Weekend Wrap-Up: Chiefs & Eagles Move to Super Bowl 59, Plum Moving to LA, and More
The Super Bowl 59 Matchup Is Officially Set, a Blockbuster Trade Lit up the WNBA, & More
The Chiefs Are Back to the Super Bowl (Try Not to Act Surprised)
“The Kansas City Chiefs are headed to the Super Bowl!” If that’s something that still manages to surprise you, congratulations, you are one of those people who can be easily impressed.
Following their 32-29 win over the Buffalo Bills at Arrowhead Stadium in one of this weekend’s two conference championship NFL games, Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce, Chris Jones, and yes, Taylor Swift are heading back to the Super Bowl to try and do the unimaginable, win their third straight Lombardi Trophy.
The @Chiefs are the first back-to-back champs in history to make it back to the Super Bowl the following season 😱 pic.twitter.com/UfQIb9SChJ
— NFL (@NFL) January 27, 2025
Even as the vast majority of football fans were hoping this would be the year in which Josh Allen finally got his revenge against Mahomes and the Chiefs due to some faulty calls and KC continuously being blessed by the NFL gods, Allen’s stats now have an 0-4 playoff record when facing his AFC nemesis.
Josh Allen is the first QB to lose four playoff starts against another QB (Patrick Mahomes). pic.twitter.com/FcsmPJmqxf
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) January 27, 2025
“But what do you mean faulty calls? The Chiefs won fair and square!” Look, not to be that person, but totally being that person, something has to be said about some more than doubtful decisions made by the game’s referees.
Look up any NFL news sites and you’ll see it. While I could go into a whole analysis of each crappy call, I’ll just leave it at this. Yes, Mahomes played some great football. Yes, the Chiefs did their part in trying to keep Buffalo under siege. But Allen had a first down, and nobody in the world can change my mind about it.
Barkley Is Ready to Win the SB
You know how you usually stumble across a person and say, “Man, I’d love to be that guy for a day.” That is precisely my sentiment all season long, especially today after seeing Saquon Barkley lead the Philadelphia Eagles to another Super Bowl trip yesterday after beating the pulp out of Jayden Daniels and the Washington Commanders 55-23.
Good Morning from your NFC Champion, Philadelphia Eagles. pic.twitter.com/UYFrScAyDL
— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) January 27, 2025
All it took was one play at the beginning of the game from Barkley to understand what was to come—complete and utter dominance.
SAQUON BARKLEY 60 YARD TD ON THE EAGLES FIRST PLAY 🤯😱
UNREAL.
(via @NFL)
pic.twitter.com/z1nwtMZhDP— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) January 26, 2025
When somebody does something nice for you, you should definitely make an effort to pay it back the same way. For the Eagles, I’d be thinking about sending New York Giants General Manager Joe Schoen the biggest fruit basket they can find for letting Barkley walk and join Philly.
Imagine being Joe Schoen. pic.twitter.com/iQMSlBftk5
— Chris Mack (@THEChrisMack) January 26, 2025
I hope Schoen has perennial nightmares from the moment he thought letting Saquon leave, and Daniel Jones staying was the best move for the team.
With the Eagles entering as one-point underdogs, according to BetUS’ Super Bowl LIX betting odds, I’d be already gearing up for all the Barkley props bound to come.
Cavs Are Finally Showing They Are Not Unbeatable
Moving on to pro hoops, if you haven’t heard the NBA rumors, the Cleveland Cavaliers, aka this season’s biggest success story, are starting to show they are not unbeatable, losing their third straight game this past Saturday against the Houston Rockets.
Final. @betwayusa | #LetEmKnow
— Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) January 26, 2025
It almost begs me to wonder if maybe it’s time to think of the Cavs not being that unbeatable and just human.
WNBA Blockbuster Trade Alert!
The WNBA made some real shockwaves this weekend following news of a three-team blockbuster trade involving the Seattle Storm, Los Angeles Sparks, and Las Vegas Aces, which saw Kelsey Plum take her talents to LA, where she’ll join the likes of Cameron Brink and Rickea Jackson. At the same time, the Aces will welcome Storm all-star Jewell Loyd.
Blockbuster WNBA deal: The Seattle Storm are trading six-time All-Star Jewell Loyd to the Las Vegas Aces in a multi-team move that sends three-time All-Star Kelsey Plum to the Los Angeles Sparks, sources tell me, @ramonashelburne, @alexaphilippou, @kendra__andrews. pic.twitter.com/OlRb37RKIA
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) January 27, 2025
This weekend’s trade marks the first time in league history that multiple former No.1 WNBA draft picks are dealt.
It’s safe to say the Sparks are about to get one of the coldest players in the league in Plum, whose resume already reads like future Hall of Fame material.
Kelsey Plum’s time with the Aces was special 🌟
– 1st overall pick in 2017
– 2× WNBA champion (2022, 2023)
– 3× WNBA All-Star (2022–2024)
– WNBA Sixth Player of the Year (2021)
– WNBA All-Star Game MVP (2022)
– Commissioner’s Cup champion (2022)Sparks got one 💎 pic.twitter.com/CMCdwNLAnm
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) January 27, 2025
Plus, tell me, Plum’s cigar pic isn’t still, to this day, one of the coolest in the land.
Aussie Open Crowns It’s Champions
Going down under for a quick second, the 2025 Australian Open ended with defending champion Jannik Sinner going back-to-back in title wins after beating German star Alexander Zverev in three sets (6-3, 7-6, 6-3) this Sunday.
First Grand Slam title defence ✅@janniksin • #AusOpen • #AO2025
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 26, 2025
Setting the stage the day before, American tennis starlet Madison Keys defied all Australian Open betting odds and pulled off the fantastic upset, beating the heavily favored No.1 ranked tennis player Aryna Sabalenka also in three sets (6-3, 2-6, and 7-5) and earning her first ever grand slam win.
MADI’S MAIDEN MAJOR UNLOCKED 🔓 🏆#AO2025 pic.twitter.com/fwDSauL0Gb
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 25, 2025
Time to live it up for Sinner and Keys!
One More Lap Around the Block
Don’t call it a comeback, more like a home reunion, as various soccer news outlets have started reporting that Brazilian superstar Neymar Jr. is reportedly heading back to the club where his career first took off, Santos, on an initial six-month contract.
🚨🇧🇷 BREAKING: Neymar’s return to Santos now imminent as verbal agreement has been reached.
Formal steps to follow next week for final formula of the deal from Al Hilal and contracts to be checked.
Neymar already said yes to the move…
…here we go, soon. 🔙🏡 pic.twitter.com/5IQIrLXxpj
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) January 26, 2025
Ask any soccer fan in the world, and they’ll tell you this news can make anybody feel joy.
