Sports
Chiefs preach solidarity in pursuit of first Super Bowl three-peat
Feb 3, 2025; New Orleans, LA, USA; Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Trent McDuffie (22) during Super Bowl LIX Opening Night at Ceasars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images NEW ORLEANS — The Kansas City Chiefs are chasing history in their pursuit of a third straight championship when they face the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LIX on Sunday, but they are neither fixated on the challenge nor intimidated by it.
After defeating the Eagles 38-35 in Super Bowl LVII and the San Francisco 49ers 25-22 in Super Bowl LVIII, the Chiefs could become the first team to win three straight Super Bowls.
At Super Bowl Opening Night on Monday, no player or coach shied away from the moment, while also sticking to the company line about focusing on the matter at hand.
“I don’t think I understand truly the weight that this has, what this moment means,” Kansas City cornerback Trent McDuffie said. “I’m trying to live in the moment, take each day as I can, and making sure I’m thankful for having this opportunity.”
How rare is that opportunity? No major U.S./Canada professional sports franchise (NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL, WNBA, MLS) has managed three straight league championships in two decades. The last team to achieve it was the Los Angeles Lakers juggernaut spearheaded by Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant and coached by Phil Jackson, which won three straight from 2000-02.
Before that, the New York Yankees won three in a row from 1998-2000 as the Houston Comets were also winning four in a row (1997-2000) in the WNBA.
Jackson coached Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls to a pair of three-peats (1991-93, 1996-98) earlier in the 1990s. The most recent NHL three-peaters were the New York Islanders, who won four in a row from 1980-83.
If you’re counting along, that’s just six teams to do it since 1980, a span of 45 years.
“We’ve got a lot of guys who have been doing this a long time,” Chiefs linebacker Nick Bolton said. “We know we’ve got the opportunity. If you get to this point of the year … just put your faith where it belongs and put your best foot forward.”
The Chiefs are already further along in that pursuit than any NFL team has been in the Super Bowl era. No other back-to-back Super Bowl winner has advanced to a third straight Super Bowl since the inception of the game in 1966.
The Green Bay Packers were technically the NFL’s first three winners of straight, from 1929-31 (predating a championship game of any sort), and they repeated the feat from 1965-67, with the first of those championships coming before the advent of the Super Bowl (with no AFL representation). Those legendary Packers, helmed by Vince Lombardi, won the first two Super Bowls against AFL foes to cement the NFL’s second-ever three-peat.
The Canton Bulldogs won two straight championships from 1922-23, but the organization had merged with another franchise to become the Cleveland Bulldogs when it won a third in 1924.
Even in the pre-Super Bowl era, only two other teams made it to the same position as these Chiefs: the Chicago Bears and the Detroit Lions. The Bears won NFL championships in 1940-41 before getting knocked off by Washington in 1942. The Lions earned titles in 1952-53 before losing in the championship game to the Cleveland Browns in ’54.
The Chiefs may soon be mentioned alongside Lombardi’s Packers, but they know it would take a collective effort, just as it has to get to this point.
“It’s been everybody,” quarterback Patrick Mahomes said. “Blocking field goals, defensive guys getting big stops, scoring touchdowns: That’s what makes a football team special, when everybody has an impact on the final result of the game.”
–David Gladow, Field Level Media
Sports
Hannah Green wins her 2nd HSBC Women's World Championship
Aug 21, 2025; Mississauga, Ontario, CAN; Hannah Green plays her tee shot at the third hole during first round play at the CPKC Women’s Open golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images Australia’s Hannah Green held off Auston Kim on Sunday to win the HSBC Women’s World Championship in Singapore for the second time.
Green, the 2024 champion, balanced three birdies and three bogeys on an eventful back nine to finish with a 3-under 69 and a final score of 14-under at Sentosa Golf Club. The 2019 Women’s PGA Championship winner tapped in for bogey at the 18th for her seventh LPGA Tour title.
“When I did win Singapore two years ago, I went on to win two other tournaments that season and pretty much had my best season on tour,” said Green, 29. “So having a win so early in the season gives me a bit more flexibility with the tournaments that I can play. So I’m hoping that this puts me in good stead for the rest of the year.”
Green was at 16-under after birdies at the first, 11th and 13th holes and an eagle at the par-5 eighth hole. Her birdie at the par-3 15th helped her survive a bogey-bogey finish.
“I knew that I had enough of a lead to be able to get away with making mistakes coming down the stretch. But I think 15 was the real turning point,” she said.
First- and second-round leader Kim nearly chased down her first title, matching the low round of the day with a 67 to finish one shot behind Green in the 72-hole, no-cut tournament.
Kim carded six birdies and an eagle at No. 8, but a bogey at the par-3 15th proved costly for the 25-year-old American.
“Overall, I think it was a really solid week,” Kim said. “A great way to start the year. I hit a lot of bad shots but I also hit a lot of good ones, and it was really confidence boosting. I hit all these bad shots, and I didn’t feel like I had anything chose to my A game, but I was still able it pull off a result like this and play some really solid golf.”
Australia’s Minjee Lee (72 on Sunday), Angel Yin (71) and France’s Pauline Roussin-Bouchard (68) tied for third place at 11-under with South Korea’s Haeran Ryu (72) another shot back in solo sixth.
World No. 1 Jeeno Thitikul of Thailand finished with a 73 and tied for 31st at 2-under, one shot behind defending champion Lydia Ko (72) of New Zealand.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Cards extend manager Oliver Marmol through '28 season
Feb 22, 2026; West Palm Beach, Florida, USA; St. Louis Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol (37) looks on from inside the dugout against the Houston Astros during the fifth inning at CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images St. Louis Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol received a two-year contract extension through the 2028 season, the team announced Sunday.
Financial terms were not disclosed by the team, which holds an option for the 2029 season.
“As I’ve gotten to know Oli, I’ve seen someone who cares about this organization and knows what has made the Cardinals special over time — and who understands that for us to get where we need to go, we must compete relentlessly to set new standards in everything that we do,” president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom said.
“He is invested in the progress of our young core and is unafraid to challenge himself and to help those around him grow. I am energized to continue working with him towards the on-field success that we expect and that our fans deserve.”
Marmol, 39, has guided the Cardinals to a 325-323 record during his four seasons as the skipper. He led St. Louis to the National League Central title in 2022 before the team fell in the wild-card series to the Philadelphia Phillies.
Last season, the Cardinals posted a 78-84 record to finish in fourth place in the NL Central.
Marmol was a coach with St. Louis from 2017-21 under previous managers Mike Shildt and Mike Matheny.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Tyler Reif treated for heat exhaustion after Trucks race
Oct 31, 2025; Avondale, Arizona, USA; NASCAR Truck Series driver Tyler Reif (41) during the NASCAR Truck Series Championship race at Phoenix Raceway. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series rookie Tyler Reif was treated for heat exhaustion after Saturday night’s street race in St. Petersburg, Fla.
Reif, 18, was transported to an area medical facility after finishing 16th in the race in the No. 42 Niece Motorsports Chevrolet. He was later released.
“Tyler and his family would like to express their gratitude to the NASCAR officials, track medical workers and the local medical facility staff for their care,” Niece Motorsports said in a release.
Reif made his debut in the NASCAR Craftsman Trucks Series in 2025. Saturday’s race was just his third on the circuit, including a 17th-place finish at Atlanta on Feb. 21.
–Field Level Media
Hannah Green wins her 2nd HSBC Women's World Championship
Cards extend manager Oliver Marmol through '28 season
