NEW ORLEANS — Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts is playing in his second Super Bowl in three years.
This time, he knows what to expect.
“There’s a lot of wind around you, there’s a lot of external things that really don’t matter in the sense of what we come here to accomplish,” he said this week. “Just keep the main thing the main thing. …
“I encourage everyone to stick to the routine, to stick the script of what they’ve been doing to get to this point.”
Experience won’t be a problem for either side in Sunday’s Super Bowl LIX. The Chiefs are playing in their third consecutive Super Bowl, while the Eagles have four players — tackle Lane Johnson, defensive end Brandon Graham, long snapper Rick Lovato and kicker Jake Elliott — who have played in three Super Bowls since 2017.
Five Chiefs players will appear in their fifth Super Bowl: quarterback Patrick Mahomes, tight end Travis Kelce, defensive tackle Chris Jones, kicker Harrison Butker and long snapper James Winchester.
“You want to treat every game the same … ” Hurts said. “So we got another opportunity to do it. We worked very hard for this moment, and to be the last man standing.”
NFL to Ireland
The NFL announced Friday it will play its first-ever regular-season game in Ireland in 2025.
The Steelers will be the designated home team at Dublin’s Croke Park, the largest sports venue in the country. The NFL will announce their opponent later. Dan Rooney, whose son Art owns the Steelers, was the United States ambassador to Ireland from 2009-12.
The Bears aren’t on the Steelers’ schedule this upcoming season.
NFL teams will play three games in London next year, plus one in Berlin and Madrid. The league can assign up to eight international games.
Future Bear?
Bears fans watching Sunday’s game should keep an eye on Chiefs right guard Trey Smith, who is expected to be a free agent next month.
The 25-year-old collect a mammoth contract after reaching his first Pro Bowl nod this year. The Bears are in desperate need of offensive line help and are expected to let guard Teven Jenkins leave via free agency. Bears general manager Ryan Poles was part of the Chiefs front office that drafted him out of Tennessee.
Smith isn’t looking too far ahead.
“I’m just so focused on getting another championship with the Kansas City Chiefs, I can’t focus on anything else,” he said.
Chiefs offensive coordinator Matt Nagy called Smith “super-nasty,” a trait he developed after a high school coach told him he was being too cordial on the football field. He pointed to a crushing block he made in the Chiefs’ regular-season game against the Bills as a tone-setter.
“I love his attitude … ” Nagy said. “You gotta have that.”
Injury report
Standout Eagles receiver DeVonta Smith (hamstring) was limited in practice Friday but will play in Sunday’s Super Bowl. Center Nick Gates (groin), defensive end Brandon Graham (elbow) and tight end C.J. Uzomah (abdomen) are questionable to play, while receiver Britain Covey (neck) is out. The Eagles have until 4 p.m. Saturday to activate Graham and Uzomah from injured reserve in order for them to plary Sunday.
The Chiefs had perfect attendance at the start of practice before defensive lineman Fabien Lovett left with an illness. The Chiefs ruled receiver Skyy Moore (abdomen) to be doubtful for Sunday’s game.