Vanderbilt entered the Associated Press women's basketball Top 25 on Monday at No. 23, its first ranking in more than a decade, while Texas returned to the top five and Ohio State and Duke both jumped back into the top 10.

Shea Ralph's Vanderbilt team is in the poll for the first time since Feb. 10, 2014, and has two wins over ranked teams for the first time since the 2015-16 season. The Commodores topped then-No. 19 Alabama on Sunday as the Crimson Tide were one of a dozen ranked teams to lose last week.

The top four teams remained the same as UCLA, South Carolina, Notre Dame and USC all avoided upsets last week. The Bruins received 31 first-place ballots from the 32-member national media panel after winning their three games on an eight-day East Coast trip. They beat then-No. 25 Baylor, Rutgers and formerly eighth-ranked Maryland.

UCLA, which picked up two first-place votes this week, is the only undefeated team left in Division I basketball after then-No. 5 LSU lost to the Gamecocks. South Carolina garnered the other top vote.

Texas leapfrogged UConn to move up to fifth and the Huskies remained sixth. LSU dropped to seventh. Ohio State, which also beat Maryland, moved up four places to eighth. The Terrapins dropped to 14th after losing all three of their games last week.

TCU and Duke rounded out the top 10. The Horned Frogs split a pair of games with Oklahoma State and Baylor.

In and out

Oklahoma State and Florida State reentered the rankings this week at Nos. 24 and 25, respectively. The Seminoles were ranked in the preseason poll and topped North Carolina on a buzzer-beater by last week's AP Player of the Week, Ta'Niya Latson. The Cowgirls have been in and out of the poll the past few weeks.

Michigan, Minnesota and Baylor all fell out.

Oh baby!

Tennessee coach Kim Caldwell gave birth to her first child a week ago and was returning for the 18th-ranked Lady Vols' game against South Carolina on Monday night. Caldwell gave birth to Conor Scott a week earlier while dealing with the flu. She missed a single game, an 80-76 loss at No. 7 Texas on Thursday, as assistant Jenna Burdette filled in as acting coach.

Conference breakdown

The Southeastern Conference had eight teams ranked this week and the ACC has seven. The Big Ten dropped to five teams with Michigan and Minnesota exiting the poll. The Big 12 has four ranked teams and the Big East one.

Games of the week

Columbia at Harvard, Friday. The undefeated Lions will visit the Crimson in a battle for first place in the Ivy League. Columbia is undefeated while Harvard has one loss, a last-second defeat at Princeton.

No. 12 Kentucky at No. 13 Oklahoma, Sunday. The Wildcats will visit the SEC newcomer Sooners. Kentucky is currently in a tie for second in the conference standings at 6-1.

Auburn keeps winning games that come down to the wire. It has kept them on top of the AP Top 25, too.

The Tigers were the unanimous choice atop the men's college basketball poll for the second consecutive week Monday, getting all 62 votes from the national media panel. Their place at No. 1 was solidified when Miles Kelly hit a go-ahead 3-pointer with 30 seconds left to propel Auburn to a 53-51 victory over then-No. 6 Tennessee this weekend.

"We can play better, and we still were able to beat a great team," Tigers coach Bruce Pearl said. "We've won four of the last six games in the last possession. It's going to be a battle every night, but we're happy with this one because that's a great team."

The Tigers got All-American forward Johnni Broome back from an ankle injury that had sidelined him for two games. He led the way with 16 points, 12 rebounds and four blocked shots against the Vols.

The Tigers led a top-five that was unchanged from the previous week. Duke remained No. 2, followed by Iowa State, Alabama and Florida, which rallied to beat South Carolina early in the week before a resounding victory over Georgia.

The big changes came elsewhere in the Top 25.

Houston climbed one spot to No. 6, thanks to a rout of Utah and a frantic, double-overtime win at Kansas.

"Our kids have a clear understanding of how it is we win," Cougars coach Kelvin Sampson said. "The way we won in double-overtime, I think it speaks to this program's culture, how tough our kids are and our ability to hang in there, you know?"

Michigan State moved up one spot to No. 7 and was followed by the Vols, who balanced out their close loss to Auburn by beating No. 14 Mississippi State. Marquette and Purdue -- which beat then-No. 21 Michigan -- rounded out the top 10.

Kansas moved up one spot to No. 11, despite the loss to the Cougars, while Kentucky fell three spots to No. 12 after losing to Vanderbilt. Texas A&M and Mississippi State were next after each went 1-1 on the week, and St. John's leapt five spots to No. 15 after beating Xavier in overtime, matching the best ranking for the Red Storm since Dec. 29, 2014.

Oregon was No. 16 and followed by Wisconsin, Illinois, Memphis and Missouri. Louisville continued its climb, now up to No. 21, and was followed by Texas Tech, which entered the poll after two wins last week. Mississippi fell to No. 23, Vanderbilt broke into the poll at No. 24 and two-time defending national champ UConn fell to No. 25 after its loss to Xavier.

Rising and falling

St. John's and Memphis made the biggest jumps, climbing five spots this week. The Red Storm have won six straight since a loss to Creighton, while the Tigers have won seven of their last eight and are tied atop the American Athletic Conference.

Ole Miss fell seven spots after close losses to Texas A&M and Missouri, while UConn tumbled six but remained in the Top 25 for the 52nd straight week - the fourth-longest streak behind Houston (98), Kansas (77) and Tennessee (72).

In and out

Texas Tech made its Top 25 season debut at No. 22 after beating Cincinnati and Oklahoma State to run its Big 12 winning streak to four games. Vanderbilt entered the poll at No. 24 for the first time since Dec. 7, 2015, as the women's team also cracked the poll this week for the first time since 2014.

Their spots came at the expense of Michigan and West Virginia, which lost both of their games to unranked teams last week.

Conference watch

The SEC continued to dominate the Top 25 with three teams in the top five, four in the top 10 and 10 in the poll overall. The Big Ten was next with five ranked teams; the Big 12 had four, the Big East three, the ACC two and the American had one.

The University of Florida has closed its investigation into Gators men's basketball coach Todd Golden after finding "no evidence" that he violated Title IX, the school said Monday.

The four-month investigation followed a complaint filed against Golden on Sept. 27 that included allegations of sexual harassment, sexual exploitation, stalking and cyberstalking from multiple women, including students.

"The University of Florida takes these matters seriously and works deliberately to ensure that due process is upheld for everyone," university spokesperson Steve Orlando said in a statement. "After a thorough investigation that included dozens of interviews over the past months, the University of Florida has found no evidence that Todd Golden violated IX. The Title IX office has closed its investigation."

A spokesperson for the University Athletic Association, which oversees Florida athletics, also confirmed to ESPN the review had been completed.

"We take these matters seriously and understand the need for the process to be conducted with strict confidentiality and discretion," the UAA said in a statement. "Throughout this process, Coach Golden has demonstrated tremendous focus and professionalism, and we commend him for that. As the Gators move forward, we reaffirm our commitment to promoting a championship experience with integrity."

The Title IX complaint included allegations that Golden sent photos and videos of his genitalia, made unwanted sexual advances on Instagram and requested sexual favors. The school has declined requests to release records of the complaint.

Golden acknowledged the school inquiry one day after it became public in early November, saying he was participating in the investigation and was considering defamation claims.

"The last several months have been a challenge for my family and me while this process dragged on," Golden said in a statement posted to X on Monday. "We asked for the public to allow the process to work through to its conclusion and not rush to judgment based on allegations. The UAA and so many at the university have been tremendously supportive -- my family and I are extremely grateful."

Golden's attorney, William Shephard, said Monday that the result of the investigation showed the Title IX complaint was "meritless."

"Coach Golden and I have respected the process throughout while actively engaging with the university. However, there were many who did not respect the investigative process," Shephard's statement said. "Instead, they sought to target Coach Golden and drive their agenda and this investigation for their own self-interest. Some leaked confidential material to the media; falsely posed as a UF lawyer in an effort to intimidate; harassed UF students and parents to try to generate a false narrative; and harassed my client, his family, and his friends.

"Coach Golden appreciates the support he and his program have received from so many at the University and from around the country. Now that this is concluded, Coach can continue to focus on the basketball season and consider his legal options in the offseason -- but now it's time to move forward."

Another Title IX case against Florida assistant coach Taurean Green that involves sexual assault allegations is ongoing. An athletic department employee has alleged that Green, a former Florida player who joined the basketball staff in 2022 following a professional basketball career, kissed her and tried to put his hand down her pants in March 2024, according to a complaint reviewed by ESPN earlier this month.

Golden, 39, is in his third season as the head men's basketball coach at Florida. The Gators (18-2, 5-2 SEC) are ranked No. 5 in the AP poll, as the team is off to its best start since Florida reached the Final Four in 2014.

Golden signed a two-year contract extension last March that brought his annual salary to $4 million and puts him under contract through the 2029-30 season.

Prior to being hired in 2022, Golden was the head coach at San Francisco for three seasons, leading the Dons to the NCAA tournament weeks before his departure.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

The Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles are officially headed to Super Bowl LIX, which kicks off at 6:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, Feb. 9, at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans.

With two weeks until the big rematch, we're taking an early look at what you can expect in the matchup. Lindsey Thiry sets it up with what to know, and our NFL Nation reporters Adam Teicher and Tim McManus pick reasons for hope and concern for both teams. Seth Walder gives you some key stats, Matt Bowen picks a key matchup and Eric Moody pulls out an X factor. Aaron Schatz answers big questions surrounding the final game of the season, Dan Graziano judges one potential overreaction and Ben Solak explores the quarterback matchup. And finally, we have early gut-reaction predictions from our experts.

Will Saquon Barkley and the Eagles' offense dominate? Could Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs really pull off the three-peat? Here's everything you need to know.

Jump to a section:
Chiefs | Eagles | Key stats
Matchup keys | Big questions
Overreaction | Quarterbacks
Betting | Predictions

Super Bowl LIX: Chiefs vs. Eagles

When: Sunday, Feb. 9, 6:30 p.m. ET on Fox
Where: Caesars Superdome, New Orleans | Tickets
Opening line, via ESPN BET: KC -1.5 (O/U 49.5)
ESPN's Football Power Index: PHI, 56.2% (by 2.3 points)

This a rematch of Super Bowl LVII, which capped the 2022 season and put the Chiefs on a path toward a historic Super Bowl run. The Chiefs came from behind to defeat the Eagles in that game, 38-35, then went on to defeat the San Francisco 49ers 25-22 in Super Bowl LVIII last season. Now, as the Chiefs make their fifth Super Bowl appearance in the past six seasons, they can become the first team in the Super Bowl era to win three consecutive championships.

Chiefs coach Andy Reid will make his sixth Super Bowl appearance, tying Don Shula for the second most behind only Bill Belichick (nine), and quarterback Patrick Mahomes ties John Elway with the second-most Super Bowl appearances (five) for a starting quarterback. To earn a historic three-peat, Mahomes and the Chiefs must accomplish what few other teams have: Slow down quarterback Jalen Hurts and Saquon Barkley and get by the Eagles' top-rated defense.

After a 2-2 start, Nick Sirianni -- making his second Super Bowl appearance in four seasons as Eagles coach -- made adjustments that enabled the Eagles to win 12 of their final 13 regular-season games. Barkley, who arrived in Philadelphia via free agency over the offseason, led the NFL with 2,005 rushing yards. In the Eagles' three postseason wins, Barkley has scored five touchdowns. Hurts has won five playoff games since 2022, the second most in the NFL during that span behind Mahomes. -- Thiry

Kansas City Chiefs

Regular season: 15-2 | AFC seed: No. 1

Reason for hope: The Chiefs won't necessarily have to score a lot of points to win their third straight Super Bowl because their defense has consistently kept them in games. Kansas City finished the regular season ranked fourth in scoring defense (19.2 points per game). The pass rush, which had 10 sacks combined against the Texans and Bills this postseason, has also been productive of late.

Reason for concern: The protection for quarterback Patrick Mahomes has been shaky at times. Mahomes was sacked 36 times in the regular season, the most in his career, and another five times in the playoffs. The Chiefs benched three different players at left tackle before settling on Joe Thuney, who shifted outside from left guard. The consistent pressure contributed to Mahomes' 67.6 QBR, the second-worst full-season mark of his career. -- Teicher

Philadelphia Eagles

Regular season: 14-3 | NFC seed: No. 2

Reason for hope: The Eagles have the best defense and running game in the NFL -- and they have worked hand in hand. Saquon Barkley is an explosive play waiting to happen, as we saw on the Eagles' first snap of the NFC Championship Game, and he's backed by an offensive line that eventually wears down any opposition through four quarters. With that style of play, it's no surprise Philadelphia ranks No. 1 in time of possession (32:22). That means less stress on a defense that plays with the same type of bully mindset. The defense specializes in taking the ball away, the offense rarely turns the ball over and both sides are as physical as it gets. That makes the Eagles capable of beating any team.

Reason for concern: The passing game has left something to be desired. Some of that can be attributed to a purposefully conservative approach. With the ground game and defense performing at such a high level, there has been an increased focus on not turning the ball over through the air. Quarterback Jalen Hurts has been excellent in that regard, giving the ball away just three times since the Eagles' Week 5 bye. Still, the scheme borders on predictable, and the product should really be better with talents like A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith running routes. -- McManus

Stats to know

The Chiefs' offense is built on throwing the ball frequently and generating yards after catch (YAC). Kansas City ranks second in pass rate over expectation, per NFL Next Gen Stats, meaning it passed far more often than we would expect given game situations than every other team besides Cincinnati. The Chiefs generated 0.16 EPA per play more on dropbacks compared to designed carries. When they do pass, YAC made up 58% of their receiving yards, which leads the league. Wideout Xavier Worthy leads the Chiefs with 439 YAC.

Sure, Brown had a quiet postseason before Sunday, but he had a truly ridiculous season if you're willing to look beyond his somewhat pedestrian 1,067 receiving yards. He recorded 3.3 yards per route run this regular season, which is the fourth-best mark by a receiver since 2007 (minimum 200 routes).

Brown's production was depressed because he missed four games in an already run-heavy offense, but his play was stellar. Another number which backs that up is his 99 mark in ESPN's overall receiver scores -- tracking-based metrics that quantify a player's ability to get open, make the catch and generate YAC relative to expectation. That's the highest overall score by any player since 2017. It would be a mistake to ever count out Brown from having a massive Super Bowl. -- Walder

Inside the matchup

Eagles OLB Nolan Smith Jr. vs. RT Jawaan Taylor

Smith's ability to create pressure off the edge has changed the profile of the Eagles' pass rush. He has four sacks and nine pressures in the playoffs, using his lower-body control to slither around offensive tackles and close on quarterbacks in a hurry. Look for Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio to scheme one-on-ones for Smith against Taylor from wide alignments while also using stunts to loop the outside linebacker inside. -- Bowen

Eagles' X factor: Dallas Goedert, TE

Goedert has been outstanding since returning in the regular-season finale from a knee injury that sidelined him for four weeks. His chemistry with Hurts was on full display against the Commanders. He led the Eagles in receptions (seven), tied Brown in targets (eight) and racked up 85 receiving yards. Goedert should play a key role in the Super Bowl against a Chiefs defense that gave up the most receiving yards per game to tight ends during the regular season.

Chiefs' X factor: Xavier Worthy, WR

Worthy has brought speed and toughness to Kansas City. He led all players with 85 receiving yards in the AFC Championship Game and led the Chiefs with seven targets. His surge in the second half of the season carried into the playoffs, and he has been nearly impossible to contain. The Eagles' secondary will have its hands full trying to slow Worthy down, especially since no team has managed to do so this postseason. He's a key piece of the Chiefs' offense heading into the Super Bowl. -- Moody

Answering big questions

What does history say about the Chiefs' quest to three-peat?

While the Chiefs are trying to become the first team to win three straight Super Bowls, they would not be the first NFL team to three-peat. The Packers won three straight NFL titles during the Curly Lambeau era from 1929 to 1931, although there were no playoff games and only 12 teams in the league. Green Bay also accomplished the feat during the Vince Lombardi era from 1965 to 1967, which included wins in the first two Super Bowls after the 1966 and 1967 seasons.

The Chiefs are the first team to make the Super Bowl in Year 3 after two consecutive championships. Other teams made three straight Super Bowls but lost one of the first two to prevent a three-peat. The 1971-73 Dolphins lost Super Bowl VI to the Cowboys 24-3 before winning the next two championships. The Patriots came close after they won Super Bowl LI thanks to the infamous "28-3" comeback over the Falcons. But they lost to the Eagles in Super Bowl LII before defeating the Rams the next year.

How do these Eagles compare to the 2022 Super Bowl team?

The biggest difference between the 2022 Eagles and the 2024 Eagles comes on offense. Surprisingly, the 2022 Eagles were more efficient running the ball with Miles Sanders as their lead back. Both the standard statistics and advanced metrics tell the same story. The 2022 Eagles averaged 5.9 yards per play overall, while the 2024 Eagles averaged 5.6 yards per play. In 2022, the Eagles ranked fifth in pass DVOA and led the NFL in rush DVOA. This season, the Eagles were only 14th in pass DVOA and sixth in rush DVOA.

Philadelphia did gain more yards per carry in 2024 than two seasons ago (4.9 versus 4.6), so you might be wondering how its DVOA was lower this season. The main reason is carry-by-carry consistency. The 2022 Eagles led the NFL with a 55% success rate on carries. The 2024 Eagles had only a 45% success rate, which ranked sixth. (This does not include scrambles.)

On defense, the big difference is stopping the run. Both the 2022 and 2024 Eagles had stellar defenses, as the 2022 Eagles ranked third in DVOA while the 2024 Eagles ranked first. The 2022 Eagles had the better pass defense; they allowed 4.9 net yards per pass compared to 5.1 this season. But this season's Eagles were much better against the run. The Eagles ranked second in run defense DVOA behind the Broncos, while the 2022 Eagles ranked 19th. -- Schatz

Judging one overreaction: Barkley is going to run all over the Chiefs

Barkley's brilliant season continued Sunday, when he ran 60 yards for a touchdown on the Eagles' first play from scrimmage and finished with 118 rushing yards and three touchdowns in the NFC Championship Game. He has been an unstoppable force all season, cementing himself as one of the great free agent signings of all time and becoming a finalist for the MVP award.

His 2,005 rushing yards during the regular season rank eighth all time, and he has added 442 more over three playoff games. There's little reason to think the Eagles won't rely on him to deliver the second Super Bowl title in franchise history.

The verdict: OVERREACTION

It's not that he can't do it, but rather that the Chiefs aren't likely to make it as easy for him as the Commanders and Rams did the past two weeks. Washington ranked 28th in the league this season in yards allowed per rush (4.8) and 27th in defensive rush success rate (54.9%). The Rams -- against whom Barkley ran for 205 yards in the divisional round -- tied for 23rd (4.6) and 25th (55.5%) in those categories, respectively.

Kansas City, meanwhile, tied for fourth in yards allowed per rush (4.1) and ranked 11th in defensive rush success rate (61.0%).

Barkley can have success against anyone, but the Chiefs are a solid bet to make it more difficult than the Eagles' past two opponents. Also, Washington turned the ball over four times Sunday, while the Chiefs entered the AFC title game on a streak of eight straight games without a turnover. Super Bowl-seasoned Kansas City should be a much tougher overall test for Barkley and the Eagles than upstart Washington. -- Graziano

The quarterback matchup

Mahomes vs. Hurts

Any and every NFL quarterback would be at some disadvantage entering a Super Bowl against Mahomes. This will be Mahomes' fifth appearance in the past six seasons (bonkers), his third consecutive Super Bowl (super bonkers) and potentially the first three-peat Super Bowl championship (unprecedentedly bonkers). While his 2024 numbers aren't nearly as gaudy as those he posted with prime Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce, he has become an unbelievably polished point guard who can erase multiple deficiencies that would otherwise cripple an NFL offense. The left tackle problems and the lack of a WR1 should have mattered for Kansas City, but they haven't.

Hurts has come under scrutiny for shaky postseason play in a very cushioned role in the Eagles' offense, but the NFC Championship Game was a nice reminder of his peak performances. He was far from perfect but made accurate throws into one-on-one coverage and bought time against big blitz looks. He isn't asked to do as much in this offense as he was two years ago, yet he can still make opponents pay when they sell out against the run.

The big difference between these two, and perhaps the deciding factor in their rematch? Their play against pressure. Mahomes, with a liability at left tackle for much of the season, ranks second in the league in success rate when pressured and fourth in EPA per dropback. Hurts -- behind the best line in the league -- is 19th and 14th, respectively. -- Solak

Betting nuggets

• The Eagles entered the season 11-1 to win the Super Bowl and +550 to win the NFC. They were tied for the second favorites to win the NFC entering the season with the Lions, trailing the 49ers (+260).

• Underdogs have won three of the past four Super Bowls. Since 2007, underdogs are 10-7 outright and 12-5 against the spread in the Super Bowl.

• The Eagles are 13-7 against the spread this season, including the playoffs.

• The Chiefs are 8-11 ATS. If they win the Super Bowl, they will have the worst ATS record by a Super Bowl champion (2021 Rams were 10-11).

More Super Bowl LIX odds and trends

Gut-reaction predictions

Stephania Bell, NFL injury analyst: Chiefs. I learned my lesson after picking against them last year; the more intense the competition, the more they rise to the occasion.

Matt Bowen, NFL analyst: Eagles. I'll take the Philly run game with Barkley and a pass rush that can win on the edges, while also creating interior pressure to disrupt Mahomes' timing.

Matt Miller, NFL draft analyst: Chiefs. I have a rule to never pick against Mahomes in the Super Bowl. It's that simple.

Dan Graziano, NFL national reporter: Chiefs. They are inevitable.

Eric Moody, fantasy analyst: Chiefs. Mahomes and the Chiefs' offense might not look as explosive as in past seasons, but they deliver when it matters most. Add in a Kansas City defense that's playing at a high level, and this team is tough to beat.

Dan Orlovsky, NFL analyst: Chiefs. Because it's the Chiefs.

Aaron Schatz, NFL analyst: Chiefs. They are peaking at the right time, and I am worried about the injuries on the Eagles' interior offensive line .(Landon Dickerson left the NFC Championship Game with a knee injury.)

Lindsey Thiry, NFL national reporter: Chiefs. There's no way you can pick against coach Andy Reid and Mahomes. Time and again, all they do is win.

Seth Walder, analytics writer: Eagles. They're a complete team with strength built on strength built on strength. They'll avenge their Super Bowl LVII loss.

Seth Wickersham, NFL writer: Chiefs. It's too hard to beat the Reid/Mahomes/whichever receiver has a big game/Steve Spagnuolo combo.

Field Yates, NFL analyst: Chiefs. Like Matt Miller, there are a few rules in life that I will forever follow. Near the top of that list is not to pick against Mahomes in the Super Bowl. The Chiefs make history with a three-peat.

Two-time All-Star Isaiah Thomas is pursuing another NBA return, signing into the G League and rejoining the Utah Jazz's Salt Lake City affiliate, sources told ESPN.

Thomas, 35, is expected to debut for the Stars this week, sources said.

Last season, Thomas averaged 33 points and made 25 3-pointers in four G League games, earning a call-up to the Suns. He signed a pair of 10-day contracts with the Suns beginning in March 2024 before inking a deal for the rest of the season -- completing his comeback to the league after 23 months away.

Thomas has played 12 NBA season for 10 teams, averaging 17.5 points and 4.8 assists over 556 games.

An NBA All-Star in 2016 and 2017, the 5-foot-9 guard finished fifth in NBA MVP voting when he averaged 28.9 points for the Boston Celtics during the 2016-17 season.

Reigning two-time NBA slam dunk contest champion Mac McClung will compete in this year's event at All-Star Weekend in San Francisco, sources tell ESPN.

McClung, who signed a two-way contract with the Orlando Magic in October, will look to claim the first dunk contest three-peat.

The return of McClung means the four-man field is set. McClung will compete against San Antonio Spurs rookie Stephon Castle, Chicago Bulls rookie Matas Buzelis and Milwaukee Bucks second-year player Andre Jackson Jr.

The 6-foot-2 McClung dunked over 7-foot-1 Hall of Famer Shaquille O'Neal last year in Indianapolis to become the fifth player in NBA history to win back-to-back dunk contests.

No player has ever won three consecutive dunk contests, though Nate Robinson is a three-time champion.

A guard, McClung led the G League in scoring with 25.7 points per game in 2023-24, and was named G League MVP for the Osceola Magic.

McClung, 26, played collegiately for Georgetown and Texas Tech.

Retired five-time All-Star outfielder Adam Jones is returning to the Baltimore Orioles as a special adviser to general manager Mike Elias as well as a community ambassador.

The Orioles announced the move Monday. Jones will advise Elias on various matters while serving as a resource for the rest of the baseball operations department and for players.

"I am grateful for the Orioles relationships I have formed since my retirement, which have led us to this exciting partnership. Having the opportunity to be around the game that I love, while also learning the operations side of baseball from one of the best general managers is truly an honor," Jones said in a statement released by the team.

"I am happy to be a resource for the Orioles organization and will offer everything I've learned from past experience to help the team succeed. Baltimore has always meant so much to me, and this unique role will allow me to continue giving back to the community I love. This is a special opportunity and I'm eager to embrace it fully."

Jones will begin this new role by working as a guest coach at the Orioles' spring training camp in Sarasota, Florida.

Jones played for the Orioles from 2008 to 2018 and won four Gold Gloves during that stretch. He made the AL All-Star team in 2009 and every year from 2012 to 2015.

He also played with the Seattle Mariners (2006-07) and Arizona Diamondbacks (2019) before officially retiring as an Oriole on Sept. 15, 2023.

Jones ranks fourth in Orioles history in at-bats and total bases and fifth in runs, homers, RBIs and extra-base hits.

He was a three-time nominee for the Roberto Clemente Award given annually to the MLB player who best exemplifies the game of baseball, sportsmanship, community involvement and contribution to a team. During his playing career, Jones was involved with the Boys and Girls Club of Metropolitan Baltimore, the Orioles RBI program and the Maryland YMCA.