The Michigan Wolverines got out to a fast start in the National Championship against the Washington Huskies on Monday night, and it was primarily thanks to running back Donovan Edwards.

Edwards scored two touchdowns on Michigan’s first two drives of the game. The Wolverines ran a total of 12 plays on their initial drives and ended with the same result — an Edwards touchdown.

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He started the game with a 41-yard touchdown run and then scored on a 46-yard touchdown run. He only touched the ball twice.

Michigan led the game 14-3 in the first quarter.

Michigan was looking for its first national title since 1997.

Edwards, a junior, entered the game with 393 rushing yards and 249 receiving yards this season. He had three total touchdowns before he scored against Washington.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP PREVIEW: FUTURE CONFERENCE FOES SQUARE OFF FOR TITLE

Michigan running back Donovan Edwards runs for a touchdown against Washington during the first half of the national championship NCAA College Football Playoff game Monday, Jan. 8, 2024, in Houston.  (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

He called playing in the National Championship a “dream come true.”

“Every kid wants to be at this stage, wants to be here. Whether everything has gone right for you or hasn’t, you have to sit down with yourself and just embrace where you are,” he said last week, via Sports Illustrated.

“There is only two teams playing still in college football, so to be one of the teams still playing, it’s a blessing, because when you’re a kid you want to do certain things, win a high school ring, National Championship ring, professional ring.

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Michigan running back Donovan Edwards celebrates after scoring with head coach Jim Harbaugh during the first half of the national championship NCAA College Football Playoff game against Washington Monday, Jan. 8, 2024, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

“So the opportunity for us right now is amazing because we’re able to check all of our goals as children. This year, too, we checked the boxes in all our goals thus far. Just have one more job to do, one more game to play to reach the ultimate goal.”

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Michigan and Washington will battle for a national championship on Monday night, but as storms passed through the Houston area, NRG Stadium’s roof appeared to leak.

Videos posted to X showed water trickling down from the roof near the pylon of Michigan’s end zone. The roof was shut, but it didn’t appear to stop the elements from getting in the way.

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Sports Illustrated’s Richard Johnson wrote on X that a security person at the stadium told Wall Street Journal’s Laine Higgins the roof was indeed leaking. He added that Houston Texans general manager Nick Caserio walked by and was “similarly puzzled.”

Severe weather across the south had some parts under a tornado watch. Storms raged from Texas to Georgia and will be by the Carolinas later in the night. According to Fox Weather, NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center (SPC) has placed a large area of the Gulf Coast in a Level 3 out of 5 on its thunderstorm risk scale for Monday night.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP PREVIEW: FUTURE CONFERENCE FOES SQUARE OFF FOR TITLE

Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr. watches during warm ups before national championship NCAA College Football Playoff game between Washington and Michigan Monday, Jan. 8, 2024, in Houston. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vasquez)

Meanwhile, the weather didn’t initially appear to hamper any part of the national championship before kickoff.

Both schools looked to break a drought of national championships with a win. Michigan hadn’t won a title since 1997 and was making its national championship appearance in the College Football Playoff era. Washington was playing its first game in the era, but the Huskies haven’t won a title since 1991.

Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy watches during warm ups before the national championship NCAA College Football Playoff game between Washington and Michigan Monday, Jan. 8, 2024, in Houston. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vasquez)

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The kickoff was set for 7:30 p.m. ET.

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The Green Bay Packers are heading to the playoffs, and cornerback Jaire Alexander wanted to show his excitement for it during a live broadcast outside Lambeau Field on Monday morning following the team’s win over the Chicago Bears that secure their spot. 

But here’s the hilarious catch: The reporter, Emily Roberts from WBAY, didn’t know a Packers player bombed her broadcast shot.

Instead, Roberts believed Alexander was simply a big Packers fan that was excited for the team’s Wild Card Round matchup against the Dallas Cowboys this upcoming Sunday.  

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“I’m just here to tell you, ‘Pack is back!’” Alexander said, while adding his “seatbelt” celebration that many cornerbacks in the NFL do following a pass breakup. 

That’s all Alexander said before jumping off camera. Then, came Roberts’ response. 

“You heard it from a fan right here: Pack is back!” she said. 

Roberts also mentioned that tickets were ranging from $200 to “thousands of dollars on Ticketmaster” for the game at AT&T Stadium in Dallas. 

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Playoffs tickets are always going for top dollar, especially with these two rabid fan bases that travel well outside their home stadiums. Of course, Cowboys fans will be sure to fill their home turf, but there is surely going to be a mix of green and yellow among the crowd. 

Alexander has been known to be a natural content creator when the camera is in his face — good and bad for the Packers. However, this is certainly a good one as he’s showing his enthusiasm for some playoff football. 

Jordan Love #10 and Jaire Alexander #23 of the Green Bay Packers walk off the field after a game against the Los Angeles Rams at Lambeau Field on November 05, 2023 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)

Dallas secured the No. 2 seed in the NFC after defeating the Washington Commanders on Sunday, meaning they are guaranteed two home playoff games if they make it that far. 

Meanwhile, the Packers have the No. 7 seed in the conference, the final wild card berth that will force them to play on the road throughout the postseason. 

Nonetheless, the group, led by players like Alexander and quarterback Jordan Love, is confident they can upset their opponents and make somewhat of a Cinderella run, starting with the Cowboys. 

Dak Prescott & Co. won’t be an easy task, as that offense has clicked in recent weeks to the point where they usurped the Philadelphia Eagles from the NFC East throne. Now, they’ll look to break the stigma of not being able to finish the job, as they haven’t been to the Super Bowl since 1995. 

Green Bay Packers cornerback Jaire Alexander (23) reacts in the fourth quarter at Bank of America Stadium. (Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports)

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Either way, Alexander is ready to help his team break some Cowboys fans hearts just like many other players wishing to move on past Super Wild Card Weekend in a few days. 

New Orleans Saints tight end Jimmy Graham came to the defense of Jameis Winston amid the turmoil about the team scoring a late-game touchdown against the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday.

Saints running back Jamaal Williams scored a touchdown to make it 48-17 with about 1 minute to go in the game. Then-Falcons coach Arthur Smith yelled at Saints coach Dennis Allen during the postgame handshake. Winston said it was a “team decision” to get Williams a touchdown from the 1-yard line.

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While Winston suggested the players went rogue on the play, which brought about criticism to the veteran quarterback, Graham defended the call and had a strong message for the Falcons.

“Get off (Jameis Winston’s) back,” Graham wrote on X. “This man is the best teammate I’ve ever had. Loves this city, this game and embodies everything you can ask for in a leader. Was a rare situation and we all take responsibility. Nobody thought it would get blown out of proportion.

“Also f— the Falcons.”

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Winston said he apologized to Allen and took full responsibility for making the call. Williams led the NFL in rushing touchdowns last year but before Sunday’s game, he had yet to score.

Jimmy Graham #80 of the New Orleans Saints reacts after a touchdown during the second half of the game against the New York Giants at Caesars Superdome on December 17, 2023 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Chris Graythen/Getty Images)

“I apologized to D.A. because the play was ‘Victory.’ But I also explained to D.A. that it was a team decision. I think that when you have a team morale and I asked the guys, ‘What do you want to do?’ We know how much Jamaal means to this team. And I understood from D.A.’s perspective,” Winston said.

“But D.A. didn’t condone it at all. However, we decided as a team to do it. And man, we got an interception to the 1-yard line — if we woulda scored, would it still have been disrespectful?”

Winston added that he had “no regrets” over the call.

AARON RODGERS WANTS JETS TO CUT ANY ‘BULLS—‘ OUT OF BUILDING THAT DOESN’T FOCUS ON WINNING IN 2024

“They can do whatever they want. There are no rules against it,” Smith said. “We didn’t stop them the second half, and they can do whatever they want. It is what it is. Hats off to them. They kicked our you-know-what in the second half. That’s their prerogative. It’s also my prerogative to tell him how I feel. Credit to them. They can do whatever they want there.”

New Orleans Saints quarterback Jameis Winston (2) looks to pass during an NFL game between the Minnesota Vikings and New Orleans Saints on November 12, 2023, at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, MN. (Nick Wosika/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Falcons veteran Calais Campbell said he had no problem with going for the score but was more upset that they appeared to lineup in a victory formation.

“I wish they would have lined up in run formation,” he said. “Don’t look like you’re going to take a knee and then run then ball. … I was just frustrated with that because I just feel like there was a way to do it, if you’re gonna do it.”

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New Orleans and Atlanta will both miss the playoffs and both of their coaches are on the hot seat.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Saquon Barkley ended his sixth season with the New York Giants in a very productive way, scoring two touchdowns in a win over the Philadelphia Eagles. 

Whether Barkley will be with the Giants for a seventh season is the big question — the same one that circled the No. 2 overall pick from 2018 this past offseason. 

The Giants decided to franchise tag Barkley after negotiations for a long-term extension fell through. Barkley was quite transparent about the situation, saying he fully understood how the business of the NFL worked now that he had to deal with it firsthand along with other running backs that didn’t see extensions come their way in a market for the position. 

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As Barkley heads into the offseason, he knows the Giants can franchise tag him yet again if an extension isn’t met. But after experiencing what happened last offseason — Barkley and the Giants eventually agreed to a modified tag with extra incentives before training camp began — he said he’s “numb” to the situation if it arises again. 

“I went through the whole process last year,” Barkley said. “We talked more than enough last year, to be honest. I’m gonna let my agents handle that.”

“They did it last year. So I’m numb to it. I don’t have any feelings toward that at all,” Barkley continued. “If you’re going to do it, just don’t wait until March 5. Just get it over with. If not, let me go. Simple.”

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March 5 is the franchise tag deadline for all NFL teams, which the Giants fully utilized up to the hour after figuring out a long-term deal with quarterback Daniel Jones. 

General manager Joe Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll were at the center of the discussions last offseason, and the former noted Monday that a conversation with Barkley will be had soon. 

Saquon Barkley #26 of the New York Giants walks off the field after defeating the Washington Commanders at MetLife Stadium on October 22, 2023 in East Rutherford, New Jersey.  (Sarah Stier/Getty Images)

“That’s a tool we have at our disposal,” Schoen explained regarding the franchise tag. “I’m not saying we will or we won’t. A lot of those conversations will be had in the next month or so.”

Barkley reflected on what once again could’ve been his final year in New York. 

“If it was my last game playing here — if it is — it was a fun six years,” he said after rushing for 46 yards and catching two passes for 51 yards in the 27-10 win over their NFC East rival on Sunday. “Made a lot of great memories, but it’s not like the last time I’m ever playing football. … If I knew that it was my last game, I probably would feel a little different, but like I said, I have no idea.”

Barkley finished Year 6 with 962 rushing yards on 247 carries with six rushing touchdowns, while hauling in 41 receptions for 280 yards with four receiving touchdowns. 

Saquon Barkley #26 of the New York Giants looks on during the national anthem prior to an NFL football game between the Arizona Cardinals and the New York Giants at State Farm Stadium on September 17, 2023 in Glendale, Arizona. (Michael Owens/Getty Images)

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If it is his final season in a Giants uniform, Barkley would have rushed for 5,211 yards, averaging 4.3 yards per carry with 35 touchdowns on the ground and 12 more through the air. He had 2,100 yards receiving on 288 receptions as well. 

Head coach Brian Daboll seemingly expected him to stay, but apparently Wink Martindale had other plans. 

The New York Giants defensive coordinator resigned from his position on Monday after two seasons with the organization, according to multiple reports.

The news followed early indications by Daboll that Martindale and offensive coordinator Mike Kafka would return next season.

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“It’s my expectation that they’re going to come back,” he said at Monday’s end-of-year presser alongside general manager Joe Schoen.

“I think they’re good coaches, so it’ll be good to have some continuity and bring them back. I know Wink talks about this as a destination place and things like that. It’s good. I appreciate how hard they work, their commitment to the team, so that’s my plan.”

New York Giants defensive coordinator Don Martindale is shown during the game against the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, New York, on Oct. 15, 2023. (Bryan Bennett/Getty Images)

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Daboll noted during his remarks that he had not yet spoken to those coaches but that it was his “expectation” and “plan” that they would return for the 2024 season.

Martindale joined the Giants in 2022 after several years with the Baltimore Ravens.

Earlier this season, Martindale was seemingly criticized by safety and co-defensive captain Xavier McKinney, which the coach said had surprised him.

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New York Giants defensive coordinator Wink Martindale resigned from his position on Monday after two seasons with the team, according to reports. (Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)

Martindale’s exit follows the Giants’ decision to part ways with special teams coordinator Thomas McGaughey and offensive line coach Bobby Johnson on Monday.

“Just felt like we’re going to move in a different direction, not going add anything to it,” Daboll said of the move. “These were private conversations, but I do respect both of those guys and what they’ve done the last two years, their commitment to the team, their work ethic, but [we] wanted to make a change.”

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The shake-up came after New York allowed a league-high 85 sacks, 20 more than any other team in the league.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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The New York Jets’ 2023 season did not go at all according to plan, but the good news is Aaron Rodgers, the four-time MVP quarterback that joined the team this past offseason, wants to return healthy to help the team in 2024. 

Rodgers came to Florham Park, New Jersey, looking to break the 12-year playoff drought that is now moving to 13. It’s clear more work needs to be done for the Jets to flip the script, and Rodgers believes more needs to be done within the facility to continue building the winning culture he foresaw when he wanted to be traded to New York. 

“If you want to be a winning organization and put yourself in a position to win championships and be competitive, everything that you do matters,” Rodgers told reporters Monday following the Jets’ final game of the season — a win over the New England Patriots in snow-filled Foxborough. “The bulls— that has nothing to do with winning needs to get out of the building. That will be the focus moving forward.

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“Anything that doesn’t have anything to do with winning needs to be assessed.”

What exactly that is will come from reflection on all levels after going 7-10 on the year. 

First, the Jets know they have one of the best defenses in the league when healthy. Looking at their wins, the defense usually played a vital role in creating turnovers and limiting some of the best offenses in the league. Think the upset at home against the Philadelphia Eagles, or even the Week 1 victory over the Buffalo Bills when Rodgers went down after just four plays. 

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But the worries that were captured in the all-access “Hard Knocks” series by HBO and NFL Films this offseason for the Jets came to light during the regular season, too. The Jets’ offense never clicked, and while players like wide receiver Garrett Wilson and running back Breece Hall shined, they were never consistent enough to win despite the defense giving them chances to do so. 

While many fingers can be pointed around the building, the Jets know the blame game won’t do them any good heading into the new season. They need to be transparent about what’s gone wrong, build on what’s gone right, and like Rodgers said, focus on the only thing that matters in sports. 

“Anything in this building that we’re doing individually or collectively that has nothing to do with real winning needs to be assessed,” he reiterated. “Everything that we do has to have a purpose. When you step in the building, there’s intentionality with everything you do. It’s not a half the time thing. It’s not a sometimes thing. It’s not a most of the time thing. It’s an every time thing.”

Aaron Rodgers #8 of the New York Jets runs onto the field prior to the start of the game against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium on January 7, 2024 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Kathryn Riley/Getty Images)

Rodgers himself has worked hard to recover from his Achilles injury to the point where there was a shot he would return to play at the end of the season. The Jets, though, were just keeping their season alive with no real playoff hope in sight, leading to his decision not to play.

But head coach Robert Saleh enjoyed watching Rodgers dissect his defense like he did during training camp as the scout team quarterback. However, this was nothing but a difficult year for Rodgers because of all the expectation and promise that his trade brought to the organization, something he took personally. 

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“It kind of hit me last night after the game just feeling like a lost year that I missed out on a lot of opportunity,” Rodgers said. “Just thinking if I had been out there, things would have been a little different. It’s hard to go down that road.”

Hindsight is 20/20, of course, and Rodgers knows that. The focus is moving forward with the intention of making everything in the building about winning. 

And that could go beyond 2024, as Rodgers hinted at. 

Aaron Rodgers #8 of the New York Jets looks on prior to playing the Cleveland Browns at Cleveland Browns Stadium on December 28, 2023 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Nick Cammett/Getty Images)

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“I was thinking when I got traded, it was going to be a one-year thing,” Rodgers explained. “Then I got out here and realized how much fun I was having and kind of falling back in love with the game. And I said to you guys, this is not going to be a one-year thing, and then it gets taken away. And so this is not a one-year [pact] in my mind. I mean, obviously it’s a what have you done for me lately [league]. And I’m gonna have to go out and prove I can still play at a high level, but I’d like this to be more than just next year.” 

German soccer legend Franz Beckenbauer, who won a World Cup for the country as a player and a coach, has died, his family said on Monday. He was 78.

Beckenbauer’s family told Germany’s dpa about his passing. The German soccer federation then announced it.

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“It is with deep sadness that we announce that my husband and our father, Franz Beckenbauer, passed away peacefully in his sleep yesterday, Sunday, surrounded by his family,” the family said. “We ask that we be allowed to grieve in peace and be spared any questions.”

Beckenbauer battled health issues in recent years but no cause of death was immediately given.

Known as the “Kaiser,” Beckenbauer guided West Germany to a World Cup title in 1974 after it had lost to England in the final in 1966. He was the coach when the team won the tournament in 1990.

“The ‘Kaiser’ was one of the best players our sport has ever seen,” German soccer federation president Bernd Neuendorf said. “With his lightness, his elegance and his vision, he set standards on the field…. Franz Beckenbauer leaves a great legacy for the federation and soccer as a whole.”

FIFA executive committee member Franz Beckenbauer smiles during the World Cup award ceremony in Herzogenaurach, near Nuremberg, southern Germany, on Dec. 14, 2010. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader, File)

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German Chancellor Olaf Scholz also reacted to his death, writing that Beckenbauer “inspired generations of enthusiasm for German soccer. We will miss him.”

Aside from his achievements with the national team, Beckenbauer was a four-time German Male Footballer of the Year and a two-time Ballon d’Or winner. He scored 60 goals in 427 appearances for Bayern Munich and helped the team to a few Bundesliga trophies.

He also played for the New York Cosmos of the North American Soccer League.

Franz Beckenbauer, second from right, embraces his teammate, forward Juergen Grabowski, after West Germany beat the Netherlands in the World Cup in Munich on July 7, 1974. (AP Photo, File)

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Beckenbauer has five children from three marriages.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Jake Browning kept the team in playoff contention for the last few weeks of the season as he started the team’s final seven games for an injured Joe Burrow.

Browning finished the year with 1,936 passing yards, 12 touchdown passes and seven interceptions. He was 4-3 in those seven starts, ending with a three-touchdown performance in a 31-14 win over the Cleveland Browns.

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The undrafted quarterback said after the game he believed he’s done enough to vie for a starting job in the NFL.

“I think that I’ve established that I’m capable of being a starter in the NFL,” he said. “So, obviously a weird situation where I feel like I’m one of the top 32 quarterbacks in the world, and I just so happen to be on a roster with a guy who’s proven that he’s a top five quarterback in the world.

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“So, what that looks like going forward, I have no idea, nor do I have any control. So, I’m not going to think about it a ton. I think when I go watch all my film to try to figure out what I’m going to work on this offseason, I’ll be proud of what I put on tape. But, the goal is to go to the playoffs, and we didn’t, so that’s pretty motivating going into the offseason too.”

Browning said the only thing he wished he could do differently was get the Bengals into the playoffs. Cincinnati lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers in his first start, 16-10. The team dropped their second game to them 34-11. 

Bengals quarterback Jake Browning carries the ball against the Cleveland Browns on Jan. 7, 2024, at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati. (Ian Johnson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

It was a key difference between the Steelers making the playoffs and the Bengals staying home.

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“Find a way to win one of the last two games. All three of the losses, just find a way to get one of those,” Browning said. “I don’t think there was really any overarching theme to them, it’s just you have to find a way to go win at Arrowhead, you have to find a way to go win at the Steelers, or at home against the Steelers. 

“So really, just really figure out how to play better against the Steelers would be kind of the main takeaway. I don’t have any overarching theme. I think that I don’t want to have opinions until I watch all my film together, and I think you start to get a feel for what the things you need to improve on are.”

Bengals quarterback Jake Browning looks to pass against the Minnesota Vikings on Dec. 16, 2023, at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati. (Ian Johnson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

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It’s unclear if Browning will get another shot somewhere. But he made the most of an opportunity that took five years to achieve. He started in the NFL and won.

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Pat McAfee offered no apologies for his remarks directed toward ESPN executive Norby Williamson on Monday and instead lamented dragging another high-level official, Burke Magnus, into the drama.

McAfee said last week Williamson – the executive senior vice president of studio and event production – was among those attempting to “sabotage” his show. The remarks drew immense scrutiny around the show, and it came just hours after Aaron Rodgers created a stir with his comments about Jimmy Kimmel.

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Broadcasting from NRG Stadium in Houston ahead of the college football national championship, McAfee joked he did not know “anybody was gonna hear it” because the remarks were on the YouTube and ESPN+ show and not the linear version.

“And the only thing I’m like super bummed out about it all is that a guy we like a lot, a man we watched a game with in his suite, Burke Magnus – who is currently new guy in charge at ESPN right below (chairman Jimmy Pitaro) – I guess he was kind of made to look bad because of what I did and how I did it. I would like to let everybody know, we love Burke Magnus. … We also love Jimmy Pitaro. Love (Disney CEO) Bob Iger,” he said.

“But there is quite a transition era here between the old and the new. And the old don’t like what the new be do. So, there’s certainly gonna be a couple of that but we’re very thankful.”

Pat McAfee is seen on the field prior to the game between the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Georgia Bulldogs in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Dec. 31, 2022 in Atlanta. (Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

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He thanked the crew that has been with “The Pat McAfee Show” and said he was thankful to ESPN and what the company has done for the show.

The former Indianapolis Colts punter doubled down on his remarks about Williamson.

“Now, there’s certainly people we do not like. Certainly. And they do not like us,” he said. “That’s how it’s going to be. And I don’t take back anything that I said about said person. But the overall storyline about us and ESPN, I think people need to remember (clasps hands) … We are strong, baby.

“We all understand what the future looks like. There’s some old hags that potentially don’t but we will move forward to that.”

ESPN did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The company addressed McAfee’s remarks last week.

Norby Williamson speaks during 26th Annual Sports Emmy Awards – Press Room at Frederick P. Rose Hall at Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York City. (Jemal Countess/WireImage)

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“No one is more committed to and invested in ESPN’s success than Norby Williamson,” ESPN told USA Today. “At the same time, we are thrilled with the multi-platform success that we have seen from ‘The Pat McAfee Show’ across ESPN. We will handle this matter internally and have no further comment.”

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