Ball Girl #128: And Just Like That, Super Bowl Sunday Is Set

This past weekend, the sports gods (and Roger Goodell) gave us the lineup for Super Bowl Sunday: the Kansas City Chiefs vs. Philadelphia Eagles (cue the fireworks and confetti). For all you Type-A party planners out there, consider this your official two-week notice to get started on those football-themed apps. Because let’s be real… we won’t remember who scored the touchdown, but we will remember your “Hail Mary Margaritas.” 🏈🍹 Let’s get into it!

🏈 NFL

Sunday’s games did not disappoint, unlike my recent hinge dates. Let’s go over the action, and then we’ll preview the matchup ahead for Super Bowl LIX.

AFC/NFC Championship Game Recaps

AFC: Kansas City Chiefs 32, Buffalo Bills 29
This was a heartbreaking game for the Buffalo Bills, and, let’s be real, pretty much all of America except for Kansas City. QB Josh Allen and the Bills put everything on the line, and with 3 minutes left on the clock, they had a chance to do the impossible — but then the Chiefs blitzed Allen on fourth down (aka, launched a bunch of bodies at Allen on his last chance to keep the game going). Allen launched a miracle pass to TE Dalton Kinkaid who… dropped it. And that was the game. Heartbreaking end of the season for Allen and the Bills Mafia, while Taylor Swift's boyfriend’s team strolls into the Super Bowl like it’s just another Sunday. And if that wasn’t already bad, we also have to listen to Andy Reid say ‘bundlerooski’ on repeat for the next 2 weeks.

NFC: Philadelphia Eagles 55, Washington Commanders 23
Ahead of this game, everyone was saying “if the Commanders can just contain Saquon Barkley, they’ll have a chance”. Eighteen seconds into the Eagles first drive, Saquon broke away from the pack and ran it to the house for a touchdown. And that’s pretty much how the rest of the game went. Over the next 4 quarters, the Eagles went on to score seven rushing touchdowns (aka, touchdowns where a player runs the ball in instead of the QB throwing it to a player), tying the record set in 1940. And that’s how the Commanders’ and their rookie QB Jayden Daniels’ underdog fairytale came to a screeching halt.

Super Bowl LIX - February 9th, 2025

Kansas City Chiefs vs. Philadelphia Eagles
We’re running back the 2023 Super Bowl with this matchup: two teams with incredibly deep rosters, talented coaches, and lots of history. The Chiefs roster stars QB Patrick Mahomes and TE Travis Kelce, whereas the Eagles’ roster is highlighted by QB Jalen Hurts, RB Saquon Barkley, and a top of the line defense. This game will be a brutal battle and powered by two very passionate fanbases. Ahead of the game, here are some fun facts:

• Two Eagles’ birthdays are on February 9th. RB Saquon Barkley (yes, that Saquon) and rookie cornerback Cooper DeJean will both be playing for a Super Bowl win on their birthday. Barkley will be 28 and DeJean will be 22.

• Chiefs’ head coach Andy Reid used to be the Eagles’ head coach. Reid joined the Chiefs in 2012 after 14 seasons as Head Coach of the Philadelphia Eagles. Reid has now reached over 130 regular-season wins with both the Chiefs and the Eagles. No other coach in NFL history has come close to reaching even 100 regular-season wins each with two different franchises.

• The Chiefs are in pursuit of the first ever three-peat. No team in NFL history has ever won the Super Bowl three times in a row since it was established in 1967. The Green Bay Packers came close; they won the two “World Championships” that preceded the first ever Super Bowl, and then won the first Super Bowl.

• The Eagles have been busy setting records on their way to this Super Bowl. Jalen Hurts set a record for most rushing TDs by a quarterback throughout the playoffs — 10 in total. The Eagles scored the most points in a Conference Championship game in NFL history against the Commanders with 55 points. And Nick Sirianni is the only head coach in NFL history to reach two Super Bowls in his first four seasons without missing the playoffs in the years between.

Safe to say, this is squaring up to be one heck of a showdown. We’ll share more about each team and players to watch in the next few weeks… In the meantime, let the countdown to kickoff begin!

XOXO, Here’s Your Gossip, Girls

The 11-Year-Old Who Said “Nah” to the Pittsburgh Pirates
In a power move straight out of a movie, an 11-year-old rejected a massive trade package from the Pittsburgh Pirates for a one-of-one Paul Skenes baseball card. The offer? Season tickets, a spring training experience, and a personal meet-and-greet with Skenes himself. But our young protagonist chose the auction route, with experts predicting this rare card bringing in six figures. The Pirates might have been turned down, but they’re still rolling out the red carpet for the kid, offering a special day at PNC Park. Iconic behavior from a child with taste.

Jimmy Butler: Suspensions? What Suspensions?
Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler doesn’t seem fazed by the chaos swirling around him. Suspended for the second time in three weeks due to insubordination (cue dramatic gasp), Jimmy was spotted living it up at the Reserve Cup padel event. And get this, he wasn’t just attending — he was an honorary chair! Meanwhile, the Heat are reportedly listening to trade offers following Butler’s repeated requests to leave the team. Is this the start of a Butler breakup or just another chapter in his off-court drama? Stay tuned, because this one’s heating up faster than Miami in July.

That’s all for today, ballers. Have a great hump day and we’ll see you on Friday. 🫡