Kansas City Royals prospect Noah Cameron, a Central alum, posted a breakout season in 2024, earning him an invite to major league spring training.  

Pitchers and catchers reported to Surprise, Arizona and had their first workout this week. 

Cameron says it's been really cool being in the same clubhouse and working alongside veterans like Salvador Perez and Bobby Witt Jr. 

"Just to kind of watch them work, you know obviously they're the best players in baseball for a reason and just watching them kind of do their thing and their everyday work that they put in and preparation they put in is really cool," Cameron tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post.  "And it teaches us younger guys what to do, what not to do." 

Last year, Cameron posted a 3-2 record with a 2.32 ERA and 67 strikeouts across nine starts at Triple A Omaha. Overall, between Triple A and Double A, he was 7-6 with a 3.08 ERA and 149 strikeouts.  In November, the Royals added Cameron to the 40-man roster, protecting him from the Rule 5 draft. 

Cameron will have the opportunity to learn alongside two Cy Young finalists from last year, in Seth Lugo and Cole Ragans, as well as experienced veterans in Michael Wacha and Michael Lorenzen.

Cameron says even through the first days of spring training this week, he has seen the work ethic of his teammates, and is ready to learn alongside them 

"It's been really cool to get to know them a little bit, obviously I'm excited to continue growing those relationships with those guys and just being able to kind of slide right in and let them lead the way and for me to just hopefully help out and earn that spot and earn their respect," Cameron says."

Cameron knows that he's in competition with teammates for the fifth starter spot 

"We obviously are aware of it, and we know that we want to be better than each other, but at the same time encourage each other and push each other every day, which is just really awesome," Cameron explains.  "And you don't see that a whole lot, obviously if we had five starters that were all making $20 million and there's no spots open it would be a little less competitive." 

A spot in the Royals rotation opened after a trade sent Brady Singer to the Cincinatti Reds.  Cameron is in competition with teammates with major league experience, such as Alec Marsh, Daniel Lynch, Kris Bubic, and a returning from injury Kyle Wright. 

While many players are already in Surprise, Arizona for Spring Training, the first full team workout is on Monday. 

You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739551856916.jpeg" alt="St. Joseph's Noah Cameron, the Kansas City Royals #12 prospect, had a breakout season in 2024 and was added to the 40 man roster this offseason. He's now competing for a job in the Royals starting rotation this spring training/ Photo courtesy of the Omaha Stormchasers" />
 <figcaption>St. Joseph's Noah Cameron, the Kansas City Royals #12 prospect, had a breakout season in 2024 and was added to the 40 man roster this offseason. He's now competing for a job in the Royals starting rotation this spring training/ Photo courtesy of the Omaha Stormchasers</figcaption>
 </figure>By MATT PIKE St. Joseph Post Kansas City Royals prospect Noah Cameron, a Central alum, posted a breakout season in 2024, earning him an invite to major league spring training. Pitchers and catchers reported to Surprise, Arizona and had their first workout this week. Cameron says it's been really cool being in the same clubhouse and working alongside veterans like Salvador Perez and Bobby Witt Jr. "Just to kind of watch them work, you know obviously they're the best players in baseball for a reason and just watching them kind of do their thing and their everyday work that they put in and preparation they put in is really cool," Cameron tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. "And it teaches us younger guys what to do, what not to do." Last year, Cameron posted a 3-2 record with a 2.32 ERA and 67 strikeouts across nine starts at Triple A Omaha. Overall, between Triple A and Double A, he was 7-6 with a 3.08 ERA and 149 strikeouts. In November, the Royals added Cameron to the 40-man roster, protecting him from the Rule 5 draft. Cameron will have the opportunity to learn alongside two Cy Young finalists from last year, in Seth Lugo and Cole Ragans, as well as experienced veterans in Michael Wacha and Michael Lorenzen.Cameron says even through the first days of spring training this week, he has seen the work ethic of his teammates, and is ready to learn alongside them "It's been really cool to get to know them a little bit, obviously I'm excited to continue growing those relationships with those guys and just being able to kind of slide right in and let them lead the way and for me to just hopefully help out and earn that spot and earn their respect," Cameron says."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739552096076.jpeg" alt="Noah Cameron/ Photo courtesy of MLB Pipeline" />
 <figcaption>Noah Cameron/ Photo courtesy of MLB Pipeline</figcaption>
 </figure>Cameron knows that he's in competition with teammates for the fifth starter spot "We obviously are aware of it, and we know that we want to be better than each other, but at the same time encourage each other and push each other every day, which is just really awesome," Cameron explains. "And you don't see that a whole lot, obviously if we had five starters that were all making $20 million and there's no spots open it would be a little less competitive." A spot in the Royals rotation opened after a trade sent Brady Singer to the Cincinatti Reds. Cameron is in competition with teammates with major league experience, such as Alec Marsh, Daniel Lynch, Kris Bubic, and a returning from injury Kyle Wright. While many players are already in Surprise, Arizona for Spring Training, the first full team workout is on Monday. FULL INTERVIEW<div><iframe src="https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/kfeq-news/embed/episodes/Full-Interview-Noah-Cameron-ready-to-be-Royal-e2usjui/a-abphedc" height="102px" width="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></div>FRIDAY JOURNAL<div><iframe src="https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/kfeq-news/embed/episodes/Friday-Journal-Noah-Cameron-looks-to-continue-success-e2usk43/a-abphejm" height="102px" width="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></div>You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

St. Joseph native on the brink of breaking into the major leagues

St. Joseph Mustangs baseball is just around the corner, and the Mustangs have announced their roster for the 2025 season, filled with several key players that were part of last year's championship winning team.&nbsp;

Two former MINK league MVPs will be returning to the team in 2025 in Lafayette alum Brayden Luikart, the 2023 MVP, and Darius Freeman, last years MVP.&nbsp;&nbsp;Luikart hit .292 with 25 RBIs in 2023 with the Mustangs and is back with the team after not playing last season.&nbsp;&nbsp;Freeman hit .327 with the Mustangs last season, and also produced a team high 25 stolen bases.

Also returning to the team are the 2024 Co pitchers of the year,&nbsp; Sam Pitts, one half of the Pitchers of the Year, threw a perfect game last season, and will be joined by his brother Max on the roster this year. The other half of the returning Pitchers of the Year duo is East Buchanan graduate Bronco Whitt, who tied for the team lead with 40 strikeouts in 2024.

The lineup will also feature several local familiar faces in 2025.&nbsp;&nbsp;Local returnees include Benton alum Carson Schmidt, Bishop LeBlond alums Frank Gall and Jaren Guck, Central alum Logan Miller, Lafayette alum Jayden Little, Savannah alum Truman Bodenhausen, and East Buchanan alum and Missouri Western's Gage Busby.

Mustangs Manager Johnny Coy will not be the only Coy in the dugout this season; he will be joined by current Benton senior and University of Nebraska-Omaha commit Chris Coy. Jase Johnson, son of former Mustangs Manager and St. Joseph Baseball Hall of Famer Matt Johnson, will return for his third season.

The roster has also some international flair, with pitcher Noah Thomas returning to the team. Thomas hails from British Columbia.

Also of note, several players will be returning for their third, or more, season with the Mustangs including Trevor McCollum, Easton Bruce, Michael Infranca, Aron Harrington, Ryker Curry, Andrew Clark, as well Little, Gall, and Guck.

“We’re excited to defend our title in 2025. These players are ready to get to St. Joseph and play in front of the great fans. We have some really talented players and they all have options on where they want to play each summer, and it says a lot about this community that they choose Phil Welch Stadium to spend their summers,” said Mustangs manager Johnny Coy says in a news release from the Mustangs.

Mustangs Opening Day is set for Wednesday, May 28th.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1722141304715.jpeg" alt="Photo courtesy of St. Joseph Mustangs Facebook" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy of St. Joseph Mustangs Facebook</figcaption>
 </figure>By MATT PIKESt. Joseph PostSt. Joseph Mustangs baseball is just around the corner, and the Mustangs have announced their roster for the 2025 season, filled with several key players that were part of last year's championship winning team.&nbsp;Two former MINK league MVPs will be returning to the team in 2025 in Lafayette alum Brayden Luikart, the 2023 MVP, and Darius Freeman, last years MVP.&nbsp;&nbsp;Luikart hit .292 with 25 RBIs in 2023 with the Mustangs and is back with the team after not playing last season.&nbsp;&nbsp;Freeman hit .327 with the Mustangs last season, and also produced a team high 25 stolen bases.Also returning to the team are the 2024 Co pitchers of the year,&nbsp; Sam Pitts, one half of the Pitchers of the Year, threw a perfect game last season, and will be joined by his brother Max on the roster this year. The other half of the returning Pitchers of the Year duo is East Buchanan graduate Bronco Whitt, who tied for the team lead with 40 strikeouts in 2024.The lineup will also feature several local familiar faces in 2025.&nbsp;&nbsp;Local returnees include Benton alum Carson Schmidt, Bishop LeBlond alums Frank Gall and Jaren Guck, Central alum Logan Miller, Lafayette alum Jayden Little, Savannah alum Truman Bodenhausen, and East Buchanan alum and Missouri Western's Gage Busby.Mustangs Manager Johnny Coy will not be the only Coy in the dugout this season; he will be joined by current Benton senior and University of Nebraska-Omaha commit Chris Coy. Jase Johnson, son of former Mustangs Manager and St. Joseph Baseball Hall of Famer Matt Johnson, will return for his third season.The roster has also some international flair, with pitcher Noah Thomas returning to the team. Thomas hails from British Columbia.Also of note, several players will be returning for their third, or more, season with the Mustangs including Trevor McCollum, Easton Bruce, Michael Infranca, Aron Harrington, Ryker Curry, Andrew Clark, as well Little, Gall, and Guck.“We’re excited to defend our title in 2025. These players are ready to get to St. Joseph and play in front of the great fans. We have some really talented players and they all have options on where they want to play each summer, and it says a lot about this community that they choose Phil Welch Stadium to spend their summers,” said Mustangs manager Johnny Coy says in a news release from the Mustangs.Mustangs Opening Day is set for Wednesday, May 28th.&nbsp;

St. Joseph Mustangs announce roster for 2025 season. 

 Cooper DeJean, Josh Sweat and the Philadelphia Eagles’ ferocious defense denied Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce and the Kansas City Chiefs a Super Bowl three-peat.&nbsp; It wasn’t even close.

DeJean got a pick six&nbsp; on his birthday, Sweat tormented Mahomes and the Eagles routed the Chiefs 40-22 on Sunday to secure the franchise’s second Super Bowl championship.

Jalen Hurts threw for two touchdowns and ran for a score on a tush push to earn Super Bowl MVP honors, and Vic Fangio's defense was so dominant that the Eagles didn't need much from Saquon Barkley.&nbsp; The game-changing running back finished with 57 yards, breaking Terrell Davis’ record for yards rushing in a season, playoffs included. Hurts threw for 221 yards.

“This is the ultimate team game. You can’t be great without the greatness of others. Great performance by everybody — offense, defense, special teams,” coach Nick Sirianni said. “We didn’t really ever care what anyone thought about how we won, or their opinions. All we want to do is win.”

Not in Kansas City’s worst nightmares could its fans have imagined such a lackluster performance. The Chiefs had won three of the previous five Super Bowls, losing 31-9 to Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers four years ago.

Mahomes was 8-0 against Fangio’s defenses before the longtime coordinator and former Broncos head coach outcoached Andy Reid, capping his first season with his hometown team. Reid fell to 3-3 in Super Bowls, including a loss with the Eagles.&nbsp; The Eagles sacked Mahomes six times, the most of his career, including 2.5 by Sweat. And they did it without Fangio calling a single blitz.

“Defense wins championships,” Hurts said. “We saw how they played today. We saw the difference they made in the game. They gave us opportunities, gave us short fields. And we’re able to do what we do.”

The Chiefs were aiming to become the third team in NFL history to win three straight championships and the first to three-peat in the Super Bowl era.

Hurts nearly led the Eagles to victory against the Chiefs two years ago in Arizona, but Mahomes led a comeback and Harrison Butker kicked the game-winning field goal in the final minute for a 38-35 victory. Mahomes rallied Kansas City to an overtime victory over San Francisco last year for the Chiefs' second straight title.

“That’s a great football team and we had to come out and play our best, and we did,” Sirianni said.

This time, a revamped Philly defense featuring eight new starters from the 2022 team made sure Mahomes had no chance to pull off his magic.

“Today was a rough day all around. Nothing went right. I didn’t coach well. Proud of our guys for fighting. We will learn from this,” Reid said. “Too many turnovers, too many penalties. Against a good football team, can’t do that.”

Barkley helped push Hurts into the end zone from the 1 to give Philadelphia a 7-0 lead in the first quarter.&nbsp; Up 10-0 after Jake Elliott’s 48-yard field goal, Sweat and Jalyx Hunt sacked Mahomes on consecutive plays. 

Mahomes then rolled out and made an errant throw that was picked by DeJean, who returned it 38 yards for a 17-0 lead.&nbsp; It was Mahomes’ first pick six in 21 career playoff games and ended a streak of 297 straight passes without an interception.

“We didn’t start how we wanted to. The turnovers hurt. I take all the blame for that,” Mahomes said. “I didn’t play to my standard.”

All-Pro linebacker Zack Baun picked Mahomes again late in the second quarter, and Hurts connected with A.J. Brown on a 12-yard TD pass for a 24-0 lead.&nbsp; Hurts threw a perfect 46-yard TD pass to DeVonta Smith to make it 34-0 late in the third.

Mahomes fired a 24-yard TD pass to Xavier Worthy to avoid the shutout, but the 2-point conversion failed. He threw two late, mostly meaningless TD passes, one to DeAndre Hopkins and another to Worthy.

The Green Bay Packers are the only NFL team to win three championships in a row, doing it from 1929-31 and 1965-67.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739157518917.png" alt="Photo courtesy Philadelphia Eagles" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy Philadelphia Eagles</figcaption>
 </figure>By MATT PIKE St. Joseph Post Cooper DeJean, Josh Sweat and the Philadelphia Eagles’ ferocious defense denied Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce and the Kansas City Chiefs a Super Bowl three-peat.&nbsp; It wasn’t even close.DeJean got a pick six&nbsp; on his birthday, Sweat tormented Mahomes and the Eagles routed the Chiefs 40-22 on Sunday to secure the franchise’s second Super Bowl championship.Jalen Hurts threw for two touchdowns and ran for a score on a tush push to earn Super Bowl MVP honors, and Vic Fangio's defense was so dominant that the Eagles didn't need much from Saquon Barkley.&nbsp; The game-changing running back finished with 57 yards, breaking Terrell Davis’ record for yards rushing in a season, playoffs included. Hurts threw for 221 yards.“This is the ultimate team game. You can’t be great without the greatness of others. Great performance by everybody — offense, defense, special teams,” coach Nick Sirianni said. “We didn’t really ever care what anyone thought about how we won, or their opinions. All we want to do is win.”Not in Kansas City’s worst nightmares could its fans have imagined such a lackluster performance. The Chiefs had won three of the previous five Super Bowls, losing 31-9 to Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers four years ago.Mahomes was 8-0 against Fangio’s defenses before the longtime coordinator and former Broncos head coach outcoached Andy Reid, capping his first season with his hometown team. Reid fell to 3-3 in Super Bowls, including a loss with the Eagles.&nbsp; The Eagles sacked Mahomes six times, the most of his career, including 2.5 by Sweat. And they did it without Fangio calling a single blitz.“Defense wins championships,” Hurts said. “We saw how they played today. We saw the difference they made in the game. They gave us opportunities, gave us short fields. And we’re able to do what we do.”The Chiefs were aiming to become the third team in NFL history to win three straight championships and the first to three-peat in the Super Bowl era.Hurts nearly led the Eagles to victory against the Chiefs two years ago in Arizona, but Mahomes led a comeback and Harrison Butker kicked the game-winning field goal in the final minute for a 38-35 victory. Mahomes rallied Kansas City to an overtime victory over San Francisco last year for the Chiefs' second straight title.“That’s a great football team and we had to come out and play our best, and we did,” Sirianni said.This time, a revamped Philly defense featuring eight new starters from the 2022 team made sure Mahomes had no chance to pull off his magic.“Today was a rough day all around. Nothing went right. I didn’t coach well. Proud of our guys for fighting. We will learn from this,” Reid said. “Too many turnovers, too many penalties. Against a good football team, can’t do that.”Barkley helped push Hurts into the end zone from the 1 to give Philadelphia a 7-0 lead in the first quarter.&nbsp; Up 10-0 after Jake Elliott’s 48-yard field goal, Sweat and Jalyx Hunt sacked Mahomes on consecutive plays. Mahomes then rolled out and made an errant throw that was picked by DeJean, who returned it 38 yards for a 17-0 lead.&nbsp; It was Mahomes’ first pick six in 21 career playoff games and ended a streak of 297 straight passes without an interception.“We didn’t start how we wanted to. The turnovers hurt. I take all the blame for that,” Mahomes said. “I didn’t play to my standard.”All-Pro linebacker Zack Baun picked Mahomes again late in the second quarter, and Hurts connected with A.J. Brown on a 12-yard TD pass for a 24-0 lead.&nbsp; Hurts threw a perfect 46-yard TD pass to DeVonta Smith to make it 34-0 late in the third.Mahomes fired a 24-yard TD pass to Xavier Worthy to avoid the shutout, but the 2-point conversion failed. He threw two late, mostly meaningless TD passes, one to DeAndre Hopkins and another to Worthy.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Patrick Mahomes connects with Xavier Worthy for a 50-yard TD 📺: <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SBLIX?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SBLIX</a> on FOX 📱: Tubi + NFL app <a href="https://t.co/s7g5xqfmVB">pic.twitter.com/s7g5xqfmVB</a>&mdash; NFL (@NFL) <a href="https://twitter.com/NFL/status/1888788542387544263?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 10, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The Green Bay Packers are the only NFL team to win three championships in a row, doing it from 1929-31 and 1965-67.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739158888084.jpeg" alt="Philadelphia Eagles tackle Jordan Mailata celebrates after defeating the Kansas City Chiefs in the NFL Super Bowl 59 football game, Sunday, Feb. 9, 2025, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Doug Benc)" />
 <figcaption>Philadelphia Eagles tackle Jordan Mailata celebrates after defeating the Kansas City Chiefs in the NFL Super Bowl 59 football game, Sunday, Feb. 9, 2025, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Doug Benc)</figcaption>
 </figure>

Short of history, Chiefs fall to Eagles 40-22 in Super Bowl 59

Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe has ordered the Missouri State Capitol dome to shine red and gold beginning tonight in celebration of the Kansas City Chiefs' Super Bowl LIX appearance. The dome will shine red and gold from sunset to sunrise through Sunday, February 9. 

Governor and First Lady Kehoe will cheer on the Chiefs from Missouri on Sunday night as they take on the Philadelphia Eagles at Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans, marking the Chiefs' third straight Super Bowl appearance.

"Missourians and fans across Chiefs Kingdom are once again celebrating the Kansas City Chiefs making it to the Super Bowl on this Red Friday," Governor Kehoe said in a news release. "We're proud to call the Kansas City Chiefs Missouri's team, and light our state's Capitol red and gold as the Chiefs seek a Super Bowl three-peat this Sunday." 

Governor Kehoe also announced a friendly bet with Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro via social media.&nbsp; As part of the wager with Governor Shapiro, Governor Kehoe has bet Missouri-grown beef and an assortment of Kansas City favorites, including Gates Bar-B-Q Sauce, Scott's Kitchen BBQ Sauce and Rub, and Chase Candy Company Cherry Mash. 

"I'm predicting a 31-17 Chiefs Super Bowl victory," Governor Kehoe said. "I look forward to enjoying some Philly cheesesteaks from Governor Shapiro after the Chiefs bring home the Lombardi Trophy on Sunday."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1738152364528.png" alt="Gov. Mike Kehoe begins his State of the State address by celebrating firsts in state leadership, such as the Senate’s first female president pro tem (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent)." />
 <figcaption>Gov. Mike Kehoe begins his State of the State address by celebrating firsts in state leadership, such as the Senate’s first female president pro tem (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent).</figcaption>
 </figure>By MATT PIKESt. Joseph PostMissouri Governor Mike Kehoe has ordered the Missouri State Capitol dome to shine red and gold beginning tonight in celebration of the Kansas City Chiefs' Super Bowl LIX appearance. The dome will shine red and gold from sunset to sunrise through Sunday, February 9. Governor and First Lady Kehoe will cheer on the Chiefs from Missouri on Sunday night as they take on the Philadelphia Eagles at Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans, marking the Chiefs' third straight Super Bowl appearance."Missourians and fans across Chiefs Kingdom are once again celebrating the Kansas City Chiefs making it to the Super Bowl on this Red Friday," Governor Kehoe said in a news release. "We're proud to call the Kansas City Chiefs Missouri's team, and light our state's Capitol red and gold as the Chiefs seek a Super Bowl three-peat this Sunday." Governor Kehoe also announced a friendly bet with Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro via social media.&nbsp; As part of the wager with Governor Shapiro, Governor Kehoe has bet Missouri-grown beef and an assortment of Kansas City favorites, including Gates Bar-B-Q Sauce, Scott's Kitchen BBQ Sauce and Rub, and Chase Candy Company Cherry Mash. "I'm predicting a 31-17 Chiefs Super Bowl victory," Governor Kehoe said. "I look forward to enjoying some Philly cheesesteaks from Governor Shapiro after the Chiefs bring home the Lombardi Trophy on Sunday."<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">On Sunday, Missouri&#39;s Kansas City <a href="https://twitter.com/Chiefs?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Chiefs</a> will face the <a href="https://twitter.com/Eagles?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Eagles</a> once again in the Super Bowl. I like our chances at a three-peat, so let&#39;s make a deal, <a href="https://twitter.com/GovernorShapiro?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@GovernorShapiro</a>. If by some unlikely twist of fate, the Eagles win on Sunday, I’ll send you some Missouri-grown beef and… <a href="https://t.co/qqhTAqEqrV">pic.twitter.com/qqhTAqEqrV</a>&mdash; Governor Mike Kehoe (@GovMikeKehoe) <a href="https://twitter.com/GovMikeKehoe/status/1887894096670269502?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 7, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

Gov. Kehoe's Super Bowl bet with PA governor includes St. Joseph favorite

The Pro Football Hall of Fame committee announced on Thursday that former Kansas City Chiefs defensive end Jared Allen will be enshrined as part of the 2025 Hall of Fame class.&nbsp;

Allen is joined by tight end Antonio Gates, cornerback Eric Allen,&nbsp; and wide receiver Sterling Sharpe in the smallest class since 2005 which will take their rightful place in Canton, Ohio on August 2nd.&nbsp;

“My family and I are thrilled that Jared Allen has become the 20th player in Chiefs history inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame,” Chiefs Chairman and CEO Clark Hunt said in a news release from the Chiefs. “From the time the Chiefs drafted Jared in 2004, we knew he was a special man with special talent."

"While wearing a Chiefs uniform, Jared was named to the NFL All-Rookie Team, he reached the first of his five Pro Bowls, he was named First Team All Pro, and he led the league in sacks for the first time. He left an indelible mark on Chiefs history, and the entire organization is excited to celebrate his induction in Canton later this year.”

Allen was selected by the Chiefs in the 2004 NFL draft with the 126th overall pick.&nbsp; He spent four seasons in Kansas City appearing in 61 regular season games.&nbsp; In that time, Allen&nbsp;recorded 230 tackles, 43 sacks, 39 quarterback hits, 26 passes defensed, 13 forced fumbles, eight fumble recoveries and one interception. Allen’s 43 sacks rank ninth in Chiefs history and his 26 passes defensed rank second among defensive lineman in Chiefs history, only trailing defensive tackle Chris Jones.

After being traded by the Chiefs to the Minnesota Vikings, where he spent six seasons, and spent one season with the Chicago Bears.&nbsp;&nbsp;In the 2015 season, he played in four games with the Bears before eventually joining the Carolina Panthers for the final 12 games of the season.&nbsp; Allen retired following the 2015 season.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Throughout the entirety of his career, Allen appeared in 187 regular season contests and recorded 647 tackles, 136 sacks, 58 passes defensed, 31 forced fumbles, 19 fumble recoveries, six interceptions and one defensive touchdown. In the postseason, he appeared in seven games totaling 23 total tackles, five tackles for loss, four sacks, two forced fumbles and two passes defensed.

The Los Gatos, California, native attended Idaho State where he played football from 2000-03. While at Idaho State, the two-time All-American and three-time All-Big Sky honoree became the first-ever Buck Buchanan Award Winner in the Big Sky Conference in 2003. He tallied 102 tackles, 17.5 sacks, six forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries and nine passes defensed.

Indianapolis Colts and New England Patriots kicker Adam Vinatieri, Carolina Panthers linebacker Luke Kuechly, New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning, all in their first year of eligibility, were not selected.

You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1738902318044.jpeg" alt="Jared Allen/ Photo courtesy of Lawrence Tynes on X&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Jared Allen/ Photo courtesy of Lawrence Tynes on X&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>By MATT PIKESt. Joseph PostThe Pro Football Hall of Fame committee announced on Thursday that former Kansas City Chiefs defensive end Jared Allen will be enshrined as part of the 2025 Hall of Fame class.&nbsp;Allen is joined by tight end Antonio Gates, cornerback Eric Allen,&nbsp; and wide receiver Sterling Sharpe in the smallest class since 2005 which will take their rightful place in Canton, Ohio on August 2nd.&nbsp;“My family and I are thrilled that Jared Allen has become the 20th player in Chiefs history inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame,” Chiefs Chairman and CEO Clark Hunt said in a news release from the Chiefs. “From the time the Chiefs drafted Jared in 2004, we knew he was a special man with special talent.""While wearing a Chiefs uniform, Jared was named to the NFL All-Rookie Team, he reached the first of his five Pro Bowls, he was named First Team All Pro, and he led the league in sacks for the first time. He left an indelible mark on Chiefs history, and the entire organization is excited to celebrate his induction in Canton later this year.”<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">The moment Jared Allen was announced as an inductee into the <a href="https://twitter.com/ProFootballHOF?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ProFootballHOF</a>! <a href="https://t.co/1bV3TPqOTY">pic.twitter.com/1bV3TPqOTY</a>&mdash; Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) <a href="https://twitter.com/Chiefs/status/1887705143111532948?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 7, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Allen was selected by the Chiefs in the 2004 NFL draft with the 126th overall pick.&nbsp; He spent four seasons in Kansas City appearing in 61 regular season games.&nbsp; In that time, Allen&nbsp;recorded 230 tackles, 43 sacks, 39 quarterback hits, 26 passes defensed, 13 forced fumbles, eight fumble recoveries and one interception. Allen’s 43 sacks rank ninth in Chiefs history and his 26 passes defensed rank second among defensive lineman in Chiefs history, only trailing defensive tackle Chris Jones.After being traded by the Chiefs to the Minnesota Vikings, where he spent six seasons, and spent one season with the Chicago Bears.&nbsp;&nbsp;In the 2015 season, he played in four games with the Bears before eventually joining the Carolina Panthers for the final 12 games of the season.&nbsp; Allen retired following the 2015 season.&nbsp;&nbsp;Throughout the entirety of his career, Allen appeared in 187 regular season contests and recorded 647 tackles, 136 sacks, 58 passes defensed, 31 forced fumbles, 19 fumble recoveries, six interceptions and one defensive touchdown. In the postseason, he appeared in seven games totaling 23 total tackles, five tackles for loss, four sacks, two forced fumbles and two passes defensed.The Los Gatos, California, native attended Idaho State where he played football from 2000-03. While at Idaho State, the two-time All-American and three-time All-Big Sky honoree became the first-ever Buck Buchanan Award Winner in the Big Sky Conference in 2003. He tallied 102 tackles, 17.5 sacks, six forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries and nine passes defensed.Indianapolis Colts and New England Patriots kicker Adam Vinatieri, Carolina Panthers linebacker Luke Kuechly, New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning, all in their first year of eligibility, were not selected.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">It was a pleasure watching you start your career here, Jared 👏 Enjoy your rightful place in the <a href="https://twitter.com/ProFootballHOF?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ProFootballHOF</a>! <a href="https://t.co/Zv4mvMgEyu">pic.twitter.com/Zv4mvMgEyu</a>&mdash; Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) <a href="https://twitter.com/Chiefs/status/1887699920594886702?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 7, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

Former Chiefs defensive end Jared Allen inducted into NFL Hall of Fame

The portal to nominate people for the 2025 St. Joseph Area Sports Hall of Fame class is now open.  

St. Joseph Sports Commission Director Brett Esely says while the portal is actually always open, now is the critical time to get those names in for consideration. 

Esely says it's pretty simple to nominate someone for the hall of fame 

"Obviously we want to know who the nominee is, we want to know if they're living or deceased, we need contact information to get ahold of them because if they are selected, we obviously want to contact them before they hear it in a news release," Esely tells KFEQ Hotline host Barry Birr. "But then the most important thing is people ask, what all supporting information do you need? Well, I would answer that question very simply, give us more than you think we need." 

To be eligible the nominee must meet at least one of the criteria: Be born in Buchanan County, made their sports career or accomplished their feat in Buchanan County, or be currently making their career in Buchanan County. 

Esely says if you've previously nominated someone who has not been chosen, information on the nominee can also be updated 

"All information submitted is relevant, there's no doubt about it," Esely explains.  "And I think it's important to note, sometimes people submit a nomination, they aren't selected right away, and people just assume well that person is never getting in or why doesn't this person again, well it's an active nomination for five years." 

Esely says it's important to nominate worthy people and build the nomination database, because that's how the hall of fame continues to grow 

"We have a lot of people who sit around our steering committee table that are very knowledgeable about sports from all areas of St. Joseph, but realistically there are a number of student athletes, coaches, contributors, or high-level feats that we know nothing about," Esely says.  "And that's the beautiful thing about this process is it gives others the opportunity to submit and say this person's worthy." 

Nominations must be received by April 4th.  The class will be announced in late May, a ceremony will be held on August 24th at the Stoney Creek Hotel and Conference Center. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1624581370069.jpeg" alt="Hall of Fame sign/ file photo" />
 <figcaption>Hall of Fame sign/ file photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By MATT PIKE St. Joseph Post The portal to nominate people for the 2025 St. Joseph Area Sports Hall of Fame class is now open. St. Joseph Sports Commission Director Brett Esely says while the portal is actually always open, now is the critical time to get those names in for consideration. Esely says it's pretty simple to nominate someone for the hall of fame "Obviously we want to know who the nominee is, we want to know if they're living or deceased, we need contact information to get ahold of them because if they are selected, we obviously want to contact them before they hear it in a news release," Esely tells KFEQ Hotline host Barry Birr. "But then the most important thing is people ask, what all supporting information do you need? Well, I would answer that question very simply, give us more than you think we need." To be eligible the nominee must meet at least one of the criteria: Be born in Buchanan County, made their sports career or accomplished their feat in Buchanan County, or be currently making their career in Buchanan County. Esely says if you've previously nominated someone who has not been chosen, information on the nominee can also be updated "All information submitted is relevant, there's no doubt about it," Esely explains. "And I think it's important to note, sometimes people submit a nomination, they aren't selected right away, and people just assume well that person is never getting in or why doesn't this person again, well it's an active nomination for five years." Esely says it's important to nominate worthy people and build the nomination database, because that's how the hall of fame continues to grow "We have a lot of people who sit around our steering committee table that are very knowledgeable about sports from all areas of St. Joseph, but realistically there are a number of student athletes, coaches, contributors, or high-level feats that we know nothing about," Esely says. "And that's the beautiful thing about this process is it gives others the opportunity to submit and say this person's worthy." Nominations must be received by April 4th. The class will be announced in late May, a ceremony will be held on August 24th at the Stoney Creek Hotel and Conference Center. You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

Nomination window open for 2025 St. Joseph Area Sports Hall of Fame class

The Kansas City Royals made a move to bolster the back end of their bullpen, signing All Star closer&nbsp;Carlos Estévez to a two year deal.&nbsp;

The deal, originally reported on Thursday, was made official by the Royals on Friday.&nbsp; It will be worth $10.1 million the next two seasons, sources told MLB.com, and the club option is worth $13 million or a $2 million buyout if the Royals decline to pick it up.

In a corresponding 40-man roster move, the Royals designated infielder Braden Shewmake, whom they claimed off waivers from the Chicago White Sox in January, for assignment.

Estévez is coming off arguably his best season yet, posting a career-best 2.45 ERA across 54 appearances between the Angels and Phillies. The right-hander had a 2.38 ERA and 20 saves for the Angels before being sent to the Phillies ahead of the Trade Deadline as one of the premier relievers on the market.

The Royals had trade discussions centering on Estévez at the Deadline, but they instead acquired Lucas Erceg, who is under team control for five more years and posted a 2.88 ERA with Kansas City down the stretch, from the A's as their closer.

Now Kansas City will have both Erceg and Estévez at the back-end of their bullpen, with both likely to get save opportunities, the pair providing a dynamic threat in the eighth and ninth innings.

Estévez has been one of the more reliable closers in the Majors over the past couple seasons. He averaged a career-best 11.3 strikeouts per nine innings in 2023 en route to earning his first All-Star selection. And while his strikeout numbers dipped in '24, he also cut his walk rate by more than half while recording a career-best 0.91 WHIP.

The Royals felt good about their bullpen at the end of 2024, thanks in large part to Erceg bursting onto the scene and solid performances from Sam Long, Kris Bubic, Angel Zerpa and John Schreiber.

But Kansas City has been keeping an eye on the reliever market throughout the offseason, wanting to see if the club could add another weapon. The Royals are also bullish on a healthy return for Hunter Harvey, another late-inning reliever they acquired just before the Deadline last year.

Harvey only threw 5 2/3 innings for the Royals before missing the rest of the season with a back injury. But in 2022-23, the right-hander posted a 2.70 ERA over 100 innings. If he’s able to return to that form, the Royals are looking at a solid trio to help close out games.

You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1738388263517.jpeg" alt="Carlos Estevez/ Photo courtesy of MLB Trade Rumors on X" />
 <figcaption>Carlos Estevez/ Photo courtesy of MLB Trade Rumors on X</figcaption>
 </figure>By MATT PIKESt. Joseph PostThe Kansas City Royals made a move to bolster the back end of their bullpen, signing All Star closer&nbsp;Carlos Estévez to a two year deal.&nbsp;The deal, originally reported on Thursday, was made official by the Royals on Friday.&nbsp; It will be worth $10.1 million the next two seasons, sources told MLB.com, and the club option is worth $13 million or a $2 million buyout if the Royals decline to pick it up.In a corresponding 40-man roster move, the Royals designated infielder Braden Shewmake, whom they claimed off waivers from the Chicago White Sox in January, for assignment.Estévez is coming off arguably his best season yet, posting a career-best 2.45 ERA across 54 appearances between the Angels and Phillies. The right-hander had a 2.38 ERA and 20 saves for the Angels before being sent to the Phillies ahead of the Trade Deadline as one of the premier relievers on the market.The Royals had trade discussions centering on Estévez at the Deadline, but they instead acquired Lucas Erceg, who is under team control for five more years and posted a 2.88 ERA with Kansas City down the stretch, from the A's as their closer.Now Kansas City will have both Erceg and Estévez at the back-end of their bullpen, with both likely to get save opportunities, the pair providing a dynamic threat in the eighth and ninth innings.Estévez has been one of the more reliable closers in the Majors over the past couple seasons. He averaged a career-best 11.3 strikeouts per nine innings in 2023 en route to earning his first All-Star selection. And while his strikeout numbers dipped in '24, he also cut his walk rate by more than half while recording a career-best 0.91 WHIP.The Royals felt good about their bullpen at the end of 2024, thanks in large part to Erceg bursting onto the scene and solid performances from Sam Long, Kris Bubic, Angel Zerpa and John Schreiber.But Kansas City has been keeping an eye on the reliever market throughout the offseason, wanting to see if the club could add another weapon. The Royals are also bullish on a healthy return for Hunter Harvey, another late-inning reliever they acquired just before the Deadline last year.Harvey only threw 5 2/3 innings for the Royals before missing the rest of the season with a back injury. But in 2022-23, the right-hander posted a 2.70 ERA over 100 innings. If he’s able to return to that form, the Royals are looking at a solid trio to help close out games.You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

Royals add to back end of bullpen, sign RHP Carlos Estévez to two year deal

The Kansas City Chiefs and the Buffalo Bills once again put on an instant playoff classic in the AFC Championship at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on Sunday, but for a fourth straight time it was the Chiefs coming out on top, winning 32-29.&nbsp;

With the win, Kansas City is now in its third straight Super Bowl.&nbsp; Now, the AFC champions will try to do something no other NFL team has done: Win all three.

The matchup was back and forth from the get go, the Chiefs getting the first blow on the first offensive drive of the game that went 90 yards in nine plays, ending with a 12 yard rushing score by Kareem Hunt.&nbsp; In the six playoff games that Hunt has played in his career, he has scored in all six.&nbsp;

A 53 yard field goal from Buffalo kicker Tyler Bass, yet another of 50+ yards which Bass has not missed from this season, was the only other score in the first quarter, but following a Kansas City fumble on a misplayed handoff between Patrick Mahomes and Isiah Pacheco, the Bills drove 10 plays before James Cook gave them the lead on a six yard run.&nbsp;

The Chiefs wasted no time answering with a long 11 play drive of their own on the following drive, Mahomes throwing his lone passing touchdown of the game, 11 yards to rookie Xavier Worthy. and after forcing the Bills to punt, Mahomes scored again this time with his legs,&nbsp; from one yard out, extending the lead to 21-10.

The number 13 when it comes to the Bills, might give the Chiefs some nightmares.&nbsp; The last time Kansas City and Buffalo clashed in the AFC Championship at Arrowhead, it was Gabe Davis, who wore #13, that had eight catches for 201 yards and four touchdowns.&nbsp; This time it was Mack Hollins, scoring a 34 yard touchdown pass from Josh Allen near the end of the half to cut the lead to five, and after a failed two point conversion, the two teams went to the halftime break with Kansas City leading 21-16.&nbsp;

Cook scored the lone touchdown of the third quarter, giving the Bills the lead back, but again Buffalo was unable to convert the two point conversion attempt, leading 22-21.&nbsp; The Chiefs were forced to punt on the following drive, but then got a big break from their defense, stopping Allen on 4th and 1, and after replay review ruled the MVP favorite short, forced a turnover on downs.&nbsp;

Kansas City took advantage of the turnover on downs, needing just five plays to do so, ending with Mahomes using his legs and keeping his wheels spinning for a 10 yard rushing touchdown, then completing a two point conversion pass to Justin Watson to make it a touchdown game, putting the ball back in the hands of Allen with 10:14 left in the game.&nbsp;

The Bills went on to exploit the Chiefs defense on a nine play drive, the biggest play of the drive again being a pass between Allen and Hollins of 32 yards, setting Buffalo up at the four yard line.&nbsp; Kansas City got a sack on Allen to back the Bills up, but after back to back incomplete passes, Allen found Curtis Samuel in the back of the endzone for a four yard pass, tying up the game after the extra point kick from Bass.&nbsp;

Getting the ball back with 6:15 remaining in regulation Kansas City drove seven plays before stalling in the redzone, Harrison Butker knocking through a go ahead 35 yard field goal with 3:33 left in regulation, putting the game in the hands of their defense again.&nbsp; The Bills got a 13 yard run from Ty Johnson, but two incomplete passes and a five yard short route to Amari Cooper, pinned Buffalo at 4th and 5 at the two minute warning.&nbsp;

Coming out of the two minute warning, Allen was looking deep, but was also faced with pressure by the Chiefs front seven, and George Karlaftis, who had three sacks last week, put enough pressure on Allen to force a long pass off his back leg, that fell through the hands of second year tight end Dalton Kincaid, turning the ball over on downs.&nbsp;

&nbsp;Kansas City ran out the remaining clock, getting a first down run from Pacheco, and cementing the game on a 17 yard pass from Mahomes to Samaje Perine.&nbsp;

Mahomes was 18 of 26 passing for 245 yards with one touchdown, rushing for 43 yards and two scores.&nbsp; Hunt rushed 17 times for 64 yards and one touchdown.&nbsp; Worthy was the leading receiver with six catches for 85 yards and a score.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The Chiefs will get a familiar foe in the Eagles, whom they beat two years ago for the first title in this run. Philadelphia romped to a 55-23 victory over the Washington Commanders earlier Sunday to earn a shot at the champs on Feb. 9 in New Orleans.

You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1737946017425.png" alt="Chiefs" />
 <figcaption>Chiefs</figcaption>
 </figure>By MATT PIKESt. Joseph PostThe Kansas City Chiefs and the Buffalo Bills once again put on an instant playoff classic in the AFC Championship at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on Sunday, but for a fourth straight time it was the Chiefs coming out on top, winning 32-29.&nbsp;With the win, Kansas City is now in its third straight Super Bowl.&nbsp; Now, the AFC champions will try to do something no other NFL team has done: Win all three.The matchup was back and forth from the get go, the Chiefs getting the first blow on the first offensive drive of the game that went 90 yards in nine plays, ending with a 12 yard rushing score by Kareem Hunt.&nbsp; In the six playoff games that Hunt has played in his career, he has scored in all six.&nbsp;A 53 yard field goal from Buffalo kicker Tyler Bass, yet another of 50+ yards which Bass has not missed from this season, was the only other score in the first quarter, but following a Kansas City fumble on a misplayed handoff between Patrick Mahomes and Isiah Pacheco, the Bills drove 10 plays before James Cook gave them the lead on a six yard run.&nbsp;The Chiefs wasted no time answering with a long 11 play drive of their own on the following drive, Mahomes throwing his lone passing touchdown of the game, 11 yards to rookie Xavier Worthy. and after forcing the Bills to punt, Mahomes scored again this time with his legs,&nbsp; from one yard out, extending the lead to 21-10.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">NO. 1 IS ON ONE 🔥 <a href="https://t.co/ihHcq1mqxJ">pic.twitter.com/ihHcq1mqxJ</a>&mdash; Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) <a href="https://twitter.com/Chiefs/status/1883676840864129192?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 27, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The number 13 when it comes to the Bills, might give the Chiefs some nightmares.&nbsp; The last time Kansas City and Buffalo clashed in the AFC Championship at Arrowhead, it was Gabe Davis, who wore #13, that had eight catches for 201 yards and four touchdowns.&nbsp; This time it was Mack Hollins, scoring a 34 yard touchdown pass from Josh Allen near the end of the half to cut the lead to five, and after a failed two point conversion, the two teams went to the halftime break with Kansas City leading 21-16.&nbsp;Cook scored the lone touchdown of the third quarter, giving the Bills the lead back, but again Buffalo was unable to convert the two point conversion attempt, leading 22-21.&nbsp; The Chiefs were forced to punt on the following drive, but then got a big break from their defense, stopping Allen on 4th and 1, and after replay review ruled the MVP favorite short, forced a turnover on downs.&nbsp;<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">The Chiefs&#39; defense stops them on fourth down! 📺: <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BUFvsKC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BUFvsKC</a> on CBS 📱: Stream on <a href="https://twitter.com/NFLPlus?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NFLPlus</a> and Paramount+ <a href="https://t.co/VwGmEZ3IrW">pic.twitter.com/VwGmEZ3IrW</a>&mdash; NFL (@NFL) <a href="https://twitter.com/NFL/status/1883699421512356149?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 27, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Kansas City took advantage of the turnover on downs, needing just five plays to do so, ending with Mahomes using his legs and keeping his wheels spinning for a 10 yard rushing touchdown, then completing a two point conversion pass to Justin Watson to make it a touchdown game, putting the ball back in the hands of Allen with 10:14 left in the game.&nbsp;<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">WHEELS STILL SPINNIN&#39;‼️ <a href="https://t.co/p9L7w06KQ3">pic.twitter.com/p9L7w06KQ3</a>&mdash; Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) <a href="https://twitter.com/Chiefs/status/1883700585746067554?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 27, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The Bills went on to exploit the Chiefs defense on a nine play drive, the biggest play of the drive again being a pass between Allen and Hollins of 32 yards, setting Buffalo up at the four yard line.&nbsp; Kansas City got a sack on Allen to back the Bills up, but after back to back incomplete passes, Allen found Curtis Samuel in the back of the endzone for a four yard pass, tying up the game after the extra point kick from Bass.&nbsp;Getting the ball back with 6:15 remaining in regulation Kansas City drove seven plays before stalling in the redzone, Harrison Butker knocking through a go ahead 35 yard field goal with 3:33 left in regulation, putting the game in the hands of their defense again.&nbsp; The Bills got a 13 yard run from Ty Johnson, but two incomplete passes and a five yard short route to Amari Cooper, pinned Buffalo at 4th and 5 at the two minute warning.&nbsp;Coming out of the two minute warning, Allen was looking deep, but was also faced with pressure by the Chiefs front seven, and George Karlaftis, who had three sacks last week, put enough pressure on Allen to force a long pass off his back leg, that fell through the hands of second year tight end Dalton Kincaid, turning the ball over on downs.&nbsp;<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">The Chiefs make the stop on fourth down! 📺: <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BUFvsKC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BUFvsKC</a> on CBS 📱: Stream on <a href="https://twitter.com/NFLPlus?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NFLPlus</a> and Paramount+ <a href="https://t.co/s4rXNURB3z">pic.twitter.com/s4rXNURB3z</a>&mdash; NFL (@NFL) <a href="https://twitter.com/NFL/status/1883707709113118872?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 27, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>&nbsp;Kansas City ran out the remaining clock, getting a first down run from Pacheco, and cementing the game on a 17 yard pass from Mahomes to Samaje Perine.&nbsp;Mahomes was 18 of 26 passing for 245 yards with one touchdown, rushing for 43 yards and two scores.&nbsp; Hunt rushed 17 times for 64 yards and one touchdown.&nbsp; Worthy was the leading receiver with six catches for 85 yards and a score.&nbsp;&nbsp;The Chiefs will get a familiar foe in the Eagles, whom they beat two years ago for the first title in this run. Philadelphia romped to a 55-23 victory over the Washington Commanders earlier Sunday to earn a shot at the champs on Feb. 9 in New Orleans.You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

Chiefs Super Bowl bound once again, top Bills 32-29 in AFC Championship clash

Since Patrick Mahomes became the starting quarterback for the Chiefs, Kansas City has made a habit of winning in the AFC Divisional game.&nbsp; On Saturday, the Chiefs advanced to their seventh straight AFC Championship game beating the Houston Texans 23-14 at Arrowhead Stadium.&nbsp;

In seven years as a starter, Mahomes has never gone to less than the AFC Championship game.&nbsp; Six of those seven were also hosted in the comforts of Arrowhead Stadium, the lone exception being last season when Kansas City won their second straight Super Bowl.&nbsp;

After three weeks of rest, things started out slow for the Chiefs offense. Their first drive started with a bang, a 63 yard kickoff return from Nikko Remigio, but went three and out, a total of negative one yard, ending with a 32 yard field goal by Harrison Butker.&nbsp;

Houston answered on the next drive with a field goal of their own, 30 yards by Ka'imi Fairbairn, but Kansas City took the lead back after a nine play drive, benefitting from a controversial roughing the passer call on the Texan's Will Anderson, before stalling in the redzone and again sending Butker out to nail a 36 yard field kick.&nbsp;

Both teams were forced to punt on their next drives before the Texans attempted to tie the game, but Fairbairn's kick sailed wide right, giving Kansas City the opportunity to extend their lead late in the second quarter, getting a one yard rushing touchdown from Kareem Hunt.

Houston closed out the scoring in the first half with another field goal, 48 yards by Fairbairn, bringing the game to within one touchdown at the halftime break, with Kansas City leading 13-6.&nbsp;

The Texans won the toss to open the game, and deferred to the second half, opening the half with a long drive that consumed most of the third quarter, going 15 plays and 82 yards, scoring a touchdown on an 11 yard run by Joe Mixon.&nbsp; The game looked like it would end up tied, but Fairbairn's kicking woes continued, missing the game tying extra point and leaving the Chiefs up by one.&nbsp;

Kansas City answered with a long drive of their own, taking over with 4:36 remaining in the third quarter, and finally ended up scoring early in the fourth on a play that involved that patented Mahomes magic.&nbsp; Feeling pressured, Mahomes begin to scramble up the middle, before Houston's Mario Edwards broke off his block, turning around to grab Mahomes by the ankles and start to drag him down.&nbsp;&nbsp;

But as he fell to the ground, in an almost Superman like pose, Mahomes launched the ball towards the endzone and straight into the hands of his top target on the day, tight end Travis Kelce, for an 11 yard touchdown, extending the Chiefs lead following the Butker extra point to eight.&nbsp;

Going for it all, Houston turned the ball over on downs on their next drive.&nbsp; After back to back punts, the Chiefs got another field goal by Butker, this time from 27 yards away.&nbsp; Houston looked to answer with a field goal of their own on the next drive, but for the second time this season, Leo Chenal came up with a big block to keep the Texans from scoring.&nbsp;

The final points of the game came in a bit of an unconventional way.&nbsp; Following the blocked field goal, Kansas City went three and out on kneel downs from Mahomes, sending Matt Araiza out to punt.&nbsp; The punt never happened though as Araiza took the snap and ran backwards into the endzone, rushing around and killing clock until going out of bounds for a safety.&nbsp;

With the game settled, in something that many people have not seen before, following the kickoff Texans quarterback CJ Stroud came out to kneel out the final seven seconds of the game, to send the Chiefs to the AFC Championship game.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Mahomes, who threw for 177 yards and a score, improved 16-3 in the postseason, tying Joe Montana for the second-most wins by a starting QB in NFL history behind Tom Brady. That includes his peerless 7-0 mark in divisional playoff games.&nbsp; Also in the game, head coach Andy Reid became the fourth coach in NFL history to reach 300 career postseason wins.&nbsp;

Hunt led the rushers with eight carries for 44 yards and his touchdown, Isiah Pacheco added five runs for 18 yards.&nbsp; Kelce caught seven catches for 117 yards and a score, breaking a tie with Hall of Famer Jerry Rice for the most postseason 100+ yard outings.&nbsp; The Chiefs defense also impressed along with the blocked field goal recording eight sacks, three by defensive end George Karlaftis.

The Chiefs are the fourth team in NFL history to follow back-to-back Lombardi Trophies by advancing to the conference title game, and the three previous lost. They will try to change that at Arrowhead Stadium next weekend against the Bills or Ravens, who play on Sunday in Buffalo for a shot at dethroning the defending champs.

The AFC Championship matchup against either the Bills or Ravens will kickoff at 5:30pm at Arrowhead Stadium.&nbsp; Pregame will be at 4pm on KFEQ (680AM/95.3FM) and Q Country 92.7.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1737261794000.jpeg" alt="Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (87) and wide receiver Deandre Hopkins (8) celebrate after Kelce's touchdown catch in the fourth quarter/ Photo courtesy of the Kansas City Chiefs" />
 <figcaption>Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (87) and wide receiver Deandre Hopkins (8) celebrate after Kelce's touchdown catch in the fourth quarter/ Photo courtesy of the Kansas City Chiefs</figcaption>
 </figure>By MATT PIKESt. Joseph PostSince Patrick Mahomes became the starting quarterback for the Chiefs, Kansas City has made a habit of winning in the AFC Divisional game.&nbsp; On Saturday, the Chiefs advanced to their seventh straight AFC Championship game beating the Houston Texans 23-14 at Arrowhead Stadium.&nbsp;In seven years as a starter, Mahomes has never gone to less than the AFC Championship game.&nbsp; Six of those seven were also hosted in the comforts of Arrowhead Stadium, the lone exception being last season when Kansas City won their second straight Super Bowl.&nbsp;After three weeks of rest, things started out slow for the Chiefs offense. Their first drive started with a bang, a 63 yard kickoff return from Nikko Remigio, but went three and out, a total of negative one yard, ending with a 32 yard field goal by Harrison Butker.&nbsp;Houston answered on the next drive with a field goal of their own, 30 yards by Ka'imi Fairbairn, but Kansas City took the lead back after a nine play drive, benefitting from a controversial roughing the passer call on the Texan's Will Anderson, before stalling in the redzone and again sending Butker out to nail a 36 yard field kick.&nbsp;Both teams were forced to punt on their next drives before the Texans attempted to tie the game, but Fairbairn's kick sailed wide right, giving Kansas City the opportunity to extend their lead late in the second quarter, getting a one yard rushing touchdown from Kareem Hunt.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">ON THE HUNT FOR A TUD‼️ <a href="https://t.co/xNfjzaC7yY">pic.twitter.com/xNfjzaC7yY</a>&mdash; Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) <a href="https://twitter.com/Chiefs/status/1880745303017484489?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 18, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Houston closed out the scoring in the first half with another field goal, 48 yards by Fairbairn, bringing the game to within one touchdown at the halftime break, with Kansas City leading 13-6.&nbsp;The Texans won the toss to open the game, and deferred to the second half, opening the half with a long drive that consumed most of the third quarter, going 15 plays and 82 yards, scoring a touchdown on an 11 yard run by Joe Mixon.&nbsp; The game looked like it would end up tied, but Fairbairn's kicking woes continued, missing the game tying extra point and leaving the Chiefs up by one.&nbsp;Kansas City answered with a long drive of their own, taking over with 4:36 remaining in the third quarter, and finally ended up scoring early in the fourth on a play that involved that patented Mahomes magic.&nbsp; Feeling pressured, Mahomes begin to scramble up the middle, before Houston's Mario Edwards broke off his block, turning around to grab Mahomes by the ankles and start to drag him down.&nbsp;&nbsp;But as he fell to the ground, in an almost Superman like pose, Mahomes launched the ball towards the endzone and straight into the hands of his top target on the day, tight end Travis Kelce, for an 11 yard touchdown, extending the Chiefs lead following the Butker extra point to eight.&nbsp;<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">WHAT. A. TOUCHDOWN!!!!!!!!!! <a href="https://t.co/6Ch2lUfLp7">pic.twitter.com/6Ch2lUfLp7</a>&mdash; Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) <a href="https://twitter.com/Chiefs/status/1880761887358669066?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 18, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Going for it all, Houston turned the ball over on downs on their next drive.&nbsp; After back to back punts, the Chiefs got another field goal by Butker, this time from 27 yards away.&nbsp; Houston looked to answer with a field goal of their own on the next drive, but for the second time this season, Leo Chenal came up with a big block to keep the Texans from scoring.&nbsp;<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">NOT IN OUR HOUSE ❌ <a href="https://t.co/30gF7HthVI">pic.twitter.com/30gF7HthVI</a>&mdash; Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) <a href="https://twitter.com/Chiefs/status/1880772624436896085?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 19, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The final points of the game came in a bit of an unconventional way.&nbsp; Following the blocked field goal, Kansas City went three and out on kneel downs from Mahomes, sending Matt Araiza out to punt.&nbsp; The punt never happened though as Araiza took the snap and ran backwards into the endzone, rushing around and killing clock until going out of bounds for a safety.&nbsp;With the game settled, in something that many people have not seen before, following the kickoff Texans quarterback CJ Stroud came out to kneel out the final seven seconds of the game, to send the Chiefs to the AFC Championship game.&nbsp;&nbsp;Mahomes, who threw for 177 yards and a score, improved 16-3 in the postseason, tying Joe Montana for the second-most wins by a starting QB in NFL history behind Tom Brady. That includes his peerless 7-0 mark in divisional playoff games.&nbsp; Also in the game, head coach Andy Reid became the fourth coach in NFL history to reach 300 career postseason wins.&nbsp;Hunt led the rushers with eight carries for 44 yards and his touchdown, Isiah Pacheco added five runs for 18 yards.&nbsp; Kelce caught seven catches for 117 yards and a score, breaking a tie with Hall of Famer Jerry Rice for the most postseason 100+ yard outings.&nbsp; The Chiefs defense also impressed along with the blocked field goal recording eight sacks, three by defensive end George Karlaftis.The Chiefs are the fourth team in NFL history to follow back-to-back Lombardi Trophies by advancing to the conference title game, and the three previous lost. They will try to change that at Arrowhead Stadium next weekend against the Bills or Ravens, who play on Sunday in Buffalo for a shot at dethroning the defending champs.The AFC Championship matchup against either the Bills or Ravens will kickoff at 5:30pm at Arrowhead Stadium.&nbsp; Pregame will be at 4pm on KFEQ (680AM/95.3FM) and Q Country 92.7.You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

Chiefs advance to 7th straight AFC Championship game with win over Texans

The Kansas City Royals officially reunited with pitcher Michael Lorenzen on a one year deal Wednesday.&nbsp;

According to a source the deal is worth a guaranteed $7 million with a mutual contract option for 2026. Lorenzen will make $5.5 million this season as part of the Royals’ pitching staff, and the mutual option is worth $12 million with a $1.5 million buyout if the club declines. There are also performance incentives in the deal.

After being aggressive early in the offseason, checking off two major priorities in resigning starting pitcher Michael Wacha and trading for leadoff hitter Jonathan India, the Royals went quiet waiting to see how the free agent market developed.&nbsp;

But all along, a reunion with Lorenzen, whose 33 years old, made the most sense for Kansas City.&nbsp; General Manager JJ Piccollo along with manager Matt Quatraro had voiced the need of a veteran pitcher who could fill a variety of roles, ranging from starting in the rotation, to the bullpen, as well as acting as a multi inning reliever.&nbsp;

There was no better player left in the market than Lorenzen, something the Royals should know, after dealing for him at last years trade deadline to fill that very same role.&nbsp;

After being acquired from the Rangers for reliever Walter Pennington, Lorenzen posted a 1.57 ERA in 28 2/3 innings. He missed time with a left hamstring strain but otherwise impressed in a small sample size. In total with the Rangers and Royals in ’24, Lorenzen threw 130 1/3 innings with a 3.31 ERA.

Those innings should help the Royals cover some of the 179 2/3 innings lost in the rotation when they traded Brady Singer to the Reds for India. The Royals think highly of their young pitching contingent to help in the rotation, but adding a veteran arm like Lorenzen will help with depth and innings.

Kris Bubic returned to the mound as a reliever last year after Tommy John surgery, likely limiting his innings in his first year back as a starter. The same, to a greater extent, goes for Kyle Wright, who did not pitch at all in 2024 after shoulder surgery.&nbsp; Kansas City also has Alec Marsh and Daniel Lynch IV returning as competition for a rotation spot.

Lorenzen also brings value in the bullpen. Since debuting as a two-way player in 2015 with the Reds, Lorenzen performed mostly as a swingman until 2022, when he signed with the Angels as a full-time starter. Since ’22, Lorenzen has a 3.90 ERA, with a 1.24 WHIP in 381 innings, mostly as a starter.

With just over a month to go until Spring Training begins, adding Lorenzen helps the Royals shore up their pitching staff. They’re also still looking to add a middle-of-the-order bat that can inject some power into their lineup as they seek ways to improve the roster heading into 2025.

You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724293976833.jpeg" alt="Michael Lorenzen" />
 <figcaption>Michael Lorenzen</figcaption>
 </figure>By MATT PIKESt. Joseph PostThe Kansas City Royals officially reunited with pitcher Michael Lorenzen on a one year deal Wednesday.&nbsp;According to a source the deal is worth a guaranteed $7 million with a mutual contract option for 2026. Lorenzen will make $5.5 million this season as part of the Royals’ pitching staff, and the mutual option is worth $12 million with a $1.5 million buyout if the club declines. There are also performance incentives in the deal.After being aggressive early in the offseason, checking off two major priorities in resigning starting pitcher Michael Wacha and trading for leadoff hitter Jonathan India, the Royals went quiet waiting to see how the free agent market developed.&nbsp;But all along, a reunion with Lorenzen, whose 33 years old, made the most sense for Kansas City.&nbsp; General Manager JJ Piccollo along with manager Matt Quatraro had voiced the need of a veteran pitcher who could fill a variety of roles, ranging from starting in the rotation, to the bullpen, as well as acting as a multi inning reliever.&nbsp;There was no better player left in the market than Lorenzen, something the Royals should know, after dealing for him at last years trade deadline to fill that very same role.&nbsp;After being acquired from the Rangers for reliever Walter Pennington, Lorenzen posted a 1.57 ERA in 28 2/3 innings. He missed time with a left hamstring strain but otherwise impressed in a small sample size. In total with the Rangers and Royals in ’24, Lorenzen threw 130 1/3 innings with a 3.31 ERA.Those innings should help the Royals cover some of the 179 2/3 innings lost in the rotation when they traded Brady Singer to the Reds for India. The Royals think highly of their young pitching contingent to help in the rotation, but adding a veteran arm like Lorenzen will help with depth and innings.Kris Bubic returned to the mound as a reliever last year after Tommy John surgery, likely limiting his innings in his first year back as a starter. The same, to a greater extent, goes for Kyle Wright, who did not pitch at all in 2024 after shoulder surgery.&nbsp; Kansas City also has Alec Marsh and Daniel Lynch IV returning as competition for a rotation spot.Lorenzen also brings value in the bullpen. Since debuting as a two-way player in 2015 with the Reds, Lorenzen performed mostly as a swingman until 2022, when he signed with the Angels as a full-time starter. Since ’22, Lorenzen has a 3.90 ERA, with a 1.24 WHIP in 381 innings, mostly as a starter.With just over a month to go until Spring Training begins, adding Lorenzen helps the Royals shore up their pitching staff. They’re also still looking to add a middle-of-the-order bat that can inject some power into their lineup as they seek ways to improve the roster heading into 2025.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">We have signed RHP Michael Lorenzen to a one-year contract with a mutual option for 2026. Welcome back, Michael! <a href="https://t.co/0gQ0YCWzhd">pic.twitter.com/0gQ0YCWzhd</a>&mdash; Kansas City Royals (@Royals) <a href="https://twitter.com/Royals/status/1877008693583045013?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 8, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

Royals bring back pitcher Michael Lorenzen on one year deal

 Rookie Bo Nix set a franchise record by completing his first 18 passes and the Denver Broncos ended an eight-year playoff drought Sunday with a 38-0 rout of the Kansas City Chiefs' bevy of backups.

The Broncos snapped a two-game skid and buried nearly a decade’s worth of futility and frustrations by returing to the postseason party for the first time since winning Super Bowl 50 following the 2015 season.

They'll visit Buffalo in the wild-card round next weekend after handing the two-time defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs their first shutout since Dec. 16, 2012, at Oakland.

Having already secured the AFC’s No. 1 seed and sole first-round bye in their quest for an unprecedented three-peat, Chiefs coach Andy Reid sat Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce and a host of other starters.

Carson Wentz got the start at quarterback and fizzled in his first extended action since Week 18 with the Rams last season. He was 10 of 17 for 98 yards and was sacked four times by the league's best pass rush (62 sacks).

Nix threw for four touchdowns, giving him 29 for the season, second-most by a rookie in NFL history, behind only Justin Herbert's 31 in 2020.

He finished 26 of 29 for 321 yards, and his 18 consecutive completions also were the most ever by a Broncos QB. Nix hit Marvin Mims twice, Courtland Sutton (five times for 98 yards) and Devaughn Vele for scores.

Vele's TD was intended for Adam Trautman but ricocheted off cornerbacks Nazeeh Johnson (twice) and Keith Taylor before Vele cradled the catch just before tumbling out of the back of the end zone, giving Nix 17 consecutive completions at that point and extending Denver's lead to 21-0.

That wild conclusion capped an 18-play, 89-yard drive that lasted more than 11 minutes, keeping Wentz cooling his cleats on the sideline next to Mahomes, who was decked out in a white hoodie.

After Harrison Butker was wide left on a 51-yard field goal — his first miss in 18 tries at Empower Field at Mile High — Wil Lutz gave Denver a 24-0 halftime lead by nailing a 33-yarder with 3 seconds left.

The Broncos made it 31-0 on Mims' second TD catch late in the third quarter and Audric Estime punched it in from the 1 in the fourth quarter.

The Chiefs won't play again until Jan. 18 or 19, meaning Mahomes, who last played on Christmas Day, and other stars who sat this one out will have at least 24 days between games.

The Broncos are back in the playoffs for the first time since winning Super Bowl 50 after the 2015 season. That’s the longest playoff drought for a team after raising the Lombardi Trophy.

The Broncos' clincher came 3,255 days after Von Miller led them to a 24-10 win over the Carolina Panthers on Feb. 7, 2016, and their reward as the AFC's seventh and final seed is a trip to Buffalo next weekend to face Miller in the first round of the playoffs.

The Bills were the only other team to beat Kansas City this season, 30-21 in Week 11.

The Chiefs' loss ended their six-game win streak but eliminated the prospect of them having to possibly face Cincinnati quarterback Joe Burrow at some point in the playoffs. The Bengals, who won their fifth consecutive game Saturday night at Pittsburgh, needed Denver to lose to have a chance to sneak into the playoffs at 9-8.

The Chiefs, who had won 17 of their previous 18 games against the Broncos, were planning on staying in Denver for the night because of a winter storm that also delayed their flight into Colorado for several hours Saturday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1736123661748.jpeg" alt="Denver Broncos wide receiver Devaughn Vele (17) celebrates after catching a touchdown pass during the first half of an NFL football game against the Kansas City Chiefs Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)" />
 <figcaption>Denver Broncos wide receiver Devaughn Vele (17) celebrates after catching a touchdown pass during the first half of an NFL football game against the Kansas City Chiefs Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)</figcaption>
 </figure> Rookie Bo Nix set a franchise record by completing his first 18 passes and the Denver Broncos ended an eight-year playoff drought Sunday with a 38-0 rout of the Kansas City Chiefs' bevy of backups.The Broncos snapped a two-game skid and buried nearly a decade’s worth of futility and frustrations by returing to the postseason party for the first time since winning Super Bowl 50 following the 2015 season.They'll visit Buffalo in the wild-card round next weekend after handing the two-time defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs their first shutout since Dec. 16, 2012, at Oakland.Having already secured the AFC’s No. 1 seed and sole first-round bye in their quest for an unprecedented three-peat, Chiefs coach Andy Reid sat Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce and a host of other starters.Carson Wentz got the start at quarterback and fizzled in his first extended action since Week 18 with the Rams last season. He was 10 of 17 for 98 yards and was sacked four times by the league's best pass rush (62 sacks).Nix threw for four touchdowns, giving him 29 for the season, second-most by a rookie in NFL history, behind only Justin Herbert's 31 in 2020.He finished 26 of 29 for 321 yards, and his 18 consecutive completions also were the most ever by a Broncos QB. Nix hit Marvin Mims twice, Courtland Sutton (five times for 98 yards) and Devaughn Vele for scores.Vele's TD was intended for Adam Trautman but ricocheted off cornerbacks Nazeeh Johnson (twice) and Keith Taylor before Vele cradled the catch just before tumbling out of the back of the end zone, giving Nix 17 consecutive completions at that point and extending Denver's lead to 21-0.That wild conclusion capped an 18-play, 89-yard drive that lasted more than 11 minutes, keeping Wentz cooling his cleats on the sideline next to Mahomes, who was decked out in a white hoodie.After Harrison Butker was wide left on a 51-yard field goal — his first miss in 18 tries at Empower Field at Mile High — Wil Lutz gave Denver a 24-0 halftime lead by nailing a 33-yarder with 3 seconds left.The Broncos made it 31-0 on Mims' second TD catch late in the third quarter and Audric Estime punched it in from the 1 in the fourth quarter.The Chiefs won't play again until Jan. 18 or 19, meaning Mahomes, who last played on Christmas Day, and other stars who sat this one out will have at least 24 days between games.The Broncos are back in the playoffs for the first time since winning Super Bowl 50 after the 2015 season. That’s the longest playoff drought for a team after raising the Lombardi Trophy.The Broncos' clincher came 3,255 days after Von Miller led them to a 24-10 win over the Carolina Panthers on Feb. 7, 2016, and their reward as the AFC's seventh and final seed is a trip to Buffalo next weekend to face Miller in the first round of the playoffs.The Bills were the only other team to beat Kansas City this season, 30-21 in Week 11.The Chiefs' loss ended their six-game win streak but eliminated the prospect of them having to possibly face Cincinnati quarterback Joe Burrow at some point in the playoffs. The Bengals, who won their fifth consecutive game Saturday night at Pittsburgh, needed Denver to lose to have a chance to sneak into the playoffs at 9-8.The Chiefs, who had won 17 of their previous 18 games against the Broncos, were planning on staying in Denver for the night because of a winter storm that also delayed their flight into Colorado for several hours Saturday.

Broncos back in playoffs for first time since 2015 with 38-0 win over Chiefs

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- — Blake Craig kicked two field goals in the fourth quarter, his second a 56-yarder with 4:36 left as No. 23 Missouri rallied to beat Iowa 27-24 on Monday in the Music City Bowl.

Missouri trailed 24-14 when the Tigers started the comeback, scoring the final 13 points for the win. Brady Cook threw for 287 yards and two touchdowns. Joshua Manning also ran for a TD to key the comeback. Marquis Johnson added 122 yards receiving and a TD catch.

Missouri (10-3) posted the program's eighth 10-win season. Coach Eli Drinkwitz said the win total is only a piece, with the Tigers starting and finishing the season ranked a great accomplishment for his seniors.

“It’s something that they should take a lot of pride in back-to-back seasons," Drinkwitz said. "Finishing ranked is an unbelievable accomplishment for our program and really, really proud of them.”

Cook, who also ran for 54 more yards, said there was never a decision for himself or fellow senior defensive end Johnny Walker not to play one last game for Missouri.

“We knew we were going to and getting that 10th win and leaving our legacy and going out with a win, going out winning a championship — no matter what the championship is, we won a championship today,” Cook said. "And that’s what we want to do every single year.”

Iowa (8-5) lost its second straight bowl, denying coach Kirk Ferentz a chance to move up the Big Ten ranks. He remains one behind Woody Hayes’ 205 wins at Ohio State for the most overall wins in league history and his 10 bowl wins keeps him tied with Joe Paterno for the most.

The Hawkeyes had two final chances, the last near midfield with 1:54 left.

Walker got his second sack of the game. Missouri made a stop just short of the first on third down, then stopped quarterback Brendan Sullivan for no gain on fourth-and-1 to start the celebration and chants of “S-E-C” from fans.

“It’s disappointing ...,” Ferentz said. “We just didn’t have what it took to get it done.”

The Hawkeyes jumped out to a 14-7 lead with Terrell Washington Jr. catching a 6-yard pass from Sullivan and Kaden Wetjen's 100-yard kickoff return. Kamari Moulton’s 1-yard run gave Iowa a 21-14 halftime lead. Drew Stevens added a 38-yard field goal in the third.

Then Missouri started the comeback. After Manning's TD late in the third quarter. Toriano Pride Jr. picked off a pass by Sullivan. The Tigers tied it up with a 51-yard field goal by Craig with 10:10 left before he kicked the game-winner.

For Missouri, Theo Wease missed the second half with an upper body injury after having five catches for 75 yards and a TD by halftime. It didn’t help that Luther Burden, who had a team-high 61 catches during the season, was on the sideline in his No. 3 jersey watching, having opted out of this game to prepare for the NFL draft.

Cook had help from Daniel Blood and Johnson, who set up Manning's TD run with a 44-yard catch.

Iowa played without Big Ten rushing leader Kaleb Johnson, who opted out of this bowl to start preparing for the NFL draft. Moulton finished with 96 yards rushing on just 14 carries, and Jaziun Patterson added 74.

Missouri opens the season Aug. 30 hosting Central Arkansas. Drinkwitz will have Beau Pribula from Penn State to replace Cook through the transfer portal for 2025.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1735607186301.jpeg" alt="Photo courtesy of MIssouri Football on X" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy of MIssouri Football on X</figcaption>
 </figure>\NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- — Blake Craig kicked two field goals in the fourth quarter, his second a 56-yarder with 4:36 left as No. 23 Missouri rallied to beat Iowa 27-24 on Monday in the Music City Bowl.Missouri trailed 24-14 when the Tigers started the comeback, scoring the final 13 points for the win. Brady Cook threw for 287 yards and two touchdowns. Joshua Manning also ran for a TD to key the comeback. Marquis Johnson added 122 yards receiving and a TD catch.Missouri (10-3) posted the program's eighth 10-win season. Coach Eli Drinkwitz said the win total is only a piece, with the Tigers starting and finishing the season ranked a great accomplishment for his seniors.“It’s something that they should take a lot of pride in back-to-back seasons," Drinkwitz said. "Finishing ranked is an unbelievable accomplishment for our program and really, really proud of them.”Cook, who also ran for 54 more yards, said there was never a decision for himself or fellow senior defensive end Johnny Walker not to play one last game for Missouri.“We knew we were going to and getting that 10th win and leaving our legacy and going out with a win, going out winning a championship — no matter what the championship is, we won a championship today,” Cook said. "And that’s what we want to do every single year.”Iowa (8-5) lost its second straight bowl, denying coach Kirk Ferentz a chance to move up the Big Ten ranks. He remains one behind Woody Hayes’ 205 wins at Ohio State for the most overall wins in league history and his 10 bowl wins keeps him tied with Joe Paterno for the most.The Hawkeyes had two final chances, the last near midfield with 1:54 left.Walker got his second sack of the game. Missouri made a stop just short of the first on third down, then stopped quarterback Brendan Sullivan for no gain on fourth-and-1 to start the celebration and chants of “S-E-C” from fans.“It’s disappointing ...,” Ferentz said. “We just didn’t have what it took to get it done.”The Hawkeyes jumped out to a 14-7 lead with Terrell Washington Jr. catching a 6-yard pass from Sullivan and Kaden Wetjen's 100-yard kickoff return. Kamari Moulton’s 1-yard run gave Iowa a 21-14 halftime lead. Drew Stevens added a 38-yard field goal in the third.Then Missouri started the comeback. After Manning's TD late in the third quarter. Toriano Pride Jr. picked off a pass by Sullivan. The Tigers tied it up with a 51-yard field goal by Craig with 10:10 left before he kicked the game-winner.The TakeawaysFor Missouri, Theo Wease missed the second half with an upper body injury after having five catches for 75 yards and a TD by halftime. It didn’t help that Luther Burden, who had a team-high 61 catches during the season, was on the sideline in his No. 3 jersey watching, having opted out of this game to prepare for the NFL draft.Cook had help from Daniel Blood and Johnson, who set up Manning's TD run with a 44-yard catch.Iowa played without Big Ten rushing leader Kaleb Johnson, who opted out of this bowl to start preparing for the NFL draft. Moulton finished with 96 yards rushing on just 14 carries, and Jaziun Patterson added 74.Up nextMissouri opens the season Aug. 30 hosting Central Arkansas. Drinkwitz will have Beau Pribula from Penn State to replace Cook through the transfer portal for 2025.

#23 Missouri rallies from 10 point deficit for Music City Bowl victory over Iowa

PHOENIX -- — Dylan Edwards ran for 196 yards and scored his third touchdown on a 36-yard run in the fourth quarter, helping Kansas State rally past Rutgers 44-41 in the Rate Bowl on Thursday night.

The Scarlet Knights (7-6) led by 10 at halftime and went up 34-17 on Ja'shon Benjamin's 7-yard touchdown catch on the opening drive of the second half. But Edwards and the Wildcats (9-4) stormed back.

Edwards scored on 65-yard touchdown run and, after an interception thrown by Rutgers’ Athan Kaliakmanis, Garrett Oakley caught a 13-yard touchdown pass to pull Kansas State within five. The Wildcats failed 2-point conversions after both touchdowns.

Rutgers briefly regained momentum, going up 41-29 early in the fourth quarter on Antwan Raymond's 1-yard TD run on a fake tush push.

Kansas State answered with Avery Johnson's 9-yard touchdown pass to Jadon Jackson. Edwards followed with his 36-yard score, capping an impressive night in place of DJ Giddens, who opted out of the bowl game to prepare for the NFL draft.

Kansas State closed it out by stopping Rutgers on fourth down near midfield with just under two minutes left

Johnson threw for three touchdowns, including a 26-yarder to Edwards in the second quarter, finishing with 195 yards on 15-of-30 passing.&nbsp; With his 196 yards rushing, Edwards also became the K State running back with the most yards in a bowl game

Raymond ran for 113 yards and three touchdowns in place of leading rusher Kyle Monangai, who also opted out to prepare for the NFL draft.

Kaliakmanis threw for 237 yards and a touchdown with an interception on 14-of-32 passing.

&nbsp;The Wildcats struggled defensively until they needed it most, shutting down Rutgers most of the second half. Edwards took it from there, racking up 223 total yards — none bigger than his final TD run.

For Kansas State, Johnson, Edwards and RB Joe Jackson are underclassmen, as is leading tackler Austin Romaine. DE Brendan Mott and LB Austin Moore, anchors to K-State's defense, played their final college games.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1735263327099.png" alt="Kansas State running back Dylan Edwards rushed for two touchdowns during a massive second half comeback for the Wildcats in a 44-41 win over Rutgers in the Rate Bowl/ Photo courtesy of K State Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Kansas State running back Dylan Edwards rushed for two touchdowns during a massive second half comeback for the Wildcats in a 44-41 win over Rutgers in the Rate Bowl/ Photo courtesy of K State Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>PHOENIX -- — Dylan Edwards ran for 196 yards and scored his third touchdown on a 36-yard run in the fourth quarter, helping Kansas State rally past Rutgers 44-41 in the Rate Bowl on Thursday night.The Scarlet Knights (7-6) led by 10 at halftime and went up 34-17 on Ja'shon Benjamin's 7-yard touchdown catch on the opening drive of the second half. But Edwards and the Wildcats (9-4) stormed back.Edwards scored on 65-yard touchdown run and, after an interception thrown by Rutgers’ Athan Kaliakmanis, Garrett Oakley caught a 13-yard touchdown pass to pull Kansas State within five. The Wildcats failed 2-point conversions after both touchdowns.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">GOING, GOING, GONE! Dylan Edwards strikes again for <a href="https://twitter.com/KStateFB?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@KStateFB</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Big12FB?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Big12FB</a> | 📺 ESPN <a href="https://t.co/1DbYIK8RLo">pic.twitter.com/1DbYIK8RLo</a>&mdash; Big 12 Conference (@Big12Conference) <a href="https://twitter.com/Big12Conference/status/1872449359792717930?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 27, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Rutgers briefly regained momentum, going up 41-29 early in the fourth quarter on Antwan Raymond's 1-yard TD run on a fake tush push.Kansas State answered with Avery Johnson's 9-yard touchdown pass to Jadon Jackson. Edwards followed with his 36-yard score, capping an impressive night in place of DJ Giddens, who opted out of the bowl game to prepare for the NFL draft.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">MAKE THAT THREE FOR NO. 3 Dylan Edwards helps take the lead for <a href="https://twitter.com/KStateFB?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@KStateFB</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Big12FB?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Big12FB</a> | 📺 ESPN <a href="https://t.co/frvEnS61Su">pic.twitter.com/frvEnS61Su</a>&mdash; Big 12 Conference (@Big12Conference) <a href="https://twitter.com/Big12Conference/status/1872463425487687964?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 27, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Kansas State closed it out by stopping Rutgers on fourth down near midfield with just under two minutes leftJohnson threw for three touchdowns, including a 26-yarder to Edwards in the second quarter, finishing with 195 yards on 15-of-30 passing.&nbsp; With his 196 yards rushing, Edwards also became the K State running back with the most yards in a bowl game<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Tell a friend to tell a friend... Dylan Edwards now holds the title of most rushing yards in a game in <a href="https://twitter.com/KStateFB?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@KStateFB</a> bowl history 🏆<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Big12FB?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Big12FB</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/KStateFB?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@KStateFB</a> <a href="https://t.co/lqwAuLcbCI">pic.twitter.com/lqwAuLcbCI</a>&mdash; Big 12 Conference (@Big12Conference) <a href="https://twitter.com/Big12Conference/status/1872479734053179793?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 27, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Raymond ran for 113 yards and three touchdowns in place of leading rusher Kyle Monangai, who also opted out to prepare for the NFL draft.Kaliakmanis threw for 237 yards and a touchdown with an interception on 14-of-32 passing.Takeaways&nbsp;The Wildcats struggled defensively until they needed it most, shutting down Rutgers most of the second half. Edwards took it from there, racking up 223 total yards — none bigger than his final TD run.Up nextFor Kansas State, Johnson, Edwards and RB Joe Jackson are underclassmen, as is leading tackler Austin Romaine. DE Brendan Mott and LB Austin Moore, anchors to K-State's defense, played their final college games.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">THE OFFICIAL <a href="https://twitter.com/RateBowl?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RateBowl</a> TROPHY PRESENTATION <a href="https://t.co/r6XKecC1iJ">pic.twitter.com/r6XKecC1iJ</a>&mdash; K-State Football (@KStateFB) <a href="https://twitter.com/KStateFB/status/1872469410994331799?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 27, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

Kansas State rallies in second half to bring home Rate Bowl trophy

The Kansas City Chiefs delivered a present to all of Chiefs Kingdom on Christmas day, bringing a first round bye and home field advantage through the playoffs home after defeating the Pittsburgh Steelers 29-10 at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh.

The Chiefs jumped out to a 13-0 lead through the first quarter, quarterback Patrick Mahomes connecting with rookie Xavier Worthy for a seven yard touchdown pass on Kansas City's first offensive drive, then one drive later finding Justin Watson with an 11 yard strike to extend the lead.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Going into halftime however, the Chiefs lead was just one score, the Steelers scoring the lone touchdown of the second quarter driving down the field in 11 plays before quarterback Russell Wilson rushed for a one yard score, both teams going to the locker rooms with Kanas City leading 13-7.&nbsp;

The Chiefs and Steelers exchanged field goals in the third quarter, a 32 yard field goal by Harrison Butker and a 36 yard field goal from Chris Boswell, before Kansas City began to run away with the game in the fourth quarter, first getting a two yard rushing touchdown by Kareem Hunt.&nbsp;

Following the touchdown by Hunt, the Chiefs defense forced a fumble by Steelers tight end Pat Friermuth, setting up a drive that made Chiefs history, Mahomes delivering what would ultimately be the touchdown to put the game away, finding tight end Travis Kelce for a 12 yard touchdown pass, the score making Kelce the player with the most receiving touchdowns in history for Kansas City, passing legendary tight end Tony Gonzalez

Kelce did receive an unsportsmanlike penalty following the touchdown, doing his best impression of Gonzalez and dunking the ball over the goalpost, forcing Butker into his second 48 yard extra point of the day, the first coming following the Worthy touchdown, but after missing the first, Butker knocked through the second for the 29-10 lead.&nbsp;

Kelce said following the game it was showing Gonzalez some love and called it a tribute to who he was for the Chiefs and who he's been for football overall.&nbsp;

"We know how iconic it was that he would dunk the ball over the goalpost all the time, I gave it my best effort, I don't know if I did it quite like him but i gave it a run," Kelce told reporters during the postgame press conference.&nbsp;

The Chiefs offense seems to be turning it on at the right time ahead of the playoffs, putting together one of their best performances of the season.&nbsp; Mahomes was 29 of 38 passing for 320 yards with three touchdowns.&nbsp; Hunt rushed nine times for 20 yards and one touchdown, while Isiah Pacheco rushed six times for 18 yards.&nbsp;

Kelce (eight catches, 84 yards, one touchdown) and Worthy (eight catches, 79 yards, one touchdown) were the leading receivers.&nbsp; The Chiefs defense recorded three takeaways, with fumbles being recovered by Deon Bush and Nick Bolton, and an interception in the endzone by Justin Reid.&nbsp;

Kansas City is now 14-1 on the season, and is still one of only four teams in the NFL to not score 30 or more points.&nbsp; They will wrap up the season next week on Sunday against the Denver Broncos on the road, kickoff time has yet to be determined.&nbsp;

With the playoffs on the horizon, and a first round bye clinched, there is a likely chance head coach Andy Reid will rest his starters in the AFC West clash, getting them rested for the playoffs following a rough stretch of three games in 11 days.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1735175096524.jpeg" alt="Chiefs head coach Andy Reid, as Santa Clause, celebrates Kansas City clinching a first round bye after a 29-10 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Christmas Day/ Photo courtesy of the Kansas City Chiefs" />
 <figcaption>Chiefs head coach Andy Reid, as Santa Clause, celebrates Kansas City clinching a first round bye after a 29-10 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Christmas Day/ Photo courtesy of the Kansas City Chiefs</figcaption>
 </figure>By MATT PIKESt. Joseph PostThe Kansas City Chiefs delivered a present to all of Chiefs Kingdom on Christmas day, bringing a first round bye and home field advantage through the playoffs home after defeating the Pittsburgh Steelers 29-10 at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh.The Chiefs jumped out to a 13-0 lead through the first quarter, quarterback Patrick Mahomes connecting with rookie Xavier Worthy for a seven yard touchdown pass on Kansas City's first offensive drive, then one drive later finding Justin Watson with an 11 yard strike to extend the lead.&nbsp;&nbsp;Going into halftime however, the Chiefs lead was just one score, the Steelers scoring the lone touchdown of the second quarter driving down the field in 11 plays before quarterback Russell Wilson rushed for a one yard score, both teams going to the locker rooms with Kanas City leading 13-7.&nbsp;The Chiefs and Steelers exchanged field goals in the third quarter, a 32 yard field goal by Harrison Butker and a 36 yard field goal from Chris Boswell, before Kansas City began to run away with the game in the fourth quarter, first getting a two yard rushing touchdown by Kareem Hunt.&nbsp;Following the touchdown by Hunt, the Chiefs defense forced a fumble by Steelers tight end Pat Friermuth, setting up a drive that made Chiefs history, Mahomes delivering what would ultimately be the touchdown to put the game away, finding tight end Travis Kelce for a 12 yard touchdown pass, the score making Kelce the player with the most receiving touchdowns in history for Kansas City, passing legendary tight end Tony Gonzalez<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">HOLIDAY TOUCHDOWN FOR TRAVIS‼️ <a href="https://t.co/sqgtsd0r1K">pic.twitter.com/sqgtsd0r1K</a>&mdash; Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) <a href="https://twitter.com/Chiefs/status/1872016012171755779?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 25, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Kelce did receive an unsportsmanlike penalty following the touchdown, doing his best impression of Gonzalez and dunking the ball over the goalpost, forcing Butker into his second 48 yard extra point of the day, the first coming following the Worthy touchdown, but after missing the first, Butker knocked through the second for the 29-10 lead.&nbsp;Kelce said following the game it was showing Gonzalez some love and called it a tribute to who he was for the Chiefs and who he's been for football overall.&nbsp;"We know how iconic it was that he would dunk the ball over the goalpost all the time, I gave it my best effort, I don't know if I did it quite like him but i gave it a run," Kelce told reporters during the postgame press conference.&nbsp;The Chiefs offense seems to be turning it on at the right time ahead of the playoffs, putting together one of their best performances of the season.&nbsp; Mahomes was 29 of 38 passing for 320 yards with three touchdowns.&nbsp; Hunt rushed nine times for 20 yards and one touchdown, while Isiah Pacheco rushed six times for 18 yards.&nbsp;Kelce (eight catches, 84 yards, one touchdown) and Worthy (eight catches, 79 yards, one touchdown) were the leading receivers.&nbsp; The Chiefs defense recorded three takeaways, with fumbles being recovered by Deon Bush and Nick Bolton, and an interception in the endzone by Justin Reid.&nbsp;Kansas City is now 14-1 on the season, and is still one of only four teams in the NFL to not score 30 or more points.&nbsp; They will wrap up the season next week on Sunday against the Denver Broncos on the road, kickoff time has yet to be determined.&nbsp;With the playoffs on the horizon, and a first round bye clinched, there is a likely chance head coach Andy Reid will rest his starters in the AFC West clash, getting them rested for the playoffs following a rough stretch of three games in 11 days.You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;