Sports
Buccaneers fall 23-20 to Washington Commanders
Published
4 weeks agoon
By
FNN SPORTS
– The Buccaneers fell to the Commanders, 23-20, to end their season. The 49th season in Buccaneers history resulted in the club extending its franchise record for consecutive postseason berths to five and extending its record for consecutive division titles to four. The Buccaneers remain one of just three teams to have made the playoffs in each of the last five seasons (2020-24).
– QB Baker Mayfield completed 15-of-18 passes (83.3%) for 185 yards and two touchdowns with zero interceptions to earn a 146.5 passer rating. The 146.5 passer rating is the highest in a postseason contest in franchise history, and the ninth-highest mark by any quarterback in a postseason contest dating back to 2000. Mayfield has recorded a passer rating of 100.0+ in three of his five career postseason contests, and his career postseason passer rating of 105.9 leads all active quarterbacks (min. two games).
HIGHEST SINGLE-GAME PASSER RATING – FRANCHISE POSTSEASON HISTORY
Rank Player Passer Rating
1. Baker Mayfield (1/12/25 vs. WAS) 146.5
2. Tom Brady (2/7/21 vs. KC) 125.8
3. Baker Mayfield (1/15/24 vs. PHI) 119.8
4. Tom Brady (1/16/22 vs. PHI) 115.2
5. Tom Brady (1/9/21 vs. WAS) 104.3
HIGHEST POSTSEASON PASSER RATING – ACTIVE PLAYERS (MIN. 2 GP)
Rank Player Passer Rating
1. Baker Mayfield (TB) 105.9
2. Patrick Mahomes (KC) 105.8
3. Josh Allen (BUF) 102.3
4. C.J. Stroud (HOU) 102.2
5. Matthew Stafford (LAR) 101.7
– Mayfield’s 83.3% completion rate marked the highest by a Buccaneers quarterback in postseason history, and is the second-highest figure in a postseason contest (min. 15 attempts) dating back to 2012.
HIGHEST SINGLE-GAME COMPLETION PCT. – FRANCHISE POSTSEASON HISTORY
Rank Player Comp. Pct.
1. Baker Mayfield (1/12/25 vs. WAS) 83.3%
2. Tom Brady (1/16/22 vs. PHI) 78.4%
3. Tom Brady (2/7/21 vs. KC) 72.4%
HIGHEST SINGLE-GAME COMPLETION PCT. – SINCE 2012
Rank Player Comp. Pct.
1. Josh Allen (BUF – 1/15/22 vs. NE) 84.0%
2. Baker Mayfield (TB – 1/12/25 vs. WAS) 83.3%
3. Jared Goff (DET – 1/14/24 vs. LAR) 81.5%
4. Matt Moore (MIA – 1/8/17 at PIT) 80.6%
5. Deshaun Watson (HOU – 1/4/20 vs. BUF) 80.0%
– WR Mike Evans brought in a team-leading seven receptions for 92 yards and one receiving touchdown. With his score, Evans tied Leonard Fournette (6) for the second-most touchdowns from scrimmage in franchise playoff history, and surpassed Fournette (32) for the second-most playoff points scored by a non-kicker in franchise history.
MOST TOUCHDOWNS FROM SCRIMMAGE – FRANCHISE POSTSEASON HISTORY
Rank Player TD’s
1. Mike Alstott 7
2t. Mike Evans 6
2t. Leonard Fournette 6
4. Rob Gronkowski 3
5t. Many Players Tied 2
MOST POINTS SCORED (NON-KICKER) – FRANCHISE POSTSEASON HISTORY
Rank Player Points
1. Mike Alstott 42
2. Mike Evans 38
3. Leonard Fournette 36
– RB Bucky Irving contributed 83 scrimmage yards and one score on the day. He logged 17 carries for 77 yards (4.5 avg.), establishing a new single-game high for rushing yards by a rookie in franchise playoff history and surpassing the previous mark of 72 set by Warrick Dunn on 12/28/97 vs. Detroit. Irving added six receiving yards, including four on a touchdown pass from Baker Mayfield to record his first career touchdown catch (regular season or postseason).
– Irving’s 77 rushing yards are the most by a rookie in a playoff game since Kansas City’s Isiah Pacheco amassed 95 yards on 1/21/23 vs. Jacksonville.
– TE Cade Otton brought in two catches for 32 yards. In doing so, Otton surpassed Cameron Brate (221) and Rob Gronkowski (226) for the most playoff receiving yards by a tight end in franchise history.
– LB Lavonte David finished with a team-high-tying eight tackles and 1.0 sack. His sack increased his career postseason total to 3.0 – the fifth-most in franchise history. David ranks second in franchise history in postseason tackles (79), trailing only Derrick Brooks (93).
– S Antoine Winfield Jr. also contributed a team-high-tying eight tackles.
– DL Calijah Kancey finished with one tackle (that went for a loss). He has recorded at least one TFL in each of his three career playoff games, tied with Derrick Brooks and Greg Spires for the third-longest streak by a Buccaneer in franchise history, trailing only Devin White (four) and Shelton Quarles (four).
– K Chase McLaughlin went 2-for-2 on field goal tries, connecting from 50 and 32 yards out. McLaughlin is 6-of-7 on postseason field goal attempts with Tampa Bay, with his six made field goals ranking third in club history. His two made field goals from 50+ yards out in playoff contests are the most in franchise history.
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Sports
Super Bowl Opening Night Kicks Off in New Orleans as Chiefs & Eagles Gear Up for the Big Game
Published
3 days agoon
February 3, 2025By
Willie David
NEW ORLEANS, La. (FNN SPORTS) – Super Bowl week officially kicked off Monday night as the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles took center stage at Super Bowl Opening Night in New Orleans. Florida National News sports team was on-site at the Superdome, capturing all the excitement and exclusive player insights.
A standout moment from the night featured Jimmy Kimmel Live! sidekick Guillermo Rodriguez, who had Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes sign a pillow with Mahomes’ own face on it, adding a fun twist to the media frenzy.

Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts answers media questions during Super Bowl Opening Night on Monday, February 3, 2025, at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans. (Photo: Florida National News / J. Willie David III)
FloridaNationalNews.com conducted interviews with players and coaches from both teams, with quarterbacks sharing their thoughts on the highly anticipated Super Bowl 59 matchup.
With Opening Night wrapped up, teams have returned to their bases to continue preparation. The next major media event arrives Thursday with the Super Bowl pregame and halftime show press conference. Fans can expect appearances from headliner Kendrick Lamar, along with Jon Batiste, Trombone Shorty, Lauren Daigle, and Ledisi, as they gear up for an electrifying halftime performance.
________________________________________________________________
J Willie David, III
Florida National News and FNN News Network
sports@FloridaNationalNews.com
Sports
A Lim Kim Wins 2025 LPGA Season Opener Over Nelly Korda; Joe Pavelski Takes Celebrity Title
Published
4 days agoon
February 2, 2025By
Willie David
ORLANDO, Fla. (FNN SPORTS) – The 2024 Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions brought together 32 of the LPGA’s top players and a star-studded lineup of celebrities at Lake Nona Golf & Country Club. The event featured two prize purses: a $2 million purse for LPGA professionals and a $500,000 purse for celebrities.
A Lim Kim Claims Victory with Dominant Performance
A Lim Kim, the 2020 U.S. Women’s Open champion, secured a two-stroke victory over World No. 1 Nelly Korda, earning her second career LPGA title and taking home a $300,000 winner’s prize.
- Kim shot a final-round 67 (-5), sinking a nearly 20-foot birdie putt on No. 18 to seal the win.
- She led the field in birdies (24) and was the only player to shoot all four rounds in the 60s (65-69-67-67).
- Kim also excelled in par-5 scoring, a key factor in both this victory and her 2024 LOTTE Championship win.
- Her 72-hole score of 268 tied her career-low, matching her performance at the 2022 CPKC Women’s Open.
- This marks Kim’s second wire-to-wire win, making her the first player since Hyo Joo Kim (2023) to win wire-to-wire without ties.
- She also secured victory in her first tournament with new caddie Bruce Lowe.
Nelly Korda Finishes Runner-Up
World No. 1 Nelly Korda mounted a strong challenge with a final-round 65 (-7), but ultimately fell two strokes short.
- Korda recorded nine birdies and two bogeys on Sunday.
- She tied Kim for most birdies in the tournament (24).
- With this result, she notched her best career finish at the HGVTOC and fifth top-4 finish at the event.
Other Notable Finishes
- Linn Grant (-3, 69) finished in solo third, her best LPGA finish since the 2024 Dana Open.
- Minjee Lee shot a career-low 10-under 62 on Sunday, moving from T12 to T4.
- Defending champion Lydia Ko (-13) finished solo sixth after recovering from three early bogeys.
Joe Pavelski Wins Celebrity Division
Recently retired NHL All-Star and Olympian Joe Pavelski made a statement in his HGVTOC debut, winning the celebrity division with 145 points under the Modified Stableford format.
- Pavelski edged out 2024 champion Jeff McNeil by five points to claim the $100,000 first-place prize.
- Asterisk Talley, 15, won the amateur field with 149 points, playing from the same tees as LPGA professionals.
Looking Ahead
With a commanding wire-to-wire performance, A Lim Kim has established herself as a force to watch in 2024. Nelly Korda, Linn Grant, and Minjee Lee will look to build on their performances as the LPGA season continues.
J Willie David, III
Florida National News and FNN News Network
sports@FloridaNationalNews.com
Sports
Osceola Magic Extend Winning Streak to Four with 113-104 Victory Over Delaware Blue Coats
Published
4 days agoon
February 2, 2025By
FNN SPORTS
WILMINGTON, Del. (FNN SPORTS) – The Osceola Magic (7-6) powered past the Delaware Blue Coats (6-10) with a 113-104 victory on Sunday afternoon, extending their winning streak to four games. A dominant Colin Castleton led the charge with 22 points and 13 rebounds, delivering an ultra-efficient performance by shooting 10-of-12 from the field.
Magic’s Defense Stifles Delaware’s Offense
Despite Jeff Dowtin Jr. leading the Blue Coats in scoring with 21 points, the Magic’s relentless defense held him to an inefficient 7-of-24 shooting from the field. Jarron Cumberland added 19 points for Delaware, but it wasn’t enough to overcome Osceola’s second-half surge.
Balanced Scoring Fuels Magic’s Win
Alongside Castleton’s stellar performance, Mac McClung stepped up in the starting lineup, contributing 19 points on 7-of-13 shooting, including 3-of-6 from three-point range.
The Magic’s bench played a pivotal role in the victory, with Jarrett Culver delivering 17 points on an impressive 70% shooting. The Texas Tech standout also recorded six rebounds and three steals, providing a crucial spark off the bench.
What’s Next for Osceola Magic?
The Magic will face the Blue Coats again on Tuesday, Feb. 4, at Chase Fieldhouse. Tipoff is set for 11 a.m. ET and will be broadcast live on ESPN+.
Osceola will then return to Kissimmee on Sunday, Feb. 9, for a home game against the Grand Rapids Gold at 3 p.m. ET, airing on FanDuel Sports Network Florida and NBA TV.
Black History Month Celebration
The Magic will host a special Black History Month Celebration, presented by Publix, on Monday, Feb. 10, against the Grand Rapids Gold. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. ET, with the game airing on FanDuel Sports Network Sun and NBAGLeague.com. The first 1,000 fans in attendance will receive a replica Black History Month Magic jersey.
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