Chip Kelly is stepping down as UCLA’s head football coach, the school announced Friday.

Hired in 2018 after four seasons as an NFL head coach, Kelly ends his tenure with a 35-34 record overall and 26-26 mark in Pac-12 play.

Kelly is expected to become Ohio State’s offensive coordinator, the Los Angeles Times reported Friday. He will replace Bill O’Brien, who is becoming Boston College’s head coach.

‘Earlier this morning, coach Chip Kelly informed me of his decision to depart UCLA,’ athletic director Martin Jarmond said in a statement. ‘I want to sincerely thank Chip for his service to UCLA football and our student-athletes across the past six seasons.’

The Bruins started slow under Kelly, posting a combined 10-21 record through his first three years, before breaking through with eight wins and a bowl bid in 2021. The Bruins did not play in the Holiday Bowl against North Carolina State that season due to COVID-19 positives in the team. UCLA won nine games in 2022, including an appearance in the Sun Bowl, and finished No. 21 in the US LBM AFCA Coaches Poll.

But even with the recent success, the program never reached or even approached the heights of Kelly’s previous stint at Oregon and stumbled this season.

The Bruins have had major struggles on offense, offsetting the performance of a defense that has ranked among the best in the Power Five and Bowl Subdivision. UCLA scored just seven points in a loss to Utah and scored a combined 17 points in losses to Arizona State and Arizona. They started three different quarterbacks due to injury and poor performance. Ethan Garbers led the team’s Week 12 win against rival USC. But Garbers was hurt early in UCLA’s disappointing regular season-ender vs. Cal and the team managed just seven points again as it finished 7-5. The Bruins defeated Boise State in the LA Bowl in what turned out to be Kelly’s final game.

This lack of offensive punch stands in contrast to Kelly’s unforgettable four-year run at Oregon, where he posted a 46-7 record, won three conference championships and played for the 2010 national championship, losing a close game to Auburn. During this time with the Ducks, Kelly revolutionized the way college teams approach offensive football, ushering an era of spread concepts that have gripped the sport across all levels of competition.

He also spent four seasons in the NFL, three with the Philadelphia Eagles and the last with the San Francisco 49ers. Kelly’s teams with the Eagles won 10 games in each of his first two years, making one playoff appearance, but were 6-9 when he was fired with one game left in the 2015 season. He was quickly hired by the 49ers and went 2-14 in his one year.

PHOENIX — They were camped outside of the Los Angeles Dodgers’ spring-training complex at Camelback Ranch since 6 a.m. Friday.

And that was just the Japanese reporters waiting for the media entrance to open.

A crowd of about 70 reporters flocked around to get their first glimpses of Shohei Ohtani at spring training as a member of the Dodgers.

The Dodgers spent $1.2 billion this winter, with $700 million going to Ohtani, and enter spring as baseball’s team to beat.

“It’s pretty special to be part of,’ veteran outfielder Jason Heyward said. “We’ve got stars. We’ve got future Hall of Famers. And, of course, we’ve got the biggest international star in the game in Ohtani.

HOT STOVE UPDATES: MLB free agency: Ranking and tracking the top players available.

“He’s an ambassador for the entire sport and we get to play with him.’

DODGERS: LA embracing insane 2024 expectations, ‘target on our back’

Ohtani spoke for about 10 minutes Friday, answering questions from English-speaking reporters for about seven minutes, saying that he feels great after undergoing elbow surgery in September, and believes he’s right on schedule to be the Dodgers’ DH this spring and be ready by opening day when they face the San Diego Padres in Seoul, Korea.

And yes, even though he has been in the big leagues for six years, he feels like a rookie again.

“So far all of the guys I’ve met have been great,’ Ohtani said. “They’ve been very welcoming. Some guys I haven’t met and am looking forward to meet.’

It takes times for any newcomer to learn his new surroundings, no matter how big of a star you are in this game, but Ohtani plans to reach out to teammates instead of just letting them come to him. 

And Dodgers manager Dave Roberts let everyone in on a secret. 

Ohtani speaks English during their conversations, and can certainly understand what Roberts and his teammates are conveying in casual talks.

“I think that it takes time to build relationships, the culture,’ Roberts said. “For me, it’s being a facilitator and trying to forge these relationships with teammates. That’s going to be the lifeline of our success is their relationships and how much they can build trust within each other.’’ 

It also means that the Dodgers expect Ohtani to be more available to the media than he was with the Angels. He spoke only on days he pitched in Anaheim, but considering he isn’t pitching until at least 2025, he’ll have to be more accessible in Los Angeles. The Dodgers don’t want Roberts and Ohtani’s teammates to constantly be asked about Ohtani without expressing his own feelings. 

“I lived it in a sense of when I played with Barry Bonds,’ Roberts said. “So, I’m not trying to compare the two but in the sense of the magnitude of [Bonds] going for his home run, dealing with the build up, and I was that player, a teammate that had to answer a lot of questions because other teammates didn’t care to. 

“So I think we’ll have a conversation.’ 

Certainly, Ohtani has already impressed his teammates with his work ethic at Dodger Stadium this winter and already at their spring-training complex. He didn’t sign with the Dodgers just to win a few more MVP awards. He wants a championships. 

“He’s put in a lot of time this offseason at Dodger Stadium,’ Roberts said, “and also spending some time here getting here early. Just watching him work is very intentional. Everything he does is intentional, which is pretty amazing. Right now you see a lot of teammates watching how he operates, learning what makes him tick.’

Ohtani divulged little during his press conference, but is confident he’ll have a strong season as the Dodgers’ full-time DH, and could even have his greatest offensive season yet. He lead the American League with 44 homers last season, hitting .304 with 95 RBI and a league-leading 1.066 OPS.

“I believe there’s not one level, but several levels ahead offensively wise,’ Ohtani said. “Its going to depend on whatt kind of lineup I’m in and everything, but at the end, I’ll keep the focus of trying to get better.’’

And right now, well, he couldn’t be more pleased at his progress after arriving early to camp.

“My swing effort-level wise is about 100% right now,’ Ohtani said. “My next step is facing live arms and facing some velo.’

Ohtani won’t be pitching this season, but after undergoing a second major elbow surgery in five years, he feels the lessons he learned from that rehab process will benefit him.

“This isn’t my first time doing this rehabbing while getting ready for the season,’’ Ohtani said, “so I feel like it will be easier.’

When Ohtani underwent Tommy John surgery with the Angels in 2018, he missed the first month of the 2019 season, and started slowly. He hit just .250 with three homers and 13 RBI with a .692 OPS in 20 games in May.

Yet, Ohtani took off in June, batting .340 with nine homers and 22 RBI with a 1.091 OPS in 27 games in June. He finished the season hitting .286 with 18 homers, 62 RBI and a .848 OPS in 106 games.

“I can’t wait to watch him play,’ Heyward said. “To be around this guy everyday will be special. But it’s not just one person. It takes a team. We’ve got to do a lot of things right to get to where we want to go, but we’ve got the potential to have a pretty fun year.’

Follow Nightengale on X: @Bnightengale

The NFL’s global footprint is growing.

The league will expand its International Series to include Madrid, Spain. The European city will host a regular-season game at Real Madrid’s Santiago Bernabéu Stadium in 2025 in partnership with the La Liga soccer club.

Peter O’Reilly, the NFL’s executive vice president of Club Business, League Events & International, met with reporters ahead of Super Bowl 58 in Las Vegas and called Madrid a ‘very important market.’

‘Clearly, it’s a global hub. A clearly important market that resonates beyond its borders,’ he said. ‘We know the reach that Real Madrid has, that echoes and ripples around the world. I think those things complement each other … we can bring our collective fan bases together.’

Legendary Real Madrid goalkeeper Iker Casillas, who won the 2010 World Cup with Spain, was also on hand as an ambassador for the expansion.

SUPER BOWL CENTRAL: Latest Super Bowl 58 news, stats, odds, matchups and more.

Commissioner Roger Goodell released a statement on what the game means to the league. He said the expansion highlights ‘the accelerated ambitions to take our game to more fans around the world.’

The news comes after the NFL said it will play is first game in Brazil — also its first game in South America — this fall. The Philadelphia Eagles will be the home team at Corinthians Arena in São Paulo for the season opener.

The league also plays in England, Germany and Mexico.

This past season, there were five games in the International Series. There were two games for the first time in Frankfurt, Germany and three in London, England. The year before, there was one game in Mexico City.

With the addition of Brazil and Spain, the league has a footprint in five countries outside of the United States.

Reporter Chris Bumbaca contributed to this report.

The Los Angeles Lakers did not make a move at the NBA trade deadline.

Once more: the Los Angeles Lakers did not make a move at the trade deadline.

The team that went to the Western Conference finals as the No. 7 seed last season and entered the season with championship expectations and then won the in-season tournament NBA Cup but is one game above .500 and fighting for their postseason chances in the final 29 games kept the roster intact.

Did the ninth-place Lakers just punt on the rest of the season with teams such as Oklahoma City, Denver, Minnesota and the Los Angeles Clippers nine games ahead of them in the standings?

Lakers vice president of basketball operations and general manager Rob Pelinka said the right deal wasn’t there on a mild trade deadline period. “You can’t buy a house that’s not for sale,” he told reporters before the Lakers lost to Denver on the same day the the franchise unveiled the first of three Kobe Bryant statues at the arena.

He wasn’t sold on giving up the only first-round pick the Lakers have available in a trade right now for marginal help. After the season, the Lakers will have three first-round picks to trade, and that’s when Pelinka says, “will really unlock an access to potentially a greater or bigger swing.”

What did LeBron James think of all this? Pelinka said he talked to James before the deadline and explained the marketplace. “There were a lot of buyers, and as everyone knows, when the market has few sellers and tons of buyers, the prices are very, very aggressive,” he said.

The Lakers still want to see how they perform with a healthy roster, but even then, James is unsure how far the team can go in the playoffs.

“I don’t know,” he told reporters. “Haven’t gotten to that point, so it’s hard to say.”

After last year’s All-Star Game, LeBron James called the stretch run “23 of the most important games of my career for a regular season.”     

After the Lakers lost Thursday with a roster that is now 27-26, James didn’t have quite the same urgency.

There is rampant speculation about James’ future with the Lakers, and even at 39 years old, he’s playing at an All-Star level. Rare as it is for someone his age, his decisions have an impact on the league.

James delved into his Cryptic Man alter ago in recent days, posting an emoji of an hourglass (the cruel hands of time are relentless) but declining to explain what he meant by it and declining to answer whether he will exercise the final season of his contract for 2024-25 or become a free agent.

It’s one of the times where reading James’ tea leaves is an entertaining and maddening yet fruitless exercise.

James has one year and $51.4 million left on his contract which takes him through the 2024-25 season. But he can opt out and explore free agency. There won’t be many teams with that kind of cap space, and with rules from the new collective bargaining agreement in place, some teams will be eliminated from acquiring him in a trade.

There is pressure on the Lakers to take advantage of what James and Anthony Davis have to offer. Since signing James in free agency in 2018, the Lakers have been to the playoffs three of five seasons – a 2020 in the COVID bubble, a first-round loss in 2021 and a Western Conference finals appearance last season.

Several teams would trade right now for that success in five seasons. And the 2020 title was important. It was the Lakers’ first since 2010 and it tied them with Boston for most all-time championships at 17.

But the Lakers aren’t most franchises. As with Boston, a title is the goal most seasons more often than not. They were a true contender twice with James, and even counting last season, they were swept in the conference finals by the champion Nuggets.

It’s hard to see the Lakers overachieving in the playoffs from a seventh or eighth seed for a second consecutive time, even if James and Davis are All-Stars. The Lakers are 14th defensively and 20th offensively, and that’s just not good enough most seasons to win a conference championship.

The Lakers tried to make a trade. They engaged multiple times with Atlanta on Dejounte Murray but a deal never materialized. “Sometimes, no move is better than an unwise move.”

There’s truth to that. Teams didn’t want what the Lakers were offering, and the Lakers didn’t want to give up what teams wanted.

What’s next? Maybe the Lakers get healthy enough to make a serious push in the playoffs. They will explore the buyout market for scoring help.

Then what? All focus is on 2024-25.

James has a June 29 deadline to decide on his option, and the NBA Draft is June 27-28. The Lakers will know headed into free agency what the situation is with James, and they will have first-round picks to trade, too. Will it be enough to improve the roster and compete in a talented and improving Western Conference? Will it be enough for James?

LAS VEGAS — Sean Payton’s not officially done with Russell Wilson.

One of the biggest storylines toward the end of the NFL season was that the Denver Broncos benched the quarterback for the final two games. But the head coach said that the nine-time Pro Bowler’s future isn’t certain.

‘I don’t think we’ve made a final decision,’ Payton told USA TODAY Sports on Friday at Radio Row in Las Vegas for Super Bowl 58. ‘And I say that honestly because we begin the draft meetings Monday.’

The assumption was that Wilson’s time was up in the Mile High City. There has been speculation that the Broncos might pick up a quarterback in the upcoming draft with stars like USC’s Caleb Williams and Washington’s Michael Penix Jr. or explore their options in free agency.

‘It’s always funny when I read stories about, ‘This is what we’re gonna do in the draft. We’re gonna trade up.’ I’m like, I haven’t looked at any of these college quarterbacks yet, so how is someone writing that story?’ Payton said. ‘We begin that process this week. We’ve already begun the process of looking at free agency. And so, back to that puzzle and back to the question relative to Russell, he’s a big part of this decision. And as soon as we know, obviously, he’ll know. But we can’t exclude options yet until we see what the options are in free agency and in the draft. And it’s the same discussion I had with him when the season ended. We have a real good relationship, communicate really well and clear. I think the players just wanna know. So as soon as we know, he’ll know.’

SUPER BOWL CENTRAL: Latest Super Bowl 58 news, stats, odds, matchups and more.

Sean Payton has ‘regret’ for bashing Nathaniel Hackett ahead of 2023 season

Ahead of the 2023 season, Payton spoke with USA TODAY Sports about the previous Broncos regime. Nathaniel Hackett was fired after only 15 games as head coach after the front office got Wilson in a blockbuster trade with the Seattle Seahawks.

Payton said Hackett did ‘one of the worst coaching jobs in the history of the NFL.’ His comments rippled through the NFL world and received response from New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh and Hackett, who is now the offensive coordinator in the Big Apple.

‘ I really felt bad like man, it was too much,’ Payton said on Radio Row. ‘A lot of it for me was in defense of our team and Russell. I use this term, my mom used to say, ‘You can only get a pound of flesh from someone.’ And certainly, we had seen Russell get that from the media and our team get that. And so here it came, the topic came again about, ‘Russ this, Russ couldn’t do this’ and I was like, ‘Wait a minute, there were a lot of other dirty hands.’ And I regret going a little too far.

‘The motive behind it was just me reacting to the criticism they had gotten consistently over a period of time. So I’m appreciative of how hard it is and how difficult it is to coach and put a program together and a day afterwards, I felt bad about that. But, it all worked out and look, we ended up playing to ’em and losing to ’em. So but we’re week to week in our preparation when we’re playing these teams and it’s emotional and sometimes you make mistakes. I felt like I made a mistake. Too much.’

Sean Payton praises QB Baker Mayfield

While he wouldn’t say what Wilson’s future was, Payton had high praise for one specific free agent: Baker Mayfield. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 NFL draft by the Cleveland Browns. He struggled for four years in Ohio before being traded to the Los Angeles Rams and then was shipped to Florida. Mayfield earned his first Pro Bowl nod this season filling in for a retired Tom Brady under the guidance of head coach Todd Bowles and offensive coordinator (now Carolina Panthers head coach) Dave Canales.

‘All of us are like, well, we love Baker now. Aren’t we? I’m looking for Baker. Where’s he at? He’s a free agent,’ Payton said. ‘I do think that it’s like finding the right actor in the right movie script. If all the sudden, the script’s right and the actor’s correct and you can have a good movie. If either of those two are off, then it could be just average to below average. In Baker’s case for instance with Todd Bowles and their offense, Canales and Tampa Bay, man, we saw elements of what we were hoping to see when he was drafted. Our league has taught us that guys can come around.’

IOWA CITY, Iowa — Caitlin Clark is the biggest name in college basketball, a sharpshooting supernova who’s the star of what Iowa City residents call ‘The Show,’ a player who 10-time WNBA All-Star Diana Taurasi recently called “an alien” because of her absurd range and spectacular court vision. 

She’s also the second-leading scorer in NCAA women’s basketball history … and she should stay that for another week. 

Yes, I’m asking the reigning national player of the year, pretty please, to just be average for one game. 

Clark and Iowa next play on Sunday at Nebraska and after scoring 27 vs. Penn State Thursday — five points below her season average — Clark is just 39 points from breaking Kelsey Plum’s all-time NCAA scoring record of 3,527 points, set in 2017. 

You might be aware that there’s another game going on Sunday. Clark, a rabid Kansas City Chiefs fan, surely is. 

And so she’ll probably understand that on that sacred day, everyone will be focused on football. 

Clark has single-handedly drawn hundreds, if not thousands, of eyeballs to women’s basketball. She deserves a day of celebration all to herself. But if she breaks the record Sunday, roughly four hours before Kansas City and San Francisco kick off, she’ll get a blip on SportsCenter, and not much more. If she waits until next Thursday vs. Michigan, she’ll probably get a documentary of sorts. 

I’m exaggerating, but only slightly. 

Plus, while she’s known for selling out arenas wherever she goes and bringing Iowa fans to every Big Ten city she visits, Clark should break the record at home, in front of the Carver-Hawkeye Arena faithful. The 15,000 fans who pack into the arena every game, often lining up hours before doors open, want to commemorate the moment with her more than anyone else.

Iowa coach Lisa Bluder agrees.

‘I would rather have her break it at home,’ Bluder admitted after Iowa’s win over Penn State. ‘I think our Carver-Hawkeye fans deserve that. But believe me, our No. 1 priority will be to win the game at Nebraska.’

Of course that’s at the top of Iowa’s to-do list. And I’m not crazy. I’m not suggesting Bluder do anything wild like bench Clark (though realistically, that might be one of the only ways to keep her from scoring). People are selling out visiting arenas to watch her play, some of them paying top dollar, and deserve to get their money’s worth. 

The solution is simple: Bluder just needs to tell Clark to not shoot. 

For as prolific a scorer as Clark is, she’s an even better passer. Bluder, who watches her more than anyone, has said this repeatedly. Her vision is exceptional, her ability to deliver a pass to a teammate’s shot pocket unmatched in college hoops. Maybe, for just one day, that could shine alone.

Clark’s career high in assists is 18, set against Penn State on Jan. 25, 2022. She has 995 so far in her career, after tallying 15 against Penn State on Thursday, many of them to sophomore post player Hannah Stuelke, who scored a career-high 47 points (that’s one more than Clark’s career high of 46, if anyone’s keeping count). 

With just five assists, Clark will become only the sixth woman to record 1,000 career assists. The NCAA single-game record, set in 1991, is 23. Given Clark’s penchant for breaking records, I think she should set her sights on that one and focus on dishing the ball Sunday. 

Caitlin Clark scoring 30-plus points? We’re used to that. Caitlin Clark setting a career high in something that doesn’t involve her making buckets? 

Now that’s the type of thing that’s worth talking about, even on the biggest sports day of the year.

Corey Kluber, a two-time Cy Young Award winner for Cleveland who pitched a no-hitter for the New York Yankees in 2021, announced his retirement Friday after 13 major league seasons.

Kluber revealed his decision on Instagram, a posting confirmed by his agent, B.B. Abbott.

The 37-year-old right-hander, nicknamed “Klubot” for his robot-like demeanor, was 3-6 with a 7.04 ERA in nine starts and six relief appearances for the Boston Red Sox last year. He became a free agent after the Red Sox declined an $11 million option.

He made his last appearance on June 20, getting his first career save while giving up four runs on three homers over three innings in a 10-4 win at Minnesota. Kluber went on the injured list the next day because of right shoulder inflammation.

“As I take my leave from the pitcher’s mound, my passion for baseball remains unwavering,” Kluber wrote in a statement. “I eagerly anticipate exploring opportunities to contribute to the sport in a different capacity.”

HOT STOVE UPDATES: MLB free agency: Ranking and tracking the top players available.

Kluber called his career “an indelible and unforgettable ride.”

Kluber was 116-77 with a 3.44 ERA in 260 starts and 11 relief appearances over his career, striking out 1,725 and walking 368 over 1,641 2/3 innings. The three-time All-Star pitched 18 complete games, including eight shutouts.

Born in Birmingham, Alabama, Kluber played at Coppell High School in Coppell, Texas, then went to Stetson and was picked as the Atlantic Sun Conference Pitcher of the Year in 2007.

He was selected by San Diego in the fourth round of the 2007 amateur draft and dealt to Cleveland on July 31, 2010, as part of a three-team trade in which pitcher Jake Westbrook went from the Indians to St. Louis and outfielder Ryan Ludwick went from the Cardinals to San Diego.

Kluber made his big league debut in June 2002 and won his first Cy Young Award with Cleveland in 2014 after going 18-9 with a 2.44 ERA. He won another Cy Young in 2017, when he was 18-4 with a major league-best 2.25 ERA. He was 98-58 with a 3.16 ERA over nine seasons with the Indians.

Kluber signed a $38.5 million, five-year contract with Cleveland covering 2016-20, then was traded to Texas after the 2019 season. His 2019 season ended May 1 when he was hit on the right forearm by a comebacker off the bat of Miami’s Brian Anderson, and he tore a muscle in his right shoulder on July 26, 2020, one inning into his Texas debut.

He left the Rangers as a free agent to sign an $11 million, one-year deal with the Yankees and pitched a no-hitter at Texas on May 19, 2021. Kluber came within a four-pitch walk to Charlie Culberson in the third inning of throwing a perfect game.

It’s Super Bowl week, meaning the San Francisco 49ers or Kansas City Chiefs will soon be crowned champions and hold up the Lombardi Trophy.

The 49ers head into Las Vegas seeking to avenge their Super Bowl 54 defeat and capture the organization’s first Super Bowl win since Super Bowl 29 nearly 30 years ago. A win would also put San Francisco in a tie for most titles in the NFL.

On the other hand, Patrick Mahomes and company are attempting to win Kansas City’s third title in five years and cement themselves as the next dynasty in the NFL. Who will emerge as champions of the 2023 season?

Chiefs vs. 49ers odds, moneyline, over/under

The 49ers are favorites to defeat the Chiefs, according to BetMGM NFL odds. Looking to wager? Check out the best mobile sports betting apps offering NFL betting promos in 2023, including the new ESPN BET app and the Fanatics Sportsbook promo code.

SUPER BOWL CENTRAL: Latest Super Bowl 58 news, stats, odds, matchups and more.

Spread: 49ers (-2)
Moneyline: 49ers (-130); Chiefs (+110)
Over/under: 47.5

Not interested in this game? Our guide to NFL betting odds, picks and spreads has you covered with the full slate of playoff action. You can also look ahead to the big game with the best Super Bowl betting promos.

If you’re new to sports betting, don’t worry. We have tips for beginners on how to place a bet online. And USA TODAY readers can claim exclusive promos and bonus codes with these online sportsbooks and sports betting sites.

Super Bowl 58 early odds, predictions and picks

Here are our NFL expert picks based on the early odds for Super Bowl 58:

Lorenzo Reyes: 49ers 24, Chiefs 19

At this point, the greatness of Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid cannot be denied. In six seasons as a starting quarterback under Reid, Mahomes is making his fourth Super Bowl start. And the Chiefs, despite a season full of offensive plodding, are peaking. Kansas City’s primary threats on offense — tight end Travis Kelce, receiver Rashee Rice and running back Isiah Pacheco — have become consistent weapons in the postseason. The issue is that the 49ers can match up mostly well with an uber-athletic defensive line and linebacker Fred Warner patrolling the middle of the field. The San Francisco secondary has been the defense’s weak link. The key matchup will be Kansas City defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo going against 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan. Spagnuolo has become one of the NFL’s top big game assistants and his defense has become Kansas City’s strength for the way he can disguise pressures and coverages and generate pressure through the middle of the offensive line. But, with this being a rematch of Super Bowl 54, I’m expecting San Francisco to have an edge in skill athletes and for Shanahan to learn from his mistakes in the previous matchup.

Tyler Dragon: Chiefs 23, 49ers 20

The 49ers were a top-two team all season long. The combination of Christian McCaffrey, Deebo Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk, George Kittle, Trent Williams and Brock Purdy is tough to beat when they are all on the field healthy. Plus, the 49ers defense is led by all-world linebacker Fred Warner. But the Chiefs have shown us they flip the switch come postseason time. Kansas City’s defense has only allowed more than 20 points once in three postseason games. The Chiefs defense enters the Super Bowl with a playoff-high four takeaways. But above all else, the Chiefs have the best player in the NFL in Patrick Mahomes. Mahomes has picked teams apart with his arm and occasionally hurt defenses with his legs; furthermore, he’s played turnover-free football. All the hype and attention around the Super Bowl won’t faze the Chiefs. The Chiefs have earned Super Bowl berths four times in five seasons. Mahomes is seeking his third Lombardi Trophy. If Mahomes leads the Chiefs to victory, a legitimate case can be made that he’s the greatest quarterback of all time.

Safid Deen: Chiefs 30, 49ers 26

Patrick Mahomes, Andy Reid and the Chiefs entered the postseason with the worst offense they’ve had during their time together in Kansas City. Yet, here they are, in the Super Bowl once again. Sure, Christian McCaffrey and Brock Purdy make the 49ers much more formidable than their last Super Bowl matchup in Miami, but the Chiefs will have enough offense while Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo will have his fingerprints all over this one. Mahomes wins his third ring and takes another step in his chase of Tom Brady’s seven Super Bowls. 

Victoria Hernandez: Chiefs 28, 49ers 24

The 49ers showed they can perform through adversity by coming back to win the NFC championship. But Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce have never been the underdog until this season and are playing with a new sense of hunger. The quarterback quieted criticism that he hadn’t proven himself on the road in the playoffs. And the tight end has broken records while stepping up for the Chiefs’ struggling receiving corps. The 49ers technically have the more well-rounded offense and Nick Bosa, Fred Warner and Dre Greenlaw have done a great job bolstering the defense. But Kansas City’s defense has been a strong suit of theirs this year too. Ultimately, the championship experience and desire to quiet the naysayers will lead to another brick being laid in the Chiefs’ dynasty.

Jordan Mendoza: Chiefs 20, 49ers 17

San Francisco has been one of the most impressive teams all season, and on paper, they should be able to win this game for its first Super Bowl win in nearly 30 years. But the Kansas City defense has certainly been a ruthless force in this Super Bowl run. The Chiefs offense isn’t pretty, but if Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce are in sync, they’ll be able to put some points on the board. The Chiefs’ defense can limit Brock Purdy and company and become the first back-to-back champions since the Patriots in 2003-04.

You can view the full list of USA TODAY’s NFL expert predictions here.

NFL salaries: These are the highest paid NFL players

Highest-paid NFL players
Quarterbacks
Running backs
Receivers
Tight ends
Offensive tackles
Guards
Centers
Edge rushers
Interior defensive linemen
Linebackers
Cornerbacks
Safeties
Kickers
Punters

Gannett may earn revenue from sports betting operators for audience referrals to betting services. Sports betting operators have no influence over nor are any such revenues in any way dependent on or linked to the newsrooms or news coverage. Terms apply, see operator site for Terms and Conditions. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, help is available. Call the National Council on Problem Gambling 24/7 at 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ, OH), 1-800-522-4700 (CO), 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN). Must be 21 or older to gamble. Sports betting and gambling are not legal in all locations. Be sure to comply with laws applicable where you reside.

RIGA, Latvia (AP) — The Ireland women’s team shunned normal pre-match courtesies when it faced Israel in EuroBasket qualifying on Thursday after being outraged by accusations of antisemitism by an Israeli player.

The accusations by Israel player Dor Saar on the Israeli Basketball Association’s official channels prompted Basketball Ireland to report them to governing body FIBA Europe. Forfeiting the match was rejected because Ireland would have faced sanctions.

Instead, there were no handshakes or other pleasantries before the qualifier in Riga, Latvia, an alternative venue because of the war in Gaza.

“Basketball Ireland informed FIBA Europe yesterday that as a direct result of recent comments made by Israeli players and coaching staff — including inflammatory and wholly inaccurate accusations of antisemitism, published on official Israeli federation channels that our players will not be partaking in traditional pre-match arrangements with our upcoming opponents,” a statement read on Thursday.

“This includes exchanging of gifts, formal handshakes before or after the game, while our players will line up for the national anthem by our bench, rather than center court. Basketball Ireland fully supports our players in their decision.’

While Ireland defied pressure to boycott the match — the federation said it was not feasible — several players opted not to travel to Riga.

“It’s known that they are quite antisemitic and it’s no secret, and maybe that’s why a strong game is expected,” Saar, a United States-based student, said in an interview published by the Israeli Basketball Association.

“We have to show that we’re better than them and win. We talk about it among ourselves, We know they don’t love us and we will leave everything on the field always and in this game especially.”

Israel won 87-57. The teams are in a group with France and Latvia. Ireland is scheduled to host Israel on Nov. 10.