Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson engineered quite the turnaround in his first season on the job. After finishing in last place in the NFC North last season, the Bears clinched the division crown in 2025. Quarterback Caleb Williams showed tremendous growth after a rocky rookie season and the team finished in the top 10 in points per game.
But Johnson isn’t satisfied with simply winning division titles. He wants more. So, when the Bears’ offense came out flat early in Week 18 — not scoring for three straight quarters against the Detroit Lions — Johnson took notice.
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After the game, a 19-16 loss, Johnson called out the offense’s execution, saying he was “not pleased” with the way it operated, per ESPN.
“I was not pleased with the offense today,” Johnson said.
He added: “We can’t dig ourselves in a hole like that. I was disappointed with the offense as a whole. I let those guys know that. And we’ll be better for it.”
Johnson later added that the team’s game plan was fairly simple, and that he would have to look into why the Bears weren’t able to execute it.
Williams, similarly, agreed with the head coach’s assessment, admitting the offense came out “flat” in Week 18.
“We came out a little flat, and I think we’ve got to work on having urgency from the jump and get that going,” Williams said.
Williams added that the Bears need to be better on “both sides of the ball.” After giving up 42 points to the San Francisco 49ers in Week 17, the Bears’ defense did bounce back slightly against the Lions. The team utilized its usual bend-but-don’t-break defense, limiting the Lions mostly to field goals once the team got into the red zone.
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But with the offense failing to gain traction early, that wasn’t good enough to pick up a win.
In the end, the loss didn’t hurt Chicago too much. The team still earned the No. 2 seed in the NFC after the Philadelphia Eagles lost their Week 18 game to the Washington Commanders.
That gives the Bears until Saturday to get things turned around. The team will need to figure that out quickly, as the rival Green Bay Packers come to town, marking the third time the teams will play each other this season.
The Bears should be plenty fired up for that matchup. But they’ll need to execute in all phases — something the team couldn’t do in Week 18 — if they hope to win.
Has Steve Kerr forgotten that Stephen Curry is still a superstar? Kerr went on The Tom Tolbert Show last week and essentially said that since the Warriors are no longer a top-tier team, they’re not going to sacrifice long-term assets to increase their short-term chances. Here’s his quote:
“To be in the final eight and give ourselves an opportunity, that’s what we want this year and there’s no reason why we can’t give ourselves that opportunity. I just don’t want anybody to think that we’re all disillusioned and we’re thinking we should be competing for titles year in and year out with San Antonio and Oklahoma City the next few. That’s not realistic.”
You’d think Kerr would know better than anyone, as both a coach and a former player, how fragile repeat bids are. OKC has to prove it can do it again, and San Antonio has not proven anything yet. Golden State’s record is only 19-17, and for the third-consecutive year it looks headed for the play-in. But at age 37, Curry is having one of his most efficient high-volume scoring seasons, averaging 28.8 points per game (fourth best of his career) on 64.2% true shooting (fifth best of his career). Curry’s production is not nostalgia, and any time you’ve got a player of that caliber you at least have a chance. This is why treating more magnificent Curry runs as “not realistic” is such a strange position. But it got weirder:
“So what does that mean for us? … If there’s something that makes us better, for sure. But all you have to do is look at some of these teams out there that have given up the world for a star player and now they’re looking around like: the Clippers, no picks. Phoenix, no picks. Milwaukee, no picks. So you can really paint yourselves into a corner if you’re risky and irresponsible.”
(Mallory Bielecki/Yahoo Sports Illustration)
Kerr isn’t wrong about these cautionary tales. The league is littered with teams that cashed out every pick and woke up old, expensive and trapped. But there is a difference between being reckless and having conviction. The Warriors are choosing caution anyway.
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Acquiring Jimmy Butler last season wasn’t enough. Butler is a very good player who provides the variety the Warriors need with slashing to the rim and a ton of drawn fouls. He keeps Golden State’s offense afloat when Steph isn’t on the floor. But the Warriors didn’t have to give up a lot to get him: Andrew Wiggins, a 2025 first and contract filler. The Warriors got him at a discount because his off-court volatility depressed his market. He’s no longer in his prime. At age 36, Butler takes only 11.8 shots per game. He doesn’t live in Playoff Jimmy mode the way he once did. He was a true buy-low acquisition who stabilizes the Warriors, but doesn’t make them frightening.
Kerr’s “irresponsible” label is a smokescreen because even after acquiring Butler, the Warriors still have the full rights to their own firsts in every year except for 2030. That year, they can trade the rights to their pick only if it lands in the top 20. This means Golden State can trade up to three unprotected firsts (2026, 2028 and 2032), three swaps (2027, 2029 and 2031), and one protected first (2030). That’s a lot of ammo to use for moves and still have some left over.
The Warriors actually have the infrastructure to support a winner. Quinten Post is looking like a steal, one of the rare 7-footers who can protect the rim, move the ball and space the floor. Their defense is sturdier with his size next to an aging Draymond Green. Trayce Jackson-Davis, Will Richard, Pat Spencer and Gui Santos look like legitimate good-team rotation players with their blend of hustle, smarts and skill. Even Brandin Podziemski, often the whipping boy for frustrated fans, is settling in with more off-ball responsibility. The bones of a contender are there. This is not a roster that needs patience. Which is why clinging to every future pick is backward.
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One year ago around this time, the Warriors were singing a similar tune. Green said he, Curry, and Kerr “all disagree with mortgaging off the future.” At the time, I argued that if the Warriors weren’t willing to go all-in, then either Steph should look for a new team or the Warriors should blow it up. Those perspectives, and the one you’re reading now, are all a rejection of the two timelines purgatory that Joe Lacob and the front office have been trying to sell.
The Warriors seem paralyzed by a sunk-cost obsession with the Jonathan Kuminga era. They are terrified of him becoming a star elsewhere, even though he clearly doesn’t fit the Kerr system. While it seems highly probable Kuminga will get moved by the Feb. 5 trade deadline, that fear-of-missing-out logic is exactly why they’re unwilling to trade future assets for a legitimate co-star. This is coming from a franchise that, with its recent picks, took Kuminga one spot ahead of Franz Wagner, James Wiseman over LaMelo Ball, and Moses Moody with Alperen Şengün and Trey Murphy III both on the board.
What the Warriors need is what they wish Kuminga could’ve been: a two-way wing with size who can offer shooting and secondary scoring.
Finding that player begins with Kuminga. All summer, the Bulls, Kings and Suns were the teams most often linked to him. But nothing panned out with Chicago, and Golden State didn’t want what Sacramento or Phoenix offered. Recently, it’s been the Mavericks linked to Kuminga due to the Anthony Davis situation. But unless the Warriors are willing to part with Draymond, getting AD is financially impossible. So, who are the Kuminga teams?
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League sources told Yahoo Sports at least three other teams have been linked to Kuminga: the Blazers, Pelicans and Wizards.
Hypothetically, Portland has Jerami Grant or Jrue Holiday to realistically offer in a trade. The Warriors are already small enough as is because Kerr has leaned heavily into three-guard and four-guard lineups, so Holiday should probably be avoided by general manager Mike Dunleavy. But Grant makes sense. At age 31, Grant is the odd man out for a young Portland team, but he can still offer versatile defense, reliable 3-point shooting and some shot creation.
New Orleans offers the best prizes though in Murphy and Herb Jones. Dunleavy should try to get both. Murphy is a versatile 6-foot-8 defender and an elite, high-volume shooter who would thrive in the Kerr motion offense. Jones is a terrifying defensive presence who could take the toughest perimeter assignment off Draymond’s aging shoulders. They would change the complexion of the entire Golden State roster. What is the harm in surrendering multiple first-rounders and Kuminga to secure a duo that would help the Warriors push for another title?
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And if that doesn’t work, you pick up the phone and call Brooklyn. Michael Porter Jr. is currently averaging nearly 26 points a night and hitting 41% from deep. There is no better single fit for the Warriors than him. But around the league, word has been since the summer that the Nets have little-to-no interest in Kuminga. If that’s true, a three-team framework is a clean workaround.
The door shouldn’t be slammed shut on Butler or Green deals either. One of them would have to go if the Warriors had a chance to land Giannis Antetokounmpo anyway, with Butler’s $48.7 million salary being a perfect match for a deal. The Giannis dream aside, it’s hard to imagine too many deals that’d make sense involving Butler.
Green’s case is more complex: At age 35, he hasn’t shown he can be an All-Defensive player on a night-in, night-out basis. For only the second time in his Warriors tenure, the team is statistically better defensively when he’s off the floor than when he’s on. We’ve seen a lot of that lately: Draymond has been ejected twice in recent weeks, and even removed himself from a game after a heated discussion on the bench with Kerr.
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Green has been in Golden State since the beginning. It’s hard to believe Steph would approve of moving his longtime running mate, and it’d be a shocker if the Warriors were to go behind his back to make the move. But if the goal is a fifth ring, and the perfect deal comes along, sentimentality has to go out the window along with those future picks.
Nobody is asking Golden State to do something stupid. The point is to do something decisive when Curry is still great enough to justify an aggressive bet. Kerr wants fans to believe the team is being smart by taking a long view. But the only truly irresponsible outcome is the one they’re drifting toward: wasting elite Curry seasons to hoard draft picks that might never open a championship window.
The 2025-26 NFL regular season is over, as we turn attention toward the 14 teams remaining and Super Bowl LX in a few weeks in Santa Clara, California.
And as odd as it may have sounded before the season, Sam Darnold and the Seattle Seahawks are the Super Bowl favorites at sportsbooks entering the playoffs for the first time since 2014. The Seahawks opened with 60-1 odds at BetMGM to win Super Bowl 60.
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Darnold led Seattle to a 14-3 record, an NFC West division title and the NFC’s No. 1 seed, including a 13-3 victory on Saturday night in Week 18 over the San Francisco 49ers. The Seahawks have +400 odds to win Super Bowl 60 at BetMGM, just ahead of potential MVP Matthew Stafford’s Los Angeles Rams (+425).
$50,000 on the Seahawks to win Super Bowl 60 at 60-1 odds to win $3 million
$50,000 on the Seahawks to win NFC at 28-1 odds to win $1.4 million
$50,000 on the Seahawks to make playoffs at +185 odds to win $92,500
The bettor would win just under $4.5 million if Seattle wins the Super Bowl.
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Bo Nix and the AFC’s No. 1-seeded Denver Broncos have the next-best odds at +650. The Broncos have a first-round bye and went 8-1 at home this season, although they were only 5-4 against the spread at Mile High.
The defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles (+900) are the only other team with odds better than 10-1, and Philadelphia is a 3.5-point home favorite against the San Francisco 49ers (25-1 to win Super Bowl) in the first round.
Josh Allen’s Buffalo Bills and Drake Maye’s New England Patriots both have 10-1 odds, followed by the Houston Texans (13-1) and Jacksonville Jaguars (15-1). This will be the first postseason Allen has played in that won’t have Patrick Mahomes, Joe Burrow and Lamar Jackson in it. Heading into Week 18, the Bills had the most wagers (10.3%) and total dollars wagered (14%) of any team to win the Super Bowl at BetMGM.
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Aaron Rodgers and the Pittsburgh Steelers, who fell into a playoff spot with a 26-24 win on Sunday night after Baltimore Ravens kicker Tyler Loop missed a potential game-winning 44-yard field goal, have the second-longest odds at 50-1. The Steelers host the Texans in the wild-card round and are 3-point home underdogs currently.
The Carolina Panthers, winners of the NFC South with an 8-9 record, have the longest odds of any NFL team to win Super Bowl 60 at 150-1.
With two seconds left on the clock, the Baltimore Ravens put their season in a rookie’s hands. Kicker Tyler Loop trotted out to the field looking to send his team to the postseason with a 44-yard field goal.
His kick missed, sailing to the right of the goal posts, ending the Ravens’ season and sending the Pittsburgh Steelers to the playoffs. As Steelers players erupted in celebration on the field and sideline, Loop grabbed his face mask and slumped over, visibly shaken by the miss.
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Despite failing in the biggest moment of his career, Loop met with reporters and took questions after the game. He took responsibility for the miss, saying he simply “mishit the ball.”
Loop took questions for over seven minutes before the interview ended.
The 24-year-old rookie experienced moments of brilliance after the team selected him in the sixth round of the 2025 NFL Draft. Prior to Week 18, Loop was perfect on every field goal attempt from 0-49 yards during the regular season. His three misses had come from 50+ yards. That changed in the closing seconds of Sunday’s game.
Overall, it was an encouraging rookie season for a player who was replacing a Ravens legend. Loop was brought in after the team cut ties with longtime kicker Justin Tucker, who served a 10-game suspension this season after being accused of sexual misconduct.
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Prior to Week 18, that looked to be a wise decision, as Loop generally performed well during the regular season. Despite his high-profile miss Sunday, Loop should return as the Ravens’ starter next season.
While he doesn’t have a say in that decision, it probably helps that Ravens players had Loop’s back after the missed kick. Multiple players consoled Loop on the field and as he was walking to the tunnel after the game.
Lamar Jackson took some responsibility off Loop as well, saying he’s just a “rookie” and will need to “leave [the miss] in the past.”
Derrick Henry had similar advice for Loop, saying the rookie should “keep his spirits up.”
With the Ravens out of the playoffs for the first time since 2021, the team will look to regroup ahead of the 2026 NFL season. After his miss Sunday, Loop might have more motivation than any player on the Ravens to get back out on the field.
Welcome back to The Playlist, your weekly guide to the best waiver adds across 9-cat and standard points leagues. And, as always: many of the Week 12 High Score recommendations (Donte DiVincenzo, Isaiah Stewart, Nikola Jović, Ayo Dosunmu, Peyton Watson) also hold real value here. Double-check your wire before digging deeper — several of those guys shouldn’t be sitting in competitive leagues.
Alright, back to business. Here are the 50%-and-under plays that can help you win Week 12.
Nesmith needs to be added because the Pacers will be without Bennedict Mathurin (thumb) for what could be weeks. On Sunday, Nesmith had his best all-around performance of the season, scoring 25 points with 8 assists, 4 rebounds and 2 blocks on 50% shooting.
Don’t expect that many assists every night; however, without Mathurin, he’ll have a bigger offensive role in the short term. He’s a strong asset in 9-cat and points in Week 12 (and beyond) because the Pacers play all three games on the lightest slates this week.
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Jake LaRavia – SF/PF – Los Angeles Lakers (21% rostered)
Until Austin Reaves is ready to return, LaRavia is a must-roster player. He’s gone off in the Lakers’ past two games, averaging 23.5 points, 7.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 2.0 stocks in 36 minutes.
The Lakers play three games in four nights from Tuesday through Friday, so a possible rest day for LeBron James or Luka Dončić can’t be out of the question. Either way, LaRavia can help fantasy managers in 9-cat or points leagues in Week 12.
Jay Huff – C, Indiana Pacers (17% rostered)
Huff may have been dropped in your league because of his inconsistent numbers, but I’m streaming him for blocks and 3s while Isaiah Jackson is out with a concussion. Huff’s contributions to points and rebounding are sporadic; however, if he pushes past 20 minutes, he has a top-100 profile in 9-cat formats.
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Indiana’s frontcourt injuries and schedule make him a player to stream on the days with a smaller slate. Huff’s been a top-90 player over the past month.
Hunter is more of a points league streaming option this week with the Cavs playing on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Hunter’s usage has remained at 21% despite coming off the bench, but he’s actually improved his true-shooting percentage.
That said, he’s playing fewer minutes as a bench guy, but in a week where every additional counting stat matters, give Hunter a look.
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Sandro Mamukelashvili – PF/C, Toronto Raptors (17% rostered)
“Mamu” is officially out of the deep flier category with Raptors starting center Jakob Poeltl out with a lingering back injury. Mamu should be a target for anyone looking to stream on Monday, because he’s efficient and makes an impact whenever he’s on the floor.
In Saturday’s win over Atlanta, Mamu delivered 13 points with 12 rebounds, 8 assists, 1 steal and 3 blocks in 32 minutes. That’s the type of ceiling we’re looking at here and in Week 12, you should pick him up for Monday’s game and let it ride.
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🎧 Who’s in My Rotation: Deeper leagues
Max Christie – SG/SF, Dallas Mavericks (13% rostered)
I like Christie for 9-cat and points leagues. He was a top-50 player in 9-cat last week after averaging 22/4/3 on 66% shooting from the field. He won’t stay that hot, but the minutes and opportunity are there.
Dallas plays Sacramento, Utah and Chicago on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, so load up on Christie as well as other Mavs players like Naji Marshall and Brandon Williams.
Kevin Huerter – SG/SF, Chicago Bulls (11% rostered)
I previously mentioned picking up Ayo Dosunmu from the Bulls, and Huerter was my 1B with Josh Giddey and Coby White out. Huerter’s done a good job of filling in some necessary gaps in rebounding and scoring.
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In four games last week, Huerter finished 77th in 9-cat leagues. His FG% is a constant hit-or-miss, but he can help your counting stats. Huerter is an expensive option for either format.
Clint Capela – C, Houston Rockets (4% rostered)
Listen, Capela is definitely not the guy I’d want on my team in 2025, but the truth of the matter is: next man up. Alperen Şengün and Steven Adams are both dealing with ankle injuries. Stevens is questionable on Monday, but there’s still a massive void in the Rockets’ frontcourt. Houston could elect to play small; however, Capela did work in his 27 minutes on Saturday, proving that he still has something in the tank.
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He scored 8 points with 8 rebounds, 2 assists, 5 steals and 2 blocks. Even in a limited role, Capela remains a plus-rebounder and decent defender, which gives him instant streaming value in 9-cat or points leagues.
Sam Merrill – SG/SF, Cleveland Cavaliers (8% rostered)
Merrill benefits from a good schedule (as discussed with De’Andre Hunter). Still, fantasy managers need to understand that he is primarily a one-trick pony who occasionally can get some steals.
If you pick up Merrill, you’re doing it for his 3s. He hit five 3s on Sunday, so he can surely help fantasy managers looking to gain an edge in that area.
Every league is different — sometimes you’ll see an 80%-rostered player on waivers because they’ve been underperforming or someone got impatient. If you think they make sense for your build, by all means — do your thing.
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That said, the below recs are players under 50% rostered who you can realistically pick up in most leagues.
The Wolves play on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday — all lighter nights where DiVincenzo becomes much easier to start. Donte’s minutes have remained secure, as the Wolves still lack a true point guard outside of Mike Conley.
DiVincenzo’s been holding it down though, scoring 50, 39 and 36 fantasy points in High Score over the past three weeks. Given the schedule and his ability to score more than 30 fantasy points each week, he’s worth streaming.
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Nikola Jović – FC, Miami Heat (24% rostered)
Jović has posted 46 fantasy points in each of the past two scoring periods, showing improved usage, shot confidence and sneaky playmaking. The numbers don’t lie, as Jović is averaging nearly 15 points with 5 rebounds, 5 assists and over a steal per game over his last six outings. Despite playing under 30 minutes in those games, he’s producing and has an ideal streaming schedule with the Heat playing on Tuesday, Thursday, plus a Saturday/Sunday back-to-back in Week 12.
Isaiah Stewart – FC, Detroit Pistons (23% rostered)
Stewart quietly sits among the league leaders in blocks, and that alone makes him a High Score factor — but Week 12 gives him a bigger boost: Jalen Duren is out, opening up more minutes, boards and defensive responsibilities. I’d start Beef Stew on Monday and then wait and see for the rest of the week. It’ll be hard to start him on Wednesday’s 10-game slate and then the Pistons don’t play again until Saturday. Still, when his minutes hit the low-to-mid-30s, he’s averaged 14 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists and 3.5 blocks per game.
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Peyton Watson – FC, Denver Nuggets (27% rostered)
Denver’s starters are slowly working their way back into the fold, but Watson continues to impress. He’s scored at least 21 points in his last three games, and for fantasy, provided no fewer than 34 fantasy points in those contests.
The Nuggets need his defense and transition offense, leaving his role secure while the team awaits the Joker’s return and for other key players to ramp up their minutes. The Nuggets’ schedule isn’t great; however, Watson can be a fill-in option for anyone needing 30-35 points off the waiver wire.
Ayo Dosunmu – G/FC, Chicago Bulls (23% rostered)
Dosunmu becomes a solid streaming option for Week 12 with Coby White and Josh Giddey sidelined, leaving Chicago thin in the backcourt. Ayo has responded with 31+ fantasy points in four straight games, thanks to his mixed bag of scoring, rebounding and assists. He’s surprisingly averaging six assists over his last four contests, providing a boost for his value in High Score. The Bulls’ Week 12 schedule also sets up nicely — a game to start the week on Monday, with a couple of smaller-slate nights, gives fantasy managers the chance to fit Ayo into lineups with ease.
Nick Sirianni looked tired. Yes, he was under the harsh light, literal and metaphorical, of a press conference after a losing game. His Eagles had just lost to the Commanders, surrendering the No. 2 seed in the playoffs, in large part because Sirianni had decided to rest his starters in advance of the playoffs.
But still, Sirianni looked weary, bearing an expression at the end of the long regular season all too familiar to parents of small children at the end of a long holiday break: Are we done with all this yet? Please?
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The Eagles clinched a playoff berth several weeks ago. And although it seems like forever ago, the Eagles are, in fact, the defending Super Bowl champions. These two facts should make anyone involved with the Eagles organization, as either player or fan, at least mildly optimistic about the next five weeks.
And yet, there’s a pervading sense of doom that’s hung over this franchise all season … and Sunday’s loss to the Commanders put a woeful period on a less-than-inspiring regular season. Yes, the Eagles finished the season 11-6, clinching another division title and nabbing the third seed in the playoffs. But was this the result of the Eagles’ success, or the abject futility of the rest of the NFC East? The Eagles have a chance to answer that question, starting Sunday … though the question got tougher because of what happened in Week 18.
Nick Sirianni walks off the field after the Eagles lost to the Washington Commanders in the regular season finale. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)
(Emilee Chinn via Getty Images)
Sirianni’s decision to rest the starters in Sunday’s loss carried significant potential playoff consequences. Thanks to Chicago’s loss to Detroit, Philadelphia would have claimed the No. 2 seed with a win. That No. 2 seed would have given the Eagles a game against the reeling Packers — losers of four straight — rather than the 12-5 49ers, and the added bonus of a guaranteed second home game should they advance. Instead, Philadelphia will play San Francisco, and then — if seeds hold — would need to travel to Chicago for the divisional round.
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To Sirianni, the need for rest was more important than any opponent or future-site hypothetical. “That’s your job as a head coach, you have to make tough decisions,” he said after the game. “And that’s why half the people are going to agree with it, half the people aren’t. Half you guys (in the media) are going to agree with it, half you aren’t, and that’s OK. But you have to do what you think’s best for the football team.”
To hear the fans say it, what’s best for the 2025 Eagles would probably be to put them out of their misery now rather than waiting until the playoffs. The Eagles’ offense has struggled both in the air and on the ground this season. Philadelphia ranks below the league average in total yards per game, passing yards per game, first downs, third- and fourth-down conversion percentage … pick a category, and the Eagles likely underperformed.
Jalen Hurts ranked 16th in the NFL in passing yardage and 12th in passer rating. AJ Brown saw substantial declines in yards per reception and yards per game from his All-Pro 2024 season. Some regression was obviously in the cards for Saquon Barkley, but he dropped from 2,005 yards and 13 touchdowns in 2004 to 1,140 and seven touchdowns over the same 16-game period in 2025.
The thinking around Philadelphia is that former OC Kellen Moore took all his offensive genius with him to New Orleans, and replacement Kevin Patullo hasn’t been able to craft a suitably explosive sequel. The result: a team that’s lost to all three of its division rivals despite comfortably claiming a playoff berth over them all.
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Here’s the great thing about the postseason, though: it can power-wash away all blemishes. If Philadelphia is able to make a run — if, thanks to Sunday’s breather, the offense is rested and rejuvenated — then no one will much care about what sports-talk radio callers were screaming about back in October.
The path is still clear here for the Eagles, who face the 49ers on Sunday at 4:30. Philly is a 3.5-point favorite, per BetMGM, even though the 49ers won 12 games in a far more difficult division.
There’s a bit of grim history here for Philadelphia. Back in December 2023, the last time these two teams played, the Eagles came into the game 10-1 and rolling. But San Francisco blew the doors off the Eagles, 42-19, and Philadelphia then went on to lose five of its last six and bow meekly out of the playoffs. This year’s 49er squad is banged up, with key players lost for the year on defense and Brock Purdy rocky after some late-game hits against Seattle.
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The opportunity is there for the Eagles to wash away the lingering stench of this regular season. Hell, they even have the well-worn musical accompaniment all lined up. Now, as the playoffs begin, they just need to remember how to fly.
The New York Giants are showing faith in general manager Joe Schoen despite another losing season. The team will retain Schoen for the 2026 NFL season despite parting ways with head coach Brian Daboll in November, the team announced.
Schoen was originally hired by the team ahead of the 2022 NFL season. After helping the team go 9-7-1 and make the playoffs in his first year on the job, Schoen has overseen a Giants franchise that has a 13-38 record over the past three seasons.
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Despite that, the Giants will give Schoen another year to get things right. The team announced Monday that Schoen will lead the search for the team’s next head coach.
Given the team’s recent struggles, Schoen will need to make sure he finds a candidate who can immediately jell with the team’s current core and turn the Giants back into winners. While Schoen was retained Monday, he could have a short leash if the Giants struggle again next season.
While Schoen’s draft picks have been hit or miss, his success in 2025 may have led to him keeping the job another year. Jaxson Dart — the team’s first-round pick in the draft — showed promise in his brief stint as a starter and has an intriguing dual-threat ability that could entice the team’s next head coach. Prior to a devastating ankle injury, Cam Skattebo looked like an impact player at running back. Despite middling numbers, the team’s other first-round pick from the 2025 NFL Draft — Abdul Carter — rated out well according to PFF’s metrics. Schoen is also responsible for drafting Malik Nabers in 2024. Nabers was set for another excellent season before going down with a torn ACL in Week 4.
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Schoen also is responsible for selecting Deonte Banks, Tyler Nubin, Evan Neal and John Michael Schmitz in either the first or second round of recent drafts. None of those players has lived up to expectations yet, either due to on-field performance or injury.
Schoen should have another opportunity to add an impact player in the 2026 NFL Draft. Though the Giants had a shot at the No. 1 overall pick, the team pulled off a surprising upset over the Dallas Cowboys in Week 18. Because of that, the Giants will pick fifth in the 2026 NFL Draft. It’s not the No. 1 overall pick, but it should still net the team an elite talent.
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Following three straight miserable seasons, Schoen will need to hit on both that draft pick and the team’s next head coach if he wants to remain in his role for years to come. The Giants showed faith in Schoen by bringing him back despite some rocky results, but that could erode quickly if the team’s young core doesn’t come together next season.
Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett is the NFL’s new single-season sack leader.
Garrett secured the record Sunday against Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals with his 23rd sack of the season. The Browns beat the Bengals 20-18.
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A week after not recording a sack against the Pittsburgh Steelers, the star pass rusher needed almost the entire game to break the record. While he had a few close calls Sunday, Garrett came up short until roughly five minutes were left in the contest.
On a first-and-10 with 5:17 to go, Garrett sped past tackle Orlando Brown Jr., immediately putting pressure on Burrow. With the pocket collapsing and nowhere to go, Burrow started going to ground just as Garrett put a hand on the quarterback.
“I had a dream that I didn’t get it,” Garrett said afterward, “so it’s like, we gotta deny fate, whatever it is, you know, we gotta make it happen. I just went into it and still had the utmost confidence in myself and my preparation, and in my guys, man. I couldn’t do it without them.”
With that sack, Garrett stands alone on the single-season all-time sack leaderboard. He surpassed both New York Giants defensive end Michael Strahan and current Pittsburgh Steelers pass rusher T.J. Watt, who previously shared the record with 22.5 sacks in a single season.
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Not only did Garrett break the sack record, he did it with a faster get-off speed than any player on any single sack in the NFL all season. Per Next Gen Stats, Garrett’s get-off was 0.23 seconds on the record-breaking play.
“Probably the best get-off I ever had,” Garrett said.
Garrett stood up and raised both hands in the air, and other Browns defenders celebrated Garrett’s accomplishment, with defensive tackle Shelby Harris jokingly high-fiving the referee. The rest of the Browns’ defense then rushed to celebrate with Garrett, as the broadcast cut to an image of Garrett’s parents celebrating in the stands.
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Garrett’s immediate reaction was captured by microphones, as he was mic’d up during the game.
How’s he going to celebrate?
“Probably with some pizza and ice cream,” Garrett said.
Some pretty notable names congratulated Garrett on the record, including LeBron James, Patrick Mahomes and Micah Parsons.
“We’re playing for our lives here, and I was never told that we’re gonna stop the game,” Taylor said. “And in a critical moment like that. And the refs just said that they made a decision that they were gonna stop the game. And they said they tried to do it as quickly as possible. I didn’t feel that.”
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Last season, Garrett became the youngest player to reach 100 career sacks, accomplishing the feat the week before his 29th birthday. He also tied Hall of Famers Bruce Smith and Lawrence Taylor as the fourth fastest to reach the milestone, doing so in 115 games. Garrett has been a monster, bullying offensive linemen and terrorizing quarterbacks since entering the league as the No. 1 overall pick for the Browns in 2017. He’s had double-digit sacks in eight of his first nine seasons in the NFL.
Despite Garrett’s work toward a record-breaking season in Cleveland, his frustration with the franchise has at times overshadowed his accomplishments. The Browns finished 5-12, and Garrett’s history chasing efforts have really been the only thing for fans to cheer for in Cleveland. Garrett signed a four-year contract extension last offseason worth $160 million and $123.5 in guaranteed money after publicly requesting a trade, and he didn’t hold back in his frustration with the losing earlier this season following a five-sack day in a blowout loss to New England.
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Over the past five years, Garrett has totaled no fewer than 14 sacks in each of those seasons. That includes his 2023 Defensive Player of the Year campaign, during which he finished with 14 sacks and was named first-team All-Pro for the third time.
Garrett is the overwhelming favorite to win Defensive Player of the Year again with BetMGM. Sunday’s historic sack will only help his case.
That diagnosis was seemingly confirmed Monday, as Ian Rapoport said exams revealed a sprained AC joint that will not require surgery. It’s the best-case scenario for Ward as he heads into the offseason.
Still, the injury to Ward’s throwing shoulder is cause for obvious concern as he preps for his second season in the NFL.
Ward left the game after scoring a running touchdown on Tennessee’s opening drive that stood as its only score of the game. He took a shot to his upper body as he crossed the goal line and went into the sideline medical tent after the play. He then walked to the locker room on the ensuing Jacksonville possession.
Ward did not return to the lineup for Tennessee’s next possession. His backup, Brandon Allen, took over at quarterback and the Titans eventually lost, 41-7.
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Tennessee initially listed Ward as questionable to return with a right shoulder injury, then ruled him out before the end of the first quarter.
The No. 1 pick in April’s NFL Draft, Ward had previously played every offensive snap of Tennessee’s season.
While the 3-13 Titans entered Sunday having long been eliminated from the playoffs, the Jaguars had plenty at stake in Sunday’s game. With the win, the Jaguars clinched the AFC South title over the Houston Texans. They still have an outside shot at securing the No. 1 seed in the AFC playoffs. They need the Denver Broncos and New England Patriots to both lose to do so.
Ward finishes his rookie season having completed 59.8% of his passes for 3,169 yards with 15 touchdowns and 7 interceptions. He added 39 carries for 159 yards and 2 touchdowns on the ground. He finished Sunday’s game 3-for-3 passing for 52 yards with 2 carries for 11 yards and a score.
