to YouTube. Numbers for this year’s game have yet to be announced.

When Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes takes the field for Super Bowl LIX on Sunday, he’ll have an opportunity to do what no quarterback has done in NFL history: win three Super Bowls in a row.

The Chiefs drafted Mahomes in 2017 and made him their starting quarterback the next year. In that season, Mahomes threw 50 touchdowns and won MVP. Since he entered the league, Mahomes has won two MVPs, three Super Bowl MVPs and has made at least the AFC championship game in every season as a starter.

Mahomes has lost only three times in 20 playoff games, and two of those have been at the hands of the consensus Greatest of All Time: New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady.

NBC News looked at Mahomes’ stats through his first eight seasons compared with Brady’s.

Read the full story here

Before the big game, there’s an even ruffer matchup expected to take place.

Team Fluff and Team Ruff will once again face off during Animal Planet’s annual Puppy Bowl.

The event, which serves as the longest-running call-to-adoption televised event, is now in its 21st year. Dan Schachner returns as the rufferee, a role he’s had for 14 years (and one we’re definitely not jealous of).

There are 142 rescue dogs from 80 shelters in 40 states and two countries available for adoption, according to a release from Animal Planet. A full gallery of the players is on Animal Planet’s website.

The matchup, which airs at 2 p.m. ET, will simulcast across Animal Planet, Discovery Channel, TBS, truTV, Max and Discovery+.

Mike Florio and Chris Simms evaluate how long Patrick Mahomes will ride out his NFL career and if there could come a point where he puts his family first and has “his glass full” with success.

Snapchat is Super Bowl bound.

The social platform announced the launch of its NFL Creator Program, which it hopes will give Snapchat users who are passionate about sports a more behind-the-scenes look at the big game day.

“Creators including Katie Austin, Ross Smith, Jack Mancuso, and Treasure Wilson will capture and share their unique perspectives through content posted to Stories and Spotlight, giving Snapchatters a behind-the-scenes look at all the action,” Snap wrote in a news release. “They’ll also bring the magic of augmented reality to life by using innovative AR Lenses created in partnership with the NFL, giving fans an exciting new way to experience the game across their channels.”

Mike Florio and Chris Simms explain how the mix of veteran leadership and coaching continuity have been key to keeping the Chiefs hungry.

President Donald Trump is headed to New Orleans to watch the Chiefs and Eagles face off, marking the first time a sitting U.S. president will attend a Super Bowl.

“Extensive planning and coordination have been in place to ensure the safety of all attendees, players, and staff,” Secret Service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi told The Associated Press. “Security measures have been further enhanced this year, given that this will be the first time a sitting President of the United States will attend the event.”

He is also expected to sit down with Fox News’ Bret Baier in a pretaped interview that will air in the 3 p.m. ET hour of Fox’s pregame coverage.

NBC’s Joe Fryer runs through the Highs and Lows of the week on “TODAY” Sunday, including the Philadelphia Eagles surprising a fan who was injured in the New Orleans terror attack with 2025 Super Bowl tickets.

The halftime show is looking like a Grammy-winners-only affair.

Kendrick Lamar, who won five Grammys at last weekend’s ceremony, will be joined by fellow Grammy-winning singer SZA during tonight’s performance.

SZA appeared on Lamar’s recent album “GNX.” Viewers can likely expect to hear a few of the songs she was featured on, including “Gloria” and “Luther.” The two also collaborated on the Oscar-nominated “All the Stars” and “Doves in the Wind.”

The performance is somewhat of an unofficial kickoff to a 19-city North American tour that the two will co-headline this spring and summer.

Super Bowl 59 will broadcast nationally on Fox.

It will also be streamed on Tubi, the network’s free streaming service, and Fubo. Both are offering a free trial to new subscribers.

Read the full article here

After the biggest year of his professional career — which resulted in five Grammy Awards for his iconic Drake diss “Not Like Us” — rapper Kendrick Lamar will take the biggest stage in America when he performs at the Super Bowl on Sunday.

Lamar’s performance, which will also include singer SZA, is highly anticipated after he dominated both culture and music charts for much of 2024. And the people who helped put him onstage aren’t shying away from the hype.

“Everyone will agree this is a halftime show like none other in Super Bowl halftime history,” Jesse Collins, the executive producer of the show, told NBC News. “The creative concept is really something brilliant, spectacular and special. In all of our years of doing this — and I think every show that we’ve done has been amazing — but I have never seen an artist take this creative approach to it.”

Read the full story here

Kickoff between the two teams is at 6:30 p.m. ET.

A tailgate concert at the Superdome is scheduled for just before the game begins at 4 p.m. ET.

NBC News’ digital team will be providing live updates all day, so follow along here.

Caesars Superdome in New Orleans is gearing up to welcome thousands of football fans for today’s game.

The official account for the space shared a throwback post on Instagram of Super Bowl XX, which took place at the “Louisiana Superdome” in 1986.

That year, “guest attendance was 73,818” for a game between the AFC’s New England Patriots and the NFC’s Chicago Bears, according to the post.

This year, NOLA is ready to play host once more.

The NFL said it’s removing the words “End Racism” from the end zones at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans ahead of today’s Super Bowl.

Instead, the field will have stencils of the phrase “Choose Love” as the Kansas City Chiefs take on the Philadelphia Eagles, NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy said in a statement on Tuesday.

Throughout the 2024-25 season, NFL teams have advertised pro-diversity slogans at their stadiums and on their uniforms. The field stencils have been a part of the league since 2020, McCarthy said.

The NFL said Tuesday that it would only have stenciling of the phrase “Choose Love.” Sunday’s game will now be the first Super Bowl since February 2021 that “End Racism” will not be included in an end zone stencil.

Read the full story here