Category: News

If you turn on any random NFL game on a Sunday afternoon, odds are you’re going to see some pretty spectacular play out of at least one tight end. The position, as a whole, has never been in a better spot, as we’re seeing Hall of Fame players intersect with promising youngsters and a middle-class at the position that is filled with guys who can really play.

For Tony Gonzalez, watching tight end play at this point in NFL history is a blast. Arguably the greatest tight end to ever play the game, Gonzalez helped revolutionize the position, and now, he sees the unique ways he was used during his time with the Kansas City Chiefs and the Atlanta Falcons become standard operating procedure for tight ends.

“When I got in the league, it was three-point stance and blocking half the time,” Gonzalez told Uproxx Sports. “And not that I didn’t do the three point stance, I’m still from that old school tight end you had to block, put hands on people and block them. But I started, one of the things that I did, it was like, hey, put me in the spot, put me at wide receiver, line me up all over the field. And you’re seeing, I mean, Travis Kelce, Kyle Pitts, [Dalton] Kincaid, all these young tight ends that, they hardly ever put their hand in the dirt.”

Recently, we got the chance to sit down with Gonzalez to talk about the position, his partnership with Crown Royal, this upcoming NFL season, and more.

What do you have going on with Crown Royal?

Well, I’ve partnered up with Crown Royal this year, and we’re gonna be spreading generosity. We’re gonna start it out next week in Kansas City, we’re gonna be on the Royal Rig, which is a big 18 wheeler, I’ll be there with Rob Riggle, big Kansas City Chiefs fan, and like I said, spreading generosity, hanging out with the fans, supporting the military, which is obviously close to my heart. And so, can’t wait to get it started next week in Kansas City.

What’s the ideal preparation of Crown Royal? Are you someone who likes throwing in a cocktail? Do you like to sip it on the rocks? What are we going with?

I’m more of a rocks guy, but back when I was hitting the club up, it was a crown and coke, having a good time.

That’s a classic, you can never go wrong with it.

Yeah. It was big one with the team, too. A lot of people on the team loved a Crown Royal.

Obviously, we’re here because the NFL season is right around the corner. And I guess just broadly, how are we feeling about the NFL season being back?

I mean, come on, the NFL has something that no other sport has, not even close, it’s the drama every season. You always have your contenders, but you know for sure there’s going to be three or four teams that surprise everybody. For sure, there’s gonna be some of those “contenders” that fall off, like Philly did last year, that aren’t as good. It’s exciting to see, and right now, I know I’m being a homer here a little bit, but Kansas City, best team in the NFL, I think you’re foolish, honestly, and I think you’re just trying to be a contrarian, if you don’t pick them right now to go back to the Super Bowl. Of course, anything can happen health wise, but they’ve gotten better. They look great, defense, offense.

But other teams, love what the Baltimore Ravens have done. I think Philly, I think they’re gonna be a different team. They’re gonna be right back on top. They got the new coordinators, Vic Fangio and Kellen Moore, that’s gonna make a huge difference for them. And then you got the outliers, like let’s see Aaron Rodgers out there with the Jets, if he can get it back that old flavor that he used to have, that MVP-type level, who knows what they can do? So it’s exciting, the NFL, they’ve got it. It’s a great product that I love watching.

I was going to ask about them in a sec, but I want to just ask about Kansas City, because obviously, you had such a great career there, now they’re the team to beat in the NFL year over year. And I’m always interested in how they seem to find another gear once the playoffs roll around. What do you attribute that to? Is that just, like, we have Mahomes, it’s winning time, we know that he’s just going to be able to get the job done. Or do you think there’s something else to that?

No, it’s a combination of things. You have Hall of Famers — Hall of Fame coach, Andy Reid has always been one of the best, just couldn’t get over the hump because he didn’t have the quarterback. Donovan McNabb’s a good quarterback, but he’s not Patrick Mahomes. You get Patrick Mahomes, and you combine it with Andy Reid, it’s kind of like [Bill] Belichick combined with Tom Brady. It’s a perfect storm, and they’re going to be great for a long time, and when they get to the playoffs, those guys step up, and it starts at the top.

Then on defense, Chris Jones. Chris Jones, always, he’s having a good year, good year, gets in the playoffs and just takes control of the games, unstoppable. And that’s the difference between good players and great players, and great players with the best in the league. And then the best in the league with some of the best of all time. This is kind of like the Dak Prescott thing — great during the regular season, get to the playoffs, it’s not the same. The other quarterback will play better than you, and that’s the reason why they’re having trouble signing him this year.

So, I think with the Chiefs, get used to this, they’re gonna be good for a long time. And I think this year, this might be the best team that they’ve had in the last three years.

I know you just went through a couple of teams that you find interesting going into this season. You put Philly in there, you put the Ravens in there, a couple others. Is there one that you think is flying under the radar going into this year for one reason or another?

Sure. I will sound like a homer again, but I think the Atlanta Falcons. I think they got a quarterback, and he’s good, Kirk Cousins. They have offensive weapons, they went out and got Matthew Judon for the defense. They got Jessie Bates, A.J. Terrell, one of the best corners in the league. They’re somebody that could surprise some people, and if they get hot, they can beat you, they can beat any team in NFC. They can beat San Francisco, they can beat Philly. But yeah, I think them, and then maybe a dark horse in the AFC, I would go back to the Jets. If the Jets stay healthy, and Aaron’s Aaron, watch out. They can light it up and do pretty well.

I’d be remiss if I did not ask someone who’s on the tight end Mount Rushmore about what we’re seeing in the position in the NFL right now, because you turn on any game and it seems like you’re guaranteed at least one elite tight end. Do you feel like the position has evolved in the decade or so you’ve been out of the league? Or is this just a matter of, listen, there’s a lot of talent coming in, it is kind of inevitable that this was going to happen?

I think it’s evolved, for sure, just like it evolved when I got in the league. When I got in the league, it was three-point stance and blocking half the time. And not that I didn’t do the three point stance, I’m still from that old school tight end you had to block, put hands on people and block them. But I started, one of the things that I did, it was like, hey, put me in the spot, put me at wide receiver, line me up all over the field. And you’re seeing, I mean, Travis Kelce, Kyle Pitts, [Dalton] Kincaid, all these young tight ends that, they hardly ever put their hand in the dirt. I mean, maybe five, six times a game, otherwise they’re staying up and blocking from there, too.

But the position has evolved, and it’s been great, and you’re seeing every team, you have to have one. You have to have one to be successful, because it’s such a weapon for a quarterback and your receivers. That’s why these guys are blowing up the league. They’re the personalities of the league, the tight ends, and they drive that offense, they’re leaders on the offense. Hopefully they start paying them more, they need to pay them like a wide receiver, as far as I’m concerned.

And then my last question, such a big part of your story is that you’re, in addition to a great football player, one hell of a basketball player. If you were to make a starting five of the best basketball players you were around in the NFL, who would you pick?

Well, me. Antonio Gates — I’m gonna name a lot of tight ends now! I think Jimmy Graham. I’m gonna go with an old name, Andre Risen. He was a great point guard. And then Greg Jennings. Is that five? I think that’s five right there, that’s a great starting five right there. And Julius Peppers, too. I gotta put him in there.

Fans have been waiting for a new album from Cardi B since her 2018 debut Invasion Of Privacy. It looks like they might finally get it this soon, as Cardi has once again indicated.

On September 2, Cardi shared a tweet saying she’s sold over half a million album units in the US this year, despite Invasion Of Privacy being her only album. Cardi added, “Album still sellin like good quality p*ssy ….OKAY OKAY let me stop playing and drop this second album.”

Cardi has put fans on a bit of a roller coaster in 2024. In May, she wrote on X (formerly Twitter), “NO album this year I don’t care I’m relaxing this year ..Dropping these features I already committed to and traveling and enjoying my summer.”

She did a 180 a couple months later, though, when she wrote, “I wanna say this to Bardi gang or anybody who’s just a fan of my music or even my craziness. I have my good days and my bad days but you know what, whether it’s good or bad I couldn’t be happier with the obvious anticipation for my album..Sometimes I get a little aggressive because yall know I don’t like to be told what to do but I promise you it’s coming THIS YEAR. Thank you for the love and anticipation and always holding me down [heart emoji] I love yall.”

Katy Perry‘s new music hasn’t set the world on fire, but people sure are talking about recent racy comments she made about her love language.

While appearing on the Call Her Daddy podcast, Perry shared an X-rated confession about how she receives and expresses love in a relationship.

“If I come downstairs and the kitchen is clean, and you’ve done it all, and you’ve done all the dishes, and you’ve closed all the pantry doors, you better be ready to get your d*ck sucked,” she said.

Perry, who has been engaged to Pirates Of The Caribbean actor Orlando Bloom since 2019, continued, “I mean like literally, that is my love language. I don’t need a red Ferrari! I can buy a red Ferrari. Just do the f*cking dishes! I will suck your d*ck! It’s that easy!” Bloom is living a teenage dream.

The “Woman’s World” singer also revealed that she’s “no longer attracted to narcissists” and “anyone that is constantly changing the goal post, or pulling the rug out from you emotionally. Not it. Anyone that says they know you better than you know yourself. Someone that won’t just help.” This is a possible reference to her ex-husband, Russell Brand, who has pivoted from stand-up comedy clubs to touring with Tucker Carlson.

You can listen to the podcast below.

Billie Eilish can make hits just about anywhere, it seems. She previously spoke about writing “No Time To Die” in the back of a tour bus with Finneas. It turns out the vehicle doesn’t even need to be that big to serve as a musical space for the sibling collaborators.

Eilish was a guest on Jimmy Kimmel Live! last night (September 3), and she shared a behind-the-scenes video of her and Finneas working on “Birds Of A Feather” in the back of an SUV. She also described the version of the song heard in that video as “absolute poop.”

Kimmel also showed off a clip of Eilish having a friendly and personal reaction with some fans after her last visit to the show. Eilish explained:

“What’s been so cool is that all of these fans, all of my little family, we’ve been growing up at the same time. So many kids, especially in LA because I’m from here and I’m around and stuff, when I was first starting out there would be certain kids that I would see at everything I would do, and we were all the same age. So they would come to stuff and I would see them multiple times a year and then not for a couple years, and then I’d see them again. Over the years I’ve seen the same faces multiple times, and it feels like seeing my old friends again.”

Watch the full interview above.

Last month, Rosalía teamed up with Lisa on the fiery track, “New Woman.” But that isn’t the only track Rosalía had tucked away.

In 2022, the “Despechá RMX” singer released her critically acclaimed album, Motomami. Now, Rosalía is ready to craft a follow-up project.

During an interview Highsnobiety, Rosalía confirmed that she is currently hard on work on the highly anticipated body of work. When asked about the album, Rosalía replied: “It’s been a process. I’ve changed a lot, but at the same time, I’m still wrapping my head around the same things. It’s like I still have the same questions and the same desire to answer them. I still have the same love for the past and the same curiosity for the future.”

Not much is known about the project as it still in the beginning stages. However, Rosalía did share that her musical influences include Bon Iver, Kate Bush, Aphex Twin, and Janis Joplin. “These influences are still current influences,” she said. “But right now, I’d also say my biggest influences are reading paper books.”

While a 2024 release would be a pleasant treat for support. But with only a few months left in the year, that seems highly unlikely.

In July, Halsey called out their fan base for its “awful” treatment. Now, it appears that they are on back in a good place. Today (September 3), the “Lonely Is The Muse” singer launched an interactive experience to pull supporters into Halsey’s The Great Impersonator album rollout.

Over on X (formerly Twitter), Halsey announced a full-on international scavenger hunt with a cryptic video teaser (viewable here). “My next trick is not mine at all,” they voice in the clip. “It’s yours. Tomorrow, you will reveal the album cover for ‘The Great Impersonator’ along with 4 variants. I have hidden 5 time capsules from 5 different decades at special locations in the following cities: London, New York, Toronto, Los Angeles, and Sydney.”

Before you rush out to become the first person to unlock the visual, Halsey makes it clear that it is a group effort. “I will reveal the clues on socials along the way,” they narrate. “You must work together, as the next city’s clues will not be revealed until the previous city is found. Don’t blink… or you’ll miss it.”

If you are unable to tie up your boot to conquer this quest, Halsey have another way to keep you involved. On the forthcoming album’s promotional website, Halsey promised to keep supporters updated on the scavenger hunt’s progress. Find more information here.

Peyton and Eli Manning have carved out an interesting little niche on ESPN. On a number of occasions during the NFL season, the two brothers host their own simulcast of Monday Night Football called the ManningCast, where they’ll discuss the game as it is happening and welcome guests, which can get off the rails pretty quickly.

There’s a tough balance for the brothers to strike, with one frequent line of criticism being that they can get too sidetracked by the conversations they have with their guests at the expense of the game happening in front of them. But this year, Peyton Manning says that is going to change, which he explained on the Bussin’ With the Boys podcast.

“We have these guests on, we’ve learned that when we’re interviewing a guest about why they love football, we’ve gotta cut them off and say, ‘hold that thought, I’ve gotta tell you what Aaron Rodgers just did here,’” Manning said. “Eli and I weren’t doing that enough because we didn’t want to be rude. We didn’t want to interrupt y’all, but fans have kind of spoken in a little study that we did and said hey, we want to hear about the big plays that happen.”

Personally, I know my favorite stuff on the ManningCast comes when Eli and Peyton dive deep into breaking down what just happened during a game — Peyton, in particular, is unable to turn off the thing in his brain that made him such an incredible quarterback when something gets him really riled up, which makes for incredibly compelling television. For as much as it’s great that they can get guests and steer their conversations into some pretty strange places, at the end of the day, the ManningCast is a place for a pair of Super Bowl MVPs to talk ball, and it’s good to see that will be a priority this season.

[h/t Awful Announcing]

Love it or hate it, Taylor Swift and the National Football League’s (NFL) marketing bond remains strong. So, if you thought that Swiftie fever would die off you would be wrong.

Yesterday (September 2), the NFL shared its latest promotional video for the 2024-2025 season. Although the nearly thirty-second clip (viewable here) features many of the league’s star players and last season’s breakout moments. However, music lovers couldn’t help notice the multiple cutaways to Taylor Swift.

No, you shouldn’t expect to see Swift run a route or score on the field. But if you want to see Swift chugging drinks, swag surfing, sporting viral custom fashion looks, or enjoying her lavish Super Bowl suite, you are in luck.

After the “Fortnight” singer began dating Travis Kelce, Swift’s support quickly made its way into Kansas City’s Arrowhead Stadium sky box. The couple’s romance has even bled into Swift’s The Eras Tour.

Initially, supers fanatics were furious with the NFL following its frequent featuring of Swift dubbing it an obsession. Others even demanded that Swift not be allowed to attend games.

Despite all the public backlash, according to reports, Swift’s outward support of the Kansas City Chiefs had a positive impact on the franchise. One of the metrics showed a 30-percent increase in the team’s fan base.

Except for a few pending events, music festival season is nearly over in the US. But don’t fret, when one outdoor programming calendar closes, another opens. The lineup for Lollapalooza’s 2025 installment in Chile has been revealed.

Today (September 3), the organization announced Justin Timberlake, Olivia Rodrigo, Shawn Mendes, Alanis Morissette, Tool, and Rüfüs Du Sol will headline the multi-day event. Across March 21, 22, and 23 of 2025, international acts and regional favorites will establish roots in Santiago’s Parque Cerrillos.

In addition to the marquee performers, other notable acts on the lineup include Uproxx cover star Tate McRae, Zedd, Rawayana, Teddy Swims, Fontaines D.C., and Jpegmafia.

Tickets for Lollapalooza Chile 2025 will be released in waves. Currently, those interested in attending can snag their tickets as part of the early bird special (1,000 tickets allotted), then pre-sale 1 (4,000 tickets allotted), pre-sale 2 (6,000 tickets allotted), and pre-sale 3 (6,000 tickets allotted) before regular price. With each ticketing group ticket values increase. Early bird tickets start at $138 whereas the regular price ticket group is listed at $374.

View the full lineup below by via of the forthcoming festival’s official flyer. Lollapalooza Chile 2025 is set to take place between March 21 and 23 in Santiago, Chile at Parque Cerrillos. Tickets for Lollapalooza are on sale now. Find more information here.

Music lovers in San Francisco were eagerly awaiting Elton John’s headlining concert during Dreamforce 2024 on September 18. Sadly, last month the “Bennie And The Jets” singer’s highly anticipated appearance was abruptly canceled. Today (September 3), the reason for the sudden pull out might’ve been revealed.

In a statement posted Instagram (viewable here), Elton John revealed he has been silently recovering from an intense medical ailment.

“Over the summer, I’ve been dealing with a severe eye infection that has unfortunately left me with only limited vision in one eye,” he wrote. “I am healing, but it’s an extremely slow process, and it will take some time before sight returns to the impacted eye.”

He closed the note with an upbeat attitude about his road to recovery, writing: “I am so grateful for the excellent team of doctors and nurses and my family, who have taken such good care of me over the last several weeks. I have been quietly spending the summer recuperating at home, and am feeling positive about the progress I have made in my healing and recovery this far.”

In August 2023, Elton John was temporarily hospitalized after a nasty fall at home. But after treatment he bounced back with the support of his medical team and family. Supporters are hoping for the same with his eye infection.