Jan 17, 2022; Inglewood, California, USA; Randy Moss on the ESPN Monday Night Countdown set before a NFC Wild Card playoff football game between the Los Angeles Rams and the Arizona Cardinals at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Randy Moss returns to ESPN set amid cancer battle

Pro Football Hall of Fame wide receiver Randy Moss made his return to ESPN on Sunday, joining the “Sunday NFL Countdown” crew in New Orleans amid his battle with cancer.

Moss had been on leave from the weekly pregame show since announcing Dec. 6 that he was taking time away to address a health issue. A week later, he said in an Instagram Live post that he had undergone major surgery to address a cancerous mass found in his bile duct between his liver and pancreas, adding he would follow up with radiation and chemotherapy.

He was welcomed back on Sunday, ahead of Super Bowl LIX, with a video featuring faces from throughout the NFL. Former teammate Tom Brady, wide receivers Justin Jefferson, Jerry Rice, Steve Smith Sr. and Malik Nabers, and ex-coach Bill Belichick were among those wishing him well.

Moss fought off tears after the video as he sat on the ESPN set at the Superdome, flanked by host Mike Greenberg and fellow analysts Rex Ryan, Alex Smith and Tedy Bruschi.

“I couldn’t do it alone,” Moss said after viewing the video.

“It’s been hard, but I got a lot of love and a lot of people believing in me, man, so I’m happy to be here.”

Moss, who turns 48 next week, has been part of ESPN’s “Sunday NFL Countdown” crew since 2016.

“For nearly a decade, Randy has been an invaluable member of the team, consistently elevating ‘Countdown’ with his insight and passion,” the network said in a statement when Moss took his leave of absence. “He has ESPN’s full support, and we look forward to welcoming him back when he is ready.”

Moss was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2018 with 982 receptions for 15,292 yards and 156 touchdowns in 218 games with the Minnesota Vikings (1998-2004, 2010), Oakland Raiders (2005-06), New England Patriots (2007-10), Tennessee Titans (2010) and San Francisco 49ers (2012).

The four-time All-Pro and six-time Pro Bowl selection led the NFL in receiving touchdowns five times, including a single-season record 23 scores with the Patriots in 2007.

–Field Level Media

Dec 1, 2024; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Kellen Moore on the sidelines during the first half against the Baltimore Ravens  at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

Report: Saints set to hire Eagles OC Kellen Moore as head coach

The last head coaching vacancy in the NFL will be filled after the Super Bowl, as the New Orleans Saints plan to hire Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Kellen Moore, per an ESPN report on Saturday night.

Moore, 36, has never been a head coach, but in his lone season guiding Philadelphia’s offense, the Eagles ranked eighth in total offense (367.2 yards per game) and second in rushing (179.3).

Moore interviewed twice with the Saints in January, emerging as the leading candidate for the job. On Sunday, he will be in New Orleans on the Eagles’ sideline when they face the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX at Caesars Superdome.

“There’s certainly a great opportunity. I think the big thing is really getting to know people,” Moore said earlier this week, referring to the New Orleans opening. “Certainly there’s philosophies and things that there’s going to be questions about, but I think it’s an excellent opportunity just to get face-to-face and get to know the people. And get to know the interactions and see the fit that it may be.”

To avoid breaking any rules, the Saints won’t try to finalize any deal until after the Super Bowl but expect it will go smoothly, per ESPN’s report.

Philadelphia is Moore’s third stop as an NFL offensive coordinator, following stints with the Dallas Cowboys (2019-22) and Los Angeles Chargers (2023). The former six-year NFL quarterback would have his hands full turning around a New Orleans team that finished tied for last in the NFC South at 5-12 in 2024.

New Orleans fired head coach Dennis Allen nine games in, and interim coach Darren Rizzi went 3-5 the rest of the season.

–Field Level Media

Feb 3, 2025; New Orleans, LA, USA; An artist paints a Kansas City Chiefs mural at the Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

New Orleans reveling in Super Bowl after challenging events

NEW ORLEANS — Never a city short on color, New Orleans has been looking positively brightly adorned in recent days, as the city undergoes its makeover for Super Bowl LIX.

Murals have sprung up all over downtown, along with big, bold placards and advertisements, signaling that the city with a reputation for throwing a great party is once again hosting the biggest sports party of them this week.

This year’s Super Bowl logo and art style feature a colorful beadwork design, inspired by the local Black Masking tradition. That unique form of expression was created by Black Americans who were excluded from mainstream Mardi Gras celebrations for much of the city’s history and continues today.

The commissioned art, designed by local artist Tahj “Queen Tahj” Williams, incorporates bright red, green and yellow colors, and that theme is on display on the streets surrounding the Caesars Superdome, the site of this year’s game.

“I wanted the rest of the world to see what I saw when I saw this culture for the first time here in New Orleans,” Williams told Reuters.

Megan Braden-Perry, a local entertainment and culture reporter, sees the ramp up in accompanying events being typical for such a huge occasion. From drag brunches and celebrity-centered events to more typical tailgates and fan fests, New Orleans is hosting a buffet of entertainment options for hungry visitors.

According to Braden-Perry, the city prides itself on being “built to host,” and that comes directly from the people within the community who are experienced through decades of hosting big celebrations.

“We are raised from little to grow up and work in the service industry or retail, with a lot of jobs being concentrated downtown,” Braden-Perry said. “If we are still here working, we are absolutely still here hosting.”

Kevin Pedeaux, owner of CR Coffee Shop and operator of the St. Roch Market, agrees that the community is ready for the influx of tourists that some estimates put in the neighborhood of over 100,000 visitors.

“There has never been a better time to come to New Orleans since I’ve been alive,” Pedeaux said. “We are so excited to host this huge event and have visitors in our beloved city again. We want to share New Orleans with the world.”

That spirit to host has yet to be dampened, despite some recent challenges.

Most seriously, the city endured a terror attack on January 1, in which a man drove a truck into a crowd on Bourbon Street, killing 14 and injuring dozens of others.

That incident called security for Super Bowl LIX into greater question. Cathy Lanier, chief security officer for the NFL, revealed Wednesday in a call with reporters that security has been ramped up in the wake of that tragedy, though she declined to get into too many specifics, emphasizing the importance of flexibility.

Still, she acknowledged that thousands of federal, state and local law enforcement officials are on hand while noting that “this team is ready” following almost two years of planning. She added that the league has received “no specific or credible threats.”

“I think the most important thing is, very clear and unequivocal, saying without hesitation that we are really confident in our security plan going into the Super Bowl,” Lanier said.

Anecdotally, Pedeaux saw business slow in the wake of that attack, though a more recent snowstorm, in which New Orleans saw 10 inches of snow in a single day — the biggest snowfall since at least 1895 — had a much greater impact on business and Super Bowl preparations.

“It was looking like we were finally picking up again, and then the snowstorm pulled the rug out from us again,” Pedeaux said.

But with snow melted, security in place, and Mardi Gras right around the corner, the community is excited to once again put its best foot forward.

“We New Orleanians are happy to show both teams and their fans a fun and safe time, and we hope they make lifelong memories here,” Braden-Perry said.

Pedeaux echoed the sentiment.

“We’re ready … Come be a part of the excitement!”

–David Gladow, Field Level Media

Former President Donald Trump speaks to the crowd gathered at the Landers Center in Southaven, Miss. on Saturday, June 18, 2022.

Donald Trump to attend Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans

Donald Trump will become the first sitting president to attend the Super Bowl, according to a statement from the U.S. Secret Service on Tuesday.

Trump will travel to New Orleans for Super Bowl LIX and watch the two-time defending champion Kansas City Chiefs take on the Philadelphia Eagles.

“Extensive planning and coordination have been in place to ensure the safety of all attendees, players and staff,” Secret Service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said in a statement. “Security measures have been further enhanced this year, given that this will be the first time a sitting President of the United States will attend the event.”

The city’s safety and security has been a critical topic this week after a man drove a pickup truck into a crowd on Bourbon Street in an act of terror early on the morning of Jan. 1. The Department of Homeland Security said it is working with the NFL to make the Caesars Superdome the “safest place to be” on Sunday, and the FBI has 450 personnel in New Orleans to investigate threats and crimes this week.

Trump, whose second presidential term began Jan. 20, also agreed to tape a sit-down interview with Fox, which has the broadcast rights to the game this year. Fox News anchor Brett Baier will interview Trump in Florida sometime before he departs for New Orleans, and it will air during the pregame run-up.

Trump also attended the College Football Playoff national championship game last month in Atlanta.

–Field Level Media

Feb 3, 2025; New Orleans, LA, USA; NFL commissioner Roger Goodell speaks during a press conference ahead of Super Bowl LIX at New Orleans Saints Locker Room. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Roger Goodell: NFL ‘better’ because of diversity protocols

NEW ORLEANS — NFL commissioner Roger Goodell rates NOLA as the perfect Super Bowl host but envisions taking the league’s marquee event beyond U.S. borders.

“I do think there’s a potential that someday we’ll have an international franchise,” Goodell said Monday afternoon in the Saints’ locker room at Caesars Superdome, set up for use by temporary tenants, the Philadelphia Eagles. “We do like to have — being here in New Orleans, this is a great thing for the New Orleans Saints. Have the world’s attention. I think the same would be true of an international franchise.”

Prior to last year’s Super Bowl in Las Vegas, Goodell publicly embraced moving to a shorter preseason — currently three games per team — and expanding the regular season from 17 to 18 games to meet overwhelming interest from fans. Goodell said the NFL and NFLPA haven’t had formal negotiating sessions around expanding the regular season, which must be collectively bargained with players.

But the league definitely believes “18 and 2 might be a possibility,” Goodell said, without disclosing a specific timeframe for the shift.

“The (18-game discussion will) come up in the context of the broader CBA issues. It will be part of the formal discussions (with the NFLPA),” Goodell said.

“We were able to do that when we moved to 17 games back in 2020. This year, the data on safety has been extraordinary on player safety and injuries. Concussions are at a historically low level this year. … I think all of those are factors in, how do we look at the offseason?”

Goodell said the NFL continues to follow up with minority candidates regarding the “sincerity” of coaching interviews called into question recently under the “Rooney Rule” requirement for minorities to be included in team searches for coach and GM vacancies. Asked about the Trump Administration making efforts to dismantle diversity and inclusion protocol in corporations and federal hiring, Goodell said the NFL is continuing those efforts “because it does make the NFL better.”

“We see that. We see how it’s benefited the National Football League,” Goodell said. “So many of us, including the National Football League and our office, are doing that voluntarily because it has benefitted our company.

“I am proud of it in this sense: I believe our diversity efforts have made the NFL better. We think we’re better when we get different perspectives.”

Goodell was seated on a makeshift stage with emcee Curt Menefee of FOX separated by the Lombardi Trophy and helmets of the Super Bowl LIX teams.

On the field Sunday, the Chiefs are chasing a historic third consecutive Super Bowl victory while some fans and corners of social media are convinced Kansas City is receiving the benefit of favor from officials. Goodell said the NFL sees and hears complaints about officiating but denied there’s any legitimacy to the theory the league “scripts” or prefers that the Chiefs succeed.

“From a lot of those theories are things that happen in social media and they get a new life,” Goodell said. “Nobody wants it to be their theory. I understand it. I think it reflects a lot of the fans’ passion. … That’s a ridiculous theory for anyone that might take it seriously.”

New Orleans serves as the host city for a league record-tying 11th time on Sunday. Goodell and the league applauded renovations to the Superdome as the centerpiece of the headline event in pro sports.

“Obviously the stadium is a big part of that, the stage … we realize this is a place that is sort of perfect for the Super Bowl,” Goodell said.

Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes attempts to win his fourth Super Bowl ring on Sunday, which would still be three shy of record-holder Tom Brady.

Brady is on the call of the game Sunday with FOX in his first season as the featured game analyst on the network’s No. 1 team with Kevin Burkhardt. Brady’s presence in a dual role since he was approved as minority owner of the Las Vegas Raiders has connected him more closely than most know to Goodell.

“He calls frequently,” Goodell said of Brady, his infamous ‘Deflategate’ rival. “To ask, ‘Am I doing OK?’”

The league reiterated Monday that Brady is “still subject to tampering rules and held accountable for that” after new Raiders head coach Pete Carroll said Brady is integrally involved in the team’s football operation.

“In the case of this actual transition, we had special rules for this,” Goodell said of Brady’s role as owner and access-holding broadcaster. “That’s something we’ll obviously consider in the offseason — should that policy be adjusted? Right now, Tom has been incredibly cooperative.”

–The NFL has two franchises in Los Angeles — the Rams and Chargers — and will play the Super Bowl at their home stadium in two years. Goodell said the league intends to be “good corporate citizens but also to lead” in the rebuilding process that could take years in some communities.

Five NFL employees lost their homes in the fires.

“The NFL is going to be there to support that,” the commissioner said. “It’s also going to be there to support our platform — give attention and focus to a community or issue that we all need to be aware of. … We’ll want to be part of that and rebuilding L.A. as soon as possible.”

–Goodell celebrated Louisiana on Monday becoming the 15th state to legally recognize girls high school flag football as an official sport. He said there is significant interest from the NFL and beyond to establish a “professional flag football league.”

–Jeff Reynolds, Field Level Media

Jan 2, 2025; New Orleans, LA, USA;  A general view of the stadium before the game between Notre Dame Fighting Irish and Georgia Bulldogs at Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

Revisiting New Orleans’ Super Bowls: Ravens turn lights out on 49ers

NEW ORLEANS — When the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles meet in Super Bowl LIX on Feb. 9 in the Caesars Superdome, New Orleans will make history by tying Miami for the most Super Bowls hosted (11).

But it’s the games themselves that have produced plenty of history for the Crescent City.

In the city’s first Super Bowl (IV), the Chiefs made their only previous title game appearance in New Orleans at Tulane Stadium, which was the site of three Super Bowls before the Superdome came along.

The previous year, the New York Jets made Joe Namath a prophet by upsetting the heavily favored Baltimore Colts and demonstrating that the AFL and the NFL were more competitive than had generally been accepted, with the merger of the two leagues approaching.

When Hank Stram’s Chiefs rolled into New Orleans and upset the heavily favored Minnesota Vikings in the last game involving the AFL, it further solidified the incoming teams’ legitimacy.

Fast forward 43 years, and the last Super Bowl played in New Orleans made history as the first one in which the two head coaches were brothers when John Harbaugh led the Baltimore Ravens against Jim Harbaugh’s San Francisco 49ers.

But it became notable for another, more bizarre reason when a power outage knocked out the lights inside the Superdome early in the third quarter.

In between the first and last Super Bowls in New Orleans, the Crescent City was the site of:

–the first Super Bowl titles won by the Cowboys and the Steelers;
–another Cowboys title in the first Super Bowl played indoors once the Superdome opened;
–the Eagles’ only previous appearance in a New Orleans Super Bowl in a loss to the Raiders;
–the Bears’ only Super Bowl title;
–the 49ers’ last Super Bowl title with Joe Montana;
–the Packers’ first post-Lombardi title;
–and the Patriots’ and Tom Brady’s first title in the first post-/911 Super Bowl.

Then came the Harbaugh Bowl.

Joe Flacco threw touchdown passes to Anquan Boldin, Dennis Pitta and Jacoby Jones to give Baltimore a 21-6 halftime lead. Jones, playing in his hometown, returned the second-half kickoff 108 yards for a touchdown.

The Ravens were rolling. Then the power outage knocked the lights out for 34 minutes.

When play resumed, the game changed.

San Francisco scored 17 unanswered points, the last seven of which came on Colin Kaepernick’s touchdown pass to Michael Crabtree that trimmed the lead to 28-23 at the end of the third quarter.

Justin Tucker kicked a field goal for Baltimore before Kaepernick ran 15 yards for a touchdown. The 49ers had a chance to tie, but a two-point conversion failed with 9:57 left.

Another Tucker field goal pushed the lead to 34-29 and San Francisco drove to the Ravens’ 5-yard line in the final two minutes, but turned the ball over on downs.

Baltimore took a safety in the final seconds, completing the scoring in one of the most unusual and entertaining Super Bowls.

And now the big game is back in the Superdome. Both Harbaughs had a chance to return but the Ravens lost a divisional playoff to Buffalo and Jim’s first season as head coach of the Chargers ended with a wild-card loss to the Texans.

This time, Kansas City will chase what would be a history-making three-peat while Philadelphia will try to prevent history and win its second Super Bowl title.

Hopefully the lights stay on.

–Les East, Field Level Media

Nov 11, 2021; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; NFL referee Ron Torbert (62) signals during the second half between the Miami Dolphins and the Baltimore Ravens at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-Imagn Images

NFL names Ron Torbert the ref of Super Bowl LIX

Veteran NFL official Ron Torbert will be the referee of Super Bowl LIX on Feb. 9 in New Orleans, the NFL announced on Tuesday.

The officiating crew also consists of umpire Mike Morton, down judge Max Causey, line judge Mark Stewart, field judge Mearl Robinson, side judge Boris Cheek, back judge Jonah Monroe and replay official Kevin Brown.

This is the second Super Bowl assignment for Torbert, who was the referee when the Los Angeles Rams beat the Cincinnati Bengals 23-20 at Super Bowl LVI in Inglewood, Calif.

He was the referee in the Washington Commanders’ upset win over the Detroit Lions on Saturday in the NFC divisional round.

For Cheek, this will be his fourth Super Bowl assignment, and he most recently was on Torbert’s crew in 2022. On Dec. 30, he became the all-time leader in NFL games officiated with 461, passing Walt Coleman.

Morton also has Super Bowl experience — as a player. He was a linebacker for the then-St. Louis Rams team that defeated the Tennessee Titans in Super Bowl XXXIV after the 1999 season.

He became an NFL official in 2022, but in his full-time job, he’s a dentist in North Carolina.

–Field Level Media

Nov 5, 2022; Stanford, California, USA; Stanford Cardinal head coach David Shaw before the game against the Washington State Cougars at Stanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

Reports conflict on Saints’ interest in former Stanford coach David Shaw

The New Orleans Saints’ search for their next head coach led to conflicting reports Monday that former Stanford head coach David Shaw is a candidate.

NFL Network reported that Shaw is interviewing for the post, while multiple media outlets said otherwise.

New Orleans fired Dennis Allen after Week 9 and promoted Darren Rizzi to interim head coach. The team went 3-5 the rest of the way to finish 5-12.

The Athletic reported on Saturday that Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Matt Nagy, a former head coach of the Chicago Bears, is expected to receive interest from the Saints.

Shaw, 52, has no NFL head coaching experience and since last June has been a senior personnel executive with the Denver Broncos.

At Stanford from 2011-22, Shaw became the only four-time Pac-12 Conference Coach of the Year. The winningest coach in school history compiled a 96-54 record (.640) with the Cardinal that included eight straight bowl appearances from 2011-18 and two Rose Bowl victories in the 2012 and 2015 seasons.

Shaw’s NFL experience includes quarterbacks and wide receivers coach with the Baltimore Ravens from 2002-04, WR coach in 2005 and QB coach with the Oakland Raiders in 2001. He also was an offensive quality control coach with the Philadelphia Eagles (1997) and Raiders (1998-2000).

–Field Level Media

Aug 30, 2024; Stanford, California, USA; TCU Horned Frogs wide receiver Jack Bech (18) scores a touchdown during the second half against the Stanford Cardinal at Stanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images

Ex-Princeton WR Tiger Bech, 28, killed in New Orleans attack

Former Princeton wide receiver Tiger Bech, the older brother of TCU standout Jack Bech, was one of at least 15 people killed in a mass truck attack in New Orleans early Wednesday.

Tiger Bech, 28, died after being transported to a New Orleans hospital with critical injuries suffered during the incident described by officials as a terrorist attack, according to the athletic director, Kim Broussard, of Bech’s high school alma mater, St. Thomas More Catholic High School in Lafayette, Louisiana.

A scholarship athlete, Tiger Bech earned All-Ivy League honors twice as a return specialist at Princeton, catching 53 passes for 825 yards and three touchdowns over his career.

A 2021 graduate of Princeton, he was reportedly working as a trader at the New York brokerage firm Seaport Global.

His younger brother, Jack, declared for the 2025 NFL Draft in December after finishing his senior year at TCU with 62 catches for 1,034 yards and nine touchdowns. Jack Bech transferred to TCU for his final two years of eligibility after playing for LSU.

Jack Bech posted on X Wednesday, “Love you always brother ! You inspired me everyday now you get to be with me in every moment. I got this family T, don’t worry. This is for us.”

In the wake of the attack, the Sugar Bowl between Georgia and Notre Dame was postponed from Wednesday to Thursday, Sugar Bowl CEO Jeff Hundley announced Wednesday afternoon, citing public safety.

–Field Level Media

Jan 1, 2024; New Orleans, LA, USA; A general view of the 2024 Sugar Bowl college football playoff semifinal game logo before the game between the Texas Longhorns and the Washington Huskies at Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

Sugar Bowl to be held amid heightened security

The Sugar Bowl will take place as scheduled Wednesday night amid heightened security following the deadly truck attack in New Orleans’ French Quarter.

Police Commissioner Anne Kirkpatrick confirmed that there will be increased police awareness at the Superdome for the College Football Playoff game between Georgia and Notre Dame.

Early Wednesday morning, a driver “hell-bent on creating the carnage and damage that he did” drove his pickup at high speeds through the crowds on Bourbon Street, killing 10 people and injuring at least 35, Kirkpatrick said.

“It was very intentional behavior,” Kirkpatrick said. “This man was trying to run over as many people as he could.”

Explosive devices were found on the scene, according to multiple reports, and New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell called the incident a “terrorist attack.” The FBI said it was investigating it as an act of terror.

Authorities said the male suspect exited his truck with an assault rifle and opened fire on police officers before he was killed by return fire. At least two officers were shot and wounded, officials said. The suspect has not yet been identified.

Wednesday night’s CFP quarterfinal between the No. 2 seed Bulldogs (11-2) and No. 7 Fighting Irish (12-1) is set to kick off at 8:45 p.m. ET.

–Field Level Media