Sports
Matthew Stafford and Jalen Hurts look to add to their legends in Rams-Eagles showdown
Matthew Stafford played in one Super Bowl with the Rams and won. Jalen Hurts played in one Super Bowl with the Philadelphia Eagles and fell short.
Both quarterbacks aim to return to the NFL’s biggest stage.
One will take a step toward that goal on Sunday when the Rams play the Eagles in an NFC divisional-round game at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia.
“I’m enjoying the hell out of it,” Stafford, a 16th-year pro, said of the preparation. “I know the guys on our team are doing the same.
“Just trying to lead as best I can to help us give ourselves the best chance we can to get a win and keep it moving.”
Hurts, a fifth-year pro, is similarly wired.
“I don’t play the game for anything other than to win,” he told Philadelphia reporters this week.
Eagles running back Saquon Barkley dominated strategy discussion in the lead-up to the game, specifically focused on whether he could come close to repeating his 255-yard rushing performance against the Rams in November.
But Stafford and Hurts could dictate which team moves on to play the winner of Saturday’s game between the Detroit Lions and the Washington Commanders in the NFC championship game.
Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford, left, and Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts have met at SoFi Stadium in 2023 and 2024, both Philadelphia victories.
(Michael Owens / Getty Images)
Under coach Sean McVay, the Rams are 1-4 against the Eagles.
Twice, Hurts played a key role in defeating them.
In 2023, he passed for 303 yards and a touchdown, with an interception, and rushed for 72 yards and a touchdown in a 23-14 victory at SoFi Stadium.
Two months ago, also at SoFi Stadium, Hurts passed for 179 yards and a touchdown and rushed for 39 yards in a Barkley-dominated 37-20 win.
Hurts’ ability to pass and run on designed and off-schedule plays makes him “a nightmare,” to play against, Rams defensive coordinator Chris Shula said.
“He’s very calm back there in the pocket,” Shula said. “He has a great O-line that he trusts and he’ll stand back there forever if you let him.”
And if the pocket collapses?
“He’s able to find the little holes here and there, the little creases,” Rams edge rusher Jared Verse said. “He doesn’t always want to run. Sometimes, he can just make that big play, which is different from most quarterbacks.”
In last Sunday’s 22-10 wild-card victory over the Green Bay Packers, Hurts completed his first six passes. But his next seven fell incomplete. In the second half, he completed seven of eight, finishing the game with 131 yards passing and two touchdown passes.
“He wins,” Eagles coach Nick Sirianni told Philadelphia reporters this week. “He’s been playing efficient, and we do what we need to do to win every game.
“And Jalen does what he needs to do to win every game, and will continue to do that and not apologize for it.”
Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts stiff arms a Green Bay Packers cornerback Carrington Valentine during the Eagles’ wild-card playoff win on Jan. 12.
(Derik Hamilton / Associated Press)
Hurts’ role, and the Eagles’ approach, is different every game, the quarterback told Philadelphia reporters.
“And you just want to go out there and do your job, take advantage of opportunities,” he said, adding, “Ultimately, it’s about winning the game. We’re talking about playoff football.”
In each of the last two games against the Eagles, Stafford passed for more than 222 yards and two touchdowns.
In last Monday’s wild-card victory over the Minnesota Vikings, he completed his first 10 passes and finished 19 of 27 for 209 yards and two touchdowns.
His most savvy play might have been his decision to flick the ball forward just as he was about to be sacked in the second quarter with the Rams holding a 10-3 lead. Officials initially ruled that Stafford had fumbled and that the Vikings had returned it for a touchdown. But upon review, it was ruled an incomplete pass.
“You don’t coach that,” McVay said. “That’s not something that we would be telling a young quarterback to go ahead and do if that same situation arises. Matthew has earned the right to be able to do some things differently.”
Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford throws a pass during an NFC wild-card playoff win over the Minnesota Vikings on Jan. 13.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
Stafford’s “talent and his know-how” stand out, Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio told Philadelphia reporters.
“He’s still one of the top passers in the league,” Fangio said. “Very, very smart, can read coverages better than most, if not one of the top two or three.
“Still has tremendous arm talent. Can put the ball anywhere.”
Stafford and Eagles cornerback Darius Slay were Detroit Lions teammates for seven seasons.
Slay, a 2017 All-Pro and six-time Pro Bowl pick, went against Stafford in practice, watched him in games and has played against him twice since signing with the Eagles in 2020.
Stafford remains a top-five quarterback, Slay said.
“I don’t know why folks [are] leaving him out of that conversation,” Slay said, “because there’s not many quarterbacks that have the arm talent, the guy that’s seen every coverage that’s possible, and can make all the throws.”
The Eagles must pressure Stafford, sack him on occasion and disrupt the Rams’ pass routes, Slay said.
“Because if they’re not disrupted enough, it’s going to be a good day for him,” he said, “and we don’t need a good day for him.”
Stafford is 5-1 in postseason games with the Rams. Hurts is 3–3 in the playoffs.
Three seasons ago, Stafford achieved a career highlight when he passed for two touchdowns in the Rams’ victory over the Cincinnati Bengals in Super Bowl LVI.
A year later, in Super Bowl LVII, Hurts ran for three touchdowns and passed for another only to see the Eagles fall short in the final seconds against the Kansas City Chiefs.
Whichever quarterback emerges with a victory Sunday puts another Super Bowl appearance within reach.
“I think back to the first day of training camp, how you’re feeling, and all the things that are going through your mind,” said Stafford, who will turn 37 two days before the Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans. “Looking at the end of the calendar and thinking about how long of a journey that is is sometimes overwhelming and a little bit daunting.
“But to be here now, to have worked through all the things that we’ve worked through as a team and as an individual, to get to this point and have the opportunities that we have in front of us is really fun.”
Sports
CM Punk to defend Undisputed WWE Championship against Cody Rhodes at SummerSlam
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CM Punk appeared on “Friday Night SmackDown” ready to take on any challenger that was ready to step to him after winning the Undisputed WWE Championship against Sami Zayn.
Punk entered the ring in Oklahoma City and called back to the “Monday Night Raw” after WrestleMania 42 when he told Cody Rhodes he’d be ready to deliver if a championship opportunity fell “out of the sky.”
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Cody Rhodes and CM Punk face off during SmackDown at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Okla. (Craig Ambrosio/WWE via Getty Images)
“When championship opportunities fall out of the sky, CM Punk catches them,” he said.
Punk named potential SmackDown superstars he’d think might come for the title, including Gunther, Finn Balor, Royce Keys, Damian Priest and Trick Williams. He even said that Zayn could come back around and get his rematch if he wanted. He didn’t mention Rhodes’ name, but the “American Nightmare” came out uncalled and marched his way down to the ring.
“I don’t think you and I can run away from each other anymore,” Punk told Rhodes.
Cody Rhodes looks on during SmackDown at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Okla., on July 10, 2026. (Craig Ambrosio/WWE via Getty Images)
Rhodes agreed and mentioned that Punk would want a match with him, just “say when.” It was a quick retort from Punk, who said, “when.” SmackDown general manager Nick Aldis, who was in the ring for the segment, booked the match for SummerSlam.
Punk will defend the Undisputed WWE Championship at SummerSlam, which takes place Aug. 1 and 2 at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis.
First, however, Punk and Rhodes will be involved in a tag team match at Saturday Night’s Main Event in New York City next week. Aldis made the match after Gunther demanded that Aldis put him in a match against Punk. Gunther was hoping it would be for the championship. Instead, Gunther will tag with Zayn.
Gunther didn’t take too kindly to that and attacked Aldis. Rhodes came back out to break up the calamity. He wanted to take on Gunther after the show went off air but Gunther walked away.
Gunther makes his entrance during SmackDown at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Okla., on July 10, 2026. (Rich Wade/WWE via Getty Images)
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Punk definitely has his hands full as he moves to SmackDown to become a fighting champion.
Sports
World Cup fans flock to In-N-Out, Erewhon and Trader Joe’s for a taste of California
World Cup tourists are coming to L.A. for the soccer, but they’re staying for the $21 smoothies and Double-Doubles.
As the last Los Angeles FIFA World Cup event ended Friday, soccer fans were eating like locals and famous chains from the region were cashing in.
In the weeks that L.A. has hosted the World Cup, international soccer enthusiasts have flocked to big brands from the area, often in large groups wearing their countries’ jerseys.
It is a phenomenon seen at many of the host cities. In Dallas, giant gas station Buc-ee’s is the main attraction. For people visiting New Jersey, deli shops have been a hot ticket. In L.A., the place to be between matches was Erewhon.
Thirsty international sports fans gathered for pictures outside different Erewhons, wandered their aisles smiling, and, of course, picked up pricey smoothies.
While Erewhon would not comment on its business, mobility data company Arity, which uses phone data to track consumers, said Erewhon visits at the outlets around SoFi Stadium were quadruple what they were a week earlier on June 12, the day of the U.S. national soccer team’s opening match there.
Arity looked at what stores people visited within a 10-mile radius of SoFi that day and also found surges in visitors to nearby El Pollo Loco and Trader Joe’s.
Locals have spotted groups of people in Korea jerseys huddled together, trying to decide what to order at In-N-Out.
Some complained on social media that international tourists at Trader Joe’s were buying up all the mini canvas tote bags.
Soon after the Belgium vs. Spain quarterfinal ended Friday, the In-N-Out near SoFi had a long line of soccer fans stretching out the door in bright red and yellow and black jerseys and matching striped hats and scarves.
One of the workers said he had to explain “spread” and “animal style” to foreign football fans.
“I didn’t know this place existed,” a fan from Romania said while waiting in line.
Los Angeles and other cities and states that have hosted the event need the soccer fans to spend money to make the event worth all the time, effort and money it requires.
A rosy 2024 report projected the World Cup could bring more than $800 million to the L.A. region as 180,000 people converge on the area to sleep, eat and spend.
There were early concerns people weren’t turning up for the event because of the high ticket prices and the difficulty of obtaining visas for citizens of some countries.
However, at least for some L.A. hotels, there was a surge of last-minute visitors which pushed up occupancy and room rates.
While sports fans are not in the region to shop, they do make time for it.
World Cup customer spending is also apparent in beer sales. Andrew Heritage, the chief economist at the Beer Institute said beer purchases at entertainment and attractions in L.A. – outside of World Cup spaces – were up around 10% from normal.
“That tells me that fans in the L.A. area have decided to extend their stay and take in all the other things that the area has to offer, rather than just the match itself,” he said.
On social media, the purpose of these shoppers is clear: grab a quick souvenir or local specialty and take a selfie.
The data from Arity suggests that fans are very efficient when they spend at local spots, diving in, getting what they want and getting out as soon as possible, said Jeff Schlitt, a director at the company.
“Normally you’re there for an hour. They’re going to be there for 15, 18 minutes,” he said. “Why is that? Because they were purpose-driven shoppers.”
For some travelers, the more popular American chains aren’t unfamiliar. But some of the native L.A. fare still comes as a surprise.
As one Belgium-Spain matchgoer from the Netherlands stood taking a picture of the In-N-Out sign after the game, he said he’d never had a burger like the one he’d just tried.
“We only have McDonald’s and Burger King,” he said. “It’s way better.”
Sports
Shohei Ohtani ruled out of MLB All-Star Game as Dodgers plan to manage nagging injury
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The face of baseball will not be at Tuesday’s All-Star Game.
Shohei Ohtani was scratched from his start on Friday as the Los Angeles Dodgers said he will also miss the Midsummer Classic with what the team called left knee irritation.
Ohtani, for obvious reasons, has become an All-Star Game fixture. He has earned the honor in each of the past five seasons and made his first start in 2021.
Starting pitcher Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Dodgers warms up before the MLB game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field on June 03, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) (Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
The two-way phenom is on his way to winning his fifth MVP award in his last six seasons as he is hitting .290 with a .939 OPS and pitching to a minuscule 1.79 ERA, the second-lowest in the sport among pitchers with 80-plus innings. His OPS is also the seventh-best mark in the league.
The Dodgers said Ohtani will be the team’s designated hitter up until the break, but he will “have some interventions on his knee to put him in the best position for the second half of the season.”
Ohtani dealt with knee issues earlier in the season.
It is certainly a big hit for the game as the other face of the sport, Aaron Judge, will miss the game due to a fractured rib that has kept him out since late May.
Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Dodgers gets ready in the on deck circle against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field on June 01, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images) (Norm Hall/Getty Images)
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Ohtani hit 99 home runs combined in 2024 and 2025, leading the National League with a 1.025 OPS in that span. Ohtani did not pitch in 2024 after elbow surgery but returned to the bump last year and owned a 2.87 ERA and 11.9 K/9, a figure he also put up in 2022 that led the American League.
The “Japanese Babe Ruth” is the only player in MLB history to have 300-plus plate appearances and 40-plus innings in six separate seasons (Ruth only did it twice and never stole 50 bases), and he has more than excelled at both.
Shohei Ohtani pitches for the Los Angeles Dodgers against the San Francisco Giants at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California, on May 13, 2026. (Gary A. Vasquez/Imagn Images)
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Ohtani is not hitting like he has in the past, but certainly the best pitching performance of his career will make up for it. He “only” has 20 homers and 56 RBI this season.
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