AP Sports SummaryBrief at 6:04 a.m. EST

Analysis: NFL wasn’t at its best in conference championships

The Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs prevailed on championship weekend to reach Super Bowl 57. But the NFL didn’t exactly have a stellar weekend as infuriating flags and non-calls dominated both the NFC and AFC title games. The NFC championship was a blowout because the San Francsico 49ers lost all their quarterbacks. An emergency third quarterback would have come in handy Sunday but the league and its players ditched the third quarterback designation more than a decade ago. The AFC title game went down to the wire but questionable calls including an intentional grounding on Joe Burrow proved crucial.

Brother vs brother: Kelces prepare for Super Bowl showdown

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Donna Kelce is going to have to pull out that now-familiar custom jersey — the one with Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce’s front stitched to Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce’s back — one more time this season. For the first time in Super Bowl history, a pair of siblings will square off on the NFL’s grandest stage. Kelce helped the Chiefs return to their third championship game in four seasons on Sunday night when they beat the Bengals for the AFC title, while Jason has the Eagles back for the second time in six years after their NFC title win over the 49ers.

Chiefs survive Bengals, get 2 weeks to heal for Super Bowl

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Patrick Mahomes deserved the game ball from the AFC title game. Travis Kelce probably did, too. But behind the scenes were Chiefs trainer Rick Burkholder and his staff. They had to get their star QB ready for the Bengals and help their star tight end when back spasms nearly kept him from playing, too. Their work is just beginning. The Chiefs lost cornerback L’Jarius Sneed, linebacker Willie Gay Jr. and wide receivers Kadarius Toney, JuJu Smith-Schuster and Mecole Hardman to injuries in their 23-20 win Sunday night. They have two weeks to get healthy for the Eagles in the Super Bowl.

Eagles’ Super Bowl-bound Hurts still trying to quiet haters

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The Philadelphia Eagles can win their second Super Bowl in franchise history if they beat the Kansas City Chiefs. The Eagles will face their former coach in Andy Reid. The Eagles are the fourth team to reach three Super Bowls since 2004. They also are the fourth franchise to appear in multiple Super Bowls since 2017. Hurts and Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes will be the first Black QBs to face off in a Super Bowl. The Eagles are in their fourth Super Bowl in franchise history.

AP source: 49ers’ Purdy has torn ligament in right elbow

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy tore a ligament in his throwing elbow, putting his status for the start of next season in question. A person familiar with the injury confirmed the diagnosis of the injury Purdy sustained in the NFC title game. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the team has not released details on the injury. NFL Network first reported that Purdy tore the ulnar collateral ligament in his right arm and said he will seek a second opinion on whether he needs a repair or a reconstruction.

Hall of Famer Bobby Hull, the Golden Jet, dies at 84

CHICAGO (AP) — Hall of Fame forward Bobby Hull, who helped the Chicago Blackhawks win the 1961 Stanley Cup Final, has died. Hull was 84. The two-time MVP was one of the most prolific scorers in NHL history, leading the league in goals seven times. Nicknamed “The Golden Jet” for his speed and blond hair, he posted 13 consecutive seasons with 30 goals or more from 1959-72. Hull and Stan Mikita powered Chicago to the NHL title in 1961. Hull remains the Blackhawks’ career leader with 62 playoff goals. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1983 and his No. 9 sweater was retired by Chicago that same year.

US Soccer announces program to ensure player safety

U.S. Soccer has introduced a Safe Soccer program that will require comprehensive vetting of individuals involved in the sport as the federation continues to address the abuses uncovered in its investigation of coach misconduct in the National Women’s Soccer League. The Safe Soccer program announced Monday aims to overhaul the criteria for participation in the sport from the youth level to the professional leagues. It includes safety training, background checks and annual reviews.

Joe Mazzulla, Celtics staff will coach at NBA All-Star Game

Joe Mazzulla started the season as an assistant coach. He then became interim head coach of the Boston Celtics, in a most unexpected way. And now, the NBA’s youngest head coach is headed to the All-Star Game. The 34-year-old Mazzulla and his Celtics staff of assistants will coach Team Giannis — the team that will be captained by Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo — in the Feb. 19 game at Salt Lake City. They clinched that chance Monday night when Philadelphia lost to Orlando, an outcome that ensured Boston would have the leading record in the Eastern Conference at the close of play on Sunday.

South Carolina tops women’s AP Top 25; Ohio State tumbles

South Carolina, Stanford and LSU are the top teams in the latest women’s AP Top 25 college basketball rankings.  South Carolina is No. 1 for the 32nd consecutive week. Only UConn (51 and 34 weeks) and Louisiana Tech (36) have had longer runs at No. 1. Indiana and UConn round out top five. Ohio State lost all three of its games last week and dropped from No. 2 to No. 10.

Rashada case in Florida highlights issues in NIL, recruiting

Using name, image and likeness compensation to recruit college athletes is still very much against NCAA rules. The recent de-commitment from Florida by blue chip quarterback Jaden Rashada shows that NIL is definitely a factor in decisions. Booster-funded collectives are taking on a big role in compensating athletes. Schools can only hope they are acting within the rules and in their best interest. Inserting a third-party in the recruiting process between coaches and recruits has only complicated things. Experts say the collectives should focus on athletes who are already on campus.