Category: Sport

The NFL offseason has begun, and Yahoo Sports is previewing the coming months for all 32 teams, from free agency through the draft and more.

AFC East: Bills | Dolphins | Patriots | Jets
AFC North: Ravens | Bengals | Browns | Steelers
AFC South: Texans | Colts | Jaguars | Titans
AFC West: Broncos | Chiefs | Raiders | Chargers
NFC East: Cowboys | Giants | Eagles | Commanders
NFC North: Bears | Lions | Packers | Vikings
NFC South: Falcons | Panthers | Saints | Buccaneers
NFC West: Cardinals | Rams | 49ers | Seahawks

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2025 season record: 4-12 (u 9.5 wins), third in NFC East, missed playoffs, 23rd in DVOA

Overview

After a season when everything broke right for the Commanders, just about everything went wrong in 2025. The recent failed campaign followed an offseason when the franchise pushed some chips into the middle of the table to capitalize on a surprising Year 1 of the new regime. Last season, Washington went 7-2 in games decided by seven points or fewer. The Commanders were 0-5 in those games this past season.

The offense didn’t take a step forward, even early in the season when Jayden Daniels was healthy before missing 10 games due to multiple injuries. Marcus Mariota filled in admirably at times, but without Daniels, the Commanders missed the explosive element in both the pass and run games. Washington went from scoring on 50% of its drives in 2024 (second) to 37.4% (21st). Terry McLaurin also missed time after his hold-in during the offseason while he waited for a contract extension. Daniels and McLaurin played only 138 snaps together in 2025.

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Any potential improvement for the defense never came, either. The Commanders spent most of the season getting gashed in the passing game and head coach Dan Quinn took over play-calling duties for defensive coordinator Joe Whitt late in the season. That didn’t change much as Washington finished the season in the bottom five of defensive DVOA. Now Whitt and offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury are not coming back next season while QB coach David Blough has been promoted to OC and Daronte Jones takes over as DC.

[Get more Commanders news: Washington team feed]

While the Commanders still have the bones of the impressive 2024 team — and a likely healthy Daniels set to return — this is a franchise that will have to step back and retool a bit earlier than expected.

Cap/cuts outlook

Washington has just over $76 million in effective salary cap space, per Over The Cap, the fifth most in the league. Part of this stems from the short-term deals the Commanders have given out to veterans over the past two seasons under general manager Adam Peters. Washington currently has only 35 players under contract for the 2026 season. With a lack of draft capital, the Commanders could face a similar situation, bringing in moderately priced veterans on one- or two-year deals. But that strategy made Washington the oldest team by snap-weighted age in each of the past two seasons. If the Commanders want to free up more space, moving on from CB Marshon Lattimore would open up another $18.5 million, the most likely cap cut on the roster after a disappointing stint following the 2024 midseason trade.

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Key pending free agents

WR Deebo Samuel
LB Bobby Wagner
TE Zach Ertz
OG Chris Paul
EDGE Von Miller
P Tress Way
QB Marcus Mariota

Outside of team success, the Deebo Samuel trade went about as well as the Commanders could have hoped. He was the right kind of No. 2 alongside Terry McLaurin and had enough juice to lead the receiver room when McLaurin was out. Ertz and Wagner were two of the original veteran additions. Ertz tore his ACL late in the season. Wagner continues to put up high tackle numbers, but needs to be hidden in pass coverage. Way could be a high-priority free agent. He had the second-highest rate of punts landing inside the 20 and the Commanders pinned opponents to the worst starting field position after punts.

Positional needs

Edge
Secondary
Wide receiver

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Washington manufactured an OK pass rush — the Commanders ranked 15th in pressure rate when rushing four — but didn’t have a reliable pass rusher to win one-on-ones, especially once Dorance Armstrong got hurt. Most of the pressure came from the interior defensive line and blitzing linebackers.

The Commanders came into the season with one of the worst secondary rooms in the league and they might have underperformed expectations. Washington was 31st in EPA per play against the pass. CB Mike Sainristil bounced between the slot and outside and never fully looked comfortable in either. CB Marshon Lattimore battled injuries and inconsistency, and he was arrested on a weapons charge in January. Washington was one of three teams, along with the Giants and Jets, to not have an interception on a pass of 20 or more air yards.

With Deebo Samuel a free agent, the Commanders don’t have much behind Terry McLaurin. Even if Samuel comes back, having a third wide receiver — or even a pass-catching tight end — should be necessary to build out the offense. A lack of a second outside receiver also condensed the offensive formation, which resulted in Washington running into heavier boxes, a year after the Commanders found success on the ground running into the lightest boxes in the league.

2026 NFL Draft picks

1st round, pick No. 7
3rd round, pick No. 71
5th round
6th round
6th round (MIN)
7th round

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Good draft fit

Keldric Faulk, DE, Auburn

Faulk would instantly improve Washington’s run defense and has strong upside as a pass rusher. The Commanders need a premium piece like him as they being their restructuring on that side of the ball.

What could move the fantasy needle in 2026?

Don’t cut corners

The Commanders moved on from both of their coordinators less than one year after playing the NFC championship game. Life comes at you fast in the NFL and this team is guilty of resting on its 2024 laurels to far too high a degree. The Commanders tried to cut corners and left significant holes in their offensive weaponry. The running back room and outside receiver position were ignored in the offseason and the lack of depth was exposed throughout the season. Moving on from Kliff Kingsbury signals they know they need to change their stripes on offense this coming season. We’ll see how Blough works out but it’s the right idea, even if Kingsbury was great for this team in 2024. — Matt Harmon

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Betting nugget

It was a hugely disappointing season all around for the Commanders as Jayden Daniels was injured for most of the year and Washington (5-12) went way under its preseason win total of 9.5. — Ben Fawkes

Nate Tice & Matt Harmon give their instant reactions and takeaways from a very fun NFL Wild Card Weekend. The two hosts start with the New England Patriots taking care of business against the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday night by blowing up Justin Herbert and the LA offense. Next up, the duo cover the San Francisco 49ers pulling off the upset against the Philadelphia Eagles (where does Philly go from here?) and the Buffalo Bills getting a huge win despite a valiant effort by the Jacksonville Jaguars.

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Later, Nate & Matt recap the two Saturday games, as the Chicago Bears won a crazy one over the Green Bay Packers (should they make a coaching change?) and the Los Angeles Rams narrowly escaped what would’ve been a devastating loss to the Carolina Panthers.

(3:25) – Patriots beat Chargers

(20:50) – 49ers beat Eagles

(41:15) – Bills beat Jaguars

(58:50) – Bears beat Packers

(1:20:50) – Rams beat Panthers

🖥️ Watch this full episode on YouTube

Check out the rest of the Yahoo Sports podcast family at https://apple.co/3zEuTQj or at Yahoo Sports Podcasts

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — On Day 1, Mike Vrabel stepped to his first New England Patriots podium with a steel blue suit on his shoulders and a titanium standard on his mind.

Win the AFC East.

Host playoff games (plural) at Gillette Stadium.

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Compete for championships.

“I want to galvanize our football team,” he said last January, following team owner Robert Kraft’s introduction of Vrabel as the Patriots’ head coach. “I want to galvanize this building. I want to galvanize our fans.”

As declarations go, it was the kind of message that wins the first news conference and injects oxygen into the lungs of ownership. At best, Vrabel was delivering a rallying cry that he actually believed. At worst, well, this was a franchise coming off the misery of consecutive 4-13 seasons. Bill Belichick was gone and soured. Tom Brady was free to find his next horizon. Everyone knew what the worst felt like. They were living it. And getting out might as well have been billed as the Boston area’s next Big Dig: a project that would surely be marked by years, maybe decades, maybe generations. After all, that’s how long it took for the Patriots to position themselves for their first Super Bowl win.

Yet there was Vrabel on Sunday night — 363 days into this job — smiling through a busted lip that was absorbed during a fit of joy from Patriots defensive tackle Milton Williams, who accidentally head-butted his head coach during a bear hug during New England’s 16-3 win wild-card playoff win over the Los Angeles Chargers.

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“We talked to them about being willing to spill some blood out there, that the big dogs come out in January,” Vrabel said Sunday. “I think Milt took that to heart in the way that he played the game — in the way he finished the game. He came over and got me pretty good. That’s what happens.”

And who could blame Williams? It was a victory that established at least a few things about these Patriots that should matter. Something along the lines of …

Even on a lagging day offensively, New England can lean on defense to beat the brakes off a playoff-minted opponent. This is a hallmark of teams that have a legitimate Super Bowl shot.

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We can stop talking about the Patriots’ 14-3 regular-season record as if it was nothing more than vulture-feasting on mediocrity. Beating your schedule is beating your schedule — and whatever measure of respect that you earn along the way should include the postseason.

And finally, when Vrabel laid down what he wanted the New England standard to be last January, it wasn’t just talk or parroting what every coach says on their first day. It also wasn’t just achievable on some distant horizon.

Consider that in less than one calendar year Vrabel ticked off two of his three never-ending goals in New England. He won the AFC East on Day 349. And on Sunday, Day 363, the Patriots beat the Chargers and guaranteed a second home playoff game in the divisional round against either the Pittsburgh Steelers or Houston Texans. That puts the Patriots two wins from playing for a championship among an AFC playoff field where every single team has some kind of Achilles’ heel.

This is how you galvanize a team, a building and a fan base: You say what you’re about, and then you be about it.

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That’s what New England did Sunday. A night when quarterback Drake Maye had several good moments stitched around a pair of turnovers and five sacks. When the running game wasn’t explosive — but was strong and consistent enough to wear down a talented and violent Chargers defense. And when the Patriots’ own defense battered Los Angeles quarterback Justin Herbert with six sacks and enough hard hits to actually wonder if Herbert would make it out of Sunday without serious injury.

As Patriots wideout Stefon Diggs framed it Sunday through raised eyebrows: “I don’t know how many yards [the Chargers] had, but our defense looks like they’re back in rare form.”

For the record, the Chargers had only 207 total yards. And New England also limited them to 1-of-10 on third down and 1-of-3 on fourth down.

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“[The defense] probably got tired of hearing me talk about [the Chargers] being fourth in the league in third down and what they were able to do as an offense,” Vrabel mused.

Even with the two turnovers from Maye, it was easy to see that Vrabel was encouraged by what he saw from his defense, as well as the play-calling of inside linebackers coach Zak Kuhr, who became the team’s de-facto defensive coordinator early this season in the midst of Terrell Williams’ battle with prostate cancer. It was Kuhr whom Vrabel credited with dialing up different looks Sunday that repeatedly rattled or hammered Herbert with pressure.

“Zak was able to change up some calls there at the end and I felt like that mixed the pressure in, because that’s what we felt like we needed,” Vrabel said.

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The Chargers admitted they didn’t have many answers to the scheme, Patriots linebacker Robert Spillane shared with reporters postgame.

“He keeps offenses guessing. All year he’s been doing that. After the game, talking to a few of the guys on their team, they had no clue what were doing. And they came up and said that, ‘We have no clue what you guys were in all game.’”

Few will recall it from his introductory news conference, but in a way, Vrabel foreshadowed Kuhr’s expanding role and performance. He teased the MVP-level strides of Maye and the veteran contributions from Diggs and running back Rhamondre Stevenson and a vast litany of depth and role players — whether rookies or journeymen. Not by actually predicting them, but by simply stating what the mentality of this Patriots team would be from inside out.

Leaders wouldn’t be built. They would be discovered.

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“We’re going to have leaders,” Vrabel predicted back in January. “Leaders are going to identify themselves. I know that our staff and our ability to create winners and competitors [is] probably easier than it is to create leaders — and the leaders are going to identify themselves. The leaders are going to be the ones that define the culture. The culture will be what drives and gives you the results that we’re all after.”

“We just want to be good enough to take advantage of bad football,” Vrabel said. “That’s where we’re going to start. That’s what I’ve tried to tell all the players is [the situation] right now. I don’t know if we’re good enough to take advantage of bad football. I’m not sure. … But if we can just work towards taking advantage of bad football and being good enough to — when somebody makes a mistake — capitalizing on it and not being the ones that make the mistakes, focusing on the little things and the details and helping them do their job better, that’s a great place to start.”

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That’s where it started. Sunday is where it continued. From taking advantage of bad football to forcing it.

And along the way, ticking off the goals that seemed a little more distant than they’ve turned out to be.

The Los Angeles Chargers have experienced plenty of regular-season success under Jim Harbaugh, but the postseason is a different story. In two playoff games under Harbaugh, the Chargers’ offense scored just 15 points. Following the team’s 16-3 loss to the New England Patriots on Sunday, the coach declined to address questions aimed at the job security of offensive coordinator Greg Roman.

When asked about Roman’s position, Harbaugh simply told reporters, “We’re going to look at that and everything.” Roman joined the last offseason, and helped engineer the team’s turnaround in 2024. Coming off a five-win season in 2023, the Chargers improved to 11 wins in 2024, and the team’s offense played a significant role in that improvement, jumping from 21st in points scored to 11th in Roman’s first season.

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[Get more Chargers news: Los Angeles team feed]

But the team saw regression in 2025. The Chargers dropped to 22nd in points scored despite another strong statistical year from Justin Herbert. There were plenty of reasons for the team’s decline, as it experienced a number of injuries on its offensive line and lost both starting running backs to injuries throughout the season.

Still, the team’s struggles in the playoffs speak volumes. Through two playoff games under Harbaugh and Roman, the Chargers have 22 offensive drives and just one touchdown.

While Roman has a long history of coaching roles in the NFL, he really rose to prominence as the Baltimore Ravens’ offensive coordinator. Known mostly for engineering elite run games, Roman played a major role in helping the Ravens reach the playoffs in three of his four seasons with the team.

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But, once again, playoff success eluded Roman and the team. The Ravens went just 1-3 in the postseason during Roman’s stretch as the team’s offensive coordinator. The team scored three, 12 and 17 points in those losses.

To make matters even worse, Patriots linebacker Robert Spillane claimed some Chargers players told him they had no idea what formations the Patriots were using on defense.

While Patriots defensive coordinator Terrell Williams deserves credit for that, it doesn’t speak well of Roman that his players were telling an opponent they couldn’t figure out the Patriots’ defense.

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Despite the team’s struggles, the Chargers are still in solid shape heading into the offseason. The team has won 11 games in each of its past two seasons and Herbert remains under contract through 2029. Whether the Chargers decide to make a change at offensive coordinator, the team will still be projected to be a competitor in 2026.

But the team’s lack of success in the postseason could still prove to be Roman’s undoing. Under Harbaugh, the Chargers proved they can win in the regular season. That puts even more pressure on the team to execute on the biggest stage.

In just two games, the Chargers haven’t shown the ability to do that with Roman running the offense. That’s a small sample, but one that’s tough to ignore when the team has shown its good enough to make the playoffs multiple years in a row.

Welcome to The High Score Playlist, my weekly column that lets you know who to add off the waiver wire and get in your lineup for the upcoming week of fantasy basketball. You can also check out my 9-cat and standard points leagues pickups column for additional advice if you’re in more traditional formats.

Every league is different — sometimes a 75% rostered player hits waivers, and it’s a gift. If they fit your build, go get ’em. But for this column, we’re focusing on players under 50% rostered who are widely available and ready to help in Week 13.

🎧 Who’s in My Rotation: High Score

Cam Spencer – G, Memphis Grizzlies (24% rostered)

Spencer has quietly stepped into a high-usage role for Memphis, which is not only without Ja Morant but is reportedly exploring trade options for him. That leaves Spencer — a surprisingly natural playmaker — as one of the few facilitators left standing. He’s dished out 11+ assists in back-to-back games, looking like a legitimate double-double threat. Spencer put up a season-high 48 fantasy points in Week 12, a good sign of things to come.

One downside, though — the Grizzlies only play two games this week, so he’s more of a long-term add than a streamer. But if you’ve got stash space and want to get ahead of the curve, Spencer’s role is trending up as Morant’s injury and the trade rumors are far from resolved.

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Jake LaRavia – G/FC, Los Angeles Lakers (21% rostered)

The most significant schedule advantage of Week 13 belongs to the Lakers — they’re the only team playing five games, and there are no double-digit slates this week. That means LaRavia, who’s been averaging 16.2 points, 5.6 rebounds, 1.8 assists and almost 2 stocks in 35 minutes per game this month, will be worth streaming.

Rui Hachimura is coming back, though I expect he’ll be on a minutes restriction and is at risk of missing at least a game as he works his way back from a calf injury.

LaRavia’s far from a superstar, but with this opportunity, he’s been nearly a top 100 player in High Score over the past two weeks.

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[It’s not too late to create or join a High Score league, a new way to play Fantasy Basketball on Yahoo with simple rosters and scoring]

Egor Demïn – G, Brooklyn Nets (23% rostered)

Demïn is a rookie guard trending in the right direction at just the right time. He’s coming off a 39-point fantasy effort in Week 12 and has looked far more confident to start 2026. Brooklyn has a great four-game schedule this week with matchups against Dallas, New Orleans and two games against Chicago, all of which are favorable for fantasy.

In January, Demïn is averaging 15.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 2 stocks per game. With a growing role and a soft schedule, Demïn makes for a strong Week 13 option. If Noah Clowney is on waivers, I’d add him too.

Ayo Dosunmu – G/FC, Chicago Bulls (26% rostered)

Back again, recommending Ayo. Last week, he was at 23% rostered, so not much movement on the waiver front. Dosunmu continues to be a steady contributor with Josh Giddey out. He’s scored at least 31 fantasy points in seven straight games, including a high of 52 in a Week 12 effort against the Mavs. The Bulls also have a favorable schedule: four games, including two against the Nets and one against the Jazz — all decent matchups in fantasy.

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Ayo is typically just a scorer, but over the past two weeks, he’s averaged nearly 6 assists per game. That jump in assists is great for High Score, as he ranks 66th over the last 14 days.

Aaron Nesmith – G/FC, Indiana Pacers (32% rostered)

Since Bennedict Mathurin went down, Nesmith has stepped up as the Pacers’ third scoring option — and he’s made the most of it. He dropped a season-high 51 fantasy points in Week 11 and followed it up with a high of 33 in Week 12.

Indiana plays four games this week, kicking off with a Monday night revenge matchup against the Celtics — the team that drafted him. Given his role and consistent 30+ fantasy point potential, Nesmith is worth starting all week.

Other pickups:

• Moussa Diabate – FC, Charlotte Hornets (20%)

• Isaiah Collier – G, Utah Jazz (15% )

• Jeremiah Fears – G, New Orleans Pelicans (21%)

• Collin Murray-Boyles – FC, Toronto Raptors (14%)

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 13 High Score recommendations (Cam Spencer, Jake LaRavia, Egor Demïn, Ayo Dosunmu and Aaron Nesmith) also hold real value here.

Double-check your wire before digging deeper — several of those guys shouldn’t be sitting in competitive leagues. Also, a handful of teams are playing only two games in Week 13 — the Magic, Pistons, Grizzlies, and Bucks.

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Alright, back to business. Here are the 50%-and-under plays that can help you win Week 12.

🎧 Who’s in My Rotation: Shallow Leagues

Collin Murray‑Boyles – PF/C, Toronto Raptors (15% rostered)

Murray‑Boyles had a breakout performance on Sunday, notching 17 points, 15 rebounds, 3 assists and 6 stocks in what was easily his best game as a rookie. The only category missing was a 3, but his all‑around activity profile — particularly on the boards and in defensive stats — is great for fantasy.

With Jakob Poeltl without a clear timetable to return and Toronto also missing Brandon Ingram and RJ Barrett, Murray‑Boyles’ versatility fills the frontcourt gap and gives fantasy managers a legit multi‑category contributor. He’s a must‑add across formats.

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Naji Marshall – SF/PF, Dallas Mavericks (22% rostered)

Anthony Davis (hand) will be out for a while and P.J. Washington (ankle) is doubtful for Monday, leaving Marshall to play a meaningful role for Dallas. He’s a strong source of rebounds, assists, stocks and 3s relative to his position. The Mavs play four games this week, so with his ability to chip in across multiple categories, I’d make the move to add him. He has staying power beyond Week 13.

Tre Jones – PG/SG, Chicago Bulls (23% rostered)

In a Bulls backcourt still thin without Josh Giddey, Jones is carving out mid‑20 to 30 minutes per night, and with that comes scoring and steals with plenty of assists. Jones is also an underrated rebounder.

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He’s an efficient guard who can fill a stat sheet without hurting you in turnovers, and in a four‑game week for Chicago, he becomes a player worth grabbing for both points and 9‑cat leagues.

🎧 Who’s in My Rotation: Deeper leagues

Zeke Nnaji – PF/C, Denver Nuggets (6% rostered)

The Nuggets frontcourt is a mess due to injuries and Nnaji is filling the void well with Peyton Watson. Nnaji is a player to add in 9-cat leagues, where he finished 51st in per-game value in Week 12 and 88th in Week 11.

He’s been both efficient and productive with his newfound minutes, touching just about every category except assists. He’s under-rostered; I’d add him now.

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Jamal Shead – PG, Toronto Raptors (6% rostered)

Injuries have opened minutes in Toronto, and Shead took full advantage on Sunday, playing 37 minutes and delivering 22 points, 6 assists, 2 3s and just one turnover. That’s the sort of efficient, usage‑driven line that fantasy managers love — especially when he’s got four games on the Week 13 schedule.

Now, the uptick was undoubtedly because three of Toronto’s five starters were out of the lineup. However, it’s next man up, and Shead finished inside the top 120 in Week 12. He’ll be a cheap source of scoring and assists, and that usage spike makes him worth a deeper look in both 9‑cat and points formats.

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[It’s not too late to create or join a High Score league, a new way to play Fantasy Basketball on Yahoo with simple rosters and scoring]

Marcus Smart – PG/SG, Los Angeles Lakers (6% rostered)

Smart is purely a volume play this week. The Lakers playing five games is a big advantage for those in leagues without a game cap. Smart’s efficiency leaves something to be desired, but for 3s, assists and steals — especially in a five‑game week — Smart is a playable option in points leagues and can contribute in peripherals for 9‑cat. He’s not a great add, but the schedule gives him value.

Day’Ron Sharpe – C, Brooklyn Nets (10% rostered)

Sharpe has been on the cusp of top‑100 value over the past couple of weeks, stepping in when Nic Claxton is out and still getting steady run when Claxton returns. He’s productive even in 20 minutes, and he’s averaging enough minutes and touches to make his four‑game week count. For the season, Sharpe is averaging 1.21 FPPM, a strong signal that when he’s on the floor, he does good things for fantasy.

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De’Anthony Melton – PG/SG, Golden State Warriors (7% rostered)

Melton is one of the deeper targets that’s trending. Rumblings suggest he’s in line for more run (he’s already closing games) and could eventually see up to 30 minutes a night once he’s cleared. Known for his versatility and two-way production, now is a good time to swoop in on Melton if you have space. I like him for points leagues and, depending on your roster build, he fits a punt FG% strategy well. He’s a shade outside the top 100 in 9-cat over the past two weeks.

The Green Bay Packers won’t hold the team’s poor finish against Matt LaFleur. Following the Packers’ collapse against the Chicago Bears in the wild-card round of the playoffs, the Packers are reportedly working to keep LaFleur around on a new contract, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

After Saturday’s loss, LaFleur has completed seven seasons in Green Bay, where he’s led the team to a 76-40-1 record.

The Packers got out to a strong start in 2025, going 9-3-1 to open the year. But the team’s Week 15 loss to the Denver Broncos proved to be the turning point for the Packers. In addition to losing that game, the team also lost star pass rusher Micah Parsons to a torn ACL.

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They didn’t win another game the rest of the way. That loss was the first of five straight for the Packers. During that stretch, the team’s typically strong defense allowed its opposition to put up at least 30 points three times.

[Get more Packers news: Green Bay team feed]

To make matters even worse, two of those losses came against the division-rival Bears, who overcame massive deficits in both contests to stun the Packers late. During the team’s Week 16 meeting, the Bears trailed 16-6 with just 2:09 left to play. After a field goal cut the team’s deficit to just seven points, the team recovered an onside kick and then scored an improbable touchdown on a fourth-and-4 play to tie things up. After an overtime fumble by the Packers, Caleb Williams hit D.J. Moore with a deep touchdown pass to win the contest.

The second loss to the Bears came in the wild-card round. Despite leading 21-6 heading into the final quarter, the Packers gave up 25 points to the Bears in the fourth, leading to yet another improbable loss. Green Bay led 21-9 with roughly 13 minutes to play before allowing the Bears to score touchdowns on three straight drives — including Williams once again hitting Moore for the eventual game winner.

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During the Packers’ losing streak, questions emerged over whether LaFleur would keep his job. Despite all the success the Packers have experienced under LaFleur, the team hasn’t won more than one playoff game in a single season and has a 3-6 postseason record.

The Packers didn’t necessarily have to commit to LaFleur right now. The 46-year-old is under contract through the 2026 NFL season. The Packers could have allowed LaFleur to coach the final year of his contract before deciding to extend him.

But doing that comes with some drawbacks. If LaFleur was allowed to coach without a future contract, it could lead to questions every single week about his status. It could also lead to a situation where he loses authority in the locker room, as players could easily ignore a coach who isn’t tied to the franchise the following year.

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The Packers will reportedly get ahead of those issues by working through a new deal with LaFleur now. It’s tough to argue with that decision considering the team’s excellent regular-season record under the coach.

But even with a contract extension, LaFleur’s job security could still face heightened levels of concern if the team continues to fall short in the playoffs.

Eagle-eyed Los Angeles Lakers fans might notice something different about LeBron James’ jersey when he takes the court Monday night. James is expected to wear a patch on his jersey that celebrates his record-setting 23rd NBA season, according to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin.

The patch, which will appear on the upper right of James’ chest, features a silhouette of James doing his pre-game chalk toss. Behind that, there are three colored stripes, each of which represent one of the three teams James has played for during his career. The number 23, to represent how many years James has played in the NBA, is also front and center on the patch.

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[Get more Lakers news: Los Angeles team feed]

James, 41, is expected to wear the patch for the rest of the regular season, per ESPN.

Following each game, the patch will be removed so it can be packaged in select Topps trading cards. Each patch will be dated and authenticated before being placed in those cards.

In November, James set the record for most seasons played in the NBA. James — who missed the first 14 games of the season due to sciatica — surpassed NBA Hall of Famer Vince Carter, who played in 22 seasons over his NBA career.

Despite his age and longevity, James continues to put up excellent numbers. In his 23rd season, James is averaging 21.9 points, 6.9 assists and 5.9 rebounds per game. Through 36 games, the Lakers are 23-13 on the season and sit in fifth place in the Western Conference.

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James had not commented on whether his 23rd NBA season will be his last. While his career is close to ending, the superstar could opt to play another season depending on how this year goes. James has shown he still has plenty of ability left, so his decision to keep playing will depend on how much he wants to put his body on the line for another year.

When was the moment for you when you realized, “Wait a second, we might just be on a generational run of football games here?”

Cody Parkinson’s touchdown catch against Carolina was a fine start. Following that with Chicago’s 25-point fourth quarter, Josh Allen getting shoved over the goal line with a minute left against Jacksonville, San Francisco’s desperation game-winning drive … if this wasn’t the finest wild-card weekend in NFL history, it’ll do until a better one comes along.

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(And we’ve still got one game left! Aaron Rodgers against the league’s best defense! Who knows what’s next?)

Before the postseason started, a neat little stat circulated on social media: the 2025 season playoffs would be the first without Patrick Mahomes, Tom Brady or Peyton Manning since 1998. It was a sign of a (perhaps brief) changing of the guard, but more to the point, those legends’ absence signaled an end, however brief, to the dynasties that have dominated the NFL for most of the 21st century.

The result: the most wide-open playoffs in recent memory. After years (decades?) of slotting in the Patriots, and later the Chiefs, all the way to the conference title game and figuring everything else out from there, we now have a postseason where you could make a convincing argument that virtually every team could go on a run and win the whole damn thing.

(While we’re at it, how about a round of applause for the NFL Playoff Committee? You know there was a lot of pressure on them to put in an underachieving blue blood like Dallas over a team from a lower-tier division, but the Panthers acquitted themselves just fine.)

The 2025 season playoffs represent the absolute triumph of the NFL’s ultimate goal: parity across the board. The NFL positions itself so that no one player, no single team, is bigger than The Shield itself. (Dallas, the one team that could arguably be considered its own independent brand, has done the NFL a favor by flopping short of the conference championships for three straight decades now.)

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From a purely statistical perspective, this is already the greatest playoff round ever. The first four games had a total of 12 lead changes in the fourth quarter; according to NFL research, there had previously never been a single round in NFL history with more than five fourth-quarter lead changes.

Plus, the first four games of this year’s playoffs were decided by a total of 14 points. Per OptaStats, that’s the first time in NFL history there were four games decided by four points or fewer in a single round. The Chargers kind of spit the bit there at the end of the nightcap, but we still have one more game Monday night.

Who’s going to win the Super Bowl now? I don’t have any idea, and neither do you, and that’s the whole point. The NFL is a glorious mess of uncertainty now. The Los Angeles Rams, whom many have picked to win it all, came just one single miracle catch from losing to the sub-.500 Panthers for the second time this season. The Patriots took until the fourth quarter to fully extricate themselves from a team that had no functional offensive line.

The Bears might run the table, or they might flop hard enough in the first three quarters that they end up in a hole even they can’t climb out of. Buffalo could finally end their Super Bowl curse, or Josh Allen could be pounded into jelly next weekend. Seattle and Denver haven’t even stepped into this Octagon, for which they have to be both thankful and extremely nervous.

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As always, the NFL’s best advertisement for itself is the game itself. Off-field concerns tend to fade into vapor for most fans when you’ve got a team driving for the lead with under four minutes left in the fourth. The joy that Bears fans feel after a generational victory, the hope that Patriots fans have at seeing a potential new dynasty getting to its feet, the prayers that Bills fans are offering up that maybe this is the year … yeah, that’s the good stuff. That’s why we watch.

So there’s your bar, Pittsburgh and Houston. No pressure. Just deliver excellence.