NEW ORLEANS – A few weeks back, Jordan Mailata got a text out of the blue. The message? He could go to the office of Philadelphia Eagles chief security officer Dom DiSandro – “Big Dom” – and pick up his Rolex.

Mailata, the Eagles’ second-team All-Pro left tackle, had completely forgotten about something running back Saquon Barkley had said months earlier.

“When we first got him,” Mailata said, reflecting back to when Barkley surprisingly came to Philadelphia during free agency last March, “I guess he understood what he had in the O-line, and we understood what we had in the running back. And he told us at the start of the season – not even at the start of the season, this is in OTAs – ‘If I win the rushing title, I’m going to get you guys Rolexes.’”

Nearly a year later, Barkley, the newly anointed Offensive Player of the Year, had banked more than 2,000 rushing yards and that rushing crown … and had also reached into his bank account to pay for those promised timepieces.

“We were like, ‘Well, we forgot about that,’” Mailata beamed, “but he was a man of his word. And I guess we hadn’t known him long enough to know he was being serious, but he’s a man of his word, and he has true character.”

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Such character, that Barkley had to do even more to make good on his pledge.

“Yeah, sometimes you gotta talk things into existence, right?” he said when talking about the promise he made to a unit he now calls “one of the greatest offensive lines of all time,” a group with whom he’s earned honorary membership.

“I was able to fulfill that and get those guys some watches. Big shoutout to my jeweler, Gabe. He helped me out there. But what I did learn is, you know, those are some big guys. So, you get the standard size and, you know, I got to help them out, get some extra (watchband) links.”

It’s one of the few things that hasn’t gone to plan for Barkley this season – one that will conclude Sunday, when he will play in the Super Bowl for the first time.

His talent has always been readily apparent, since he was the second player taken in the 2018 NFL draft and through the years as he piled up so many yards and highlights for Philly’s archrivals, the New York Giants. It’s the only way a running back lands a three-year contract for nearly $38 million nowadays.

Like everyone else, the Eagles knew Barkley was good (even if many couldn’t believe he was switching sides). What they didn’t know was what they were truly getting when he walked into their facility for the first time.

“I don’t know how he ended up here, that was my first reaction,” said Pro Bowl right tackle Lane Johnson. “Then having a chance to play with him is extraordinary.

“I was probably more impressed with just his character, (who) he was off the field.”

Talk to any member of the Eagles, and it quickly becomes apparent that Johnson’s sentiment is universal.

“It was pretty easy taking Saquon into the family because of the résumé that he came with,” said Mailata. “It was pretty easy to welcome him with open arms. And I think what stands out to me more than the player – and the player that you guys see – is how he is as a human being. His personality – the way he cares about a human, where he cares about his teammates on a personal level – that means a lot to us, and I think it means a lot to him.”

It does.

Barkley quickly became a leading figure inside a locker room that already had strong veteran leadership. And that meant competing in the weight room, sharing his faith and numerous rounds on the golf course.

“I believe relationships are key to having a successful team,” he said.

In this case, success meant the ninth 2,000-yard rushing season in NFL history. With 30 more Sunday against the Kansas City Chiefs, Barkley will eclipse Hall of Famer Terrell Davis’ 26-year-old mark for most rushing yards in a season (2,476) when including the playoffs. His seven TD runs of at least 60 yards is a record for a season and postseason combined – the three in the playoffs another mark for a single postseason and more than any other player has in an entire career. The effort might go down as the greatest single campaign by a runner ever.

But more importantly to Barkley, who turns 28 on Super Sunday, has been the way his team has flourished, winning its second conference title in three seasons and now on the verge of capturing Philadelphia’s second Lombardi Trophy.

“I wanted to play in big games and be part of a team that had an opportunity to go compete and play in a Super Bowl,” said Barkley. “And all that happened.

“Now did I expect the accolades, and the records and the yards that come along with it? No. Did I work for that? Yeah. But the most important thing was to come here and compete for a championship and a Super Bowl.”

Even if that’s what is most important, the way he’s gone about it has been at least equally meaningful to his teammates and coaches.

“He’s a great person, and he’s personable,” defensive tackle Moro Ojomo told USA TODAY Sports. “He accepted us, and we accepted him, and it was a match made in heaven.”

Said head coach Nick Sirianni: “Yeah, it’s very obvious when you watch the tape how good of a player he is, right? But the things that he has that he brings to our football team as far as his leadership, his work ethic. He’s an awesome teammate. Those are the things that make him very special.

“And that’s pretty special that I’m saying that even more after you see him jumping over guys backwards and all that stuff.

“He’s an awesome teammate, an awesome person. I can’t say enough good things. I can spend the rest of this press conference talking about what Saquon has meant to this football team and not even talk about anything on the field.”

Even Barkley, who was a bit leery of his new coach prior to landing in Philly, can hardly believe how good the fit has been from almost every perspective.

“A year ago, I probably despised him,” he said of Sirianni, who’s had something of a polarizing reputation, particularly among outsiders. “But now our relationship has grown so much. He genuinely cares about players and that don’t get talked about enough.

“He’s an awesome person.”

No surprise to outsiders

When Barkley was in New York, one of his close friends was Hall of Famer and Giants legend Michael Strahan. He’d routinely dine with Strahan, who assumed a mentorship role as well.

Much as Strahan has hated the outcome for the lowly Giants, he also instantly foresaw Barkley’s wild success in Philadelphia.

“Saquon’s just a leader, period. He’s just that guy. Not only the leader in words, but you watch him on the field. I think to be a real leader of a team, you have to perform. You can have guys who chirp all the time in a locker room, but if they’re never playing, no one’s gonna respect that.” Strahan, now an analyst for Fox, told USA TODAY Sports.

“He backs up everything that he says. And I think because of that, guys respect him. It’s hard to go to a new team, a team in your old division that you were trained to dislike, and all of a sudden you gotta like ‘em? Gotta be weird to put that uniform on for the first time. But I’m happy he’s there. I think as a Giants fan, obviously, it’s disheartening to see him play so well in Philly – I don’t know if he woulda had that year in New York. He didn’t have the same support system around him.

“I wanna see him do so well, I wanna see him play his best. I got a chance to see that in the regular season, and I’m hoping I see that in the Super Bowl. I love Saquon. He’s the most genuine guy off the field, and a helluva player on it.”

And now he’s the Chiefs’ problem as they go for their historic Super Bowl three-peat Sunday. One of their biggest stars knows all to well that Barkley could muck up their plans.

“I’m pretty sure me and my brother knew exactly what was gonna happen in Philly when they got Saquon Barkley,” said Kansas City tight end Travis Kelce, brother of former Eagles All-Pro center Jason Kelce.

“Saquon, he’s a generational talent. And you put that with the style of offensive line that they have, and the ability they have on the perimeter, and obviously their ability at quarterback – you kinda knew that something special was gonna happen in Philly this year.”

The city loves its new star – Barkley already the recipient of some of the most thunderous roars at Lincoln Financial Field during pre-game introductions – almost as much as his new teammates do.

“I would say the team means everything to me,” said Barkley. “Just from Day 1, the way that they welcomed me with open arms. And I’m kind of the new guy, (but) I feel like I’ve been on this team for seven years.”

And if all continues to go to plan, those Super Bowl rings will fit better than the Rolexes.

“All of them were too small,” laughed Mailata, “we’ve got big hands!”

And also a big back who’s made just about everything else just right.

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Two weeks of Super Bowl hoopla have given way to what will hopefully be one great game.

With all that in mind, here are four bold predictions for Super Bowl 2025 from our staff:

Patrick Mahomes will have more rushing yards than Jalen Hurts

Only two quarterbacks – Lamar Jackson and Jayden Daniels – ran for more yards during the regular season than Jalen Hurts, the Philadelphia Eagles’ multi-tasking star. Hurts rushed for 630 yards in regular-season play, then in the postseason ran for 70 yards, including a 44-yard jaunt, in the divisional win against the L.A. Rams. Mahomes, meanwhile, didn’t run for half as many yards as Hurts during the regular season (307).

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But it’s the win-or-go-home Super Bowl stage. And Mahomes, as demonstrated during the AFC title game against the Buffalo Bills, will do whatever it takes. He ran 11 times for 43 yards and two TDs against the Bills, surpassing Josh Allen’s rushing output. His 10-yard TD run, Mahomes explained, came on a misdirection play around right end that he typically handed off to a running back for a play that flows off left tackle. With the AFC title at stake, Mahomes kept the football and dashed through a lane that he repeatedly saw available during the regular season.

With a potential three-peat crown in play, Mahomes undoubtedly won’t hesitate to make similar decisions while using his legs. And Chiefs coach Andy Reid probably won’t hold back, either. Remember the last year’s Super Bowl? Mahomes led the Chiefs in rushing with 66 yards and ripped off an 8-yard gain on a crucial fourth-down call in overtime that kept alive the winning touchdown drive.

– Jarrett Bell

Nikko Remigio wins Super Bowl MVP

“Who?” is a question you might be asking yourself. But the idea of a special teams player taking home Super Bowl MVP honors isn’t unheard of. The last time these two teams played in the Super Bowl two years, Kadarius Toney’s 65-yard return (a Super-Bowl record) in the fourth quarter was a major catalyst in the Chiefs’ victory. Remigio, who signed in Kansas City as an undrafted free agent in 2023, played in five regular-season games in 2024 but has emerged as an explosive returner in the postseason. Against the Houston Texans in the divisional round, he returned three kickoffs for a total of 110 yards (36.7-yard average), although he did cough up the ball once (Kansas City recovered). In the AFC championship game, he fielded one punt and returned it 44 yards. It feels like Remigio is on the verge of breaking one for a touchdown, and it could be the story of Super Bowl 59, considering he was promoted to the active roster Dec. 7 and spent the 2023 season on injured reserve. Maybe Patrick Mahomes finds him a few times while dropping back to pad the overall stat line. Nevertheless, Remigio would be arguably the most unlikely Super Bowl MVP ever. 

The margins are so thin in these games and Chiefs coach Andy Reid has relied on special teams coordinator Dave Toub and his unit to provide an edge. 

History has shown how much participants in that phase of the game can impact it all. 

If the Chiefs win again, and in a fashion they have done all season with sufficient but not impressive offensive output, the voters could experience “Mahomes fatigue” and struggle to find another viable candidate. Vote Nikko. 

– Chris Bumbaca

DeAndre Hopkins will have first 100-yard receiving game in Chiefs uniform

Hopkins hasn’t had a 100-yard receiving game as a member of the Chiefs. He hasn’t topped 100 yards receiving in a game since 2023. But that will all change Sunday in the biggest game of his career.

I predict Hopkins will have a vintage performance in his first ever Super Bowl. The 12-year veteran has waited his entire career to play in the Super Bowl and he’ll be ready to seize the moment.

The Eagles play a lot of zone defense. Philadelphia will try to contain tight end Travis Kelce and prevent explosive plays. The Chiefs are likely going to have to methodically move the football down field. Hopkins will become Mahomes’ security blanket on short and intermediate passes. He will use his instincts and experience to find open areas in the zone and create separation. But I expect Hopkins’ adrenaline to assist him in what will be a vintage D-Hop performance.

– Tyler Dragon

A.J. Brown goes for 150 yards and two touchdowns

I was going to push Brown as an MVP candidate, but that would hardly qualify as a bold prediction next to Chris calling his shot for Remigio. Therefore, let’s put some numbers on this. Yes, expecting any receiver to shine against a Steve Spagnuolo defense on the Super Bowl stage seems more than a little bit iffy. But Brown certainly didn’t back down from the moment two years ago, when he posted 98 yards and a score on six catches against Kansas City.

With Jalen Hurts playing more efficiently and faring better against the blitz this season, there’s reason to believe Brown could have several game-breaking opportunities if he can simply get the ball in his hands, especially with Kansas City likely intent on denying any big plays in the run game. The 6-1, 226-pounder is better built than DeVonta Smith to handle the jams and man coverage Spagnuolo seems destined to send, so Philadelphia’s hopes might hinge on him either reeling off a few big gains or consistently keeping the chains moving and delivering in the red zone.

– Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz

PHOENIX — The weather is gorgeous without a cloud in the sky for the opening of the spring training, but everywhere you turn there are orange traffic cones, potholes, and detours.

It has nothing to do with the partying and traffic from the wild Waste Management Open in Phoenix, rather the other 29 Major League Baseball teams trying to navigate any possible way to knock off the mighty Los Angeles Dodgers.

The Dodgers, the defending World Series champions, are threatening to strangle the hope out of all their competitors with their sexy array of stars, massive $380 million payroll, and enough talent where they could their divide their team in two, and still wind up playing against one another in the World Series.

If the Dodgers can win the World Series with only three healthy starters, Shohei Ohtani and Freddie Freeman playing injured, and forced to rely on a bullpen from the first inning to the ninth, can you imagine how powerful they’ll be after spending close to a half-billion dollars in the winter?

They’ve now got eight starters – nine when three-time Cy Young winner and future Hall of Famer Clayton Kershaw re-signs – after signing two-time Cy Young winner Blake Snell and grabbing Rōki Sasaki, perhaps the greatest young pitching talent in Japanese history. Oh, and don’t forget they also signed the two best closers on the market, too, with Tanner Scott and Kirby Yates.

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Little wonder when Dodgers shortstop Miguel Rojas was recently asked if the team could break the Seattle Mariners’ all-time record with 116 victories in 2001, he flatly predicted they’d win 120 games: “It’s not a goal. It’s an expectation.’

The Dodgers are simply that loaded.

Sportsbooks have the over/under on the Dodgers’ win total at more than 103 and the team is the overwhelming favorite to win it all.

How would you like to reside in the NL West, where the San Diego Padres had the Dodgers on the ropes in last year’s division series and then watched the Dodgers spend $461 million this winter while the Padres did nothing more than bring back their backup catcher and sign a platoon for left field? Or the Arizona Diamondbacks, who spent a franchise-record $210 million on ace Corbin Burnes, only for the Dodgers rotation to improve even more with Snell, Sasaki and the return of Ohtani? Or the San Francisco Giants, who spent a franchise-record $182 million on shortstop Willy Adames, only for the Dodgers to snag their ace in Snell and outfielder in Michael Conforto?

Oh, to be in the NL Central or AL Central, where all 12 teams in the two divisions were outspent by the Athletics of Sacramento.

Well, after teams spent all winter trying to work their magic, they now will be reporting in the next two days to spring training camps in Arizona and Florida, fashioning a report card for the top six winners and losers of the offseason:

Winners of the MLB offseason

Juan Soto: Come on, $765 million? Really? It’s mind-boggling that Soto is being paid more than Shohei Ohtani, who’s a cash cow for the Dodgers. Soto is a mighty fine hitter, but he’s also a one-dimensional player who could end up being the Mets’ starting first baseman or DH in a couple of years. This is the most stunning contract in baseball since Alex Rodriguez’s record 10-year, $252 million deal with the Texas Rangers nearly a quarter-century ago.

Los Angeles Dodgers: This team is so deep with pitching that there’s no need for a single starter to pitch 150 innings this season, making sure that everyone is well-rested and fresh for the playoffs and World Series. The Dodgers’ toughest task of the spring will be setting aside time to get their fingers sized for their 2025 World Series rings.

New York Yankees: The Yankees will tell you in hindsight that their loss in the Soto sweepstakes might have been the best $760 million they never spent. Sure, they wanted Soto, but they also concede that if they landed him, they never would have been able to build their team into the best in the American League. They signed ace Max Fried to a $218 million contract, traded for Cody Bellinger, traded for Devin Williams, and signed former MVP Paul Goldschmidt. And, for an added bonus, it sure helped that most of the marquee free agents headed to the National League over the winter, clearing the path for a Yankees’ return trip to the World Series.

Willy Adames: Raise your hand if you thought Adames would get a guaranteed contract worth $128 million more than free-agent slugger Pete Alonso. Adames made the shrewd decision to sign early, and got a fat seven-year, $182 million payday from the San Francisco Giants. If he had waited, who knows, he could still be sitting out there waiting for his contract like Alex Bregman.

The team formerly known as the Oakland Athletics: Finally, no more payroll slashing. No more distractions. No more protests. The Athletics, who lost 307 games the past three seasons, suddenly are legitimate. They improved by 19 games from their 2023 season, going 39-37 after July 1, tied for the third-best record in the American League. They even started acting like a major-league team this past winter, increasing their payroll, signing starter Luis Severino to a franchise-record $67 million contract over three years, locked up outfielder Brent Rooker to a five-year, $60 million contract, and resisted all trade overtures for All-Star closer Mason Miller. Sure, they’ll be playing the next three years in a minor-league ballpark, but the stands will be filled at their 14,000-seat stadium, and they’ll be cheered by the good folks of Sacramento. The biggest bummer may be dodging those bad hops in the infield with 156 games scheduled between the A’s and the Sacramento River Cats.

Left-handed starters: What a winter it was for the lefties in the game. Max Fried, who was 11-10 with a 3.25 ERA with Atlanta, signed the richest contract for a left-handed pitcher in baseball history (eight-years, $218 million) with the Yankees. Blake Snell, who was 0-3 with a 6.31 ERA at the All-Star break, signed a five-year, $182 million contract with the Dodgers. Sean Manaea, who has never won more than 12 games in a season with a career 4.00 ERA, signed a three-year, $75 million deal with the Mets. Yes, left-handed starters have never been more in demand.

Losers of the MLB offseason

St. Louis Cardinals: This is a franchise we no longer recognize. They’ve been the class of the NL Central since the turn of this century with 11 division titles, four World Series appearances and two championships in front of baseball’s greatest fans. Now, for the first time in three decades, they’re settling for mediocrity while they undergo a rebuild. They haven’t signed a single free agent, made one trade for utilityman Michael Helman, who was about to be designated for assignment by the Minnesota Twins, and still are desperately trying to unload third baseman Nolan Arenado and the remaining $74 million in his contract. It’s going to be a long, hot summer in St. Louis.

San Diego Padres: They may be spending the next 20 years lamenting just how close they were to toppling the Dodgers in the 2024 NLDS. And just when they thought they were closing the gap on the Dodgers, the Dodgers went out and spent nearly another half-billion dollars while the Padres ran out of cash. They lost their closer (Tanner Scott), All-Star left fielder (Jurickson Profar), infielders (Ha-Seong Kim and Donovan Solano) and catcher (Kyle Higashioka). Most painful, they lost Roki Sasaki to the Dodgers just when they were confident he was coming their way. All they’ve done all winter is bring back reserve catcher Elias Diaz and sign an outfield platoon of Jason Heyward and Connor Joe. If that’s not tough enough to swallow, they’ve been shopping starter Dylan Cease all winter trying to clear room to dip below the luxury tax threshold. Meanwhile, the ownership is muddied in a game of Family Feud with nasty lawsuits swapped between family members, leaving fellow owners to wonder if the team will eventually be sold.

Pete Alonso: No one’s free-agent value came crashing down mightier than Alonso’s. It was two years ago that he turned down a seven-year, $158 million extension. It was four months ago that he was seeking close to a $200 million payday. He was left with a two-year, $54 million contract with the Mets that no could possibly have envisioned. Certainly, he could have gotten a bigger payday if he wanted to play for the Toronto Blue Jays. He even rejected a three-year, $85 million contract in January from the Mets, which was heavily deferred, and ultimately even passed on a three-year, $71 million proposal. Alonso was left with no choice but to bet on himself, and can only hope that a year from now when he likely opts out, he can change a lot of folks’ minds, particularly with no qualifying offer attached to him.

Nick Pivetta: Remember when the baseball industry was surprised back in November when the Boston Red Sox gave a $21.05 million qualifying offer to Pivetta after going just 6-12 with a 4.14 ERA? Despite Pivetta never making more than $7.5 million in a season, he turned it down. Well, here we are, with pitchers and catchers reporting to camp, and Pivetta still is unemployed. No team is willing to give him $21 million a year while also forfeiting a draft pick. Pivetta can either swallow his pride and accept a cheaper deal or if he is really thinking about skipping spring training, he may want to pick up the phone and talk to Jordan Montgomery and Blake Snell. They’ll gladly let him know what a mistake it would be.

Stu Sternberg: Just when it looked like Rays owner Stu Sternberg and St. Peterburg officials finally resolved the Tampa Bay Rays’ stadium mess after two decades of negotiations, along came Hurricanes Helene and Milton, blowing the top off Tropicana Field and perhaps blowing up their tentative deal for a new ballpark. All the Rays know is that they’ll be spending the 2025 season playing at the Yankees’ spring-training complex, George M. Steinbrenner Field, with no idea of their future after the season. Will the city fix the roof permitting the Rays to return for the 2026-2028 seasons, delaying their new stadium by a year? Do the Rays want to back out of their deal by March 31 and pursue a new ballpark instead in Tampa or Orlando? The trust between Sternberg and the local politicians is now at a breaking point and could eventually lead to the team being sold.

Seattle Mariners: Come on, didn’t they learn their lesson from a year ago? Wasn’t it painful enough knowing they had the best pitching staff in baseball, one that could have carried them right into the World Series but instead sat home all winter Now, instead of spending money to bring in offensive help, trying to sign free agents Alonso or Bregman, or trading for Alec Bohm of the Philadelphia Phillies, they’re going to run it back again with basically the same offense.

This is an offense that entered the final five weeks of the season ranked last in hitting (.216), last in strikeout rate (27.7%), 28th in OPS (.666) and 27th in runs per game (3.93). And they did nothing to supplement it other than re-sign Jorge Polanco to a one-year, $7.75 million contract and sign free-agent infielder Donovan Solano to a one-year, $3.5 million deal. That’s it. Shame on the Mariners and their ownership if they waste another year. For a team that has never played in the World Series, you’d think there’d be a semblance of urgency to take advantage of having perhaps the most talented rotation in baseball.

Follow Nightengale on X: @Bnightengale

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The Memphis Grizzlies’ game Saturday against the Oklahoma City Thunder was stopped late in the fourth quarter after an official signaled for security to escort a fan out of the stands.

That fan turned out to be Tee Morant, the father of Grizzlies star Ja Morant. Tee Morant was escorted out and asked to leave the game at FedExForum.

After the Grizzlies’ 125-112 loss, Ja Morant wasn’t sure why his father got ejected, but he had an idea.

‘He probably got kicked out so I didn’t,’ he said. ‘He probably was complaining about something to the ref.’

Ja Morant’s assessment wasn’t far off. In a pool report conducted by The Daily Memphian’s Drew Hill, NBA crew chief official Josh Tiven made it clear that he asked for Tee Morant to be ejected.

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‘The fan continued to repeat overtly disrespectful statements about the integrity of the officiating crew, so as the Crew Chief I approached security and asked that he be removed,’ Tiven said.

Ja Morant finished the game with 16 points on 6-for-19 shooting. He signaled to referees, calling for a foul, after several driving attempts during the game, but he finished with four attempted free throws, making two.

While that wasn’t the reason Memphis lost, it sheds light on why Morant believes his father was ejected.

Damichael Cole is the Memphis Grizzlies beat writer for The Commercial Appeal. Contact Damichael at damichael.cole@commercialappeal.com. Follow Damichael on X, formerly known as Twitter, @DamichaelC.

The New Orleans Saints are the last of seven NFL teams to fill a head-coaching vacancy this offseason. It appears the team’s lengthy wait will soon be over, with a key figure in town this week set to stick around.

The Saints are expected to hire Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Kellen Moore as their next coach, according to multiple reports. The team can not come to an official agreement, however, until after the Eagles complete their season by squaring off against the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl 59 in New Orleans on Sunday.

Moore, 36, will become the NFL’s youngest head coach, a title previous held by the Seattle Seahawks’ Mike Macdonald, 37.

A backup quarterback for the Detroit Lions (2012-14) and Dallas Cowboys (2015-17), Moore immediately pivoted from his playing days into a coaching career by taking on the job of quarterbacks coach for the Cowboys in 2018, serving as a trusted and familiar voice for starter Dak Prescott. He was elevated to offensive coordinator a year later and remained in the role after Mike McCarthy’s hiring in 2020. His units twice led the league in total yards and ranked in the top six for scoring in three of his four seasons as coordinator, with the lone exception coming in a 2020 campaign in which Prescott was lost after five games to a compound fracture and dislocation of his right ankle.

After the Cowboys’ divisional-round playoff exit, however, Moore and the team parted ways, with McCarthy taking over play-calling duties. Moore served as the Los Angeles Chargers’ offensive coordinator for one year before joining the Eagles. He orchestrated an attack that ranked second in rushing, with All-Pro running back Saquon Barkley leading the charge by racking up 2,005 rushing yards in the regular season.

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The Saints, who fired coach Dennis Allen in November after a 2-7 start, had several candidates drop out of the running for their opening. Former Detroit Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn, who was an assistant in New Orleans under Sean Payton from 2016-20, opted to take the New York Jets’ top job after having been scheduled for a second interview with the Saints. Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady withdrew from consideration after a virtual interview with the team, and Washington Commanders opted not to pursue the position. McCarthy, who parted ways with the Cowboys after five years, also backed out, choosing instead to focus on next year’s hiring cycle.

Set to be $54 million over the salary cap in 2025, according to Over The Cap, the Saints will once again face an offseason of reshuffling and restructuring. Quarterback Derek Carr, who played in a career-low 10 games due to an oblique injury and a fractured left hand, is set to have a cap hit in excess of $51 million, with a $10 million roster bonus due in mid-March. Releasing him would incur a $50 million dead cap hit.

Several longtime franchise stalwarts – including defensive end Cameron Jordan, right tackle Ryan Ramczyk and tight end Taysom Hill – also face uncertain futures.

The Eagles, meanwhile, will have their fourth different offensive coordinator in four years. Moore and Shane Steichen (2022) both landed head-coaching jobs, and the team parted ways with Brian Johnson (2023).

This story has been updated with additional information.

Mark Williams will not be joining the Los Angeles Lakers after all.

The team announced Saturday night that the trade that would have brought Williams over from the Charlotte Hornets ‘has been rescinded due to failure to satisfy a condition of the trade.’

The deal fell apart after Williams failed a physical, a person with knowledge of the physical told USA TODAY Sports.

The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to disclose the information.

The 23-year-old Williams already has an extensive injury history. He appeared in just 43 games his rookie season, 19 last season and has made 23 appearances this season entering Saturday’s games.

Marks, a longtime front office executive, said that with the trade deadline now in the rearview mirror the deal cannot be amended. The players now go back to their original teams and the draft conditions are voided, Marks said.

The Hornets welcomed Williams back to the team in a public statement posted on social media.

‘We are excited to welcome Mark back to our Hornets organization,’ the team said in its statement. ‘After the other team aggressively pursued Mark, we made the difficult decision to move him. We have always held great respect for Mark’s talent, work ethic, and character. We are thrilled to see him rejoin our roster as a dynamic presence at the starting center position.

‘His return strengthens our team, and we look forward to the impact he will make on and off the court.’

While the trade falling apart is perhaps a long-term bullet dodged for the Lakers, center now becomes a glaring concern for the rest of this season. Williams was seemingly destined to start for L.A. after Anthony Davis was sent to Dallas in the Luka Doncic trade. The surging Lakers – winners of nine of their past 10 games – will now almost certainly be scouring the buyout market for a big man.

The waiting is over. Super Bowl Sunday is finally here.

And this evening we’ll get to see which team will hoist the Lombardi Trophy as champions of the National Football League. Will it be the two-time defending champs, the Kansas City Chiefs? Or will it be the underdog Philadelphia Eagles, who lost to the Chiefs on this same stage two years ago?

The game figures to be a close one with the two teams so evenly matched. So much so that oddsmakers in Las Vegas and elsewhere haven’t really moved the betting line at all in the two weeks since both won their conference championship games.

Super Bowl 59 odds

According to the latest odds from BetMGM, the Kansas City Chiefs are 1.5-point favorites over the Philadelphia Eagles.

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Chiefs to cover -1.5: -105
Eagles to cover +1.5: -115

Super Bowl 59 over/under

BetMGM has the overall total for the game at 48.5 points.

Over: -115
Under: -105

Super Bowl 59 prop bets

There are any number of proposition bets that can be placed on the Super Bowl. Here are some of the most popular.

BetMGM

Coin Toss: Heads (-102); Tails (-102)
Coin Toss winner: Chiefs (-102); Eagles (-102)

DraftKings

Gatorade Color: Purple (+175); Orange (+250); Yellow/Green (+250), Red (+425); Blue (+450); Clear (+850); No Gatorade Bath (+1500)
First TD jersey number: Over 15.5 (-115); Under 15.5 (-115)

FanDuel

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We watch Super Bowl advertisements, with our kids nearby and sometimes a beer in our hands, with the easiness we used to shout “tastes great” or “less filling” at the old Miller Lite ads.

It can be a lesson in osmosis.

“If you pull aside a handful of teenagers and say, ‘What do you think of when you think of the Super Bowl, they’re going to say, ‘Bud Light,’ ” says Megan Moreno, a professor of pediatrics at the University of Wisconsin’s School of Public Health who specializes in adolescent care.

In recent years, sporting events have also featured commercials that offer something that can be right at kids’ fingertips. Ads for online betting don’t make indirect suggestions to try them. Instead, they’re full of invitations and offers of credits from familiar faces who, Moreno says, try to link gambling with what they’re watching.

AD METER 2025: Vote on the big game’s best commercials

“I have teenagers,” says Moreno, who works closely with the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). “It’s not like they’re coming running to you asking to watch ‘Frozen,’ which is a blessing and a curse. There’s just not a lot of content that’s enjoyable to sit down and watch together. Sports can play a really important role in having something in common and something to bond over. But it’s also pretty tricky.”

Especially when parents bet on games (or drink alcohol) themselves. We don’t necessarily think of watching commercials as teaching moments, but one of the biggest betting days of the year creates an opportunity for one.

“It’s so interwoven and present now that I think, whether or not parents choose to engage in it, it probably means parents need to have a conversation with whatever child is watching,” Moreno says, “and say, ‘This is what it means to gamble. And here’s what you want to be careful about if you decide to do this when you get older.’ ”

Moreno, the co-medical director of the AAP’s Center of Excellence on Social Media and Youth Mental Health, offers ways we can make the exchange engaging and interactive, like watching the commercials themselves.

How kids are at risk for getting involved in online gambling

A 2018 Supreme Court decision struck down a federal law banning sports betting in most states. Today, mobile betting is legal in 30 states and celebrities like Jamie Foxx, Drake, Nicki Minaj and Conor McGregor promote online betting that is just a few taps away on a phone.

“You hear kids talking about it, which I think is just really different than in the past,” Moreno says. “You had to go somewhere to gamble, and it was kind of secret. Now you can gamble during a game on an app on your phone.’

“That’s what we’re hearing,” Moreno says. “Or a parent will set up an account and kind of let the kid use it, and then sometimes the kid uses it without asking.”

Sixty-nine percent of parents in the poll reported their teen has a bank account, debit card and/or credit card in their own name.

“We’re seeing kids doing more app based games, where they’re used to putting money in,’ Moreno says. ‘It’s become really normative for kids to buy in-app purchases and use money, and sometimes those are tied to games of chance within the gaming app. This is not true gambling, but this is like a warmup.”

Teens engage heavily among the estimated 62.5 million who play fantasy sports in the USA and Canada. If you play fantasy, you know that even if you put in just a little money, it’s easy allow your mood to rise and fall with the statistics of your players.

“You feel like you’ve got a stake in it,” Moreno says of fantasy sports, but also online gambling in general. “And I think adults can do a good job of kind of separating themselves through that enough to function during the day.

“But for teens at such a vulnerable age where they’re really seeking things that will connect to them and that will help them build their identity. I think that’s the other piece that worries me about teens getting super engaged in this: It’s just so much harder for them to disentangle because that that identity fully developed.”

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What we can do to help our kids understand online gambling

Let them distinguish what they’re watching: According to Michigan’s Mott poll, just one in four parents of children ages 14-18 had spoken with them about online gambling.

Start the discussion by putting your child at peer level, something we probably don’t do enough in his age of overprotecting – if not coddling – kids.

Hit that pause button during the game if you see a gambling ad. Ask your son or daughter to describe what they are watching.

Here’s how Moreno suggests the back-and-fourth-might go:

These are some of the most elite athletes in the world that are taking really good care of themselves. But look at the ads we’re seeing. What are those ads telling us to do? What are they trying to sell you, and how does that line up with what we’re watching?

“I have found adolescents really love those conversations,” she says. “They love thinking about what’s ‘the man’ trying to get me to do? It’s an opportunity to have those conversations in kind of a fun way.”

Create real-life scenarios: Once the game is over, find time to talk through not just the idea of placing a bet, but how it might look like for both of you if you lost.

I know you love the Chiefs. Let’s say you wanted to put $5 down because you were really excited they might win, and then they lost. What if it was $5 but you were doing it every week, and that’s your whole allowance?

How would you feel if it was $50?

How would it feel if I put down $500 and now we don’t have enough money to go on that camping trip?

Playing fantasy sports with your kids, and having them experience what it’s like to lose money from them, can work the same way.

“Take the excitement that we know can come from gambling, but tying it to those real world consequences,” Moreno says.

Be transparent about your own habits: According to the Michigan Mott’s poll, 31% of parents say that they or another adult in their household participate in online, in-person, or social betting.

If a teen sees you engaging with it while you are watching the game together, it becomes part of their impression of what’s normal.

‘You want to be careful with how much you’re exposing them to it,’ Moreno says. ‘But I think you also want to pair that with having some really honest communication with it.’

Here is what you might say:

I struggle with this: Here’s what I’m worried about for you.

How are we going to figure out a way to navigate this together?

How are we going to know when it’s a problem and what’s our plan if it’s a problem?

“I think the more a parent can be real, the greater likelihood is the kid’s gonna say, ‘I’m not doing that,’ ” Moreno says. “And it also takes away the forbidden fruit piece. Or that the kid will say, ‘Hey, I’ll try this, and if it’s a problem now we have a plan.’ ”

Coach Steve: Five bold perspectives for sports parents in 2025

Why it’s never too late to talk about online gambling with your kid

They include: restricting betting after a certain amount is lost, offering a “parent view” option to monitor online betting accounts, verifying legal age with photo identification to open the account and limiting the amount of money that can be bet within a certain timeframe.

“I think sometimes parents will think, ‘Oh, gosh. I never had this conversation when they were younger, but now they’re older, and they’re talking to me or I see the apps on their phone. Is it too late for me to have that conversation?’ ‘ Moreno says. ‘No, it’s absolutely not too late to have that conversation.”

If your child has already tried gambling, it becomes another layer of your discussion. As we know, parenting is often about turning an unexpected twist into something productive.

“It’s not that you want to shame anyone,’ Moreno says. ‘Instead it’s that, ‘How do you want to talk about it in a way so that kids have the information that you want to give them.’ ”

Steve Borelli, aka Coach Steve, has been an editor and writer with USA TODAY since 1999. He spent 10 years coaching his two sons’ baseball and basketball teams. He and his wife, Colleen, are now sports parents for two high schoolers. His column is posted weekly. For his past columns, click here.

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