Jalen Hurts took little solace in some extremely complimentary words from Patrick Mahomes in the wake of the Philadelphia Eagles' agonising Super Bowl LVII loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.
Hurts seemingly had the Eagles in position to win the Lombardi Trophy when they led the Chiefs 24-14 at half-time.
But the Chiefs produced an offensive masterclass in the second half, outscoring the Eagles 24-11 across the final two quarters in a bewitching contest at State Farm Stadium on Sunday.
The turning point seemed to come in the third quarter, when the Eagles, still leading 24-21, went on a 17-play drive that lasted seven minutes and 45 seconds but ended in a Jake Elliott field goal.
Kansas City scored on their next two possessions, sandwiched by a three-and-out for the Eagles, to give the Chiefs a 35-27 advantage.
A 45-yard connection from Hurts to DeVonta Smith followed by a Hurts touchdown run and a two-point conversation tied the game, only for a 26-yard scramble from Mahomes, followed by a key holding penalty on Eagles corner James Bradberry, to put the Chiefs in position to bleed the clock and kick the decisive field goal.
It means Hurts' stunning second season as a starting quarterback ends in heartbreak despite a performance that would have netted him the MVP had Philadelphia prevailed.
Though Hurts had a fumble returned for a touchdown by Chiefs linebacker Nick Bolton in the second quarter, he broke the Super Bowl record for the most rushing yards by a quarterback (70). He also tied records for the most points scored by a single player (20) and the most touchdowns from scrimmage (3).
Mahomes and Hurts were the first two black starting quarterbacks to face off in Super Bowl history, and also had the youngest combined age of two starting Super Bowl quarterbacks at 51 years and 337 days.
And Mahomes lavished praise on his counterpart, saying of Hurts: "If there was any doubters left, there shouldn't be now.
"That was a special performance, I don't want it to get lost in the loss that they had. It was a special performance by him man, you make sure you appreciate that when you look back at this game."
But that provided no comfort for Hurts.
Asked about Mahomes' comments, he replied: "I have a lot of respect for him. I always have. He's done some really great things, thus far. For me, we lost.
"He came away with the win. We came up short, so it's something that I know will motivate me. I've been here before, and that's the beautiful thing about it, so I'll figure it out.
"You either win or you learn, that's how I feel. You either win or you learn. Win, lose, I always reflect on the things I could have done better, anything you could have done better to try and take that next step. That'll be the same process I always have going on.
"It is a tough feeling to come up short. It's a very tough feeling, but I know the direction is to rise and that will be the M.O. going forward, that will be the mentality going forward. That is the mentality. Obviously, credit to them for the game they played and very competitive football game and very competitive football team and coach Reid. We'll sit back, reflect on it and learn from it."
Pressed on the lesson he will take from this defeat, Hurts added: "You want to cherish these moments with the people that you've come so far with, your family, your loved ones, your team-mates, your peers, everyone that you do it with and do it for.
"I'm so proud of this team. I would say I'm so proud of this team for everything that we’ve been able to overcome. Obviously, we had a big-time goal that we wanted to accomplish and we came up short. I think the beautiful part about it is everyone experiences different pains, everyone experiences different agonies of life, but you decide if you want to learn from it. You decide if you want that to be a teachable moment. I know I do."
The Board for Control of Cricket in India (BCCI) confirmed the third Test in Dharamsala of the four-game India-Australia series has been relocated to Indore due to the ground being fit.
A potential switch had previously been mooted, with reports that the outfield at Dharamsala's Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium was not ready after being re-laid.
The BCCI confirmed the move on Monday for the third Test due to commence on March 1.
"Owing to harsh winter conditions in the region, the outfield lacks sufficient grass density and will need some time to develop fully," the BCCI statement said.
The schedule remains the same, with the Test starting on March 1, but to be played at Holkar Stadium in Indore in Madhya Pradesh, roughly 600 kilometres north-east of Mumbai.
India lead the series 1-0 after a comprehensive first Test triumph in Nagpur, winning by an innings and 132 runs inside three days.
Andy Reid made it clear retirement is not on his agenda after his coaching masterclass helped the Kansas City Chiefs prevail in Super Bowl LVII.
The Chiefs trailed 24-14 to the Philadelphia Eagles at half-time at State Farm Stadium and appeared to be in some what desperate straits when Patrick Mahomes came up limping after a scramble late in the second quarter.
But Reid produced a masterful gameplan in the second half, tormenting the Eagles’ defense with a varied run-game approach and intelligent use of motion to give Mahomes easy completions.
Those easy completions propelled the Chiefs to a 38-35 win, sealed with a Harrison Butker field goal with eight seconds remaining after a drive on which a remarkable 26-yard scramble from Mahomes put Kansas City in position to complete the comeback.
Reid had faced questions about potential retirement prior to the game and was again asked on the podium as he collected the Vince Lombardi Trophy, saying simply that he was going to "enjoy this one".
He declared his intentions more definitively in his post-game press conference, indicating he will back for a run at a third Super Bowl with Kansas City.
Travis Kelce remembers everyone who picked his Kansas City Chiefs to lose in Super Bowl LVII, and he told the doubters to "look at us now" after proving them wrong.
Kelce caught the Chiefs' opening touchdown in their 38-35 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, going on to finish with six catches for 81 yards and a touchdown from his six targets.
It meant he finished with at least six catches, 78 yards and a touchdown in each of the Chiefs' three playoff games this season, having led all tight ends with 1,338 yards and 12 touchdowns in the regular season.
The 33-year-old future Hall of Famer now has two titles to go with his seven All-Pro selections, and although the Chiefs are viewed as a dynasty in the making, Kelce still felt his team were being discounted ahead of the big game.
"Not a single one of y'all said the Chiefs were gonna take it home this year," he told FOX Sports. "Feel that s***. Feel it, and on top of it, next time the Chiefs say something, put some respect on our name."
During the celebrations, Patrick Mahomes called Kelce "the greatest ever" at his position, while Kelce also had some kind words for his quarterback.
"Pat Mahomes, M-V-Pat," he said. "You can't say nothing about what this guy means to Kansas City and this team."
When asked why he always seems to be able to get open, Kelce again pointed to the infrastructure around him.
"Come on, baby. I've got Andy Reid and Pat Mahomes," he said. "I have a great team, we had a great run, and, man, it feels good. Not one of y'all said the Chiefs were going to win it, and look at us now."
The Chiefs trailed by 10 at half-time, and Kelce indicated the weight of the moment may have been getting to some, but everything flipped after the break.
"That first half – it was a big moment, a big game – a lot of guys playing a little uncharacteristic," he said. "We were able to regroup at half-time and figure it out – in that second half, man, we were flying around.
"[Coach Reid] just told everybody to be yourselves. We were a little uncharacteristic in the beginning, but everyone had that determination, that look in their eye, coming out here in the second half.
"They were going to pour everything out on that field. That's what you saw. You saw everybody pour everything out on the field for the second half, and the Chiefs came away with the victory, baby."
LeBron James was one of a number of NFL fans upset by a decisive holding call in the fourth quarter of Super Bowl LVII, but James Bradberry, the man penalised, accepted it was the right decision.
Bradberry's Philadelphia Eagles agonisingly lost 38-35 to the Kansas City Chiefs in Glendale, Arizona on Sunday.
The Eagles had led by 10 points at half-time, before Patrick Mahomes led the Chiefs' rally to tie the game going into the closing stages.
But the prospect of a dramatic finish in keeping with the rest of a thrilling game was taken away by the penalty against Bradberry for holding JuJu Smith-Schuster.
That soft call allowed Mahomes to run down the clock before Harrison Butker came out to kick a game-winning field goal.
The finale upset many watching at home, including NBA great James, who posted on Twitter: "Sorry but I don’t like that call! Not for the Super Bowl man!
"His hand on his back had no effect on his route! This game was too damn good for that call to dictate the outcome at the end. Damn!
"By the way I have no horse in the race. Just my professional opinion."
However, Bradberry was asked about the incident in the locker room afterwards and did not share the frustrations of others.
"It was a holding," the cornerback said. "I tugged his jersey. I was hoping they would let it slide."
Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid dismissed the idea he might retire after winning his third Super Bowl on Sunday.
Reid was an assistant coach for the Green Bay Packers in Super Bowl XXXI and has now twice celebrated success while in the top job in Kansas City.
His latest triumph, in Super Bowl LVII, came against the Philadelphia Eagles, a franchise he coached for 13 years.
Between his stints with the Eagles and the Chiefs, Reid has been a head coach for 24 years.
Now 64, he was asked during the Chiefs' Super Bowl celebrations if he might be ready to quit the sport, but his focus was on the party that lay ahead.
"No, I'm going to enjoy this one right here," Reid replied. "Let me tell you, this is unbelievable.
"Philadelphia, you did a great job, it was a great game. But how about those Chiefs?"
Reid had been introduced on the podium by Chiefs chairman Clark Hunt as "one of the best coaches in the history of the National Football League".
"We couldn't have done it without [him]," Hunt said, although Reid was keen to share the praise around.
In his FOX Sports interview, Reid said of the Chiefs' second-half rally in a 38-35 victory: "I'll give the credit to the big O-line and Pat Mahomes and all those guys around him. [Offensive coordinator] Eric Bieniemy was phenomenal also."
Of Mahomes, who has been playing with a high ankle sprain, Reid added: "He's the MVP. That's all that needs to be said, right? He's the MVP, and you saw it tonight."
Patrick Mahomes says the Kansas City Chiefs "are not done" after securing their second Super Bowl title in Sunday's 38-35 triumph over the Philadelphia Eagles.
Mahomes was named Super Bowl LVII MVP after throwing three touchdown passes as the Chiefs rallied from 24-14 down at half-time, scoring with every second-half possession.
That marked Mahomes' second Super Bowl MVP award, having also claimed the gong in 2019 when the Chiefs triumphed over the San Francisco 49ers.
The Chiefs' triumph came after they were Super Bowl runners-up in 2020 and lost the AFC Championship Game in 2021, but Mahomes insisted it was not a dynasty yet.
"I'm not going say dynasty yet. We're not done, so I'm not going to say dynasty yet," Mahomes said during the post-game on-field presentation.
The Chiefs QB, who completed 21-of-27 attempts for 182 yards, became the first player to win the NFL MVP and Super Bowl in the same season since Kurt Warner in 1999.
That ended a run of nine straight NFL MVPs to lose the decider, but he was eager to deflect the praise.
"It's everybody. It didn’t come from one person," Mahomes said.
"Everybody said we've got to step our game up. Our defense played their ass off in that second half and our offense found a way. I just want to thank everybody."
The 27-year-old quarterback appeared hampered by an ankle injury which has troubled him throughout the playoffs, but played on valiantly.
"I told you all this week there's nothing that'll keep me off this football field," Mahomes added. "I just want to shout out to my teammates. We challenged each other. It took everybody to win this football game. We're Super Bowl champs, let's go."
Patrick Mahomes again got the better of his injured ankle as his Kansas City Chiefs won an epic shoot-out with Jalen Hurts' Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LVII.
A 38-35 Chiefs victory on Sunday added to Mahomes' now undeniable legacy, even if the result was harsh on Hurts, who went toe-to-toe with what is now the first league MVP since Kurt Warner in 1999 to go on and win it all.
Hurts, who scored three rushing touchdowns, and the Eagles would have been deserving champions had they faced anyone other Mahomes.
The Chiefs' hopes of winning the title had appeared remote when their quarterback suffered a high ankle sprain in the Divisional round against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
But a hobbling Mahomes saw off the Jaguars, the Cincinnati Bengals and then, in Glendale, Arizona, the Eagles, taking a hit late in the second quarter but recovering to finish with three passing touchdowns and another title.
A clinical opening drive from the Eagles ended with a quarterback sneak from Hurts for the opening score.
Neither the Chiefs nor the Eagles had trailed in the playoffs to that point, but Mahomes had an instant reply with a TD pass to Travis Kelce.
The response was not initially so impressive in the second quarter, which began with a 45-yard Hurts bomb to A.J. Brown, yet the Chiefs were back level again when the Philly QB's fumble was recovered by Nick Bolton for a defensive TD.
Hurts quickly regained his composure and ran straight up the middle for his second rushing TD, before the Chiefs' next drive saw Mahomes limp away from a tackle, facing a 10-point deficit by the time he returned for the second half.
Mahomes led the Chiefs down the field for Isiah Pacheco to run in, and Kansas City had their first lead after the QB found Kadarius Toney wide open after some tricky pre-snap motion to walk into the endzone.
Momentum was now firmly with the Chiefs, and Toney's 65-yard punt return – the longest in Super Bowl history – put Mahomes in position for another straightforward TD pass to Skyy Moore.
Hurts was not done as a 46-yard pass to DeVonta Smith teed the QB up for another short TD run, followed by a successful two-point conversion.
That tied the game, yet Mahomes managed the clock to allow Harrison Butker to kick the decisive field goal and leave only eight seconds before the celebrations could start.
Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown says he is "day to day" in his recovery from a facial fracture and has not ruled himself out of next weekend's All-Star Game.
Brown suffered the injury when he collided with the elbow of team-mate Jayson Tatum during last Wednesday's 106-99 win over the Philadelphia 76ers.
The two-time All-Star was ruled out indefinitely by the Celtics, but Brown offered an update on his status prior to Sunday's 119-109 win over the Memphis Grizzlies.
"I'm taking it day to day right now," Brown said. "I'm just letting the swelling go down, letting the pain subside, and then I'll kind of go from there. I can't make any determinations long-term because I'm just taking it day to day."
Brown, who was voted into the upcoming All-Star Game as a reserve by the league's coaches, confirmed he had avoided surgery and was on the mend.
"Feeling a lot better for sure," Brown said. "Still having a little bit of pain but feeling better from the first couple days.
"Had to get a couple scans, see a bunch of specialists and different doctors to get all the info. But they came to the determination I don't have to have surgery, so that's the good thing.
"I'm just happy that I don't have to go through that process because I probably would have missed a lot more games. I don't think it'll be too long. I figure I'll be fine."
Brown is enjoying an outstanding season, with career-high averages for points (26.5), rebounds (7.0) and field goal percentage (48.7 per cent).
Argentina's Sebastian Baez tasted success in his home country on Sunday as he defeated Federico Coria 6-1 3-6 6-3 in the Cordoba Open final.
In the fourth ATP Tour final of his career, Baez secured his second title, showing a slight edge both in his service game and with his returns.
He rattled through the first set in just 31 minutes, winning 17 of his 20 total service points (85 per cent), while Coria could only convert at a 48 per cent rate (11 of 23).
Coria tightened things up in the second set and turned the tide, winning 81 per cent of points on his serve while Baez plummeted to 61 per cent, not allowing a single break point opportunity.
Each player created two break point chances in the deciding set, and while Coria failed to convert either, Baez got the job done at the first attempt, jumping out to an early lead and serving it out the rest of the way.
Coria shot himself in the foot with five of the six total double faults, while Baez served the only ace of the match.
The 22-year-old Baez, who entered the contest ranked 47th in the world, will now climb into the top 40 as he edges closer to his career-best ranking of 31st.
The Golden State Warriors will approve the four-team trade they agreed to at the deadline, but not before filing a complaint to the NBA about Gary Payton II's injury not being disclosed.
Payton, who was a member of the Warriors' championship-winning team in 2022, left the franchise to sign a free agent deal with the Portland Trail Blazers in the offseason.
He had been battling a number of injuries that kept him out of action until the new year began, but he has since managed 15 appearances since January 2.
Payton's return to action had the Warriors believing his injury problems were behind him, and they were given no indication during negotiations that he was still struggling.
However, their medical examination of him revealed a core muscle injury that the Warriors' medical staff believe will take months to heal.
It meant the Warriors had the ability to void the deal – which was a complicated four-team trade that also sent James Wiseman to the Detroit Pistons, while the Atlanta Hawks received Saddiq Bey – but with the deadline already passed, Golden State would not be able to make any further moves.
That is a crucial point because while the acquisition of Payton was important, the Warriors were just as interested in parting ways with Wiseman.
The Athletic reported that because of Golden State's status as a luxury tax repeater, the franchise were going to have to pay over $50million for Wiseman's $9m salary this season, and over $80m for his $12m salary in 2023-24.
With how little the former number two draft pick has proven, the Warriors decided his time with the team had run out, and they would prefer the playoff-proven Payton on a cheaper contract.
While they are still going through with the trade, the Warriors filed a complaint to the league about the Trail Blazers providing misleading information about Payton's injury status, prompting the league to launch a review.
It is also being reported that Payton was being pushed by Portland's training staff to play through his injury with the help of pain relief medication.
The Golden State Warriors will approve the four-team trade they agreed to at the deadline, but not before filing a complaint to the NBA about Gary Payton II's injury not being disclosed.
Payton, who was a member of the Warriors' championship-winning team in 2022, left the franchise to sign a free agent deal with the Portland Trail Blazers in the offseason.
He had been battling a number of injuries that kept him out of action until the new year, but he has managed 15 appearances since January 2.
Payton's return to action had the Warriors believing his injury problems were behind him, and they were given no indication during negotiations that he was still struggling.
However, their medical examination of him revealed a core muscle injury that the Warriors' medical staff believe will take months to heal.
It meant the Warriors had the ability to void the deal – which was a complicated four-team trade that also sent James Wiseman to the Detroit Pistons, while the Atlanta Hawks received Saddiq Bey – but with the deadline already passed, Golden State would not be able to make any further moves.
That is a crucial point because while the acquisition of Payton was important, the Warriors were just as interested in parting ways with Wiseman.
The Athletic reported that because of Golden State's status as a luxury tax repeater, the franchise were going to have to pay over $50million for Wiseman's $9m salary this season, and over $80m for his $12m salary in 2023-24.
With how little the former number two draft pick has proven, the Warriors decided his time with the team had run out, and they would prefer the playoff-proven Payton on a cheaper contract.
While they are still going through with the trade, the Warriors filed a complaint to the league about the Trail Blazers providing misleading information about Payton's injury status, prompting the league to launch a review.
It is also being reported that Payton was being pushed by Portland's training staff to play through his injury with the help of pain relief medication.
The Las Vegas Raiders are expected to release quarterback Derek Carr after he informed the team he would not accept a trade to the New Orleans Saints.
Carr's refusal to join the Saints, in a trade deal that had already been agreed between the teams, was reported on Sunday by ESPN and NFL Network.
Reports earlier in the week had detailed Carr's plan to visit the Saints after he was given permission to speak to the team.
However, it is said the contract on offer in New Orleans would require Carr to take a pay cut.
That was not something the QB was willing to do, refusing to waive his no-trade clause, and with only the Saints approaching the Raiders about a trade, the obvious alternative was for the player to be released.
The Raiders would have to cut Carr by Wednesday to avoid paying his full salary in 2023 and instead allow him to enter free agency.
Carr has been with the Raiders since he was selected in the second round of the 2014 NFL Draft, but he said goodbye to fans in an emotional social media post in January.
Las Vegas had hoped for a big season in 2022 but finished third in the AFC West as Carr struggled for form.
Scottie Scheffler reclaimed the world number one ranking after successfully defending his Waste Management Phoenix Open title with a two-stroke victory on Sunday.
Scheffler – after posting rounds of 68, 64 and 68 – closed in style with a six-under 65 to finish at 19-under overall.
He went bogey-free in his final round with four birdies and an eagle, showing his affinity for the TPC Scottsdale course after winning his first PGA Tour event at this tournament last season.
Scheffler's lead was down to only one stroke heading into the famous 16th hole, and while he could only muster a par, that proved to be enough as second-placed Nick Taylor made bogey, and Scheffler extended the lead to three strokes for a comfortable finish with a birdie on 17.
Speaking to CBS after stepping off the final green, Scheffler said he was proud of the way he battled through some average shots.
"I'm just proud of how I fought today," he said. "I didn't have my best stuff, so I grinded it out today. I wasn't hitting it good off the tee, my irons didn't feel sharp, but I played a great round of golf today."
Taylor birdied the 18th to finish alone in second at 17 under for his best result since winning the 2020 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.
The red-hot Jon Rahm ended up in sole possession of third at 14 under, fellow major champion Justin Thomas finished fourth at 13 under, and former world number one Jason Day continued his return to relevance with a fifth-place result at 12 under.
The highlight of the day came from Rickie Fowler, punctuating his T10 finish with an ace on the par-three seventh hole.
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