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Eagles' Zack Baun, C.J. Gardner-Johnson in familiar territory in NOLA

NFL: Super Bowl LIX-Opening NightFeb 3, 2025; New Orleans, LA, USA; Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Zack Baun (53) talks to the media during Super Bowl LIX Opening Night at Ceasars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

NEW ORLEANS — Zack Baun and C.J. Gardner-Johnson have played plenty of games in the Caesars Superdome.

But they’ve never experienced one like they will Sunday, when they and their Philadelphia Eagles teammates face the two-time defending champion Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX in their former home stadium.

The New Orleans Saints drafted Baun in the third round in 2020 and Gardner-Johnson in the fourth round in 2019.

Baun immediately found a significant role on special teams, but never had a consistent place in the Saints’ linebacking corps, so he left in free agency after last season. Gardner-Johnson made 31 starts in three years in New Orleans’ secondary, but couldn’t come to terms with the organization as his rookie contract was about to expire, and he was traded as the 2022 season was getting started.

Both have been key players in Philadelphia’s push to the championship, especially Baun, who was one of the most improved players in the NFL this season.

Baun’s significance to the Eagles was demonstrated at Media Night on Monday on the floor of the Superdome. He was one of 12 Philadelphia representatives placed on a riser to accommodate excess media attention while the rest of the team was scattered about in smaller gaggles on the turf.

“I was just looking for an opportunity,” Baun said of his experience in free agency. “That’s all I ever wanted. I knew nothing would be given to me. I had to work for a spot.”

Baun likened his pro career to his college career at Wisconsin, in which he played very little in his first two seasons then jumped from 2.5 sacks to 12.5 sacks in his third and final season.

In Philadelphia, he’s earned a spot as a starter — and has shown throughout the season why he was deserving of it.

After starting a total of 14 games on defense in New Orleans, Baun started 16 this season. He had 151 total tackles and 93 solo tackles, 63 more total tackles and 33 more solos than he had during his Saints career. He entered the year with two career sacks and tallied 3.5 this season.

Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio was the position coach of New Orleans’ famed “Dome Patrol” linebacking corps in the 1980s. He didn’t expect Baun to equal Pro Football Hall of Famers Rickey Jackson and Sam Mills, or the quartet’s other standouts in Pat Swilling and Vaughan Johnson, but he did like what he saw on film when Philadelphia was evaluating the free agent.

“I just thought he could be an inside linebacker off the ball,” Fangio said. “That’s not what he played (in New Orleans). He didn’t hardly play at all (with the Saints). He exceeded my expectations.

“I’ve really enjoyed Zack Baun. He’s done a hell of a job for us. He’s had a great season. Pro Bowl, obviously, got a great future.”

Gardner-Johnson was acquired from New Orleans along with a seventh-round draft choice from the Saints in exchange for a fifth-rounder and a sixth-rounder. He made six interceptions on Philadelphia’s last NFC championship team in 2022 despite missing five games due to injury.

He signed with Detroit before last season and returned to the Eagles on a three-year contract in March. Gardner-Johnson went on to duplicate his six interceptions of 2022, and Philadelphia duplicated its conference championship.

–Les East, Field Level Media

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Stellar second half boosts Raptors in win over Wizards

NBA: Toronto Raptors at Washington WizardsFeb 28, 2026; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Wizards guard Bilal Coulibaly (0) drives to the basket as Toronto Raptors forward Scottie Barnes (4) defends in the first half at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

Immanuel Quickley had 27 points and 11 assists on Saturday to propel the visiting Toronto Raptors to a 134-125 victory over the Washington Wizards.

Brandon Ingram added 24 points and RJ Barrett chipped in 21 points for Toronto, which snapped a two-game skid. Jakob Poeltl totaled 18 points and 10 rebounds and Scottie Barnes scored 18 for the Raptors, who shot a sizzling 71.4% in the second half while scoring 73 points. Toronto shot 60% from the field for the game.

Will Riley’s 19 points led Washington, followed by Bilal Coulibaly and Keyonte George’s 14 points apiece. Tristan Vukcevic added 13, while Carlton Carrington and Justin Champagnie finished with 12 apiece. The Wizards made 16 of their 34 3-point attempts, but dropped their fourth straight, shooting 47.9% overall.

After trailing by 13 in the first half, Toronto grabbed its first lead since the opening minutes, as Barrett’s layup gave the Raptors a 75-74 advantage with 7:53 left in the third.

Ingram’s 3-pointer extended the lead to six at the 4:23 mark.

Poeltl capped the quarter’s scoring with a layup to give the Raptors a 98-92 lead entering the fourth.

Toronto took its first double-digit lead on baskets by Barnes and Quickley to open the final quarter. The lead grew to 13 on Barrett’s 3-pointer.

Jamal Shead sealed the convincing victory with a triple at the 3:40 mark, putting Toronto ahead 129-116.

Washington built a 33-20 lead as Anthony Gill’s hook shot stamped a 7-0 run with 1:40 left in the first quarter. Ja’Kobe Walter’s 3-pointer cut the Raptors’ deficit to eight entering the second quarter.

The Wizards connected on their ninth 3-pointer less than two minutes into the second quarter as Jamir Watkins’ trey extended the lead to 41-29.

Toronto battled back as Sandro Mamukelashvili’s three-point play cut the deficit to 54-50, before George’s 3-pointer and Gill’s layup made it a nine-point cushion with 3:09 left before halftime.

Coulibaly’s mid-range jumper gave Washington a 64-61 lead at the break. Ingram led all scorers with 13, while Coulibaly scored 11 for the Wizards.

–Field Level Media

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Aiden Hezarkhani, Ariath Piol score to lead Real Salt Lake past Sounders

MLS: Seattle Sounders FC at Real Salt LakeFeb 28, 2026; Sandy, Utah, USA; Real Salt Lake forward Aiden Hezarkhani (39) controls the ball in the first half against the Seattle Sounders at America First Field. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Baker-Imagn Images

Young players Aiden Hezarkhani and Ariath Piol scored and veteran goalkeeper Rafael Cabral made eight saves, as Real Salt Lake won its home opener 2-1 over the Seattle Sounders on Saturday night in Sandy, Utah.

Cabral’s last save was perhaps his biggest, as he stopped Snyder Brunell’s volley from about 8 yards out in the ninth of ten minutes of second-half stoppage time.

Real Salt Lake improved to 14-1-4 all-time at home against Seattle, with the lone loss coming in 2011.

Cristian Roldan scored for the Sounders (1-1-0, 3 points) in the opener of a five-game trip.

After a couple of close misses by the Sounders in the opening minutes, RSL (1-1-0, 3 points) opened the scoring in the 23rd.

Zavier Gozo dribbled between three Seattle defenders then attempted a pass to the top of the 18-yard box. That was knocked away by Hassani Dotson, but the ball fell to Luca Moisa, who sent a pass toward the top left of the penalty area to Juan Manuel Sanabria, making his MLS debut. Sanabria sent a cross back across to Hezarkhani on the right wing and his left-footed half-volley rocketed into the near upper corner of the net, leaving leaping goalkeeper Andrew Thomas no chance.

RSL doubled its advantage in the 47th minute as Philip Quinton sent a long ball down the right wing for Gozo. He dribbled into the penalty area before sending a low pass to Piol for a tap-in from 5 yards out.

The Sounders pulled within 2-1 in the 62nd minute as Rusnak’s corner kick from the left wing was sent to the near post, where Roldan put a glancing header into the far side of the net.

It appeared Seattle tied the score in the 77th minute when substitute Danny Musovski volleyed home a cross from Paul Rothrock, but it was ruled Rothrock was offside when he accepted a pass.

Cabral made a leaping save to punch a header from Yeimar Gomez Andrade off the goal line in the 8th minute following a Seattle free kick from the left wing.

In the 14th, Cabral leaped to tip a 35-yard free kick by Rusnak slotted for the upper left corner of the net out of bounds. Cabral crashed into the post and needed medical attention but was able to continue.

And in the 20th, Cabral came off his line to get a hand on a Rusnak header on a broken play after a deflected cross.

Cabral again thwarted Rusnak, a former RSL standout, in the 61st minute, tipping a free kick over the crossbar.

–Field Level Media

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Anton Forsberg records shutout as Kings defeat Flames

NHL: Calgary Flames at Los Angeles KingsFeb 28, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Kings center Alex Turcotte (15) shoots the puck during the second period against the Calgary Flames at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Griffin Hooper-Imagn Images

Anton Forsberg made 29 saves for the Los Angeles Kings in a 2-0 win against the visiting Calgary Flames on Saturday afternoon.

Forsberg, who had allowed 16 goals while losing his previous four starts, posted his second shutout of the season and 10th in his 11-year NHL career.

Alex Laferriere and Adrian Kempe scored for the Kings, who had lost five in a row, most recently an 8-1 drubbing against the visiting Edmonton Oilers on Thursday.

Dustin Wolf made 35 saves for the Flames, who had won two in a row and three of four.

The Kings took a 1-0 lead at 15:36 of the second period.

Brandt Clarke started the play by making a diagonal pass from the neutral zone to Trevor Moore at the Calgary blue line. He skated in on Wolf before taking a wrist shot from the left circle that hit the near post.

Moore re-collected the puck in the corner, passed it to Quinton Byfield behind the net and he passed it out front to Laferriere. His initial shot from just below the right hash marks was saved, but Moore pulled the puck away from Wolf before he could cover it and Laferriere slapped in the puck from the side of the net for his 14th goal of the season.

The Flames went nearly 12 minutes without a shot on goal in the third period, helping the Kings maintain the one-goal advantage until Kempe scored into an empty net with 38 seconds left to make it 2-0.

Kempe has nine goals in his past 12 games against the Flames.

The Kings played without defenseman Drew Doughty (lower body) and forward Joel Armia (upper body), who were injured in the loss to Edmonton.

The Kings also announced on Saturday that winger Andrei Kuzmenko had surgery on a torn meniscus and is week-to-week.

–Field Level Media

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