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Afternoon Edition

February 10, 2025

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After a dominant Super Bowl performance, the Eagles will host the first game of the 2025 season. There are eight matchup options—and a few could bring huge TV audiences.

— Eric Fisher [[link removed]], Colin Salao [[link removed]], and David Rumsey [[link removed]]

Eagles Set to Host 2025 NFL Kickoff: Who Will Be Their Opponent? [[link removed]]

Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

The Eagles are now Super Bowl LIX champions [[link removed]], and the focus quickly turns to 2025 schedule watching—including the high-profile kickoff game that will be held at Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field.

The NFL is due to release its schedule for next season in May, in keeping with typical practice. The Eagles are set to host the season-opening game Sept. 4, continuing the league’s tradition of the defending Super Bowl champion having a primetime home game on a Thursday night to start the new season.

By terms of the league’s long-established schedule formula [[link removed]], the Eagles’ opponents for the 2025 season have already been determined, and the away team for that high-profile season opener in Philadelphia will be one of these eight possibilities:

Chicago Bears Dallas Cowboys Denver Broncos Detroit Lions Las Vegas Raiders Los Angeles Rams New York Giants Washington Commanders

The NFL often hasn’t used the season opener for a game within a single division. Instead, the league has frequently shown a preference for a marquee inter-division or inter-conference matchup in that broadcast slot on NBC Sports—such as how the 2024 season started with the Ravens at the Chiefs, or how the 2023 season premiered with the Lions at the Chiefs, the 2022 season kicked off with the Bills visiting the Rams, and the 2021 season began with the Cowboys playing at the Buccaneers.

Despite all that, the Commanders jump out as a notable possibility. The team had a dramatic rebirth this season [[link removed]] under new owner Josh Harris, reaching the NFC championship game won by the Eagles in what was Washington’s best year in more than three decades. Across multiple sportsbooks, the Commanders are now the No. 7 favorite to win Super Bowl LX, further showing how much the team has improved. The kickoff matchup also has been a championship game rematch on multiple occasions, including this season’s Ravens-Chiefs clash that set a viewership record for the event [[link removed]].

Other attractive options for the kickoff game include the Lions, the top seed in the NFC playoffs before being upset by the Commanders; the Rams, who the Eagles beat in the divisional playoff round this season; and the Broncos, who reached the playoffs in 2024 for the first time in nine years.

The Eagles, meanwhile, have three notable away games that will be highly coveted by every NFL rights holder as the league completes the 2025 schedule: a Super Bowl LIX rematch against the Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium, a trip to Buffalo to face the Bills, and another to Minnesota to play the Vikings. The Buccaneers, Chargers, and Packers—all 2024 playoff teams—are also on Philadelphia’s 2025 away slate.

Lakers, Luka Dončić Seize Super Bowl Spotlight With Star’s Monday Debut [[link removed]]

Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

The Super Bowl has come and gone, but this year, the NBA does not need to wait for the All-Star weekend to capitalize on the end of the NFL season.

Luka Dončić is expected to make his Lakers debut Monday against the Jazz, a game that ESPN announced Sunday would be flexed into its national TV schedule. The five-time All-Star—who was traded to Los Angeles from the Mavericks on Feb. 1—has not played since Christmas Day due to a calf injury.

It was originally widely reported that Dončić was expected to make his debut Saturday against the Pacers, which led to ESPN adjusting its Friday NBA schedule and Saturday college basketball slate to accommodate the Lakers game. However, on Thursday night, TNT’s Jared Greenberg announced that Los Angeles moved back Dončić’s return. ESPN did not revert its weekend schedule and aired the Lakers-Pacers game despite absences from both Dončić and LeBron James.

Despite the delay, Dončić’s debut Monday has the potential to draw a massive audience for the NBA during a relatively quiet period between the Super Bowl and All-Star weekend. The Lakers and James are already among the league’s biggest viewership draws. This season’s most-watched game was the Christmas Day matchup between the Lakers and Warriors (7.9 million viewers), while its most-watched non-Christmas game featured the same two teams on Jan. 25 (3.05 million viewers).

While those two games aired on ABC, Monday’s Jazz-Lakers game will be broadcast on only ESPN. But it could challenge the Nov. 6 game between the Warriors and Celtics (2.14 million viewers) as ESPN’s most-watched game of the season.

Meanwhile in Dallas

The main reason the Mavericks and GM Nico Harrison dealt Dončić was his behavior and work ethic—and how it could affect his ability to stay healthy. However, one of the criticisms of this logic was that the main piece they acquired to replace the 25-year-old was Davis, who is notorious for missing time due to injuries.

It took just one game for that criticism to turn into reality.

The 31-year-old sustained a noncontact injury in the third quarter of his Mavericks debut Saturday against the Rockets. ESPN reported Sunday that Davis will be out for “multiple weeks” due to a left adductor strain [[link removed]]. Davis, who will start a three-year, $175.4 million deal next season, has played more than 70 games just three times in 13 NBA seasons.

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Chiefs to Make $17M Travis Kelce Decision After Super Bowl Loss [[link removed]]

Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

As the Chiefs prepare to rebound from their devastating loss in Super Bowl LIX [[link removed]], the franchise has an expensive decision to make on its most famous player not named Patrick Mahomes.

Travis Kelce, the NFL’s highest-paid tight end, has a $19.8 million salary-cap hit next season—but the Chiefs could save $17 million [[link removed]] if they cut the star (all figures via Spotrac).

Kelce, 35, said last week he wants to keep playing [[link removed]] in the NFL beyond this season, but NFL Network reported Saturday that he was considering retirement [[link removed]], especially if Kansas City won Sunday and accomplished the first three-peat in the Super Bowl era. Kelce has become one of the NFL’s biggest celebrities since his relationship with Taylor Swift began in 2023.

In the Super Bowl, Kelce caught four passes for 39 yards, as the Chiefs offense struggled to move the ball until late in the game, which the Eagles won 40–22 [[link removed]]. In the AFC championship game against the Bills, he had two receptions for 19 yards. In the AFC divisional round against the Texans, Kelce shined with seven catches for 117 yards and one touchdown.

During the regular season, Kelce racked up 823 yards, fifth among tight ends, but only three touchdowns, which ranks 18th for his position.

Franchise Player?

While it would be hard to imagine the Chiefs releasing Kelce, who has played his entire 12-year career in Kansas City, if he wanted to keep playing, it’s not that hard to see the franchise asking him to take a pay cut.

Right now, the Chiefs are projected to have just under $16 million in salary-cap space [[link removed]] for 2025, which ranks 22nd in the NFL. Mahomes has reworked his deal multiple times [[link removed]] to help the team move money around, and his average salary of $45 million ranks 12th among quarterbacks.

Kelce has made nearly $94 million in career earnings, and he now makes just as much money—if not more—off the field, thanks to endorsements and business deals like selling his podcast to Amazon [[link removed]].

The Chiefs owe Kelce an $11.5 million roster bonus on March 14, so any decision about his future will likely be made by that date. The league’s new year begins March 12.

STATUS REPORT Two Up, Two Down

Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

Trae Young ⬆ The Hawks guard has been named as the replacement for Giannis Antetokounmpo at the NBA All-Star Game. Antetokounmpo will miss the game due to a calf injury. It is the fourth All-Star selection for Young, who will now have the chance to share a $1.8 million prize pool at the revamped All-Star Game [[link removed]].

LIV Golf ⬆ The league, which does not receive Official World Golf Ranking points, has secured another pathway into a major championship. The 2025 Open Championship (also known as the British Open) will award one spot to the highest-ranked player in the top five of LIV’s individual standings (through June 29) who is not already exempt into the tournament. Last week, the U.S. Open announced a similar initiative surrounding LIV.

NFL Honors ⬇ Thursday night’s show drew 2.3 million viewers [[link removed]] on Fox and NFL Network, which is down 20% from last year and the smallest audience on record for the annual awards program.

MLS ⬇ The league laid off 30 employees [[link removed]], or about 5% of staff [[link removed]], at its New York headquarters, which brings its workforce to around 450, according to Sports Business Journal. It’s the league’s first round of layoffs since 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2025 MLS season starts Feb. 22.

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Conversation Starters Jordan Brand released a tribute to Jalen Hurts for winning his first Super Bowl with the tagline “Love, Hurts.” Watch it here [[link removed]]. Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie and GM Howie Roseman celebrated with the team in its locker room. Check it out [[link removed]]. Nike launched a Super Bowl ad for the first time in 27 years, and it exclusively featured women athletes including Caitlin Clark, Jordan Chiles, and Sha’Carri Richardson. Take a look [[link removed]]. Editors’ Picks Jimmy Johnson Stops Short of Retirement After Fox Sports Tribute [[link removed]]by Ryan Glasspiegel [[link removed]]Fox ran a tribute to Jimmy Johnson’s career during the Super Bowl pregame. Nike’s Huge Super Bowl: From Jalen Hurts to Kendrick and Serena [[link removed]]by Lisa Scherzer [[link removed]]Kendrick Lamar wore Nikes in the halftime show; Serena Williams wore Converse. Do NFL Players Want an International Super Bowl? [[link removed]]by Jeff Benson [[link removed]]Players told Front Office Sports where it should be held. Advertise [[link removed]] Awards [[link removed]] Learning [[link removed]] Events [[link removed]] Video [[link removed]] Shows [[link removed]] Written by Eric Fisher [[link removed]], David Rumsey [[link removed]], Colin Salao [[link removed]] Edited by Matthew Tabeek [[link removed]], Or Moyal [[link removed]], Catherine Chen [[link removed]]

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