Super Bowl

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Philadelphia Eagles offensive lineman Jordan Mailata has said it would be "pretty special" for an NFL game to be staged in his native Australia.

The NFL has rapidly been expanding its global reach in recent years, with the Eagles kicking off this season by playing in the league's first game in South America - in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

The first regular-season game in Spain has been confirmed for next season, while Berlin will also host its first game, taking the total of international games up to five for 2025.

The NFL has been investigating other potential hosts such as Australia, carrying out site visits to Melbourne and Sydney, and an announcement is expected this week from NFL commissioner Roger Goodell while he is in New Orleans for Super Bowl 59.

Mailata, whose team face the Kansas City Chiefs in Sunday's big game, said: "I would love that. But my father always said 'show me, don't tell me'. So until then, Uncle Roger, make it happen.

"It would feel amazing to bring the game Down Under for the growth of the sport but also for the opportunity to play in front of my friends and my family," he added. "To play at home would be pretty special to me."

Mailata, who is from Sydney, said he may have to ask 'Uncle Roger' to help get him tickets for all his family and friends as he would need "maybe half the stadium".

The former rugby league player, 27, also said "it feels great" that so many people will be watching back home in Australia on Sunday.

"To know that we're growing the fan base Down Under is pretty cool," he added. "I'm honoured, I really am."

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Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes says it will be "cool" to play in front of US president Donald Trump in Super Bowl 59.

Trump will become the first sitting president of the US to attend a Super Bowl as the Chiefs face the Philadelphia Eagles in New Orleans on Sunday.

Mahomes and the Chiefs will aim to win the NFL's championship game for a third straight year, an unprecedented feat in the Super Bowl era.

Speaking earlier this week, Trump declined to pick a winner, saying: "I don't want to say, but there's a certain quarterback that seems to be a pretty good winner."

In response, Mahomes said on Wednesday: "It's always cool to be able to play in front of a sitting President, someone that is in the top position in our country.

"I didn't see that clip but it's cool to hear that he's seen me play football and respects the game that I play."

The referees have been in the news this week - and here's who the officiating crew are who will work on Super Bowl 59 in New Orleans. Including a former Super Bowl winner no less.

In case you're interested, the referees are an all-star team and are chosen on the basis of their performances throughout the season.

A group of former officials and coaches evaluate the referees on every call they make on every play throughout the season and give them a grade.

The highest graded official in each different position is then chosen for the play-offs and the Super Bowl.

So even though there is a lot of noise about them, the team for Sunday has been the best performing and made the most correct calls during the season. So surely nobody will complain about them, right?

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The executive director of the NFL Referees Association is the latest to release a statement to rubbish the continued conspiracy theory about bias towards the Kansas City Chiefs.

Roger Goodell called it a "ridiculous theory" and three-time Super Bowl winner Julian Edelman labelled it as "baloney" and now the head of the refereeing union has also rejected the claims.

"It is insulting and preposterous to hear conspiracy theories that somehow 17 officiating crews consisting of 138 officials are colluding to assist one team," Green said in a statement.

"NFL officials are graded every week, on every single play of each game. These grades are the determining factor as to who receives post-season assignments.

"There are many things that fans can worry about over a 17-game season, such as coaching decisions, player injuries, the weather and, yes, even close calls on incredible plays made by incredible athletes.

"But you can rest assured that on every single down, NFL officials, both on the field and in the replay booth, are doing everything humanly possible to officiate every play correctly."

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Just former Eagles centre Jason Kelce and a load of lookalikes walking round the streets of New Orleans, as you do!

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Patrick Mahomes will enter the NFL history books with an unprecedented third straight Super Bowl if his Kansas City Chiefs beat the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday but the quarterback is in no mood for legacy talk.

He certainly wasn't going to take the bait about whether he is entering the conversation about being the 'GOAT' - Greatest of All Time.

"I'm just trying to be the greatest Patrick Mahomes that I can be," Mahomes told reporters.

"I mean, that's obviously a goal of anyone's is to be the greatest at their profession, but in order to do that, you have to be the greatest that you can be every single day.

"That's on the field and the work ethic I put in or off the field in the father and husband that I am."

Mahomes would earn a fourth Super Bowl ring on Sunday, putting him joint second on the all-time QB list and three behind legendary quarterback Tom Brady.

"I'm going to try to be the greatest in that way, and whenever I'm done with football, if I leave everything out there the way that I feel like I have so far, as far as effort and mentality, I'll be happy with the results and I'll let others talk about who the greatest is," he added.

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Donald Trump will become the first sitting US president to attend a Super Bowl on Sunday, the White House confirmed following reports in US media.

Trump will be present at the Caesars Superdome, where the Kansas City Chiefs will take on the Philadelphia Eagles.

Then-President George HW Bush took part in the ceremonial coin toss for the 2002 Super Bowl - also in New Orleans - and performed the duty again at the 2017 Super Bowl in Houston, won by the New England Patriots.

Ronald Reagan also performed a coin toss from the White House for the 1985 Super Bowl.

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The New Orleans Superdome will be 'the safest place to be' during Super Bowl 59 this Sunday.

New Orleans was rocked by a terrorist attack on Bourbon Street in the early hours of New Year's Day, which left 14 people dead and dozens wounded.

US homeland security secretary, Kristi Noem, visited the site on Monday with Louisiana governor Jeff Landry on Monday before speaking to media.

She said that the Super Bowl is "the biggest homeland security event that we do every year" and that there is currently "no specific, credible threats to the Super Bowl, which I think should give us all a sense of security".

Since then, US media have reported that Donald Trump will attend Sunday's game,, external becoming first sitting president to attend the Super Bowl.

There were already set to be more than 2,000 law enforcement agents in New Orleans for the Super Bowl.

The NFL has been working on security of the event for two years and Cathy Lanier, the NFL's chief security officer, said that adjustments have been made to their security plan since the New Year's attack.

"I am confident the safest place this weekend will be under the security umbrella," she said.

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Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts is about to play in his second Super Bowl in three years.

Two years ago he was in contention for the season MVP award and had arguably his best game in Super Bowl 57, despite losing 38-35 to the Kansas City Chiefs.

The Eagles have set up a rematch with the Chiefs in Super Bowl 59 yet doubts have increased this season over whether Hurts is an elite quarterback.

Asked about the doubters on Tuesday, he said: "This is not about them, it's about the work you put in and everything [in a game] is a reflection of that work.

"I've always had a focus on myself and trying to improve, and ultimately beating whoever's in front of you."

Asked what's different with him now, compared to 2023, Hurts added: "Just the growth and the time. Every day there's a new lesson and a learning opportunity.

"I'm a more mature person and a better leader. All of these things, I've been able to push the threshold of [through] my entire career."

On what having another shot at Super Bowl glory means, the 26-year-old said it "means everything. To have an opportunity to pursue whatever it is you're passionate about, whatever it is you love, it's very important."

Ben Collins
BBC Sport journalist in New Orleans

Now Super Bowl week is under way, a host of events are planned for the world's media to speak to the guys who will be playing in arguably the biggest annual game in world sport on Sunday.

They were all available for an hour at Opening Night and the very next morning nine players from each team were available again at their team hotel, along with the head coach.

Half an hour before Jalen Hurts was due to appear, a media scrum had already been formed by those desperate to hear from the Philadelphia Eagles quarterback.

The same reporters may well be here on Wednesday and Thursday, such is the demand for content during the build-up to Super Bowl 59.

Ben Collins
BBC Sport journalist in New Orleans

Super Bowl week got off to a wild start on Monday at the New Orleans Superdome, where the Kansas City Chiefs will face the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday.

Media from all around the world - including one guy dressed as genie - get to ask the players all kinds of questions.

Guillermo is a regular at Opening Night for the Jimmy Kimmel chat show and he got the Chiefs' back-up quarterback Carson Wentz to throw Mexican snacks into his mouth.

He also got Chiefs receiver DeAndre Hopkins thinking about his future with a fortune-telling football then offered him a shot from a hip flask which was disguised as a microphone.

NFL quarterback Jameis Winston, who is now a free agent after being released by Cleveland, was even part of the media crew and asked several players to 'eat his W'.

A bemused Jordan Mailata said 'eat your what?' before Winston threw a W-shaped biscuit at the Eagles' offensive lineman. Welcome to Super Bowl week!!

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Philadelphia Eagles coach Nick Sirianni is using the pain of losing the Super Bowl two seasons ago to the Kansas City Chiefs as motivation this week as he prepares his team for Sunday's rematch.

The Chiefs beat the Eagles 38-35 in the Super Bowl in February 2023 and Sirianni say his team, led by quarterback Jalen Hurts, probably wouldn't be here without the pain of that defeat.

"Adversity does something to you. If you embrace adversity it can shape you to who you are," Sirianni said. "Obviously that's been the case with Jalen and through his career. This game is not easy. This game has it's ups and downs.

"Nobody in the NFL pitches a perfect game. That doesn't exist in the NFL. You're going to have bad plays. You're going to have good plays. It's about focusing on the next.

"Going back to the 2023 season, we're grateful for that. We're thankful for that. As bad as it [stunk], I'm grateful for that."

We all know Taylor Swift as the world's most famous Kansas City Chiefs fan these days, and according to Travis Kelce she will very much remain that way despite some big family ties to the Philadelphia Eagles.

Including her dad.

It must be said though that despite being a lifelone Eagles fan, Scott Swift has been spotted wearing Chiefs gear and attending Chiefs games cheering on Kelce alongside his daughter.

And asked who his maybe future father-in-law will be supporting on Sunday, Kelce replied: "I'll have to ask Scott himself, we haven't had that conversation yet. But I think he'll be wearing red."

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Travis Kelce admits that retirement thoughts have crossed his mind, but the 35-year-old has no plans to call it a day - even if he wins a fourth Super Bowl on Sunday and achieves the three-peat.

"I've thought about it, but I still love what I do. I love coming into work every day," Kelce said at the Super Bowl Opening Night media session in New Orleans.

"The month that we just had in the play-offs that makes me feel like I could play this game forever.

"I feel like I still have a lot of good football left in me. We'll see what happens. I know I've been setting myself up for other opportunities in my life.

"That's always been the goal knowing football only lasts for so long."

As luck would have it, Saquon Barkley could cap one of the best seasons in NFL history with a Super Bowl success on Sunday - which just so happens to be his brithday.

The Philadelphia Eagles running back will turn 28 on Sunday lifting the Lombardi Trophy would be a dream way to celebrate.

And he is not the only one hoping for a ring for his birthday, as Eagles rookie cornerback Cooper DeJean will celebrate his 22nd birthday on Sunday too.

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Kansas City Chiefs safety Justin Reid said that Andy Reid's team will be among the best of all-time if they can clinch a third straight NFL championship on Sunday.

The Chiefs will face the Philadelphia Eagles at Super Bowl 59 and are aiming to become the first team to win a Super Bowl three-peat.

Speaking at Opening Night on Monday, Reid said: "To be put on the Mount Rushmore of greatest teams across any sport, ever, it's a tremendous opportunity to do something that's never been done before.

"It's something the whole city will be proud of and remember for the rest of their lives."

In the major US sports leagues, a three-peat has been done five times in both the NBA and NHL, and four times in MLB. The last team to do it was the NBA's Los Angeles Lakers from 2000-2002.

"I don't think I understand truly the weight that this has, what this moment means," said Kansas City cornerback Trent McDuffie.

"I'm trying to live in the moment, taking each day as I can, and making sure I'm thankful for having this opportunity."

The Chiefs' defensive tackle Chris Jones added: "It's a fortunate opportunity that we have, not only to be at a Super Bowl but to be in a position to make a lot of history.

"I think everyone's aware of the opportunity and what's up for grabs, but for us it's just another game."