Football

The internet is taking shots at ESPN after the network did not show the national anthem or moment of silence on the main Sugar Bowl broadcast ... after a terror attack in New Orleans delayed the important football game.

Folks online are up in arms with ESPN's decision to show studio analysts breaking down the College Football Playoff quarterfinal matchup between Notre Dame and Georgia instead of the in-stadium tribute to victims of Wednesday's terror attack in the city.

Thursday's Sugar Bowl was played at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans ... close to where terrorist Shamsud-Din Jabbar mowed down NYE revelers in a pickup truck.

Eric Dickerson is setting the record straight on Saquon Barkley ... saying even though he was pulling for his single-season rushing record to survive, he's a big fan of the Philadelphia Eagles running back.

E.D. made headlines last week ... when he admitted he didn't want the 27-year-old to surpass his record of 2,105 yards.

The current rushing king faced backlash from several notable folks -- including fellow former running back LeSean McCoy, who claimed the legend was hating on his own position group during a segment on his FS1 show, "The Facility."

The Allstate Sugar Bowl is underway in New Orleans ... but before Georgia and Notre Dame kicked off the College Football Playoff matchup, the Caesars Superdome held a moment of silence to remember those lost during the Bourbon Street terrorist attack.

As we previously reported, the contest was postponed a day in wake of the tragedy ... but local law enforcement stated on Thursday the city was confident in its measures to ensure everyone in attendance would be safe.

After the moment of silence in the stadium, it was followed by chants of "U-S-A" and an emotional rendition of the national anthem from NOLA native Samyra Miller.

Saquon Barkley continues to make the New York Giants lives a living nightmare -- on and off the football field -- starring in a new ad clearly throwing shade at the team's owner for a comment he made on Hard Knocks during the NFL offseason.

The Eagles star running back dropped the new Unisom advertisement on his Instagram ... which showcases SB reading a lullaby to fans who "were having trouble sleeping."

"Rockabye baby, awake in your bed," Barkley said. "As the thought of 2,000 swirls in your head. It sure is tough to lose sleep over football. Not for me, though; goodnight to you all."

Bourbon Street will return to normal in time for the Sugar Bowl on Thursday ... with the New Orleans Mayor expecting full operation prior to kickoff -- one day after the New Year's terrorist attack.

The Georgia vs. Notre Dame matchup slated to go down at the Caesars Superdome on Jan. 1 was postponed in the wake of the tragedy that killed 14 people ... and while some officials have called for more time for the community to heal, the game will go down Thursday at 1 PM PT.

With thousands of football fans in town for the College Football Playoff contest, mayor LaToya Cantrell told reporters the iconic French Quarter street will be available to those looking to watch the action from the venues in the area.

Despite calls to further postpone the Sugar Bowl, the game is set to kick off in five hours ... and the New Orleans Police Department says they're confident the city will safely host the big game following the Bourbon Street terror attack which killed at least 14.

NOPD Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick appeared on the Today show where she was asked if her police force was ready for the Notre Dame vs. Georgia playoff game ... after some, including the state's Attorney General, called on officials to postpone the game.

"We are not alone," Kirkpatrick said. "We are in partnership with many other partners. Both local, federal, military, police will be here. We are gonna have absolutely 100's of officers and staff lining our streets, lining Bourbon Street, lining the French Quarter."

Ohio State quarterback Will Howard was blocked from joining his teammates on stage to celebrate their huge Rose Bowl win over Oregon ... with officials forcing the Buckeyes star to stay on the field amid the postgame festivities.

The clip made rounds on social media after the Scarlet and Gray easily handled the Ducks to get revenge on their loss earlier in the season ... with Howard -- who had a phenomenal game with 319 yards and three touchdowns -- leading the charge.

Despite the outing that propelled OSU to its 41-21 victory, Howard clearly didn't get any special treatment ... with staffers telling the signal-caller to stay off the platform as the Buckeyes were awarded the Rose Bowl Trophy.

New Orleans Saints star Cam Jordan is doing his part to help his community following the New Year's Day tragedy -- making a large financial contribution to the victims of the attack.

The 35-year-old defensive end shared his condolences shortly after the news broke Wednesday morning ... and hours later, he revealed he was teaming up with the Greater New Orleans Foundation and the city to help those affected.

Jordan wrote a $25,000 check to support the families who lost loved ones ... as well as the dozens who were severely injured in the attack.

San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle was more like Santa Paws this holiday season ... 'cause he treated team WAGs Olivia Culpo and Kristin Juszczyk to some pet-centric gifts -- personalized portrait rugs of their beloved furry pets!!!

TMZ Sports has learned Kittle contacted designer Angel Arreola to make special pieces for the wives of his teammates, Christian McCaffrey and Kyle Juszczyk.

The theme was pretty obvious ... their four-legged friends.

Former college football standout Tiger Bech was killed in the New Orleans terrorist attack early Wednesday morning, his brother announced. He was just 27 years old.

Bech -- an all-conference kick returner for the Princeton Tigers -- was in New Orleans for the holiday when he was struck by the pickup truck that drove into a crowd on Bourbon Street around 3:15 AM local time.

He was taken to a nearby hospital, where he was held on life support until his family arrived at the facility, according to local outlets.

The Sugar Bowl -- one of the most anticipated football games of the year -- has been postponed twenty-four hours after a horrific New Year's Day attack left scores dead in the city of New Orleans, the location of the big CFB quarterfinal tilt.

Jeff Hundley, CEO of the Sugar Bowl, announced Wednesday morning that the football game between 2-seeded University of Georgia and 7-seeded Notre Dame University would kick off Thursday night just before 8 PM local time, instead of Wednesday night as planned, after consulting with the teams, TV network, and others.

"All parties and all agree that it's in the best in the best interest of everybody and public safety that we postpone the game for 24 hours," Hundley said.

Matthew Stafford is pulling out all the stops to make sure he's not the next athlete targeted in the recent string of burglaries -- TMZ Sports is told the Rams quarterback invited police officers and NFL security to inspect his L.A. area home for any potential weak spots.

Law enforcement sources tell us league staffers and cops met at the Super Bowl champ's residence this month to scope out his current setup ... and provided tips and safety measures on what his family can do further to deter crooks from targeting his pad.

While Stafford himself was not present, we're told the NFL specifically asked the cops about the South American burglary crews believed to be behind all the hits ... as well as how they can work together to make it more difficult for the criminals to execute their operation.

Week 18 might be meaningless to the Eagles, but Chris Johnson tells TMZ Sports he'd still advise Saquon Barkley to suit up ... and go chase history!!

After a 167-yard performance against the Cowboys on Sunday, Barkley is now just 101 yards away from Eric Dickerson's all-time single-season rushing record of 2,105 ... but with nothing on the line for Philadelphia, many have wondered if the tailback will play.

Birds fans would love to see him rest up and be ready for the playoffs ... but Johnson -- a former Titans superstar who once rushed for 2,006 yards in 2009 -- said this week he'd advise Barkley to put on his helmet.

The NFL Pro Bowl fan voting period is officially over ... and which player got the most love?? None other than Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce.

The league just shared the results of the voting process that ended Dec. 23 ... with Taylor Swift's boyfriend coming out on top with 252,200 total entries.

Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs was a close second with 250k ... and Washington Commanders rookie Jayden Daniels followed with 242K.

Tom Brady and his son sure ain't going into 2025 looking pasty -- the legendary quarterback and Jack decided to leave their shirts behind during their last golf outing of the year ... and the GOAT looks as good as ever.

The seven-time Super Bowl winner shared a snap of his time on the course on Tuesday ... essentially twinning with his 17-year-old as they both rocked short shorts and backward caps.

"Perfect way to end the year," the picture read as the Brady boys looked off in the distance.

Need one last feel-good moment heading into 2025?? Kirk Herbstreit's got ya covered ... 'cause the popular sports announcer shared footage of his 14-month-old dog, Peter, enjoying the beach for the first time -- and it'll warm your heart.

The adorable pup accompanied Kirk out to Los Angeles for the massive College Football Playoff matchup between Ohio State and Oregon going down at the Rose Bowl on New Year's Day ... and with more than 24 hours before kickoff, the two took a stroll at Manhattan Beach for the final sunrise of 2024.

Peter clearly loved running around the shore ... and while we don't know if he took a dip in the Pacific, it's much warmer than snowy Indiana!!