Sports

Super rematch: Hill burned Bucs repeatedly in 1st meeting

Published

5 years ago

January 31, 2021

Tyreek Hill sprinted past cornerback Carlton Davis again, caught the ball in stride and then cut so sharply that safety Mike Edwards ended up flailing at him with one arm near the sideline. Hill casually jogged a few more yards before pausing at the goal line and doing a backflip into the end zone.

Showtime!

It was the second and most impressive of three scores for Hill, who was the star of Kansas City’s 27-24 victory at Tampa Bay in Week 12. Hill finished with 13 receptions for 269 yards — both career highs — and proved to be a mismatch for Davis and the Buccaneers.

Tampa Bay gets another shot at Hill and the Chiefs in the Super Bowl next Sunday, the first rematch in the NFL finale in nearly a decade.

Same teams, same venue, much higher stakes.

The Chiefs are counting on the same outcome. The Bucs, who have won seven straight since that late November loss, are looking to become the eighth team in 14 tries to beat an opponent in the Super Bowl that it lost to in the regular season.

Both sides expect to lean on — and learn from — that previous meeting.

“We’ll help a little bit more than we did in that ballgame,” Bucs coach Bruce Arians said.

Tampa’s biggest and most obvious mistake was trying to single-cover Hill, one of the fastest players in the league. Davis was burned repeatedly, including on consecutive TD passes from Patrick Mahomes to Hill (75 and 44 yards) in the first quarter. Davis gave up their third scoring connection, too, but had much tighter coverage on what was a perfect throw and catch.

Hill had seven receptions for 203 yards and two TDs in the first quarter alone, but just six catches for 66 yards and a score the rest of the way. The difference?

“I just got tired. I got tired of running,” Hill joked this week.

“No, let me stop,” he continued. “Todd Bowles is a great defensive coordinator. He’s been doing it for a long time. I’m sure he’s seen guys like me throughout his career. Just being able to dial up (coverages) and things like that to slow me down.

“Also … bringing the safety over the top a bit to double me and (Travis) Kelce. That kind of slowed us down a lot, plus their front seven is tremendous. Once they get clicking on defense, they’re a great defense. They fly around the field; they’re great. I feel like I just got lucky and was able to get open.”

The Chiefs scored on three of their first four possessions and led 17-0 before the Bucs crossed midfield. The margin could have been even greater had Tampa’s defense not forced a field goal after Kansas City ran two plays from the 1-yard line.

Davis knocked down Kelce’s pass to Mahomes, a nifty trick play that started when Mahomes flipped to Hill, who pitched to Kelce, who expected to find Mahomes open in the end zone. It was Davis’ best play of the afternoon.

Kansas City settled for the chip-shot field goal on the opening possession. Mahomes and Co. had a chance to extend their 17-0 lead early in the second, but Shaq Barrett stripped the quarterback on a first-and-goal play from the 8 and forced the Chiefs’ lone turnover.

Tampa Bay waited until the fourth to make its comeback. Tom Brady threw two interceptions in the third quarter and the Bucs trailed 27-10 before a furious rally.

Brady found Mike Evans for scores of 31 and 7 yards, the first one coming on a fourth-and-3 play early in the quarter and the second one coming after a pair of roughing-the-passer penalties on Frank Clark.

Down three with 4:10 to play, Tampa turned to its defense to get a stop and get Brady the ball back. But Mahomes didn’t let it happen, scrambling for one first down and then rolling left on third-and-7 and finding — who else? — Hill for a first down in front of — who else? — Davis. Mahomes then took a knee to end the game.

“You learn from mistakes and you learn from really good things, and there were some really good things in that game,” Arians said. “So we’ve got a lot of stuff to build on.”

Mahomes completed 37 of 49 passes for 462 yards and three TDs. Hill finished with the 14th-most receiving yards in any game in NFL history and the most since Julio Jones notched 300 against Carolina in 2016.

Brady completed 27 of 41 passes for 345 yards, with three scores and two picks.

Neither team will be completely the same in the rematch.

The Chiefs had to shuffle their offensive line again this week after losing left tackle Eric Fisher to a torn Achilles tendon in the AFC championship game. Two more starters — right tackle Mitchell Schwartz (back) and left guard Kelechi Osemele (knees) — haven’t played since October.

The Bucs will have 350-pound defensive tackle Vita Vea back for the second straight game after he missed most of the season because of a broken right ankle. Vea returned last week and was the catalyst in Tampa’s five-sack day against Green Bay.

“They kind of readjusted some things and then they had a week off, had a lot of guys get acclimated to the system that Tom Brady likes, their coach likes,” Chiefs defensive lineman Chris Jones said. “They’ve been playing well, especially later in the season. … They’re definitely a different team from when we played them a couple of weeks ago.”

Hill and Davis, though, are sure to be lined up across from each other at some point.

“You go back and look at the game and what matchups you had,” Arians said. “Familiarity helps. I’m not really excited playing Tyreek Hill and Kelce and Mahomes (again). That’s a formidable challenge, but our guys will be up for it.

Sports

GM Brands Dominate Detroit as Cadillac and Corvette Capture IMSA Chevrolet Detroit Sports Car Classic Wins

Published

4 days ago

May 31, 2026

FNN NEWS

DETROIT (FNN SPORTS) — Cadillac and Chevrolet celebrated a historic hometown sweep Saturday as both General Motors brands captured class victories in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship’s Chevrolet Detroit Sports Car Classic.

Competing in the shadow of General Motors’ Renaissance Center headquarters along the Detroit Riverwalk, the No. 31 Cadillac Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R driven by Jack Aitken and Earl Bamber dominated the 100-minute race to secure the overall victory and Grand Touring Prototype (GTP) class win.

In Grand Touring Daytona Pro (GTD PRO), Antonio Garcia and Alexander Sims powered the No. 3 Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports Corvette Z06 GT3.R to victory, giving Chevrolet a celebrated win on its home turf.

Cadillac Continues Detroit Dominance

The No. 31 Cadillac controlled the race from start to finish, executing a near-flawless performance in front of General Motors executives, employees, and supporters.

The victory marked Cadillac’s fifth IMSA triumph in Detroit, adding to previous wins in 2017, 2018, 2021, and 2022. The result also extended the No. 31 team’s streak to seven consecutive GTP podium finishes.

“To do it here at the home of GM and Cadillac with so many friends and family with us, my team absolutely nailed it,” Aitken said after the race.

The No. 25 BMW M Team WRT BMW M Hybrid V8 finished second in class, while the No. 10 Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing Cadillac V-Series.R completed the GTP podium.

Meanwhile, the No. 93 Acura Meyer Shank Racing with Curb Agajanian Acura ARX-06 earned the IMSA Michelin Sustainability in Racing Award with its fourth-place finish.

Corvette Capitalizes on Late-Race Drama

While Cadillac’s victory was largely under control, the GTD PRO race featured significant late-race drama.

Garcia nearly lost the lead when Jack Hawksworth attempted a pass entering Turn 1 in the No. 14 Vasser Sullivan Racing Lexus RC F GT3. Contact between the two cars triggered a penalty against Hawksworth, whose Lexus received a drive-through penalty for incident responsibility.

Despite the pressure, Garcia maintained control on the final restart to secure his first IMSA victory in Detroit and the 32nd IMSA win of his career.

“Super happy to be in victory lane in Chevrolet land,” Garcia said. “I think all the big bosses will be very happy, as we are. It was a fantastic drive by Alex, who put the car on pole and opened a big gap early.”

The late-race chaos opened the door for the No. 9 Pfaff Motorsports Lamborghini Temerario GT3 driven by Andrea Caldarelli and Sandy Mitchell to earn the new car’s first podium finish in second place.

The No. 65 Ford Mustang GT3 driven by Christopher Mies and Frederic Vervisch rounded out the GTD PRO podium in third.

Championship Battle Tightens Heading to Watkins Glen

Both class winners started from the Motul Pole Award position and successfully converted pole into victory despite two late caution periods that reshuffled the field and intensified competition during the closing laps.

The victory unofficially moves Aitken into the lead of the GTP championship standings, while the No. 4 Corvette pairing of Nicky Catsburg and Tommy Milner maintains the GTD PRO points lead, though by a reduced margin.

The IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship returns June 28 for the Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen at Watkins Glen International, one of the premier endurance races on the North American sports car calendar.

Sports

Dolphins Announce Free 2026 NFL Draft Watch Parties in Fort Lauderdale and Miami

Published

2 months ago

April 16, 2026

FNN SPORTS

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (FNN SPORTS) — The Miami Dolphins will host their 2026 NFL Draft Party presented by Bud Light on Thursday, April 23 at 7 p.m. ET, offering fans two locations across South Florida to watch the first round of the NFL Draft.

The free events will take place at The Wharf Fort Lauderdale and Regatta Grove, providing fans in Broward and Miami-Dade counties an opportunity to gather and celebrate as the draft unfolds.

DRAFT PARTY DETAILS AND FAN EXPERIENCE

Te events are free and open to the public, with fans encouraged to reserve their spots in advance due to limited capacity. Activities will include interactive games, giveaways, photo opportunities, and appearances by the Dolphins mascot and cheerleaders.

Both venues will also feature live panel discussions with current players and team alumni, offering insight, analysis and personal stories related to the draft.

Season ticket members will receive select complimentary food and beverage offerings during the event.

DOLPHINS’ STRONG DRAFT POSITION

Miami enters the 2026 NFL Draft with significant capital, holding 11 total selections, including two first-round picks at Nos. 11 and 30.

The team also holds a second-round pick (No. 43), four third-round selections (Nos. 75, 87, 90 and 94), a fourth-round pick (No. 130), a fifth-round pick (No. 151) and two seventh-round picks (Nos. 227 and 238).

With seven selections in the top 100, this marks one of the franchise’s most anticipated drafts in recent years.

COUNTDOWN TO THE NFL DRAFT

The draft party marks the start of the team’s one-week countdown to the 2026 NFL Draft, as fans prepare to see how Miami builds its roster for the upcoming season.

The dual-location format is designed to expand fan access and engagement across South Florida, bringing together supporters for a shared viewing experience.

Sports

Las Vegas to Host Super Bowl LXIII at Allegiant Stadium in 2029, NFL Announces

Published

2 months ago

March 30, 2026

Willie David

NEW YORK (FNN SPORTS) — The National Football League announced that Las Vegas will host Super Bowl LXIII in 2029 at Allegiant Stadium, marking the second time the city will stage the league’s championship game.

The announcement was made during the NFL’s Annual Meeting in Phoenix, following a review by the league’s Fan Engagement & Major Events Committee and a vote by NFL team owners.

“We’re excited to bring the Super Bowl back to Las Vegas and provide our fans another incredible experience in one of America’s greatest sports and entertainment destinations,” said Roger Goodell, commissioner of the NFL. “Super Bowl LVIII demonstrated the scale, energy and hospitality the city brings to global events, and we look forward to working alongside the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, the Raiders and the community to deliver an even greater experience this time around.”

LAS VEGAS RETURNS AS SUPER BOWL HOST

The 2029 championship will mark the second Super Bowl hosted in Las Vegas. The city debuted as a Super Bowl host in 2024 with Super Bowl LVIII, which attracted more than 330,000 visitors and generated over $1 billion in economic impact, according to the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority.

“We’re proud the NFL has selected Las Vegas to host Super Bowl LXIII,” said Steve Hill, president and CEO of the LVCVA. “Our first Super Bowl showcased the unique energy and scale only this destination can offer, bringing together world-class sports, entertainment and hospitality in one place. Las Vegas was built for moments like this, and we look forward to delivering another exceptional experience for fans in 2029.”

RAIDERS, COMMUNITY PREPARE FOR GLOBAL EVENT

Las Vegas Raiders owner Mark Davis said the return of the Super Bowl reflects the success of the city’s first hosting effort and the collaboration between the NFL, local leaders and the community.

“It’s a testament to the Raiders, the LVCVA, civic leaders, the community and the NFL working together,” Davis said. “Super Bowl LVIII set a high bar, and for Super Bowl LXIII we are committed to raising it even further.”

FAN EXPERIENCES AND HOSPITALITY PROGRAMS

In the lead-up to Super Bowl LXIII, Las Vegas will host a series of major events across the metropolitan area, including NFL Honors, Super Bowl Experience, and Super Bowl Opening Night, along with community initiatives such as NFL Source, the league’s procurement program supporting local and underrepresented businesses.

Meanwhile, On Location, the NFL’s official hospitality partner, has launched its Priority Access deposit program for Super Bowl LXIII hospitality packages. The program offers fans early access to premium seating, exclusive entertainment, luxury hospitality experiences and other curated game-day packages.