The day after Indiana’s win over Oregon in the Peach Bowl the cheapest ticket for the Jan. 19 game on GameTime was over $3,500, including fees. The average ticket price was $5,589 — more than double the average price of last year’s game.
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Tickets went down in the days after the semifinals. Per GameTime, the get-in price on Thursday was just under $2,700 after two days of declines.
There are a couple of obvious reasons for the high prices. The game is at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens where Miami plays its home games. And the Hurricanes are playing for their first national championship since the 2001 season.
Indiana, meanwhile, has never won a national title in football. And its fans are enjoying every minute of its undefeated season. Hoosier fans flooded Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta for Friday night’s Peach Bowl blowout of Oregon. It’s not an exaggeration to say that more than 80% of the crowd was wearing red. Indiana has the largest living alumni base of any school in the country; there are lots of alums who would love to see their school play for a national title.
Ticket prices could come down as the game gets closer, but it seems very likely that this year’s game will set a record for the most expensive title game ever.
Who are the top names to watch on the head coaching market? Here’s your guide, with 11 guys with head coaching experience and eight who’d be first-time head coaches.
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Candidates with NFL head coaching experience
John Harbaugh, former Ravens head coach (Hired: Giants)
Baltimore decided to move on from John Harbaugh, which will no doubt delight the head coaching market. Harbaugh had just three losing seasons in 18 years with the Ravens, and won 193 games (including playoffs) as well as Super Bowl XLVII in the 2012 season. He was also Coach of the Year in 2019, and while he’s renowned for his intensity and asking a lot of his players and staff, he also has a reputation as being fair and getting the most out of anyone under his charge. It’s likely he’ll get another NFL head coaching shot, and soon, if he wants it.
Kevin Stefanski, former Browns head coach (Hired: Falcons)
Stefanski won Coach of the Year twice with the Browns from 2020-25 and led them to the playoffs each time, despite never having much in the way of quarterback play. Given all of Cleveland’s losing since the 1999 return, that might speak volumes to the market, who will value Stefanski’s offensive acumen and steady demeanor leading a franchise.
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Sean McDermott, former Buffalo Bills head coach
Seven straight 10-win seasons weren’t enough for Bills ownership, not with Josh Allen’s clock ticking away. But those seven straight 10-win seasons will certainly catch the eye of every owner still looking for a new head coach. Because while McDermott failed to get the Bills to the Super Bowl, he did get them to the playoffs in eight of his nine seasons in Buffalo.
Mike McDaniel, former Dolphins head coach
McDaniel’s time in Miami sputtered this season, but that doesn’t change the fact he brought playoff berths and wins to a franchise that’s struggled to get them this century. Nor does it change the fact he’s a respected offensive mind from the Shanahan tree, and will have no shortage of coordinator opportunities, at the very least.
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Robert Saleh, 49ers defensive coordinator
There’s a sense around the NFL that Saleh’s struggles with the Jets from 2021-24 were more a product of dysfunction within the organization at large. Everywhere he’s been, Saleh has run a top-tier defense when healthy and overachieved when not. He’s the type of strong leader franchises could covet.
Brian Daboll, former Giants head coach
Daboll didn’t demonstrate much promise his final three seasons with the Giants, but he did win Coach of the Year in 2022, and he’s still thought of highly in the Bills organization, where he helped develop Josh Allen before taking the Giants job. Maybe that means something to an NFL team with an opening, whether head coach or offensive coordinator.
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Brian Flores, Vikings defensive coordinator
Flores’ ongoing racial discrimination lawsuit against the NFL doesn’t seem to be cooling his market much. His Vikings defenses the past three years have only bolstered his reputation as a mastermind on that side of the ball, and he had two winning records in three seasons with the Dolphins from 2019-21. He has friends around the league — including in Las Vegas with the Raiders.
Mike McCarthy, former Cowboys and Packers head coach
McCarthy has 185 career wins and 12 winning seasons in 18 years as a head coach, along with eight division titles and a Super Bowl championship. He’s also a respected leader and offensive mind, and at 62 years old he figures to have close to another decade left of coaching in him. Say what you will about his weaknesses, but that’s a pretty attractive résumé.
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Matt Nagy, Chiefs offensive coordinator
The Titans have already requested an interview with Nagy, whose work as offensive coordinator with Andy Reid, Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs dynasty helped rejuvenate his head coaching candidacy. Nagy is still just 47 years old and went 34-33 overall from 2018-2021 with the Bears, including two playoff appearances. Is he about to get another shot as a head coach?
Steve Spagnuolo, Chiefs defensive coordinator
Spagnuolo has built himself a Hall of Fame-worthy legacy as a defensive coordinator with the Giants and now Chiefs. His first stint as a full-time head coach from 2009-11 with the then-St. Louis Rams ended with a 10-38 record, and he’s on the older side having just turned 66. But his creative, aggressive schemes and ability to maximize talent in Kansas City the past few years have drawn the attention of the league, including the Titans, who requested to speak with him.
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Kliff Kingsbury, former Commanders offensive coordinator
The Commanders have moved on from Kingsbury, who helped quarterback Jayden Daniels win Offensive Rookie of the Year in a memorable 2024 campaign. He went 28-38-1 overall with one playoff appearance as head coach of the Cardinals from 2019-22, and he also (say it with us) coached Patrick Mahomes in college at Texas Tech. Somebody, somewhere feels like they’ll give the 46-year-old Kingsbury another head coaching shot in the NFL. Will it be this cycle?
First-time NFL head coaching candidates
Klint Kubiak, Seahawks offensive coordinator
The Seahawks’ offense has been as explosive as any in the NFL this season, which is largely being credited to Kubiak. He’s gotten the most out of Sam Darnold, who can make any throw in the playbook when given time, and he’s helped Jaxson Smith-Njigba become an Offensive Player of the Year candidate. Kubiak is a 38-year-old Shanahan tree disciple and the son of former Super Bowl-winning head coach. That figures to check quite a few boxes in the hiring process. The Falcons are reportedly interested in speaking with him.
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Jesse Minter, Chargers defensive coordinator
Minter has been Jim Harbaugh’s defensive coordinator the past four years between Michigan and the Chargers. He’s only 42 years old, his units have been unpredictable and tough to play against, and he’s lauded as one of the best defensive play-callers in the NFL. Minter also has a calm but commanding demeanor that could translate easily to leading a franchise.
Chris Shula, Rams defensive coordinator
One of the leading candidates for Assistant Coach of the Year, Shula’s defense has been top-five in DVOA this season and performed admirably in other advanced metrics. Just 39 years old, he’s has worked under Sean McVay with the Rams ever since McVay was hired in 2017. (And yes, Shula is Don’s grandson.) Shula has already been connected to the perennially stable Steelers franchise whenever they move on from Mike Tomlin. How’s that for high praise as a candidate?
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Klayton Adams, Cowboys offensive coordinator
The Cowboys’ high-flying offense caught the NFL’s attention this season, and Adams was a driving force behind it. He came to Dallas last offseason after two years as offensive line coach with the Cardinals — OL coaches are becoming more and more venerated as overall offensive minds and play-callers around the league — and he maximized the Cowboys’ run game despite limited resources, to say nothing of Dak Prescott and the explosive passing game. Another year in Dallas might do him well, but it wouldn’t be a surprise if teams interview him this cycle.
Grant Udinski, Jaguars offensive coordinator
Trevor Lawrence seemed to finally consistently live up to his potential the second half of the regular season, and that falls largely on Udinski, whom head coach Liam Coen hired from Kevin O’Connell’s staff in Minnesota. How’s that for mentorship? Udinski turns 30 this month and might be a year away from truly emerging as a candidate, but he deserves plenty of credit for Jacksonville’s turnaround.
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Jeff Hafley, Packers defensive coordinator
Hafley has emerged as a candidate thanks to his leadership, communication skills and defensive acumen. He immediately improved the Packers’ defense his first year as coordinator in 2024, and this year’s unit had occasional stretches looking like one of the NFL’s best before injuries to Micah Parsons, Devonte Wyatt and others took some toll. That doesn’t figure to hinder teams’ interest.
Joe Brady, Bills offensive coordinator
Brady has been on a part of the Bills’ staff that’s overseen Josh Allen’s ascendance, serving as offensive coordinator the past two seasons. He’s just 36 years old, and young offensive minds will always be en vogue. This might be the year he finally gets a head coaching shot.
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Lou Anarumo, Colts defensive coordinator
The Titans have asked permission to speak with Anarumo, who was the Bengals’ defensive coordinator from 2019-24, including their Super Bowl trip in 2021. His effectiveness on that side of the ball despite dwindling talent in a cheap organization earned him leaguewide respect, and his Colts defense was solid this season before injuries caught up to teams as a whole. Expect the 59-year-old to be linked to multiple jobs.
It’s rare for teams to lose in overtime of the NFL’s divisional round and fire their head coach. But the clock is ticking on getting Josh Allen to a Super Bowl.
Sean McDermott was fired Monday morning, about 36 hours after his team lost 33-30 to the Denver Broncos in overtime. It’s hard to put all the blame on McDermott, especially for a roster that had serious flaws all season and asked Allen to do it all. But the Bills obviously thought something had to happen, even after making the playoffs seven straight seasons.
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It’s hard to lay it all on Allen either, though he is the one whose legacy is debated every day.
AAllen put the blame on himself in an emotional interview with the media after the Bills’ loss, and he had some key mistakes in a loss to the Broncos. Also, the Bills wouldn’t be anywhere near the playoffs without Allen, and everyone knows it.
There isn’t a lot of help around Allen. General manager Brandon Beane has gotten upset at the inference that Allen doesn’t have enough help, particularly at receiver, but it’s a valid criticism. The defense has been up and down the past couple seasons too. Yet, Beane stays on while McDermott got fired. That’s curious.
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Whether we want to blame Allen or the situation around him for the latest loss doesn’t matter that much. What matters is how the Bills get to a Super Bowl in Allen’s prime. It’s hard to imagine Allen doing more than he has through the years, even though he deserves some criticism for the turnovers at Denver. That means Buffalo needs to find ways to upgrade around him. The franchise identified the first area that needed to be fixed, and unfortunately for McDermott it was the head-coaching spot.
Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott was fired after a loss to the Broncos in the divisional round. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
(Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Here are the rest of the winners and losers from the divisional round of the NFL playoffs:
WINNERS
Mike Macdonald: The San Francisco 49ers’ offense was nearly unstoppable in December. The Seattle Seahawks held the 49ers to without a single touchdown in eight quarters against them in January.
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For a few years, every NFL team with a head-coaching opening seemed to be looking to hire the hottest offensive mind available. Teams in this cycle might see the light on the assistants having success stopping those offenses. Defensive coordinators like Chris Shula, Jesse Minter and Matt Burke, who are all hot candidates this month, might owe Mike Macdonald a bit of gratitude.
Macdonald, the head coach of the Seahawks, has delivered exactly what Seattle hoped for and far beyond in his second season. He has Seattle one home win from Super Bowl LX, and Macdonald’s defense is leading the way. The Seahawks’ defense ranked 25th in points allowed in 2023, 11th last season when Macdonald arrived and first this season. The Seahawks made those major leaps without having any Defensive Player of the Year candidates. They have very good players but a lot of the success is due to Macdonald’s scheme, which got him on the head-coaching radar when he was the Baltimore Ravens’ defensive coordinator.
Macdonald’s defense tied up 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan, perhaps the NFL’s best offensive play caller. Brock Purdy had just 127 and 140 passing yards in his two most recent matchups against Seattle, a Week 18 loss and the divisional playoff blowout. The Seahawks won 41-6 on Saturday night to move on to the NFC championship game. Seattle wasn’t expected to even win the NFC West this season but has been the best team in the NFL from the start of the regular season through the divisional round. Macdonald has been a massive part of that quick turnaround. He made a smart hire of Klint Kubiak (another hot head-coaching candidate) as his offensive coordinator before this season which took care of that side of the ball. It’s hard to take over after a franchise icon, but Macdonald has reenergized the Seahawks after they started to slip near the end of the Pete Carroll era.
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Macdonald isn’t the only defensive-minded head coach having success. Mike Vrabel has the New England Patriots in the conference championship round too. DeMeco Ryans has lifted the Houston Texans in his three seasons there. McDermott had been a playoff mainstay, though his time is up: The Bills fired him Monday morning after failing to get Buffalo to a Super Bowl in the Josh Allen era.
Even if McDermott couldn’t get Buffalo over the playoff hump despite many wins through the years, Macdonald has shown that not every team needs to be chasing a hot offensive play caller to have success. The tide is turning. Defensive coaches are back in style again.
Jarrett Stidham: Stidham clearly didn’t want to see Bo Nix get hurt. Nobody roots for injuries, particularly to a teammate. Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton said Stidham and Nix are close friends, as well.
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Yet, think of the situation Stidham finds himself in.
Nix’s season-ending injury, suffered late in the Broncos’ thrilling 33-30 overtime win over the Bills, puts Stidham in the starting lineup for the AFC championship game. It will be just the fifth start of his six-year NFL career. Payton said he has full confidence in Stidham, who he said could start for a handful of other teams. All Stidham has to do to go from a little-known backup to an overnight phenomenon is help Denver win two more games. Even winning one game will carve out a place in NFL history. It won’t be easy, but not impossible with a very good defense on his side and also a great coach in Payton.
There have been plenty of good but unmemorable quarterbacks through the years. But we remember quarterbacks like Jeff Hostetler, Trent Dilfer and Nick Foles, who took over in adverse situations and were the starting quarterbacks in a Super Bowl win. Foles already made the connection with a funny social media message regarding Stidham on Sunday.
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Stidham didn’t ask for this and presumably if he had his way, his good friend Nix would be starting this weekend. But he has an opportunity that is practically unprecedented. The quarterback with four career starts, who hasn’t thrown a pass in either of the past two regular seasons, can become a legend if Denver wins two more games.
The Patriots wrecked Justin Herbert and the Chargers in the wild-card round, holding Los Angeles to three points. In the divisional round the Texans had just 241 yards and New England forced five turnovers, including a pick 6 by cornerback Marcus Jones. A lot has and will be made about C.J. Stroud melting down and what it might mean going forward, but the Patriots had a lot to do with those mistakes.
New England had a fantastic breakout season, and the defense was a big part of that. It has gotten better in the playoffs. And all the Patriots need to do is beat a team forced into using its backup quarterback to get back to a Super Bowl.
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Caleb Williams: Williams did more to elevate his reputation in the playoffs than any other player, even the ones who are still alive for the conference championship games.
Quarterbacks always get too much attention and that is especially true in the playoffs. What will be remembered from this Chicago Bears playoff run is the dramatic comebacks Williams had, including two highlights that will help start to define his NFL career. His fourth-down pass to Rome Odunze against the Packers was remarkable, and he might have outdone himself with a fourth-down touchdown in the final minute to Cole Kmet to send the divisional round game against the Rams to overtime. That comeback didn’t end up in a Bears win, and Williams’ overtime interception was a big key to the Rams’ win.
It’s not like Williams’ turnover in overtime should be ignored, but the Bears were already playing with house money at the end of a huge season for the franchise. Williams has completed just two NFL seasons. The Bears should feel like something special is coming together.
LOSERS
What’s next for 49ers and Texans: Both teams had good seasons. The 49ers dealt with numerous big injuries and overcame them to win 12 regular-season games and a playoff game. The Texans shook off a slow start to win 10 in a row, including a wild-card round playoff win.
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But the offseasons for each won’t be that easy.
For San Francisco, it’s another year down the line for a core that is aging. And some players like Nick Bosa and George Kittle are coming off major injuries. Christian McCaffrey is coming off a massive 450-touch season and will be 30 years old. We saw Saquon Barkley take a big step back this past season after a 482 touches the season before. It’s worth keeping an eye on. The 49ers will have to keep retooling the roster, especially on defense, and do it around some huge contracts.
The Texans’ issue is a lot different. The postseason was alarming for C.J. Stroud, who had a great rookie season and has not recaptured that in the two seasons since. Stroud was bad in the wild-card round and the Texans overcame it, and he was worse in the divisional round and Houston couldn’t make up for it. They lost to the Patriots with Stroud throwing four interceptions including a bad pick-6.
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The Texans will surely pick up Stroud’s fifth-year option, and they’ll likely work out an extension soon, but the confidence in him has to be waning even if coach DeMeco Ryans backed him after Sunday’s game. They need to figure out how to get Stroud back to his rookie year form, if they can.
Houston and San Francisco have better foundations than many of the teams already into their offseasons. But there are still some big questions awaiting each of them.
Caleb Williams had just thrown a contender for the most miraculous touchdown in NFL history, a beyond-desperate, off-the-back-foot, huck-it-deep 50-plus-yard moon shot that landed in the hands of Cole Kmet with only seconds remaining in their divisional round playoff game. Williams’ Bears were one extra point away from tying the Rams with the most improbable play imaginable, a play that surely stunned all of the millions watching, either on TV or on the field.
The Bears hadn’t just risen from the grave, they’d clawed their way out through six feet of dirt. All that remained was that one extra point.
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But why not go for 2? Why not shove the Rams right off the cliff, right then and there?
Let’s start with the dream-big possibilities and work our way down to field level. If Chicago had gone for 2 and won, the Bears would be one game away from a Super Bowl where they would be facing either a second-year quarterback or an injury-replacement one. There are no gimmes in the NFL, but either New England or Denver would have presented a favorable matchup for Chicago. (Yes, the Bears would have needed to get past the Seahawks — who just decimated the same San Francisco team that beat Chicago in Week 17 — but again, we’re dreaming big here.)
Throughout the season, Ben Johnson has been aggressive with his play calling, but with the season on the line, opted to go for overtime in the Bears divisional round game against the Rams. (Photo by Brooke Sutton/Getty Images)
(Brooke Sutton via Getty Images)
Ask Aaron Rodgers or Dan Marino how many bites you get at that Super Bowl apple. They played a combined 38 seasons and each reached the Super Bowl just once … and they’re two of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history. Despite what Tom Brady and Patrick Mahomes would have you believe, legitimate Super Bowl chances don’t come around often.
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Now, as for this specific game itself — momentum, if you believe in such a concept, would scream to go for 2, to keep the pressure on Los Angeles, to flip that sudden disbelief into heartbreak. It sure seems like the right play, going all-in on your season … especially if it’s not your chips you’re pushing to the middle of the table.
But Ben Johnson is paid a whole lot of money not to think with his heart. You could see it on the replays after the miraculous touchdown; he was as stoic as if he was dropping off a library book. He knew the job wasn’t anywhere near done, even if that touchdown opened up options he didn’t have just a few seconds earlier.
Johnson knew that for all the exuberance of that miracle, you can’t exactly count on miracles to come your way. And he was thinking about what Chicago had done before in similar goal-to-go situations in the previous 59 minutes, 47 seconds, even when the game wasn’t on the line. And he knew, therefore, that an all-or-nothing 2-point conversion wasn’t the way to go.
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“Probably what played a little bit of a factor [in the decision to kick] was our goal-to-go situations hadn’t gone very cleanly, our inside-the-5 plan hadn’t worked out like we hoped,” he said after the game. “I just felt better about taking our chances there in overtime.”
Less than three minutes earlier, Chicago had faced first-and-goal at the Los Angeles 5. Three straight inconsequential runs by De’Andre Swift and a failed fourth-down pass by Williams surely played heavily in Johnson’s decision.
(Also worth noting: the Rams still had 13 seconds and two timeouts left. Two chunk plays, or one and a penalty, and Los Angeles would have been in position for a game-winning field goal.)
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So Chicago opted for the conservative approach, living to fight another few minutes … and then saw their season fall apart on an ugly interception and a defensive breakdown. And thus Williams-to-Kmet joins plays like Kurt Warner’s 62-yard touchdown pass to Larry Fitzgerald in Super Bowl XLIII and Julio Jones’ toe-tap sideline grab in Super Bowl LI as one of the greatest plays that ultimately didn’t make a difference in the outcome.
Where does that leave the Chicago Bears? Firmly in “don’t cry that it’s over, smile that it happened” territory. You can’t build a foundation on miracle plays like Williams-to-Kmet, but you can build a vibe on them. The never-give-up, never-give-in attitude of this Bears team is contagious and necessary for postseason success, and the team can take the lessons it learned from this season forward into the coming years.
Williams will be in only his third season as a pro in 2026. He’s 24 years old. Think about how he could be performing in his 27-, 28-, 29-year seasons. There’s no guarantee he’ll progress at the same rate, or that the Bears will continue thriving in the postseason — see: Rodgers and Marino, above — but this is about as good a situation as Bears fans can hope for in the current NFL.
Years from now, if Chicago’s lucky, Williams-to-Kmet will be the first highlight in a long series of them … and it won’t matter what happened right afterward, because so much better was on the way.
Welcome back to The Playlist: my weekly column that lets you know who to add off the waiver wire and get in your lineup for the upcoming week in fantasy basketball.
Every league is different — sometimes a 75% rostered player hits waivers, whether by mistake or because they’ve hit an intolerable slump. 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 14.
With Anthony Davis out and P.J. Washington sidelined to start the week, Marshall’s been capitalizing on the increased opportunities. He dropped 56 fantasy points in Week 13 and has scored at least 22 points in four of his last five games.
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The Mavericks play four games this week, including three games in four nights from Thursday to Sunday. That condensed schedule means healthy bodies like Marshall will log heavy minutes while guys like Cooper Flagg (coming off an injury) are more likely to rest. He’ll be a strong play for anyone in shallow leagues looking for a boost over the weekend.
Ajay Mitchell – G, Oklahoma City Thunder (29%)
With Jalen Williams out a couple of weeks after pulling his hamstring Saturday, Mitchell becomes a must-add in all formats. He scored 40+ fantasy points in Week 12 and 34 in Week 13. Mitchell was a top-100 player in High Score for a significant portion of the year while Williams dealt with his wrist injury, and he’ll likely return to that form with four games this week.
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Brice Sensabaugh – FC, Utah Jazz (25% rostered)
Sensabaugh dropped a season-high 58 fantasy points in Week 13 and has scored 25-plus points in four of his last five games. The dude can’t miss right now. Also, the Jazz are doing Jazz things — benching vets for young guys — with Sensabaugh cashing in. Utah plays four games this week, including a Monday-Tuesday back-to-back to start. Pick him up now before someone else does (just watch his injury designation, as he got a GTD due to an illness to start Monday morning).
Jalen Smith – FC, Chicago Bulls (23% rostered)
The Bulls have started Smith at power forward in the past two games, resulting in two double-doubles, including one that amounted to 50 fantasy points. In five starts, he’s averaged 12.0 points, 9.6 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 2.2 stocks per game. I can’t tell whether Smith got into the starting lineup as an audition for teams eyeing him at the trade deadline or if he earned it with improved play.
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Either way, he’s producing. The Bulls are stuck in no-man’s land, hovering around .500 and flirting with a play-in spot. They should probably make a move, which could mean Smith’s role expands or disappears. Still, add him in High Score and shallow leagues while he’s starting to get 30 minutes.
I scooped Tyson off waivers in a couple of spots this weekend, so if he’s still there, get him. He still ranks inside the top 90 in 9-cat leagues and is coming off a career-high 39 points on Friday, where he went 13-for-17 from the field and 7-for-9 from deep.
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For the season, Tyson is chipping in across categories, averaging 13 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists and 1.5 stocks per game. He’s one of the most improved players this year and continues to be under-rostered across fantasy formats.
Aaron Wiggins – SG/SF, Oklahoma City Thunder (5% rostered)
If (Ajay) Mitchell isn’t available, Wiggins is sitting on waivers in 95% of leagues. He just dropped 18 points on 7-of-10 shooting Saturday and should see increased run with Jalen Williams sidelined. And again, the four-game schedule plays in his favor.
Jordan Miller – SF, Los Angeles Clippers (3% rostered)
With Kawhi Leonard out, Miller is logging heavy minutes. He posted 11 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists and 2 steals versus Washington in 34 minutes, then followed with 43 minutes and 19 points, 6 assists, 4 steals and 2 rebounds in an OT win against Toronto on Jan. 16.
Miller is displaying an all-around skill set with his scoring, playmaking and defensive effort. He’s looking like a solid streaming option while Kawhi’s sidelined for at least two more games.
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The Heat play five games this week, with back-to-backs to start and close it. If Davion Mitchell isn’t available, I would look at Larsson. Larsson is starting in place of Tyler Herro, playing 27-plus minutes in three of his last four games.
He’s primarily a scorer — not much else — which makes him better suited for points leagues. Still, in a five-game week, those buckets add up fast. Get him if you need volume.
Danny Wolf – PF, Brooklyn Nets (2% rostered)
The rookie recorded his first career double-double in Week 12 and last week, he finished 101st in 9-cat leagues, averaging 8/4/2 with 1.5 3s and 2 stocks per game. He’s hardly lighting up the scoreboard, but we’ll continue to see more of him and other young players as we move further into the season.
He’s been a good source of stocks and low-end points when Michael Porter Jr. rests, so give him a look in a four-game week, along with fellow rookie Egor Demïn.
Sean McDermott has been fired as head coach of the Buffalo Bills, the team announced Monday.
The 51-year-old McDermott was hired in 2017 and led the Bills to five AFC East division titles and eight playoff appearances in nine seasons.
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While McDermott will exit the franchise, general manager Brandon Beane got a promotion, and will now be President of Football Operations. He’ll lead the search for a new coach.
“Sean has done an admiral [sic] job of leading our football team for the past 9 seasons,” owner Terry Pegula said in a statement. “But I feel we are in need of a new structure within our leadership to give this organization the best opportunity to take our team to the next level.”
Despite regular-season success — seven straight double-digit-win seasons — it was a lack of success in the playoffs that led to the Bills making a change. McDermott’s Bills went 8-8 in the postseason, including a pair of losses in the AFC championship game to the Kansas City Chiefs.
McDermott released a statement on Monday afternoon expressing his appreciation for the Bills organization and fans: “This community graciously embraced not only me but my family and in some ways helped raise our children over the last 9 years. For that I say thank you to all of the teachers, coaches, and friends whom we met along the way…the City of Good Neighbors! We Love You! We will miss Buffalo.”
Under McDermott, the Bills featured a perennial top-five offense led by quarterback Josh Allen and a top-10 defense. Yet that dominance on both sides of the ball could not help them reach a Super Bowl.
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Prior to being hired by the Bills, McDermott served as defensive coordinator with the Carolina Panthers from 2011-2016 and was a defensive coach with the Philadelphia Eagles from 2001-2010.
Given his success with the Bills, and as a defensive mind, McDermott is unlikely to be out of work for long. If he can’t secure another head-coaching role this offseason, McDermott should have plenty of options if he’s willing to return to a coordinator role.
As for the Bills, the team will now look for a head coach who can lead the club to a Super Bowl title. With John Harbaugh (Giants) and Kevin Stefanski (Falcons) already under contract with new teams, the Bills may have missed their shot at bringing in the most established head coaching talent on the market. The team will have to act quickly if there’s a candidate out there that it desires.
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With Allen under center, the Bills should be perennial Super Bowl contenders. McDermott couldn’t lead the team there, and it cost him his job. The team’s next head coach will have similar expectations as early as Year 1.
Two years ago today, the Detroit Pistons were 4-37 and stumbling out of an NBA record 28-game losing streak. The Pistons were the league’s punchline, a team that would scrape together just 10 more wins before the nightmare finally ended. Now, they’re 30-10 and staring down at the rest of the Eastern Conference.
But the climb is only starting. The next few weeks before the Feb. 5 trade deadline will reveal what Detroit still needs to jump from a great story to an unquestionable favorite. Because when April turns into a possession-by-possession fight, everything starts with who can create offense against a set defense.
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The hardest piece is already in place. The first thing a team needs to contend is a superstar, and Cade Cunningham has officially leveled up into a genuine All-NBA engine. He’s manipulating defenses with patience, ranking near the top of the league in assists while maintaining three-level scoring and versatile defense.
(Hayden Hodge/Yahoo Sports Illustration)
Stars aren’t enough in the modern NBA though. Recent champions and runners-up have been defined by depth. Between smart additions and developmental leaps, Detroit’s supporting cast is strong. Some of it is external. Duncan Robinson’s movement gravity has added a new wrinkle to the offense, while Caris LeVert has provided secondary creation off the bench. But like Cade’s leap, Detroit’s rise is really built on internal growth.
Jalen Duren belongs in the East All-Star conversation for his violent rim pressure, elite rebounding, and back-line defense. He used to drift in and out of games. Now he looks like the spine of an elite unit.
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That shift has unlocked a second one. Last season, J.B. Bickerstaff barely played Duren next to another big. Duren and Isaiah Stewart shared the floor for only eight minutes. This season, about 25% of Duren’s minutes have come alongside Stewart. And it’s working because Stewart is also playing the best basketball of his life.
Stewart still has a reputation as the “tough guy,” and while that is true, he’s not just a classic interior bruiser. Over the last three seasons he’s a 37% 3-point shooter, which changes Detroit’s geometry when he can space to the line and punish any defender inside. But Stewart’s real gift is on defense.
Among 107 players who have defended at least 80 isolations this season, Stewart ranks best, allowing only 0.68 points per isolation. That’s one of the most dominant marks in recent years. The Pistons have comfortably let Stewart switch screens onto the likes of Donovan Mitchell and Kevin Durant, and he has the agility to stay connected without bleeding downhill drives.
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If just one of Duren or Stewart is on the floor, the Pistons still have great rim protection thanks to their respective shot-blocking prowess. That lineup flexibility is a big reason the Pistons are second in NBA defensive rating, trailing only the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Bench players like Alex Caruso and Aaron Wiggins had big scoring performances in OKC’s run last year, which serves as another example of why true contenders also need players who can light a spark.
For Detroit, you’d think it would be Jaden Ivey, Ron Holland, or Ausar Thompson, one of Detroit’s former lottery picks. And while each of them has carved out a role, the biggest jolt has often come from Daniss Jenkins, a 24-year-old guard on his second two-way contract after going undrafted in 2024. He’s already had a few “Jenkinsanity” bursts, recently erupting for a 20-point quarter and dishing out a career-high 15 assists. That fearless creation keeps Detroit’s offense from cratering when the starters catch a breather.
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The Pistons certainly check a lot of boxes. And a great start makes fans happy, but it also creates a responsibility for the front office to figure out what breaks in the playoffs before the playoffs break it for you. When teams send two at Cade, is it because Thompson or Holland still can’t consistently make them pay as a spacer? If the ball is forced out of Cade’s hands, can Ivey or Tobias Harris be relied on to make a play? And does this roster have enough shooting to win playoff math? Detroit is 27th in 3-point attempts and 18th in 3-point percentage. That profile can survive in January. But maybe not in April.
All of which brings us to the deadline. The Pistons have the ammo to address any holes. They control a full stash of future firsts, which means they can put four firsts plus three swaps on the table. They also have young players with value (Thompson, Ivey, Holland, Chaz Lanier, Marcus Sasser, and Bobi Klintman). And they have clean salary tools to make any deal work: Ivey is a $10.1 million upcoming restricted free agent, Harris is on a $26.6 million expiring contract, and LeVert will make just over $14 million for one additional season. Between them, other smaller salaries, and their assets, the Pistons can target just about any player.
Here are eight calls Detroit should make, ranked by impact and fit first, and availability second.
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1. Trey Murphy, Pelicans forward: Murphy is the cleanest fit for Detroit. He slides into the ecosystem without changing anyone’s shot diet, and his shooting and length raise both the floor and ceiling. At age 25, he also matches Cade’s timeline. The price would be steep (multiple firsts plus youth), but that’s what true two-way wings cost.
2. Michael Porter Jr., Nets forward: MPJ is the more extreme version of the same idea. He is not the same defender as Murphy, but he is a more lethal shooter. Put a 6-foot-10 shotmaker next to Cade, Robinson, and Stewart, and defenses start running out of coverages. The Nets would expect a large return for MPJ.
3. Jaren Jackson Jr., Grizzlies power forward: JJJ is the swing-for-the-fences option. He gives Detroit a third defensive superpower plus a big who can space and close playoff games. Memphis isn’t eager to move him, but given the uncertain state of the team, Detroit should make the call.
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4. Naz Reid, Timberwolves big: The Wolves aren’t trying to trade Reid. But in theory, he’s the salary that’d have to move if Minnesota makes a big acquisition. And the Pistons previously expressed interest in signing him during his free agency just last summer, so maybe he could find his way to Detroit in some type of three-way deal. With his shot creation, shooting, and contagious energy, he’d be a perfect third big in Detroit’s frontcourt.
5. Ayo Dosunmu, Bulls guard: Dosunmu has turned into a real shooter, he can slash into space, and he competes defensively. The Bulls are going nowhere and Dosunmu can be a free agent this summer, so perhaps they’d be willing to cash in.
6. Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Hawks wing: NAW is making 42.1% of his catch-and-shoot 3s this season and he can do work off the dribble while also providing versatile defense. There’s no reason for the Hawks to move him, especially since he’s on such a team-friendly contract of four years, $60.6 million. But the Hawks seem stuck, and maybe they’d listen if the Pistons are willing to overpay.
7. Klay Thompson, Mavericks wing: Klay is quietly having a bounce-back year in less-than-ideal circumstances in Dallas. He still bends defenses with instant-trigger shooting and elite relocation. At $16.7 million this season, he is also the kind of salary you can realistically absorb without detonating the rotation.
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8. Jerami Grant, Blazers wing: Welcome back! Grant was traded to the Blazers in 2022 following a career year with the Pistons, and he’s still a good player today. He’s a clean fit who can guard wings, hit spot-ups, and punish closeouts as a third option without stealing too many touches from Cade.
Pistons fans who were around for the 2004 championship will remember the Rasheed Wallace acquisition. The Pistons were already a Finals hopeful at 34-22 and third in the East on the morning of the deadline. Chauncey Billups and Rip Hamilton were an exciting backcourt, Tayshaun Prince was having a breakout season on the wing, and Ben Wallace was in the middle of his second consecutive Defensive Player of the Year run. The Pistons were contenders. But the front office recognized that “good enough” wasn’t going to cut it.
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So Detroit targeted Wallace just 10 days after he was already traded to Atlanta, and acquired him for a rotation player and multiple firsts. Wallace came with his warts with a league record technical foul history and a fiery personality that risked disrupting chemistry. And it did, but in a great way. The Pistons finished the year 20-6, as Sheed became a perfect on-court complement and the emotional spark plug that transformed Detroit into a championship unit.
Today’s Pistons find themselves in a nearly identical headspace. They have the engine in Cade, the defensive foundation in Duren and Stewart, and a newfound culture of winning under Bickerstaff. But how hard do you push? Detroit knows how quickly windows can open and shut. Two years ago, this was the league’s worst team. Now, the Pistons get to decide whether to act like a title team.
In the months leading to the World Cup, U.S. coach Mauricio Pochettino wants to see his players starting regularly for their clubs. He wants them to find their best form and avoid injuries that could threaten their national team status.
Furthermore, from his corps of strikers, he wants to see goals.
Those who were on the field couldn’t find the net. But in the English Championship, one rung below the Premier League, the scoring touch resurfaced as winning goals in the waning moments of two tight matches this weekend.
Patrick Agyemang ended a four-game drought by scoring Derby City’s winner in the 82nd minute of a 1-0 surprise at Preston North End, while Haji Wright snapped out of a 14-game funk over three months with an 85th-minute goal to lift first-place Coventry City to a 2-1 win over Leicester City.
Of course, there is no official U.S. striker depth chart, but it’s fair to say Monaco’s Folarin Balogun sits atop the list, followed by Pepi, Wright, Agyemang and a few long shot candidates.
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Balogun, Wright and Agyemang entered the weekend famished for a goal. While Balogun failed to score for a fourth straight match, the other two broke out of their ruts.
“We’re all human,” said Agyemang, the Connecticut native who missed an excellent opportunity earlier in Saturday’s match. “No one is going to score every chance — that’s natural. … I’ve been working on this mental battle in terms of being a striker and those opportunities. Things won’t go well all the time, but it’s all about the next one.”
The next one came on a 7-yard downward header that skipped into the far corner for his seventh league goal. A full-time starter since October, Agyemang is second on the team in goals and tied for first in production (10 combined goals and assists).
Wright had not scored since a two-goal performance for the U.S. against Australia in the October international window. Coming off the bench for the second straight game, he ended the skid with a simple touch on the edge of the goal line for his ninth league goal.
Over the months, Coventry City coach Frank Lampard had tried keeping Wright’s spirits up.
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“When things aren’t dropping for you … my only belief is you work and you work and you work and you stay positive, even when that’s not easy, and things will happen for you,” said Lampard, the former English midfield star. “And the thing that happened for Haji is a tap-in. I am not belittling it because that’s the way it goes. From there now, it’s up to him.”
Agyemang and Wright will seek to maintain their scoring form right up to the March international window, when the U.S. will face global powers Belgium and Portugal in Pochettino’s final camp before he selects his 26-man World Cup squad in late May.
England
With U.S. top assistant Jesús Pérez in attendance, midfielder BrendenAaronson (89 minutes) and Leeds bested left back Antonee Robinson (90) and visiting Fulham 1-0 to improve to 4-1-5 over 10 matches and move eight points clear of the relegation zone.
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Aaronson, who has been in top form for weeks, wasted a clear scoring opportunity in the first half. Robinson has started seven consecutive league matches.
Midfielder Aidan Morris logged 90 minutes in Middlesbrough’s 3-2 victory at West Brom, keeping the club six points behind Coventry City in the Championship race.
Sargent was absent from Norwich City’s squad for the second straight match as he reportedly seeks a move to Toronto FC. The Canaries responded by assigning him to workouts with their under-21 squad.
AC Milan’s Christian Pulisic hasn’t found his finishing touch since Dec. 28, 2025.
(STEFANO RELLANDINI via Getty Images)
Italy
Christian Pulisic’s scoring drought hit four matches after a 72-minute performance in AC Milan’s 1-0 victory over Lecce. After missing a one-on-one opportunity, Pulisic yielded to Niclas Füllkrug, who needed just four minutes to score the winner. Pulisic remains second in Serie A in scoring with eight goals.
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Interest in Weston McKennie around Europe has reportedly heated up as the American midfielder nears the end of his Juventus contract this summer. Words of caution: Such chatter has ebbed and flowed for years, yet he has remained in northwest Italy.
Meantime, McKennie played 80 minutes in a 1-0 loss at Cagliari, Juventus’ first loss in seven Serie A matches. Next is a Champions League clash with Benfica on Wednesday.
Midfielder Yunus Musah, seeking to revive his World Cup roster outlook, made his first start in five matches for Atalanta, playing 56 minutes in a 1-1 draw at Pisa. His club will host Athletic Bilbao on Wednesday in the Champions League.
Goalkeeper Jonathan Klinsmann, who is making a case for a World Cup roster berth, made his usual start for second-tier Cesena, which ended a three-game winless streak by winning at Reggiana, 2-1. The fifth-place Seahorses are on pace to play in the promotion playoffs.
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France
Balogun didn’t score but was involved in Monaco’s goal during a 3-1 loss to Lorient, its fourth straight. He set up Ansu Fati, who was foiled on his initial effort but converted the rebound. Monaco will visit Real Madrid on Tuesday in the Champions League.
Winger Tim Weah did score – a 40th-minute header from six yards during Olympique Marseille’s 5-2 romp at Angers. It was his second Ligue 1 goal and third in all competitions. Next: Liverpool on Wednesday in the Champions League.
Midfielder Tanner Tessmann made his 13th league start as Olympique Lyonnais defeated 10-man Brest 2-1 for its sixth consecutive victory in all competitions to move into fourth place — just three points behind Marseille for Ligue 1’s third Champions League berth.
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Center back Mark McKenzie skipped Toulouse’s 5-1 win over Nice with a foot injury.
Germany
Defensive midfielder James Sands (90 minutes) scored his first goal since joining St. Pauli a year ago, a 62nd-minute header during a 3-2 loss at Borussia Dortmund. His club is last in the Bundesliga with a 3-11-3 mark.
Malik Tillman (90 minutes) remains a starting fixture in Bayer Leverkusen’s midfield, but a 1-0 loss at Hoffenheim was the club’s second straight setback heading into Tuesday’s Champions League visit to Olympiacos.
Midfielder Gio Reyna remains stuck on the Mönchengladbach bench, entering in the 69th minute of a 0-0 draw at Hamburg. In the previous two Bundesliga matches, he had played a total of five minutes. Teammate Joe Scally played all 90 minutes.
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In his second start since joining Hamburg on loan from Southampton, forward Damion Downs came off in the 80th.
Defender Noahkai Banks, 19, made his 13th consecutive Bundesliga start as Augsburg drew with Freiburg, 2-2.
In the second division, left wing back John Tolkin went the distance as Holstein Kiel defeated Paderborn, 2-0, extending its unbeaten run to four games.
Others
PSV Eindhoven (17-1-1) continued steaming toward a third consecutive Dutch Eredivisie title, but neither American was involved in the 2-1 victory at Fortuna Sittard.
Pepi (11 goals, three assists in 21 matches overall) is out until March, while right back Sergiño Dest was held out with what was believed to be a minor injury – his first absence since Oct. 1. PSV will visit Newcastle on Wednesday in the Champions League.
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Midfielder Johnny Cardoso received his first La Liga start since Aug. 30, playing 78 minutes in Atletico Madrid’s 1-0 win over Alaves. It came five days after a Copa del Rey starting assignment. Atletico will resume Champions League play Wednesday at Galatasaray.
In the Scottish Cup, center back Auston Trusty was given the day off by Celtic ahead of its 2-0 fourth-round victory over sixth-tier Auchinleck Talbot.
On the second weekend of Liga MX’s Clausura season, Club America winger Alex Zendejas remained sidelined with an injury.
We’re in a bit of a scoring drought in the NBA and fantasy basketball at the moment. It’s now been three straight weeks without a player eclipsing 80 fantasy points in a single game in High Score formats. Odd that this correlates with the injury to Nuggets superstar Nikola Jokić. Yes, very interesting indeed.
We’ve got a bit of a throwback list in Week 13 with three aging stars making the cut. The one constant right now has been Lakers’ Luka Dončić, who posted a High Score of 77 points for the second consecutive week.
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Let’s dive into the perfect lineup from Yahoo High Score fantasy basketball in Week 13.
Week 13 High Score Perfect Lineup
(Photo by Taylor Wilhelm/Yahoo Sports)
More on the top performers
Luka Dončić, guard: Again, Dončić is our one constant after hitting the 77-point mark again. Last week it was a bit more impressive doing it against the Spurs as opposed to the Kings this week. Luka filled it up in the loss to the Kings with 42 points on 16-25 shooting from the floor, plus 8 assists, 7 rebounds and 4 steals.
The Lakers’ leading scorer is dealing with a groin injury that could hold him back a bit this week. L.A. plays three road games this week with a few tough-ish matchups versus the Nuggets and Clippers.
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Jamal Murray, guard: Murray has been finding his way onto this list more often with his running mate Joker sidelined. Murray is doing a lot of heavy lifting on offense, scoring over a third of Denver’s points in a 121-115 win over the Wizards on Saturday. Murray has also been battling through injuries of late but has also been one of the top High Score assets with his mix of volume scoring and high assist totals.
Scottie Barnes, frontcourt: We hadn’t seen Barnes on here since the end of December, when he had a career-high 25 rebounds and 80 fantasy points in a wild win over the Dubs. In a great matchup with the struggling Pacers, Barnes posted a 26-7-13 line with three stocks in 38 minutes. Immanuel Quickley sat in that game, which allowed Barnes to operate with the ball in his hands more often.
LeBron James, frontcourt: LeBron joins us for a second straight week after scoring 64 fantasy points to make it on last week. The Lake Show ran up the score in a matchup versus Atlanta early last week, scoring 141 points. Both James and Dončić had double-doubles with 10 and 12 assists, respectively. LeBron has been more aggressive on offense and is starting to look 100% healthy for the first time all season.
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Kevin Durant, frontcourt: The Rockets have been struggling lately but had a good week with three wins in four games. In one such win over the Timberwolves, KD dropped a season-high 39 points on just 11-of-18 shooting from the floor, hitting 6 3-pointers with 7 assists, 4 rebounds and 3 stocks.
James Harden, utility: Harden rounds out the trio of the old guard who came through in Week 13. The Beard has been great for fantasy managers this season and is on pace for his best scoring figures since leaving Houston back in 2020. The Clips are also on a tear since late-December, winners of 12 of their past 14 games. Over this stretch, Harden is posting big figures while shooting below 40% from the floor and under 30% from distance. Despite poor shooting numbers, Harden is getting enough volume for him to sustain these fantasy performances.
When Josh Allen is your quarterback, simply making the playoffs every season isn’t going to cut it. Sean McDermott found that out the hard way Monday, as he was fired by the Buffalo Bills despite a 98-50 record with the team.
Despite that excellent regular-season record, McDermott’s Bills faltered in the playoffs. The team went just 8-8 under McDermott in the postseason, and while he managed to lead the team to multiple AFC championship games, that wasn’t good enough for Bills ownership.
There are still plenty of interesting candidates the Bills could hire this offseason. Here’s a look at some of the most intriguing options the team could consider.
Joe Brady
Most recent role: Bills offensive coordinator (three straight top-6 finishes in points per game) Why it’s an intriguing hire for Buffalo: Brady already has familiarity with the team and quarterback Josh Allen. Under Brady, the Bills have ranked sixth, second and fourth in points per game over the past three seasons. Firing McDermott at this point in the offseason — when other teams already have a massive head start with interviews and some of the top candidates are already off the market — likely wouldn’t happen unless the team felt comfortable it could find an adequate replacement. Maybe it’s the guy the Bills already know? Why it doesn’t make sense: The next Bills head coach will be expected to win the Super Bowl immediately. Does the team really want to put that expectation on a coordinator who has never been a head coach before? Brady has been successful in his role, but he has Allen as his quarterback. How much of the team’s offensive success was Brady’s play-calling and schemes and how much was just Allen being one of the best players in the NFL? Given that Brady played a role in the team’s early playoff exits the past few seasons, would hiring him really change anything?
Most recent role: Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator (team ranked No. 3 in points scored in 2025) Why it’s an intriguing hire for Buffalo: Kubiak is a young offensive coordinator with upside, and could bring a new perspective to the Bills. After two middling stops early in his career, Kubiak really hit his stride in 2025, getting another strong year out of Sam Darnold and helping the Seahawks clinch the No. 1 overall seed in the NFC. He’s been an in-demand coordinator this offseason, already interviewing with at least four teams for their head-coaching positions. He also has a strong pedigree within the game, as his father coached the Houston Texans and Denver Broncos, and his brother currently serves as the San Francisco 49ers’ offensive coordinator. Why it doesn’t make sense: The Bills already have a young, promising offensive coordinator on staff in Joe Brady. When weighing Brady vs. Kubiak, wouldn’t the team want to go with the guy who has proven he can work well with Allen? For as much success as Kubiak experienced with the Seahawks, his previous stops in Minnesota and New Orleans weren’t as fruitful, so he has only one strong season on his résumé. The Vikings ranked 14th in offensive scoring in 2021 and the Saints ranked 24th in offensive scoring in 2024 under Kubiak. Similar to Brady, Kubiak lacks head-coaching experience and the Bills might not be in a place where they can afford to take that risk over a more proven candidate. Kubiak’s team is still active, so the Bills can’t speak with him until after the Seahawks are eliminated from the playoffs.
Brian Flores
Most recent role: Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator (led team to two top-10 defensive finishes) Why it’s an intriguing hire for Buffalo: With Harbaugh and Stefanski off the market, there’s an argument to be made Flores is the best candidate available. He posted a 24-25 record in three seasons with the Miami Dolphins and nearly took the team to the playoffs in 2021 despite a 1-7 start. Since being fired, Flores spent a year under Mike Tomlin in Pittsburgh before joining the Minnesota Vikings, where he’s continued to receive high marks for his exotic blitzes and ability to confuse quarterbacks. Unlike some of the other options the team could consider, Flores actually has head-coaching experience and has led a team to two winning seasons. He might be better equipped to handle the lofty expectations in Buffalo compared to other candidates who have never been an NFL head coach before. Why it doesn’t make sense: Flores deserves credit for leading the Dolphins to two winning seasons, but he never made the playoffs in Miami. So, while he’s more experienced than other candidates, he’s unproven in the postseason. Additionally, Flores received criticism from Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa once the coach was fired. Tagovailoa called Flores a “terrible person” who was extremely critical. Flores, to his credit, said he would learn and grow as a coach following Tagovailoa’s statement. Flores still has a pending racial-discrimination lawsuit against the NFL, so the Bills would need to be prepared to handle questions about that if the team hires Flores.
Would the Bills bring back Brian Daboll? (Photo by Timothy T Ludwig/Getty Images)
(Timothy T Ludwig via Getty Images)
Brian Daboll
Most recent role: New York Giants head coach (20-40-1 in four seasons) Why it’s an intriguing hire for Buffalo: Want a former NFL head coach with strong ties to the Bills and a proven ability to work well with Allen? Daboll is your man. Prior to joining the Giants, Daboll emerged as a viable head-coaching candidate thanks to his work as the Bills’ offensive coordinator. He spent four seasons in that role, leading the team from the 30th-ranked offense in his first year to the third-ranked offense in his final season. He also oversaw Allen’s development from extremely raw, mistake prone player to one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL. Unlike Flores, Daboll has postseason experience, winning one game in the playoffs in his first season with the Giants. Why it doesn’t make sense: After a promising start, the Daboll era didn’t end well in New York. Daniel Jones looked viable in his first season under Daboll before regressing. After ranking 15th in offense in Daboll’s first season as head coach, the team fell to 30th and 31st in points for over the next two years. Jones left the Giants ahead of the 2025 NFL season and immediately looked like a much-improved player after leaving Daboll behind, which isn’t a great endorsement of the coach’s ability. The Bills didn’t miss a beat when Daboll left initially, so how much of an impact did he really make on the team’s offense?
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Bill Belichick
Most recent role: North Carolina Tar Heels head coach (4-8 record in 2025) Why it’s an intriguing hire for Buffalo: The last time Belichick was paired with a generational NFL quarterback, things went pretty well. Of all the possible candidates on the head-coaching market, Belichick has the most experience and success in the NFL, and that’s just what the Bills need after repeated playoff failures. Why take a shot on a first-time head coach or another franchise’s washout when you can hire a future Hall of Fame coach and pair him with a future Hall of Fame quarterback? Why it doesn’t make sense: Belichick is 73 years old and just went 4-8 with North Carolina. There’s no denying what Belichick accomplished with the Patriots, but his time as a legendary head coach might be over now. After Tom Brady left, Belichick’s Patriots didn’t exactly rise to the occasion. His first year with the Tar Heels didn’t end well and invited plenty of off-field weirdness thanks to Belichick’s relationship with Jordon Hudson. Are the Bills a team that can afford to deal with that level of drama right now?
Chris Shula
Most recent role: Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator (team ranked 10th in points allowed in 2025) Why it’s an intriguing hire for Buffalo: Hiring from the Sean McVay coaching tree is always en vogue. Shula is the latest young upstart coordinator who has worked under McVay who is getting head-coaching buzz. After a modest first season as a coordinator, Shula showed improvement in Year 2, when the Rams ranked 10th in points allowed on the season. He has a strong pedigree in the NFL, as his grandfather is legendary Miami Dolphins head coach Don Shula. Why it doesn’t make sense: Hiring from Sean McVay’s coaching tree doesn’t guarantee success. Matt LaFleur and Liam Coen have performed well, but Brandon Staley and Raheem Morris didn’t work out. While Shula’s Rams were solid in 2025, he doesn’t have a truly elite season on his résumé as a coordinator. Other defensive coaches the Bills could consider have been more successful in that regard. Shula also lacks head-coach experience, and the Bills would be taking a big risk in hoping he would not only be able to make that adjustment, but also deal with the immediate pressure of winning a Super Bowl in Year 1. With the Rams’ win over the Chicago Bears on Sunday, Shula can’t interview with the Bills until the Rams are eliminated from the playoffs, meaning Buffalo would have to wait potentially multiple weeks before speaking with him.
