Sports

Bill Belichick To Leave New England Patriots

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Bill Belichick is to leave his position as head coach of the New England Patriots after 24 seasons. The news was first reported by ESPN, finally answering one of the biggest coaching uncertainties of the NFL offseason. According to insiders with knowledge of the situation, the decision was mutual and amicable. Belichick had one year left on his contract and was allowed to leave the Patriots freely without seeking compensation. Additionally, the veteran coach is expected to draw some interest from some of the other seven teams with head coaching vacancies.

As for New England, their next head coach is likely to be an internal hire. Linebackers coach Jerod Mayo, previously identified by owner Robert Kraft as a potential head coach in the making, is expected to be the frontrunner for the now-vacant position. Furthermore, the team will have a lot of decisions to make, such as their quarterback going forward. The team holds the No. 3 pick in the 2024 draft and is projected to take 2023 Heisman-winning quarterback Jayden Daniels.

Read More: Pete Carroll Out As Seahawks Coach

Nick Saban, Long-Time Friend Of Bill Belichick, Retires

However, Belichick is not the only veteran coach moving on. His long-time friend Nick Saban announced on January 10 that he was retiring after 17 years at Alabama and over half a century in coaching. Saban led Alabama to six national titles and finished the 2023 season with a Rose Bowl loss to eventual champions Michigan. Saban’s coaching journey began all the way back in 1973 as a graduate assistant at Kent State. His first head coaching role was at Toledo in 1990. He would hold the same position at Michigan State, LSU, and the Miami Dolphins before coming to Alabama in 2007. He immediately turned around an ailing program, turning them into them into the powerhouse they are today.

Saban, who turned 72 last October, has previously been coy about retirement. I’ve always said that if you’re thinking about retirement, you’re probably already retired, and I’m not there yet,” Saban told ESPN in November. Furthermore Saban ends his career with a record of 292-71-1 in 28 total seasons as a college head coach. He has seven National championships, 12 conference titles, and 19 bowl game victories. Alabama are expected to remain a title contender in 2024.

Read More: Matt Eberflus To Remain As Bears Head Coach

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Aaron Rodgers On Jimmy Kimmel: “I Don’t Think He’s A P-Word”

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Jimmy Kimmel was happy to address Aaron Rodgers in a scathing rant on the latest episode of his late-night show, but rather than clapping back, the NFL star’s response makes it sound as though he’s ready to put their feud to rest. In his opening monologue on Monday (January 8), the TV personality gave the audience an ear-full about his nemesis, who he believes is obviously guilty of defamation. Kimmel insinuated that Rodgers was planning on popping bottles if his name came out along with the controversial Jeffrey Epstein documents. The former says he’s never met the embattled financier and dares “Karen Rodgers” to share any incriminating evidence in court.

Though Kimmel also asked for an apology, the quarterback doesn’t seem ready to give it. However, he did have a few words for the host that better clarified his stance on the 56-year-old’s alleged connection to Epstein. “I was referring to the fact that if there’s a list,” Rodgers said on a new episode of The Pat McAfee Show, “and there are names on it, that it’d be the second time a soft-brained, junior college wacko… Whatever other things have been said by him and other people in the media – would be right twice.”

Read More: Aaron Rodgers & Jimmy Kimmel Beef Explained: COVID-19, Jeff Epstein & More

Jimmy Kimmel Rants About Aaron Rodgers

“I totally understand how serious an allegation of pedophilia would be… I’m not [ignorant] enough to accuse you of that with zero evidence,” the California native continued before throwing in a few digs at Kimmel’s intelligence. From the sounds of things, Rodgers is about ready to put the spat behind him and move on with his life.

Read More: Aaron Rodgers Receives Jets Players’ “Most Inspirational” End-Of-Season Award

Athlete is Over the Drama

“I think it’s impressive that a man who went to Arizona State and has joke writers can read off a prompter,” Aaron Rodgers further responded to Kimmel. “I wish him the best, I don’t give a s*** what he says about me. I’m not accusing him of being on the list.” Check out the athlete’s full statement above and check back later for more hip-hop/pop culture news updates.

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Jay-Z Is Still On The Fence About Ever Doing The Super Bowl Halftime Show, But ‘Maybe One Year’

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Jay-Z recently chatted with Entertainment Tonight about the possibility of if he would ever do the Super Bowl Halftime Show. Although he performed before the Super Bowl in 2011 and joined as the NFL’s music entertainment strategist, he has yet to play the halftime by himself.

As it turns out, he still is on the fence.

“I don’t know,” he said. “I thought it would be selfish to pick myself too early. Maybe one year. Maybe.”

However, Jay-Z praised this year’s pick, as Usher will be performing when the Super Bowl is held in Las Vegas.

“I think he’s gonna take his rightful place,” Jay-Z added. “He’s one of the greatest performers we’ve seen in our time, and I think he’ll take his rightful place.”

Back in 2020, Jay-Z also revealed to The New York Times that the NFL had asked him to do a halftime show, but he turned it down after they wanted him to bring Rihanna and Kanye West to perform with him.

“Of course I would have,” he shared about the opportunity. “But I said, ‘No, you get me.’ That is not how you go about it, telling someone that they’re going to do the halftime show contingent on who they bring. I said forget it. It was a principle thing.”

Still, hopefully fans get to experience Jay-Z’s halftime show the way he wants it to be.

Ice Spice’s Debut Super Bowl Commercial Will Show Off The Rapper’s Sweet Side With A Soda Partnership

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Taylor Swift’s domination of NFL coverage has sprouted a new subset of at-home viewers. While avid football fans are excited to watch the epic sports showdown at this year’s Super Bowl, others are tuning in for a different genre of entertainment: Some non-sports fans’ interest in the evening is Usher’s halftime show performance. The other remaining curiosity is lasered in on what witty commercials are set to air throughout the broadcast.

Today (January 9), Billboard exclusively revealed that “In Ha Mood” rapper Ice Spice has been tapped for a coveted advertisement slot. As Starry’s newest celebrity ambassador, Ice Spice will lend her likeness to the company for its upcoming Super Bowl commercial. You might recall Ice Spice’s signature drink deal with Dunkin last year, but this is quite different.

Instead of formulating a new beverage concoction, Ice Spice will simply sit pretty as she sips on PepsiCo’s newest lemon-lime soda, which was introduced in 2023. This national coverage is just the fizz she needs going into the promotion of her forthcoming debut studio album. A representative for the company referred to the partnership with Ice Spice as “a no-brainer.”

“Ice Spice’s charm and charisma are unmatched, making her the perfect fit for the brand’s first Super Bowl commercial,” read the statement.

Ice Spice echoed that in her note shared with Billboard. “I’m hyped to star in the first-ever STARRY Super Bowl commercial,” she said. “Trust me. STARRY is a vibe.

DJ Akademiks Remembers When NBA Guard Danny Green Hit On His Girlfriend And How He Retaliated

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DJ Akademiks knows how to get his name out there. While he does it controversially, he has become a brand unto himself. The Jamaican-born social media star and music critic seems to always be in some peculiar situations. Late last year, for example, he and rapper Saucy Santana got into a vicious, but quite hilarious back-and-forth. It all began because Santana is close friends with fellow MC Yung Miami and Akademiks was sending shots toward her over her “failed” music career.

However, this time, Akademiks was not the instigator. Instead, it was the journeyman shooting guard, Danny Green. The 16-year NBA veteran apparently slid into the DMs of Akademik’s girlfriend. According to him, this all went down right after he won the Finals with the Toronto Raptors in 2019. He went into full detail about this on The Facto Show, according to HipHopDX.

Read More: Katt Williams Runs Wild 40-Yard Dash, Fans Clown Kevin Hart

DJ Akademiks Is Always Involved In The Wildest Predicaments

 
 
 
 
 
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Interestingly, Green got married to his wife, Blair Bashen, not too long after the incident. Akademiks voiced how frustrated he was, especially because his lady was responding to Danny. So, when he noticed this, he decided to fire right back and pull the same stunt by going after Blair. DJ said to her, “Listen, your husband is tryna get my girl so I need you. What’s up? Let’s swap it out.” Danny’s wife denied that, and that is when he made his message clear. “If you don’t believe me, go check his phone because I got it on the other end. Don’t mess with my girl.”

What are your initial thoughts on DJ Akademik’s story about how Danny Green attempted to sleep with his girlfriend? Do you think DJ handled it the right way by returning the favor, why or why not? Why does he always get himself involved in the weirdest situations? How would have you reacted if you were in his shoes? We would like to hear what you have to say about all of this. With that in mind, be sure to leave all of your hottest takes in the comments section below. Additionally, always keep it locked in with HNHH for all of the latest news surrounding DJ Akademiks. Finally, stay with us for everything else going on around the pop culture world.

Read More: Travis Scott Rocks The Crowd By Performing Playboi Carti’s “BACKR00MS” And Playing “2024” In The Club: Watch

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The NFL Playoff Schedule For Wild Card Weekend Is Here

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Following the Buffalo Bills’ win over the Miami Dolphins on Sunday night, the full slate of games for the Wild Card round of the NFL playoffs is set in stone. The Cleveland Browns and Houston Texans will kick off the slate of games, next weekend, on Saturday at 4:30 PM, ET. That matchup will be airing on NBC. Saturday night’s contest will feature the Miami Dolphins traveling to take on the Kansas City Chiefs at 8:15 PM, ET on Peacock.

On Sunday, the Pittsburgh Steelers will kick things off by traveling to Buffalo to take on the Bills at 1:00 PM, ET on CBS. The Bills clinched the AFC East division title with their Week 18 win. Afterward, the Green Bay Packers will play the Dallas Cowboys at 4:30 PM, ET on Fox. That night, the Los Angeles Rams and Detroit Lions will face off at 8:15 PM, ET on NBC. The Wild Card round will conclude on Monday night when the Tampa Bay Buccaneers host the Philadelphia Eagles at 8:00 PM, ET on ESPN, ABC, ESPN2, and ESPN+.

Read More: Tyreek Hill Reveals Surprising NSFW Plan For Life After The NFL

Josh Allen Celebrates As The Bills Defeat The Dolphins

MIAMI GARDENS, FLORIDA – JANUARY 07: Josh Allen #17 of the Buffalo Bills reacts after a long completion during the second quarter against the Miami Dolphins at Hard Rock Stadium on January 07, 2024, in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images)

Following Wild Card weekend, the Divisional Round will be held on January 20th and 21st, featuring four games total. A week later, the remaining teams will face off in the Conference Championships on January 28th. Super Bowl LVIII will kick off on February 11th at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.

The NFL Playoffs Are Here

Usher will perform during the iconic halftime show. He intends on releasing his next album, Coming Home, two days before the performance. It’ll be his first solo release in nearly eight years since 2016’s Hard II Love. Be on the lookout for further updates on the NFL playoffs on HotNewHipHop.

Read More: Patrick Mahomes Visibly Furious After Kadarius Toney’s Latest Gaffe

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Chris Paul Fractures Hand, Out 4-6 Weeks

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Chris Paul will miss 4-6 weeks as he will require surgery to repair a fracture in his left hand. It will be the sixth surgery on his left hand, and his 12th hand surgery overall. The recovery timeline means that the Warriors will be without the 19-season veteran until after the All-Star break. Paul is averaging 8.9 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 7.2 assists a game. The Warriors acquired Paul from the Wizards after Washington briefly acquired him from Phoenix.

With Paul sidelined, rookie Brandin Podziemski is expected to play a bigger role in the Warriors’ rotation. The Warriors took Podziemski 19th overall in the 2023 draft after the guard played two seasons of college ball, one at Illinois and one at Santa Clara. Podziemski is averaging 9.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 3.2 assists a game. Now he will get a bigger chance to prove himself part of the Warriors’ young revolution.

Read More: Lil Wayne Urges Caution From Fans Saying Draymond Green Needs Help

Draymond Green Returns As Chris Paul Ruled Out

However, Paul’s sidelining comes as the Warriors begin ramping Draymond Green up to being court-ready. Green has been reinstated from his indefinite suspension, having missed 12 games after striking Jusuf Nurkić in the head. Per Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, the Warriors expect Green to need about a week to get back up to playing strength. With that timeline in mind, Green might return to the court for Golden State’s game in Memphis on January 15. The Warriors have four more games between then and now, meaning they will have to hold on a little longer without Green. After Green’s build-up week, the Warriors are next at home on January 19.

The news comes a day after Wojnarowski reported that Green was returning to the Warriors’ facility. The Warriors have gone 7-5 without Green and currently sit in 11th place in the Western Conference. However, Green will likely return on thin ice with the league. With two suspensions under his belt this season, the league will likely come down even harder if anything else happens this season. The Warriors host Toronto on Sunday.

Read More: Rudy Gobert Feels “Empathy” For Draymond Green Following Suspension

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Draymond Green Reinstated After 12-Game Suspension

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Draymond Green has been reinstated from his indefinite suspension, having missed 12 games after striking Jusuf Nurkić in the head. Per Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, the Warriors expect Green to need about a week to get back up to playing strength. With that timeline in mind, Green might return to the court for Golden State’s game in Memphis on January 15. The Warriors have four more games between then and now, meaning they will have to hold on a little longer with Green. After Green’s build-up week, the Warriors are next at home on January 19.

The news comes a day after Wojnarowski reported that Green was returning to the Warriors’ facility. The Warriors have gone 7-5 without Green and currently sit in 11th place in the Western Conference. However, Green will likely return on thin ice with the league. With two suspensions under his belt this season, the league will likely come down even harder if anything else happens this season. The Warriors host Toronto on Sunday.

Read More: Rudy Gobert Feels “Empathy” For Draymond Green Following Suspension

Stephen A. Thinks Warriors Will Move From On Draymond Green

A lot has been said about Green’s suspension. Furthermore, at least one pundit believes it could be the end of his time with Golden State. “I think the appropriate question is – is this the end of Draymond Green in Golden State? Because if I’m the Golden State Warriors, if they are looking to trade him and move on from him, who could blame them at this particular moment in time? Because I don’t know what future Draymond Green has with this team,” Stephen A. Smith said on Get Up! the morning after Green’s suspension.

However, Green does have his defenders. “😆This fool is my favorite basketball 🏀 player, WTF Is wrong wit him. 🤷🏽‍♂️that was a mistake, I will apologize for him. 🤨come on it’s a physical game,” 50 Cent wrote on Instagram the day after the incident that got Green suspended. Green has remained mostly silent himself since his suspension. He is yet to release a statement about his reinstatement.

Read More: Lil Wayne Urges Caution From Fans Saying Draymond Green Needs Help

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LeBron James Blasts Lakers For Losing Streak, Pressure Mounts On Head Coach Darvin Ham

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LeBron James was blunt in his assessment of the Lakers as the team dropped their fourth consecutive game and remained at a dismal 2-8 record in their last 10 games. “I mean, we just suck right now,” LeBron told reporters after the 127-113 loss to Memphis. Furthermore, LeBron pushed back at people using the Lakers’ In-Season Tournament title as evidence of the team’s trajectory. “That was just two games. It’s a small sample. Everyone is getting so cracked up about Vegas and keep bringing up Vegas. It was two games. We took care of that business. It was the in-season tournament, we played it, we won it. But that was literally just two games.”

Meanwhile, head coach Darvin Ham does not appear concerned about his job security despite the Lakers’ skid. “I’m solid. My governor, Jeanie Buss, the boss lady; our president, Robert Pelinka — we’re all aligned. As long as they’re not saying it, I guess I’m good. Which I know how they feel about me and the situation we’re currently in,” Ham said. However, those comments were made before the Grizzlies beat LA.

Read More: LeBron James Blasts NBA After Game-Tying Shot Controversy

“Growing Disconnect” Between Ham And Lakers

Speculation about Ham’s future with the Lakers reached fever pitch earlier this week. Per Shams Charaina, there is a “growing disconnect” between the Lakers roster and coach Darvin Ham over the latter’s lineup choices. “There’s currently a deepening disconnect between Darvin Ham and the Lakers locker room, six sources with direct knowledge of the situation say, raising questions about the head coach’s standing. The people spoke with The Athletic on condition of anonymity so that they could speak freely on the matter. Those sources have described that the disjointedness between the coach and team has stemmed from the extreme rotation and starting lineup adjustments recently from Ham, leading to a fluctuating rhythm for several players across the roster,” Charaina and Jovan Buah wrote for The Athletic.

The report came after the Heat, without Jimmy Butler, beat a starting lineup of Anthony Davis, LeBron, Cam Reddish, Taurean Prince, and Austin Reaves. Ham used the same starters against Memphis. However, like he did before the Memphis game, Ham deflected any criticism after falling to Miami. “It’s a little bit of everything right now. We’re not executing. That team played harder than us tonight, executed better than us tonight, more physical than us tonight. We got outworked tonight, so it’s a bit of everything right now,” Ham said.

Read More: LeBron James & Giannis Antetokounmpo Lead Early All-Star Voting

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Aaron Rodgers Receives Jets Players’ “Most Inspirational” End-Of-Season Award

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Sidelined quarterback Aaron Rodgers has been received the Jets’ “Most Inspirational Player” award, as voted on by the other players. “I’ve said it a million times: He loves his teammates, and his teammates love him. He’s so intentional with how he approaches everybody in the building. He’s very thoughtful in the way he does things, and he’s a tremendous human. Aaron is really well deserving of this award,” head coach Robert Salah said.

Not only is Rodgers seen as an “ideal” teammate, but his expedited return from a torn Achilles served as motivation for the rest of the team. While Rodgers would ultimately admit he was not ready to play again, his return to practice just two-and-a-half months after undergoing surgery to repair his torn Achilles was nothing short of miraculous. Despite this, Rodgers maintained that he would return to play for the team if they were still playoff contenders.

Read More: Aaron Rodgers Says He Didn’t Ask To Be Taken Off Injured Reserve

Aaron Rodgers Goes After Jimmy Kimmel

However, not everyone loves Rodgers. Jimmy Kimmel has warned Rodgers that he could pursue legal action against the sidelined quarterback after Rodgers made comments tying Kimmel to Jeffrey Epstein. During his weekly appearance on The Pat McAfee Show, Rodgers specifically named Kimmel as someone who “doesn’t want” a now-partially list of names previously redacted in a civil suit filed before Epstein’s death to be made public. The purported list contains around 150 names of people allegedly associated with Epstein and his sex crimes. However, it was not a comment that Kimmel took lightly.

“For the record, I’ve not met, flown with, visited, or had any contact whatsoever with Epstein, nor will you find my name on any ‘list’ other than the clearly-phony nonsense that soft-brained wackos like yourself can’t seem to distinguish from reality. Your reckless words put my family in danger. Keep it up and we will debate the facts further in court,” Kimmel wrote on X. Neither Rodgers nor ESPN have commented on the quarterback’s claims. However, Pat McAfee did offer an apology the day after Rodgers’ comments.

Read More: Jets Praise Aaron Rodgers For “Unbelievable” Recovery

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