Latest news with #ChrisBerman
Time of India
7 days ago
- Sport
- Time of India
Is a Chiefs-Eagles Super Bowl rematch the most likely scenario according to ESPN's latest rankings?
ESPN's latest Football Power Index predicts a potential Chiefs vs. Eagles Super Bowl rematch, highlighting both teams as top contenders. (Getty Images) As ESPN unveiled its latest Football Power Index (FPI) rankings on Wednesday, the 2025 NFL season already feels like it's brimming with possibilities. With the Kansas City Chiefs securing the No. 2 spot in the rankings at +5.4, just behind the reigning Super Bowl champions, the Philadelphia Eagles (+5.5), fans and analysts alike are buzzing about a potential repeat showdown in Super Bowl LIX. Though projections and statistics often dominate preseason narratives, the human element of football remains ever-present. As the iconic ESPN figure Chris Berman once said, 'That's why they play the games.' And indeed, despite all the models and metrics, there's still a staggering 95.8% chance that a different matchup takes the stage in February. Are Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs the top threat to the Eagles' Super Bowl redemption hopes? The most likely Super Bowl pairing, according to the FPI, is a repeat of the 2023 classic: Kansas City vs. Philadelphia. ESPN's Seth Walder noted, 'Two of the past three Super Bowls have been between Kansas City and Philadelphia. Will it be three of four?' With a 4.2% probability—higher than any other combination—the Chiefs and Eagles are the heavyweights in this year's projections. The next most likely matchups? Ravens-Eagles and Bills-Eagles, sitting at 3.6% each. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Kickstart your new journey with the Honda Shine 125 Honda Learn More Undo Still, while the statistical edge lies with these powerhouses, football history reminds us that anything can happen over the course of a grueling NFL season. Injuries, breakout stars, coaching strategies, and momentum shifts often turn predictions into afterthoughts by the time February rolls around. While much of the national conversation focuses on emerging challengers and underdog narratives, Kansas City continues to reload with precision. The dominance that the Chiefs have maintained in the AFC West still feels significant. Despite improvements made by the Los Angeles Chargers, Denver Broncos, and Las Vegas Raiders, Kansas City's edge remains apparent. What often goes unnoticed is how the Chiefs themselves have improved during the offseason. The team addressed key gaps with promising additions. Veterans like left tackle Jaylon Moore and cornerback Kristian Fulton are expected to be Day 1 starters. Meanwhile, high-upside rookies such as offensive lineman Josh Simmons and defensive linemen Omarr Norman-Lott and Ashton Gillottee bring fresh talent to both trenches—especially notable considering Gillottee and Norman-Lott posted some of the draft's best pass-rushing metrics. While bold takes and dark horse picks dominate preseason chatter, analytical models help separate hype from hard data. The AFC West's FPI ratings reflect that Kansas City still owns the division. The Chargers follow at +2.1, Denver sits at +1.3, and Las Vegas trails at -2.0. Despite being the top-ranked team, the Eagles have just a 12% chance to win the Super Bowl—remarkably, the lowest for any preseason favorite since ESPN began projecting in 2015. This speaks to the NFL's increasing parity. The elite group—Philadelphia, Kansas City, Baltimore, Detroit, and Buffalo—is separated by a mere single FPI point. On any neutral field, no team in this tier would be favored by more than one point. Yet a sharp 1.8-point drop-off to the sixth-ranked Washington Commanders underlines the tier's exclusivity. These five teams form the core of the NFL's current power structure. With the 2025 season on the horizon, the road to Super Bowl LIX remains uncertain—but if early projections hold, the Chiefs and Eagles may be destined for another epic collision. Then again, as Berman aptly reminds us, 'That's why they play the games.' Also Read: Are the Chiefs falling behind? Bills emerge as surprising AFC favorites heading into the 2025 season Get IPL 2025 match schedules , squads , points table , and live scores for CSK , MI , RCB , KKR , SRH , LSG , DC , GT , PBKS , and RR . Check the latest IPL Orange Cap and Purple Cap standings.
Daily Mail
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
NFL insider slammed for poorly-worded tweet that made fans think legendary anchor had DIED
Chris Berman has been one of the longest tenured employees at ESPN and is a familiar face to American sports fans across the country. So when news came that the Connecticut native had extended his contract at the Worldwide Leader in Sports, it was sure to be a joyful occasion. That is, it was going to be, if fans hadn't briefly feared the worst thanks to the wording of a tweet from one of Berman's colleagues. ESPN's NFL insider, Adam Schefter, posted a tweet announcing Berman's new deal - but framed it in a way that many users believed that he was announcing the 70-year-old's death. 'Legendary ESPN anchor Chris Berman, who joined the network just after its September 7, 1979, launch, has extended his contract,' Schefter posted. In the parlance of social media, that turn of phrase is typically the way that someone would begin to write a death announcement. A number of fans took issue with Schefter's wording and roasted him online for it. 'Heart skipped a beat after the first line,' wrote one user on X, formerly Twitter. Another scolded Schefter: 'don't ever start a tweet like that again.' 'when it comes to old people yall gotta start tweets like this with "GOOD NEWS!",' another user suggested. The account for the Sleeper fantasy sports app posted, 'Are you trying to give us heart problems Adam.' Berman has been a staple of the network for decades, most notably as a host for 'Sunday NFL Countdown', 'Monday Night Countdown', and 'NFL Primetime'. Outside the NFL, Berman has held roles for coverage of the Home Run Derby, the Stanley Cup Finals, and golf tournaments like the US Open and the Travelers Championship. If Berman stays in this role until 2029, he'll be the first employee at the cable television company to have stayed there for 50 years.
USA Today
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Former U.S. Open host Chris Berman signs extension with ESPN, will reach 50 years
Former U.S. Open host Chris Berman signs extension with ESPN, will reach 50 years Longtime ESPN anchor Chris Berman has agreed to a multiyear contract extension that will keep him with the network through 2029, when he will become ESPN's first 50-year employee. Berman, 70, will have a prominent role in the network's first Super Bowl broadcast in 2027 and continue to host the signature "NFL PrimeTime" show on ESPN+, according to a network press release announcing the extension. A major golf fan, Berman was the host of the network's U.S. Open nightly show from 1986–2014, as well as the network's U.S. Open anchor from 2003–2014. 'I came to ESPN at 24 years young for my first full-time TV job. I had a full head of hair, was wet behind the ears, and my assignment was to host the wrap-up SportsCenter at 2:30 a.m. ESPN had been on the air for less than a month and we had fewer than 100 employees," Berman said. 'Never in my wildest dreams could I have imagined turning 70 and still being here at our network, which long ago became an icon of sports broadcasting. We're closing in on our very first Super Bowl, and now I will be able to be part of that, too." A six-time national sportscaster of the year, Berman was hired just after ESPN launched on Sept. 7, 1979. He quickly became known for the creative nicknames he gave to sports figures, and he became an icon as the primary voice of "NFL PrimeTime," the Sunday night highlight show on ESPN that ran from 1987 to 2005 on ESPN and since 2006 on ESPN+. Berman has covered 43 Super Bowls for ESPN, as well as 30 World Series and 31 MLB All-Star Games. All the NFL news on and off the field. Sign up for USA TODAY's 4th and Monday newsletter.
Washington Post
13-05-2025
- Sport
- Washington Post
Chris Berman signs extension with ESPN that will take him through network's 50th anniversary in 2029
BRISTOL, Conn. — Chris Berman has agreed to a new contract with ESPN that will take him through the network's 50th anniversary in 2029. The multiyear agreement was announced on Monday. Berman celebrated his 70th birthday on Saturday. 'Never in my wildest dreams could I have imagined turning 70 and still being here at our network, which long ago became an icon of sports broadcasting,' Berman said in a statement. 'We're closing in on our very first Super Bowl (in 2027), and now I will be able to be part of that, too.'
Associated Press
12-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Associated Press
Chris Berman signs extension with ESPN that will take him through network's 50th anniversary in 2029
BRISTOL, Conn. (AP) — Chris Berman has agreed to a new contract with ESPN that will take him through the network's 50th anniversary in 2029. The multiyear agreement was announced on Monday. Berman celebrated his 70th birthday on Saturday. 'Never in my wildest dreams could I have imagined turning 70 and still being here at our network, which long ago became an icon of sports broadcasting,' Berman said in a statement. 'We're closing in on our very first Super Bowl (in 2027), and now I will be able to be part of that, too.' Berman has been an integral part of ESPN since joining the network a month after its launch in September of 1979. Besides being one of the original 'SportsCenter' anchors, he has been a key part of the network's NFL and baseball coverage. He hosted 'NFL PrimeTime' with Tom Jackson from 1987 to 2005 on ESPN. He resumed hosting duties of the show in 2019 when it returned on the ESPN+ streaming service. Berman will have a role in ESPN's first Super Bowl telecast, which will take place from Los Angeles on Feb. 14, 2027. He was the 2010 recipient of the Pro Football Hall of Fame's Pete Rozelle Radio-Television Award and has been the master of ceremonies for the Hall's induction ceremony since 1999. 'For a remarkable half-century, Chris has embodied ESPN with his smart and entertaining style. Boomer's enjoyment of sports jumps through the screen and generations of fans have loved being along for the ride,' ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro said in a statement. 'ESPN has been so fortunate to have Chris making us better for decades and I am delighted that will continue beyond our 50th anniversary.' ___ AP sports:
