Sports
Chiefs’ shoddy O-line, WR corps prove too much for Patrick Mahomes to overcome
NEW ORLEANS — When asked how much he was taken aback by the extent of his team’s Super Bowl LIX loss, Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins provided a fairly harmless response: “A loss is a loss. It’s a ‘W’ or an ‘L’ at the end of the day.”
Then, Hopkins branched off within the same answer, obviously wanting to get something off his chest following Sunday night’s 40-22 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.
“I saw a lot of things in the media about the refs but, obviously, (expletive), what y’all gonna say now about the refs and us when there was a lot of touchy calls?” Hopkins said. “Are y’all gonna report that? Are y’all gonna talk about the refs now?”
It wasn’t officiating that doomed the Chiefs, though. For all the blame that will land on Patrick Mahomes for the Chiefs’ failed attempt at a three-peat (and any blame Hopkins wanted to drop on the officials), the makeshift pieces surrounding Kansas City’s superstar quarterback along the offensive line and wide receiver room didn’t help matters against an Eagles squad that owned the Chiefs in every phase.
GO DEEPER
How the Eagles thwarted the Chiefs’ pursuit of history in a dominant Super Bowl win
It was clear the Eagles’ pass rush, generated entirely by the team’s defensive front, made Mahomes more uncomfortable than any defense in recent memory. Eagles edge rusher Josh Sweat sped around the Chiefs’ tackles for 2 1/2 sacks, while defensive lineman Milton Williams bullied his way through Kansas City’s typically potent interior line for two more, including a second-half strip-sack.
Mahomes said he felt the Eagles blitzed him maybe once or twice Sunday; according to TruMedia, the actual number of Eagles blitzes in Super Bowl LIX was zero. Without ever needing to bring extra defenders, Philadelphia piled up six sacks on 18 pressures with a 40.9 percent pressure rate.
“In order to make a team blitz, you have to be able to beat what they’re showing, and that’s what we didn’t do — especially in the first half,” Mahomes said. “We made some good adjustments (at) halftime and came out better, but it was almost too late. The momentum had kind of flipped in (the Eagles’) favor, (because of) how they play and how they can run the football and control the clock with Jalen (Hurts) making big third-down conversions. It kind of put our defense in a really bad spot.
“And so, when you’re in these big games, you have to play better from the beginning. And that’s stuff that I hope to continue to work on and continue to get better at.”
There’s zero question the Eagles’ pressure affected Mahomes on both of his interceptions Sunday night, including a pick-six by Cooper DeJean that pushed Philadelphia’s lead out to 17-0 in the second quarter.
“He’s human,” said Hopkins of his QB.
That consistent pressure helps explain why on DeJean’s interception, Mahomes moved outside the pocket to his right on a designed rollout. But even with a little clear space before some late pressure arrived, Mahomes — having already been sacked multiple times by that point — pressed and threw a poor pass. DeJean picked off the errant ball, then took it back for an Eagles TD.
PICK 6 FOR THE EAGLES PHILLY FANS GOING CRAZY!
📺: #SuperBowlLIX on FOX pic.twitter.com/ZXlXbuhxeD
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) February 10, 2025
Mahomes’ second interception also occurred deep in Kansas City territory, this time from a clogged pocket. Mahomes said a defender hit his arm on the play, which induced a short pass that Eagles linebacker Zack Baun nabbed as he dove to the turf.
“They didn’t show any different looks,” center Creed Humphrey said. “They didn’t show anything unscouted. It just came down to them coming out and playing harder.”
That might be the most telling part.
Joe Thuney has been one of the league’s best guards for many years — there’s a reason the Chiefs signed him in 2021, and why he’s been a first-team All-Pro the past two seasons. But Thuney was the team’s last resort to protect Mahomes’ blind side after Kingsley Suamataia, Wanya Morris and D.J. Humphries proved not to be the answers there, and that revolving door was destined to catch up to the Chiefs at some point.
Thuney ended the regular season with an 11.5 percent pressure rate allowed at left tackle on 131 pass-block snaps. His numbers had improved during the Chiefs’ two prior playoff games (4.6 percent pressure rate), but they reverted (11.9 percent) on Sunday night.
GO DEEPER
Best 2025 Super Bowl commercials: Ranking the ads
Mahomes put the heat on himself for the Chiefs’ miscues and inability to handle the Eagles’ pass rush, keeping the criticism away from his front five. He said he’s going to study how to be better equipped against opposing teams’ abilities to throw free defenders at him in the pocket.
“These defenses are going to continue to get better and better, and so I have to get better, and so I take a lot of ownership in that,” Mahomes said. “… I can’t make bad plays worse, and I think that’s something that you saw (Sunday) is that there’s times when guys aren’t open and I need to throw the ball away or check it down and let the other guys make plays happen.”
True. But Mahomes needs help, too.
There’s a high probability Thuney returns to his usual guard spot for the 2025 season, meaning the Chiefs will need a left tackle — badly. Plus, another Kansas City guard, Trey Smith, may be one of the more coveted free agents set to hit the market in March.
The Chiefs’ offensive line issues are relatively new. Mahomes’ lack of viable options at wide receiver, on the other hand, began last season.
Even with Rashee Rice healthy in 2023, Mahomes produced the worst EPA-per-dropback rate of his career. The Chiefs won the Super Bowl that season, of course. But without Rice (on injured reserve since October) for much of this season, the Chiefs had to piece together a band of aging veterans, such as Hopkins, Hollywood Brown and JuJu Smith-Schuster, along with rookie Xavier Worthy, who spent the year trying to jell with Mahomes.
All three of those veteran receivers are impending free agents, but they also combined for just 12 catches for 155 yards and one TD this postseason. Worthy, by himself, eclipsed all of them (19 receptions, 287 yards, three TDs).
GO DEEPER
Breaking down the Eagles’ blowout Super Bowl LIX victory by the numbers
“This might be my last time playing with them, some of them — might be their last game, trades happen,” said Worthy, who caught eight passes for 157 yards and two TDs in Sunday’s loss. “These guys really helped me out a lot, just on my development as a man and as a player in this league. This knowledge they gave me to learn and keep building my rookie year, I just really appreciate them for that.”
Given how many close wins the Chiefs escaped with this season, it always was fair to wonder how far some of these position groups could take them. The Super Bowl LIX drubbing should force Mahomes and the Chiefs to examine closely how they’ll need to improve to keep pace moving forward.
(Photo: Patrick Smith / Getty Images)
FIFA announced an affordable admission pricing tier for every nation that’s qualified for the 2026 World Cup co-hosted by the U.S., Canada and Mexico. The supporter entry tier will make tickets available at a fixed price of $60 for every match, including the final, for each nation’s participating members associations.
The new tier comes after supporters’ groups from Europe called out FIFA on the dynamic pricing of tickets, which changes the value based on the popularity of the teams playing in each match.
“In total, 50% of each PMA allocation will fall within the most affordable range, namely supporter value tier (40%) and the supporter entry tier (10%),” FIFA said in a statement on Tuesday. “The remaining allocation is split evenly between the supporter standard tier and the supporter premier tier.”
FIFA will also waive the administrative fees for fans who secure participating member association tickets. But if their teams do not advance, they can seek refunds.
Tickets sales were rolled out by FIFA in phases, with a third of the tournament’s inventory claimed during the first two phases. The third phase started on Dec. 11 and will go through to Jan. 13. During this period, fans have the opportunity to allocate tickets for a match based on a random selection draw.
Before the new tier was introduced, the cheapest ticket for the World Cup final in MetLife Stadium in New Jersey would cost fans more than $4,000. The high prices raised concerns among European supporters.
“The prices set for the 2026 World Cup are scandalous, a step too far for many supporters who passionately and loyally follow their national sides at home and abroad,” the FSA, an organization of supporters for England and Wales, said in a statement posted on its website on Dec. 12. “Everything we feared about the direction in which FIFA wants to take the game was confirmed — Gianni Infantino only sees supporter loyalty as something to be exploited for profit.”
FIFA previously stated it adopted the variable pricing because it was common practice for major North America sporting events.
“What FIFA is doing is adapting to the domestic market,” a FIFA official said in the conference call. “It’s a reality in the U.S. and Canada that events are being priced as per the demand that is coming in for that event.”
A FIFA official told reporters before the first tickets went on sale that world soccer’s governing body expects to make more than $3 billion from hospitality and tickets sales and is confident the tournament will break the all-time World Cup attendance record set in 1994, the last time the men’s competition was held in the U.S.
That 1994 World Cup featured just 24 teams and 52 matches. The 2026 tournament will be twice as large, with 48 teams and 104 games.
FIFA said it received 20 million requests during the random selection draw sales.
SoFi Stadium will host eight matches, beginning with the U.S. opener against Paraguay on June 12. The Americans will finish group play in Inglewood on June 25, playing the winner of a March playoff involving Slovakia, Kosovo, Turkey and Romania. Two Group G matches — Iran versus New Zealand on June 15 and Iran-Belgium on June 21 — also will be played in SoFi, sandwiched around a Group B match between Switzerland and the winner of another European playoff, this one featuring Wales, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Italy and Northern Ireland.
The teams for the three knockout-stage games to be played at SoFi Stadium — round-of-32 games on June 28 and July 2 and a quarterfinal on July 10 — haven’t been determined, but the possibilities include Mexico, South Korea, Canada, Spain, Austria and Algeria.
Staff writer Kevin Baxter contributed to this report.
Sports
Titans star Jeffery Simmons calls burglars ‘f—ing cowards’ after home break-in during game vs 49ers
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
Tennessee Titans star defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons ripped into those who burglarized his home while he played against the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday.
There were “at least six suspects” who burglarized Simmons’ Nashville home, which came shortly after 7 p.m., the Metro Nashville Police Department told ESPN.
That was the exact time frame the Titans were facing the 49ers in the Bay Area.
Jeffery Simmons of the Tennessee Titans looks on during halftime against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Nissan Stadium on Nov. 30, 2025 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Jeff Dean/Getty Images)
“What if any of my family members was in my house??” Simmons wrote on social media while showing security camera footage of the burglars trying to enter his home. “All that materialistic s—- you can have but this is crazy!”
Simmons also called the burglars “f—ing cowards,” though he was complimentary of the Metro Nashville PD.
2026 NFL MOCK DRAFT: WILL HEISMAN TROPHY WINNER FERNANDO MENDOZA BE NO. 1 PICK?
“I want to extend my sincere appreciation to the Metro Nashville Police Department and the Titans’ security team for their professionalism and swift response,” Simmons said in a statement. “Their dedication to ensuring the safety of our entire Nashville community does not go unnoticed. I remain thankful for God’s protection and grace.”
The suspects were said to have gained entry to Simmons’ home “after smashing out window glass,” while “multiple items were taken” in the process.
It’s unclear exactly what was taken from Simmons’ home.
Tennessee Titans defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons (98) reacts after sacking Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders (not pictured) during the fourth quarter at Huntington Bank Field on Dec. 7, 2025. (Scott Galvin/Imagn Images)
Meanwhile, Simmons was able to find the end zone despite the loss to the 49ers, so a good personal performance came to a screeching halt once he found out the news.
But unfortunately, Simmons isn’t the only NFL star who has been burglarized while playing a game.
Kansas City Chiefs stars Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce had it happen last season, as did Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow. All of those burglaries were in connection with a South American theft group that was specifically targeting NFL and NBA players.
Bundle FOX One and FOX Nation to stream the entire FOX Nation library, plus live FOX News, Sports, and Entertainment at our lowest price of the year. The offer ends on Jan. 4, 2026. (Fox One; Fox Nation)
Cleveland Browns rookie Shedeur Sanders also saw $200,000 worth of property taken from his residence while they were playing the Baltimore Ravens earlier this season.
The Titans’ security team said it is “actively working” with local police to recover the stolen items.
Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
MONDAY’S RESULTS
BOYS
CITY SECTION
AMIT 43, Valley Oaks CES 25
Arleta 70, Monroe 59
Bell 52, South East 34
Bravo 83, View Park 82
CALS Early College 36, Magnolia Science Academy 20
Contreras 86, Belmont 15
Downtown Magnets 65, Lincoln 61
East College Prep 51, Brio College Prep 38
East Valley 46, Van Nuys 31
Fulton 63, Lakeview Charter 20
Garfield 48, South Gate 34
Granada Hills Kennedy 68, Reseda 23
LA Roosevelt 60, Legacy 47
Locke 59, Animo Watts 56
Orthopaedic 69, Annenberg 44
RFK Community 58, Mendez 49
Sun Valley Poly73, North Hollywood 58
Triumph Charter 69, LA Marshall 59
Vaughn 73, Panorama 58
SOUTHERN SECTION
ACE 82, PAL Academy 54
Alta Loma 48, Diamond Ranch 41
Anaheim 70, Magnolia 27
Arroyo 71, El Monte 28
Bell Gardens 68, Glenn 39
Bonita 60, San Dimas 56
Chaparral 76, California 71
Colton 83, Desert Hot Springs 67
Costa Mesa 75, Savanna 68
Crossroads Christian 39, Grove School 28
Desert Christian 67, Lancaster Baptist 54
Eastside 71, Quartz Hill 64
El Rancho 66, Duarte 30
Elsinore 58, Great Oak 55
Gabrielino 51, Rosemead 46
Highland 53, Antelope Valley 34
Hillcrest 68, Indian Springs 61
Knight 86, Lancaster 32
Lakeside 54, Patriot 42
Liberty 67, Beaumont 64
Magnolia Science Academy 55, Legacy College Prep 31
Malibu 69, Nordhoff 34
Mary Star of the Sea 64, Chadwick 60
Mesa Grande Academy 85, RSCSM 30
Mesrobian 47, New Covenant Academy 44
Montclair 84, Rim of the World 45
Moreno Valley 53, Vista del Lago 44
Ontario 68, La Sierra 27
Orange 59, Pasadena Marshall 37
Paloma Valley 56, San Jacinto 48
Pasadena 80, Burbank 53
Placentia Valencia 60, Santa Ana 32
Perris 81, Heritage 45
Redlands 46, Banning 41
Rialto 65, Norco 64
Riverside King 57, Riverside Poly 55
Santa Maria 86, Valley Christian Academy 69
Serrano 48, Arroyo Valley 37
Sherman Indian 59, California Lutheran 53
Summit 73, Yucaipa 56
Thousand Oaks 72, Simi Valley 40
Valley Torah 100, St. Monica Academy 68
Valley View 75, Jurupa Valley 45
Vasquez 98, PACS 40
Viewpoint 60, Hillcrest Christian 37
Westlake 51, Oak Park 37
Whitney 69, Godinez 63
Woodbridge 69, El Toro 48
INTERSECTIONAL
Compton 74, Crenshaw 53
Gahr 76, Rancho Dominguez 52
Marquez 65, Whittier 30
New Roads 47, Animo Venice 28
San Gabriel 66, Sotomayor 39
GIRLS
CITY SECTION
Animo Robinson 37, Smidt Tech 33
Animo Watts 55, Locke 29
Brio College Prep 24, East College Prep 20
Contreras 42, Belmont 4
Crenshaw 41, Torres 16
Granada Hills Kennedy 67, Reseda 15
Grant 64, Chavez 3
Hollywood 44, Roybal 12
Northridge Academy 58, East Valley 9
Orthopaedic 25, Annenberg 14
RFK Community 27, Mendez 18
Sherman Oaks CES 75, Fulton 7
South East 35, Bell 27
Verdugo Hills 56, Eagle Rock 31
SOUTHERN SECTION
Aliso Niguel 60, Edison 23
Arroyo 34, El Monte 25
Arroyo Valley 42, San Gorgonio 29
Baldwin Park 60, La Puente 15
Bonita 48, San Dimas 39
Burbank 64, Pasadena 40
Carter 77, Adelanto 54
Chino 58, Ayala 38
Citrus Valley 54, Liberty 52
Coachella Valley 45, Palo Verde Valley 36
Covina 49, Sierra Vista 40
Desert Christian 46, Lancaster Baptist 27
Don Lugo 53, Bloomington 16
Eastside 56, Quartz Hill 24
El Modena 40, Irvine University 15
El Segundo 60, Montebello 18
Flintridge Sacred Heart 50, Muir 43
Fontana 50, Patriot 42
Foothill Tech 35, Santa Barbara 23
Gabrielino 40, Rosemead 27
Garden Grove 53, Garden Grove Pacifica 17
Glenn 36, Firebaugh 11
Heritage 56, Corona 38
Highland 60, Antelope Valley 26
Hillcrest 61, Valley View 37
Irvine 36, Tustin 34
Jurupa Valley 47, Norco 19
Laguna Beach 42, Savanna 39
Lancaster 55, Knight 22
Loma Linda Academy 42, Desert Chapel 13
Los Altos 60, Mayfair 23
Los Amigos 43, Artesia 25
Mesa Grande Academy 80, River Springs Charter 10
Monrovia 39, Ramona Convent 31
Newbury Park 55, Santa Paula 26
Nordhoff 54, Cate 31
Paramount 58, Lakewood 40
Redlands 35, Banning 19
Royal 47, Channel Islands 39
San Jacinto Valley Academy 34, Santa Rosa Academy 26
Santa Maria 61, Valley Christian Academy 37
Schurr 45, California 37
Segerstrom 49, Long Beach Wilson 46
Silver Valley 55, Sultana 30
Southlands Christian 49, Bassett 10
Temple City 35, San Gabriel 27
Twentynine Palms 55, Cathedral City 13
Vasquez 45, Palmdale Academy Charter 6
Vista Murrieta 40, Beaumont 37
Western Christian 64, Workman 14
West Torrance 74, Torrance 36
Whittier Christian 68, NOVA Academy 13
Wiseburn-Da Vinci 66, South Torrance 60
Woodbridge 66, Katella 37
Yucaipa 51, Summit 46
YULA 64, ISLA 26
INTERSECTIONAL
Compton Centennial 43, Rancho Dominguez 16
Dominguez 50, LA Jordan 8
LACES 62, Inglewood 35
Warner 40, Anza Hamilton 33
Westchester 53, Leuzinger 52
Eaton fire survivors ask Edison for emergency housing relief
FIFA responds to fan outrage, establishes new World Cup ticket tier with $60 prices
Thousands of dinosaur footprints discovered on rock faces in northern Italy
Nick Reiner will be charged with first degree murder in his parents’ killing
‘View’ host rejects Halle Berry’s attacks on Newsom, says he’s ‘done a lot for women’
Florida High School Football Rankings: Top 25 teams – Oct. 21
Cleary's 21 help Le Moyne down Central Connecticut State 69-64 in OT
How old is Bo Nix? What to know about Oregon quarterback ahead of 2024 NFL Draft
99th annual Pony Swim held in Virginia
Video: ‘It Didn’t Have to Happen This Way:’ U.Va. Faculty Call for Review of Police Response to Protests
Thousands of dinosaur footprints discovered on rock faces in northern Italy
Nick Reiner will be charged with first degree murder in his parents’ killing
DA: Nick Reiner will be charged with first-degree murder in deaths of Rob & Michele Reiner
Video: Nick Reiner Talked Openly About His Addiction Struggles
Trump admin defends White House ballroom as national security matter
-
Washington1 week agoLIVE UPDATES: Mudslide, road closures across Western Washington
-
Iowa2 days agoAddy Brown motivated to step up in Audi Crooks’ absence vs. UNI
-
Iowa1 week agoMatt Campbell reportedly bringing longtime Iowa State staffer to Penn State as 1st hire
-
Iowa3 days agoHow much snow did Iowa get? See Iowa’s latest snowfall totals
-
Miami, FL1 week agoUrban Meyer, Brady Quinn get in heated exchange during Alabama, Notre Dame, Miami CFP discussion
-
Cleveland, OH1 week agoMan shot, killed at downtown Cleveland nightclub: EMS
-
World1 week ago
Chiefs’ offensive line woes deepen as Wanya Morris exits with knee injury against Texans
-
Minnesota1 week agoTwo Minnesota carriers shut down, idling 200 drivers
