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There was potential dynasty talk with the Philadelphia Eagles after they won the Super Bowl last season. That didn’t last long.

It was understandable though. They had a roster loaded with talent and were dominant for most of the 2024 season, including a blowout Super Bowl win over the Chiefs. It looked like the Eagles could win multiple Super Bowls with this core.

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What the Eagles reminded us all is that winning once is hard and doing it again is much, much harder. Super Bowl champions almost always look like they’re a threat to win multiple titles, and it almost never happens.

[Get more Eagles news: Philadelphia team feed]

The question the Eagles face is whether they’re closer to the championship team from 2024 or the good but frustrating team from this season. There will be changes. There was trade speculation with A.J. Brown before Sunday’s loss to the San Francisco 49ers even ended. That happens after the type of season Brown had, with more drama than big plays. The offensive coordinator seemingly has to change after Kevin Patullo was unsuccessful in replacing Kellen Moore. The Eagles’ offense was bad all season, which seems impossible given the talent they have.

Some stars will be at an age in which a steep fall could be coming, like tight end Dallas Goedert (who will be 31 next season), linebacker Zack Baun (30 next season), Saquon Barkley (29 next season, an age in which running backs often slow down) and offensive tackle Lane Johnson (36 next season).

It’s hard to know what the Eagles will be. A complete reset isn’t going to happen. The talent is still undeniable. It shouldn’t be a big surprise if the Eagles bounce right back to be a Super Bowl favorite, like they did after collapsing late in the 2023 season. But changes have to happen after a miserable season. It’s just a matter of whether it will be an extreme makeover or just some rearranging. But either way, the Eagles will be one of the more fascinating teams of the offseason.

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Panic meter: The Eagles should be OK next season … right?

Panthers have some good vibes

We shouldn’t get too excited about a team that went 8-10, including playoffs, with two losses to the Saints and another to the Cardinals. However, there were good signs, especially in the two games against the Rams.

The Panthers beat the Rams in the regular season and came within a minute of doing it again in the playoffs. The Rams scored the game-winning touchdown with 38 seconds left. It was the rare playoff loss in which the losing team should have felt pretty good coming out of it.

The Panthers showed they have good young talent, particularly at receiver with Tetairoa McMillan and Jalen Coker. The franchise has benefited from some stability, which has been very rare since David Tepper bought the team. Whether the Panthers move forward will depend on whether Bryce Young, who played well in the loss to the Rams, becomes a more prolific passer. Young had some good moments but still threw for just 3,011 yards and managed 11 interceptions as a low-volume passer. But at least there is some hope for a franchise that has had a rough decade otherwise.

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Panic meter: At least there’s finally something to feel good about.

Packers try to get over rough finish

It’s hard to not feel like the sky is falling after the Packers lost their last five games, including an epic collapse to the Chicago Bears in the wild-card round.

It was an awful end, but the Packers are still in fine shape. They have had a very young roster for the past few seasons. They fell apart after some big season-ending injuries, particularly to defensive end Micah Parsons and tight end Tucker Kraft. Presumably those two will return early in the 2026 season. There are questions about Matt LaFleur after many blown leads last season. It appears he’ll return, but will do so with more pressure than at any other point in his tenure.

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The Packers aren’t going to disappear. It only seems that way because of the miserable finish to the season.

Panic meter: The Pack will be back, but it will be a long offseason.

Jaguars’ surprising season ends early

It’s hard to not feel pretty good after going 13-4 with a division title, even if the Jags couldn’t overcome Josh Allen and the Bills in the wild-card round. Liam Coen’s first season was a smashing success. It seems like it will keep rolling on next season.

Maybe. We’ve seen teams, such as the Washington Commanders, have a huge spike one season and then fall back a bit. It’s hard to get better after improving by nine wins from the previous season. There’s no great reason to believe the Jaguars were a fluke (they were sixth in DVOA this season with a +138 point differential), but we see teams rise and fall quickly.

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Panic meter: It looks good, but expecting another 13-win season is difficult.

Chargers have some issues to monitor

Last postseason, the most disappointing team was the Chargers. Until the Steelers played on Monday night, the Chargers led the race for that dubious award yet again. It’s hard to figure there’s some fatal flaw that is causing the Chargers to tank hard when they get to the playoffs, but it is a bit concerning.

Still, this seems like a team that will be a perennial playoff contender with Jim Harbaugh. The one key factor is whether defensive coordinator Jesse Minter returns or if he gets a head-coaching job. He had a fantastic year and good coordinators can be tough to replace. Ask the Detroit Lions. If Minter is back, the next question becomes the health of offensive tackles Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt. The Chargers desperately need them back, and to get better on the interior of the line too. But if Minter is back and the offensive line is improved, there’s no reason the Chargers can’t be a Super Bowl contender next season. As long as they figure out why they’ve been a terrible playoff team lately.

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Panic meter: If Minter returns, the Chargers might be really dangerous.

Mike Tomlin steps down as Steelers head coach

At some point, there’s little point in continuing to run things back when there’s no hope for a better result in the future.

There will be major changes for the Steelers. It started Tuesday afternoon when Mike Tomlin stepped down as the team’s coach after 19 seasons. That came less than 24 hours after the Steelers got blown out in a wild-card playoff game, not putting up a touchdown in a 30-6 loss to the Texans.

That’s the major shakeup, one the Steelers aren’t used to after decades of stability at head coach. It also might be just the start of a transformative offseason.

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The Steelers haven’t been a true championship contender in a long time, and they never resembled that this season either. Their defense is aging and Aaron Rodgers seems unlikely to return next season, if he plays at all. The roster might need an overhaul no matter who the new coach is.

The Steelers have resisted major change at their head-coaching position and haven’t had to rebuild in a long time. After Tomlin stepped down, blowing up the roster might be next on the table. No matter what, of all the wild-card weekend losers, the Steelers probably should have the least optimism going forward.

It could be a rough season in 2026, whether they keep the core intact or they change it out. Though that could change with the right head coaching hire and nailing a long-term solution at quarterback, which has eluded the franchise. For better or worse the Steelers will look a lot different next season. And for a season or two as they retool, it might be worse.

Panic meter: This will be one of the Steelers’ most important offseasons in a long time.

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We have a fun episode of The Dunker Spot coming your way!

For this episode, Nekias Duncan and Steve Jones cycle through each conference and place teams in tiers. Are the Thunder still in a class of their own, or should they have company? How big is the elite tier in the East? Who’s truly capable of making a (Conference) Finals run?

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From there, the guys discuss Joel Embiid’s recent play and what it means, teams looking for answers against Victor Wembanyama, and the latest on Ja Morant.

Finally, the guys discuss some of the elite performances and interesting trends developing so far in Unrivaled.

If you ever have NBA or WNBA questions, email us at dunkerspot@yahoo.com.

9:24 — Western Conference tiers

25:47 — Eastern Conference tiers

43:35 — Joel Embiid blending into the Sixers’ offense

47:38 — Ja Morant (and maybe Jaren Jackson Jr) could be available

57:32 — How teams are trying to poke at Victor Wembanyama defensively

1:04:24 — Unrivaled takeaways from the weekend

🖥️ Watch this full episode on the Yahoo Sports NBA YouTube channel

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

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: 10-7 (o 8.5 wins), first in AFC North, lost to Texans in AFC wild card, 12th in DVOA

Overview

Pittsburgh went from “fire Tomlin” chants inside their own stadium during the season to a thrilling AFC North title win — and then back to them in the playoffs. It was an up-and-down year for Pittsburgh that still resulted in a record over .500 and a division title. This was also a team built for just that. Pittsburgh was one of the oldest teams in the league on both sides of the ball by snap-weighted age.

Signing Aaron Rodgers was a swing that brought some offensive competence, but the Pittsburgh offense still often looked like it was battling itself as it ranked 20th in success rate and turned into what a late-career Rodgers offense has looked like since his final season in Green Bay — quick passes to the flat and go balls.

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[Get more Steelers news: Pittsburgh team feed]

By the end of the season, the defense was a top-10 unit by weighted DVOA. That was a big turnaround from the start of the season, when opponents had called out the defense for its simplicity.

Most of this roster will return for 2026. Tomlin will not as he announced his parting of ways with the franchise less than 24 hours after the wild-card loss to the Texans. In comes Mike McCarthy as his replacement. So it’ll be a new era for the Steelers, but will Rodgers stick around to play for his old Packers coach?

Cap/cuts outlook

Pittsburgh has just under $39 million in effective salary cap space, which ranks ninth in the NFL per Over The Cap. The biggest savings for the Steelers would be by moving on from linebacker Patrick Queen, which would open up $13 million in cap space, but an extension could be just as likely. The Steelers could also use some of their cap space for extensions to younger players — cornerback Joey Porter Jr. and linebacker Nick Herbig are both going into the final year of their rookie contracts. Pittsburgh also adjusted Jalen Ramsey’s contract when he was acquired via trade, and no guaranteed money remains after 2025. That could be something revisited this offseason.

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Key pending free agents

QB Aaron Rodgers
RB Kenneth Gainwell
OL Isaac Seumalo
S Kyle Dugger
CB James Pierre
CB Asante Samuel Jr.

Rodgers obviously stands out after signing a one-year deal with Pittsburgh last offseason. His overall NFL future remains unknown, let alone his Steelers one, even with a familiar face in Mike McCarthy leading the team. In Pittsburgh, Rodgers played his specific brand of football and was 24th in EPA per play among quarterbacks. Gainwell was a Rodgers favorite. He was fifth among running backs in targets and was second on the team in target share. Pierre and Samuel played well in small samples, ranking eighth and 10th in adjusted yards allowed per coverage snap among 138 corners with at least 100 coverage snaps on the season.

Positional needs

Wide receiver
Guard
Cornerback

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The Steelers didn’t have much receiver depth behind DK Metcalf, and that was made even clearer when Metcalf was out. Metcalf had only a 19% target share, but that’s because Rodgers so often throws the check-down to running backs and tight ends. Only Brock Purdy threw a lower percentage of his passes to a wide receiver (41.5%) than Rodgers (42%). Whether Rodgers returns or not, receiver is a huge need.

With Isaac Seumalo set to be a free agent, the Steelers will need to look at guard. Mason McCormick has shown promise, but the 2024 fourth-round pick ranked 20th in blown block rate at right tackle, according to Sports Info Solutions.

Pittsburgh is set on one side of the defense with Joey Porter Jr., who had an All-Pro-caliber season. The Steelers rotated through a few options opposite Porter and found some success, but with Pierre and Samuel free agents, Pittsburgh could be in a similar spot again.

2026 NFL Draft picks

1st round, pick No. 21
2nd round, pick No. 53
3rd round (DAL), pick No. 76
3rd round, pick No. 85
3rd round (projected compensatory)
4th round
4th round (projected compensatory)
5th round
6th round (projected compensatory)
6th round (projected compensatory)
7th round (NO)
7th round

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What could move the fantasy needle in 2026?

No more half measures; let it go and rebuild

It’s time to rebuild. Frankly, that goes for both sides of the ball. An aging defense that cost Pittsburgh more money than any other team in the NFL in 2025 is in dire need of a refresh. However, specifically on offense, there’s just no way the team can replicate anything close to the Frankenstein mashup of what Arthur Smith’s system blended with the preferences of his hyper-specific, far-past-his-prime veteran quarterback, as has been the case each of the previous two years. Pittsburgh has 12 picks in this year’s NFL Draft, including five in the top 100. It might not be the year to take a clear answer at quarterback with any of those selections, but it can begin to restock the cupboard of a near-barren pass-catching corps and fortify a real offensive identity along an underrated offensive line.

That isn’t fun. It probably won’t result in a winning season in 2026 but it’s past time that isn’t the standard for success any longer. It’s enough already; accept the rebuild. — Matt Harmon

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Good draft fit

Makai Lemon, WR, USC

The Steelers need another threat at wide receiver opposite DK Metcalf for whoever the quarterback is after this season. Lemon is a bit smaller (5-11, 195) but he’s really effective from the slot and over the middle, which would complement Metcalf’s outside ability nicely. Lemon also has good after-catch ability and is able to find soft spots in zone.

Betting nugget

Surprisingly, for a veteran team, the Steelers thrived this season in games with a rest disadvantage – going 4-1 against the spread. — Ben Fawkes

The Philadelphia Eagles are making a change at offensive coordinator. Kevin Patullo is out, the team announced Tuesday, coming off Sunday’s 23-19 wild-card loss to the San Francisco 49ers.

Head coach Nick Sirianni released a statement, saying Patullo “is a great coach who has my utmost respect. He has been integral to this team’s success over the last five years, not only to the on-field product but behind the scenes as a valued leader for our players and organization … Ultimately, when we fall short of our goals that responsibility lies on my shoulders.”

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Patullo may not be leaving the Eagles, though, as NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reports that there’s a possibility he may remain on Sirianni’s staff.

Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts was asked Monday if he wanted Patullo to return as the Eagles’ next season.

“It’s too soon to think about that,” Hurts said. “Like I said, I put my trust in Howie, Nick, and Mr. Lurie.”

Patullo lasted just one season as OC. After last season’s Super Bowl run, former offensive coordinator Kellen Moore was hired to be head coach of the New Orleans Saints. Sirianni opted for familiarity and promoted Patullo from pass game coordinator and associate head coach to offensive coordinator last offseason. Now, the Eagles will be looking to hire their fifth offensive coordinator in five years.

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[Get more Eagles news: Philly team feed]

The Eagles’ offense struggled under Patullo this season. They went from being ranked eighth in total offense last year to 24th this season. Wide receiver A.J. Brown and running back Saquon Barkley also struggled under Patullo.

Brown was frustrated with his lack of targets throughout the season and had three catches for 25 yards against the 49ers. Brown also got into a heated shouting match with Sirianni before halftime of that game.

Brown finished the season with 78 catches for 1,003 yards and seven touchdowns, which was his worst season as an Eagle and his lowest yardage total since his third year in the league, when he was still on the Titans.

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Barkley’s numbers also went down this season, finishing the year with 1,140 yards, seven touchdowns, and only three regular-season games where he rushed for over 100 yards. Last season he had 2,005 yards, 13 touchdowns, and 10 games over 100 yards.

While Barkley did not directly say he wanted Patullo back as the offensive coordinator, he told reporters that not think Patullo should solely be blamed for the Eagles’ struggles.

“I think you have to point the finger at one person, like that’s what you guys have to do in your job,” Barkley said. “Somebody’s got to catch the blame, especially when we had the season we had the year before.

“Do I think that’s fair? No, I don’t think that’s fair at all. I’ll be the first one to say, did I play to the level that I played last year? I don’t think so,” Barkley continued. “So I let him down. I let my teammates down. We all — it’s a group thing. I know you guys are going to point at one person and say this, say that, but it’s a group effort. I’ve got nothing but positive things to say about KP as a man, as a coach.”

The 11-6 Eagles, who were once viewed as a favorite to potentially repeat this season, ended up falling well short of expectations.

“We fell short as a collective,” Barkley said. “I want to make sure we get this- as a collective, we didn’t do enough.”

When a phenomenon like Indiana football happens, our natural impulse is to scramble for an explanation.

How did Curt Cignetti do this so quickly at a dormant program where nobody ever conceived of such possibilities? Why do the normal rules of building championship teams suddenly not apply?

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We want it to make sense. We want to know the secret. We want to know if Cignetti possesses some kind of football Rosetta Stone that nobody else in the sport’s 155-year history has figured out.

And the lack of an answer is breaking people’s brains. It’s even gotten to the point where innuendo about cheating — with absolutely no evidence, mind you — has taken hold on social media and even among a subset of athletic administrators who are convinced something nefarious must be going on at Indiana even if they can’t identify it.

But what if the actual answer to Indiana football being on the precipice of a 16-0 national championship season is that there’s no answer? What if it’s one of those accidents of history where everything aligned just the right way both with Cignetti’s arrival at Indiana and in college football more broadly to open the door for a traditional have-not? What if Indiana beats Miami on Monday night and the conclusion to the story, as we all scramble to put it in perspective, is that this was a one-of-a-kind moment that can’t be replicated and exists forever as a sports anomaly that can’t be properly analyzed?

“It’s been kind of surreal, but you get it done with the right people, properly led,” Cignetti said Monday. “We’ve been fortunate to have great staff continuity, and then down in the locker room we’ve got a lot of older guys that have high character, great leadership traits. They’re very consistent, day in and day out, in terms of being committed and working hard to improvement and being able to enter every Saturday prepared with the right mindset and then putting it on the field. It’s all about people, and you’ve got to have a blueprint and a plan. There’s no question about it, that’s what’s gotten us to this point.”

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That’s not a very fulfilling answer because it’s the same stuff most coaches say about their programs, even the ones that aren’t coming close to national titles. If it’s just Cignetti being better than his peers at the nuts and bolts of coaching, it’s almost an indictment of every coach and every downtrodden program that couldn’t pull off anything close to this.

And it’s probably why the conspiracy brains are having a field day with Indiana right now. They just can’t conceive that a team without an Alabama, Ohio State or any other blue-blooded logo on their helmet could actually be this good.

The narrative pivot from “This Indiana story is wild!” to “They gotta be cheatin’, Paul!” really ramped up as Indiana completed its 56-22 blowout over Oregon in the semifinals — a game that began with cornerback D’Angelo Ponds reading the first play from scrimmage as if he knew exactly what was coming. No sooner had Ponds jumped the route, snagged the interception and taken it into the end zone for a pick 6 that the theories started to fly on social media.

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Were they stealing signs? Did Indiana find a way to hack into opponents’ computer systems to download their game plans and practice film? Did a spy get into Oregon’s headsets?

Not only is such wide-ranging espionage improbable based on the security measures teams take to protect their online databases, it’s also unoriginal. Even as the Connor Stalions sign-stealing scandal unfolded at Michigan two years ago, the more mythical claims about what he did turned out to be a James Bond fantasy.

Yes, Stalions went to great lengths to illegally scout opponents in person, violating NCAA rules, but it got a little silly when paranoia about hacking into the Catapult system to steal practice footage began to infect multiple programs. Alabama wouldn’t even let players watch film individually on their iPads leading into the Rose Bowl that year. It reached a point Catapult had to come out and say publicly there was no evidence of any security breaches.

Similarly, there’s no indication whatsoever of any evidence that would discredit Indiana’s success. Those theories appear to be the product of disbelief that the Hoosiers could really be this good — especially when they often talk about how little they practice relative to other teams. (Cignetti has famously been a proponent of short, high-intensity practices, coming in well short of the 20 hours per week allowed by NCAA rules.)

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In these situations, though, it’s often helpful to apply Occam’s Razor, a philosophical principle that the simplest explanation for something tends to be the right one. Is it more likely that Cignetti’s 26-2 record at Indiana is the product of a vast conspiracy or that a coach who has won big at D-II, the FCS and then the Sun Belt got to the Big Ten and continued winning with a group of players that was far more talented than anyone understood?

Yes, the Hoosiers are benefitting from the presence of several seniors and fifth-year players in key positions (but so are a lot of programs). Yes, Mark Cuban and other billionaire Indiana alums have invested in NIL and roster-funding (donors tend to get excited when you win).

If you want to knock Indiana for that, go ahead. But you who know else used the formula of veteran-laden team and expensive roster to win a national championship? That would be Ohio State last year. And probably every national champion over the next several years. This isn’t groundbreaking stuff.

Sorry to break it to you, but the real secret is no secret: Even though Indiana doesn’t have the five-star recruits that have traditionally been the foundation of almost every championship team in history, Cignetti has managed to construct a team without a weakness.

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What’s the best part of Indiana’s team — the offense or defense? What position group can you attack? It’s hard to say because nobody has really identified something to pick on. The Hoosiers have proven the ability to win a tough, line-of-scrimmage game against the best in the country or they can win a shootout with the potential No. 1 overall draft pick in Fernando Mendoza handing off to future draft pick Roman Hemby and throwing to three future NFL receivers in Omar Cooper, Elijah Sarratt and Charlie Becker.

Oh, and Indiana has projected mid-round draft picks all over its defense, leads the nation in turnover margin and gets flagged for the second-fewest penalty yards in the country.

It’s quite a normal way to construct a great team. It just happened at a place that isn’t normal, and it happened at warp speed because Cignetti was able to bring some key pieces of his success at James Madison via the transfer portal. Ponds is a great example: A three-star recruit, largely because he’s a 5-foot-9 corner rather than a 6-foot-2 corner, was awesome as a freshman at James Madison and has continued to be awesome for two years at Indiana.

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And especially now, as the more pedigreed programs struggle with continuity and building depth in the traditional way by stacking recruiting classes, it makes sense that college football would stumble into an atypical champion that has talent, experience, continuity and great coaching.

Does that sound like a conspiracy or a lightning strike? If Cignetti had been hired at Alabama instead of Indiana two years ago and built out his roster the exact same way, is there any doubt the Crimson Tide would be playing for a national title right now without all the handwringing about whether there’s more to the story?

Instead, it’s happening at Indiana. College football has never been set up for a program to flip overnight from a total loser into a national champion, and it’s driving some folks insane to watch the Hoosiers become one of the more dominant playoff teams we’ve ever seen.

But a lottery ticket hits somewhere every day in America. If this is indeed Indiana’s time, there probably isn’t much more to it than what the Hoosiers have shown us for the last 15 weeks.

This is serendipitous.

Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti was conducting a scheduled news conference Tuesday afternoon to discuss the conclusion of Baltimore’s season. Just as he was taking questions from reporters, news of Mike Tomlin’s resignation as head coach of the the rival Pittsburgh Steelers broke.

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Bisciotti was stunned.

“He did? Is that official?” Bisciotti asked when informed that Tomlin had stepped down.

Bisciotti was then asked (jokingly?) if Tomlin would be a candidate to replace longtime Ravens coach John Harbaugh, whom Bisciotti fired last week after a loss to Tomlin’s Steelers eliminated Baltimore from the playoffs and sent Pittsburgh into the postseason.

“Holy s***, wouldn’t that be awesome?” Bisciotti said.

Laughter in the room ensued. Bisciotti paused.

“Only if John took the Pittsburgh job,” he continued, with a smile on his face. “Wow, wouldn’t that be interesting? I don’t know, that thing last week, maybe disqualified him from my opening after our kicker missed a kick to let them advance.

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“Good for Mike. Yeah, I dunno. Talk to him.”

Bisciotti went on to talk about his admiration for his team’s longtime rival coach.

“I love Mike,” he continued. “I’ve admired Mike for 18 years. That’s really shocking that he did it that way. But, yeah, that’s kind of crazy.”

Could Tomlin to Ravens or Harbaugh to Steelers actually happen?

To be clear, there’s no indication that either Tomlin would land in Baltimore or that Harbaugh would take the Steelers job. Tomlin resigned, and initial reports indicate that he’s more likely to go into broadcasting than take another coaching job next year.

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And since he stepped down rather than being fired, his NFL coaching rights remain under control of the Steelers. He’s under contract with Pittsburgh through the 2027 season. Wherever Tomlin would land in a hypothetical coaching scenario would require approval and a trade from the Steelers. They’re not going to green-light Tomlin to the Ravens.

Harbaugh, meanwhile, remains the most coveted candidate on the coaching market. As of Tuesday afternoon, the Giants, Falcons and Titans are the frontrunners to retain his services, according to The Athletic’s Dianna Russini. While Baltimore doesn’t have any control over where Harbaugh lands, the idea of him coaching in Pittsburgh seems equally preposterous — though slightly more realistic than Tomlin landing in Baltimore.

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Tyler Loop’s missed field goal looms large

Regardless, it’s wild times in the AFC North after nearly two decades of coaching stability for the division’s most successful franchises. That these dominoes have fallen this way thanks in part to a missed 44-yard field goal makes things that much wilder.

Bisciotti fired Harbaugh two days after Baltimore kicker Tyler Loop missed that 44-yard field goal as time expired that would have secured a win for the Ravens and sent them to the playoffs instead of the Steelers.

Bisciotti was asked Tuesday if Loop making that field goal would have saved Harbaugh’s job.

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“For a week,” Bisciotti responded, point blank.

So it sounds like Harbaugh was out in Baltimore regardless of the result of that field goal and that game. A trip to the playoffs, of course, would have opened up many possibilities.

A deep run and most certainly a Super Bowl win would have had the potential to sway Bisciotti. But barring subsequent significant playoff success in the event that Loop had made that kick, it sounds like Bisciotti had made up his mind about Harbaugh.

And now, as of Tuesday, two of the AFC’s most venerated franchises are in search of a head coach.

Nate Tice & Matt Harmon deep dive on the nine NFL teams with head coach openings to determine the best fit for each job. For each team, Nate & Matt discuss the franchise’s biggest selling point and their favorite pick to be next head coach. The duo start with the Baltimore Ravens, where they determine the best fit for Lamar Jackson. Next, the two react to the breaking news that the Los Angeles Chargers fired OC Greg Roman before moving on to the Las Vegas Raiders (who have a more enticing roster and organization than you might think.)

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Later, Nate & Matt cover the Cleveland Browns and the Atlanta Falcons. During some preliminary thoughts on Mike Tomlin, the news breaks that Mike Tomlin officially steps down as Pittsburgh Steelers head coach, and the two hosts discuss what Tomlin’s future could hold.

The duo wrap things up with thoughts on the Miami Dolphins, Arizona Cardinals, New York Giants and Tennessee Titans.

(4:10) – Ravens

(18:20) – Chargers fire OC Greg Roman

(25:00) – Raiders

(34:25) – Browns

(42:20) – Falcons

(54:15) – Mike Tomlin steps down as Steelers head coach mid-Tomlin conversation

(1:04:30) – Dolphins

(1:12:20) – Cardinals

(1:20:35) – Giants

(1:32:10) – Titans

🖥️ 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

In the wake of Brooks Koepka’s re-defection from LIV Golf to the PGA Tour, the Tour has created a very narrowly drawn pathway for certain star LIV players to return without an extended waiting period. But if the three players designated by the Tour as return candidates are to be believed, Koepka will be the only one leaving the breakway tour.

The PGA Tour’s newly created “Returning Member Program” offers a pathway for specific players — major and Players Championship winners between 2022 and 2025 — to jump directly back onto the Tour. That designation includes only four players: Kopeka, Bryson DeChambeau, Jon Rahm and Cam Smith.

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Speaking on Wednesday at LIV’s preseason press event, Rahm and DeChambeau appeared to distance themselves from the possibility of leaving.

“I’m contracted through 2026,” DeChambeau said, “so I’m excited about this year.”

“I’m not going anywhere,” Rahm added. “Focused on the league and my team this year.”

Smith also indicated he wouldn’t be rejoining the PGA Tour. “I made a decision to come here,” Smith said, “and I stand by it.”

DeChambeau left himself a bit more wiggle room, particularly in regard to next season. “Whether I’m here or not next year,” he told Today’s Golfer this week. “I’m excited for this year, playing and competing with some of the best players in the world, competing in the majors, and then giving it my all every single week I tee it up, no matter where I’m at.”

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On his Instagram story Tuesday, DeChambeau posted an image of himself looking confused, asking “What would you do?” and posed next to an “Exit” sign.

All three players have until Feb. 2 to make their decision before the “Returning Member Program” option expires.

“This is a one-time, defined window and does not set a precedent for future situations,” PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp stated Monday in announcing the “Returning Member Program.” “Once the door closes, there is no promise that this path will be available again.”

After 19 seasons, Mike Tomlin’s run with the Pittsburgh Steelers is over. Tomlin stepped down Tuesday, putting the Steelers in an incredibly rare situation this offseason: in need of a new head coach.

It marks just the third time since 1969 the Steelers will look to bring in a new head coach. The team has developed a reputation for making the right call there. After being hired in 1969, Chuck Noll coached the team through the 1991 season, winning four Super Bowls along the way. He was replaced by Bill Cowher, who coached the team from 1992 to 2006 and brought home a Super Bowl title of his own. That paved the way for Tomlin, who — in addition to winning a Super Bowl — never posted a losing season with the franchise.

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Given that history, a lot rides on the Steelers to once again make the right call this offseason. In a season that has already seen major turnover in the coaching ranks, here are five of the most intriguing candidates who could replace Tomlin in Pittsburgh.

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John Harbaugh

Most recent role: Baltimore Ravens head coach (193-124 record over 18 seasons, including playoffs)
Why it’s an intriguing hire for Pittsburgh: Prior to the Tomlin news, Harbaugh’s firing was easily the most shocking coaching move of the offseason. Given all Harbaugh’s success in Baltimore, the 63-year-old is expected to be the best option on the market. Harbaugh certainly has a lot of familiarity with the Steelers, having coached at least two games against the team per season over the last 18 years. He’s also experienced plenty of success within the AFC North, leading the Ravens to 12 playoff appearances during his tenure. Transitioning to a team within the division would likely make things easier for Harbaugh, who already knows how to game plan against the Cincinnati Bengals and Cleveland Browns. Like Tomlin, Harbaugh is known as a strong motivator who can get the most out of his players. Hiring Harbaugh would also do quite a bit to stoke the rivalry between the Ravens and Steelers, making it one of the most fun options available.
Why it doesn’t make sense: Given the longevity of the previous three Steelers head coaches, the team will likely go much younger than the 63-year-old Harbaugh. Noll was 37 when he was hired and Cowher and Tomlin were both 34. If the Steelers are hoping their next head coach hangs around for the next two decades, Harbaugh isn’t the most logical choice. While Harbaugh experienced plenty of success in Baltimore, he was fired — in part — for his inability to push the team further in the playoffs, one of the biggest criticisms Tomlin faced during his final seasons with the Steelers.

Brian Flores

Most recent role: Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator (led team to two top-10 defensive finishes)
Why it’s an intriguing hire for Pittsburgh: Flores is one of the few candidates on the market with actual ties to Pittsburgh. After being fired by the Miami Dolphins following the 2021 NFL season, Flores joined Tomlin’s staff in Pittsburgh, serving as the team’s linebackers coach and senior defensive assistant. He left after just one year to join the Vikings. Though Flores’ tenure with the Dolphins ended in controversy — and a lawsuit — he led a franchise that’s been largely moribund this century to two winning seasons in three years. In his final year in Miami, Flores’ Dolphins started the year 1-7 before rallying to finish the season 9-8, proving that he’s capable of overcoming tough situations.
Why it doesn’t make sense: Flores received some harsh criticism from at least one extremely notable player on the Dolphins after the coach was fired. That would be quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, who ripped Flores’ coaching style, calling him a “terrible person.” Flores, to his credit, handled that criticism well, saying it made him reflect on how he could grow from it and be a better coach. There’s also the issue of Flores’ lawsuit, which is still ongoing. While the Steelers were willing to bring Flores is as a defensive assistant with the lawsuit pending, the issue would receive far more attention and coverage if Flores becomes a head coach again.

Marcus Freeman

Most recent role: Notre Dame head coach (43-12 record in over five seasons)
Why it’s an intriguing hire for Pittsburgh: Freeman is arguably the biggest name in college football who is drawing legitimate NFL interest. He’s been excellent at Notre Dame, and while Freeman already stated his desire to return to South Bend in 2026 — and reportedly received a better contract to stick around — there were rumors even before Tomlin stepped down that NFL teams were still pursuing him. Given the prestige and longevity the Steelers’ role offers, perhaps that would be enough to get Freeman to change his mind and hop to the pros.
Why it doesn’t make sense: Freeman would represent a big-name hire, and that’s not the way the Steelers have operated in the past, albeit, in an extremely small sample. Tomlin in particular wasn’t a big name when hired, having just one year under his belt as a defensive coordinator before he was brought in. While the 40-year-old Freeman has experienced plenty of success in college, he’s never coached in the NFL. The transition could prove to be too big a jump, and if the Steelers want a long-term option, gambling on whether Freeman can make that shift is extremely risky.

Jesse Minter

Most recent role: Los Angeles Chargers defensive coordinator (led team to two top-10 defensive finishes)
Why it’s an intriguing hire for Pittsburgh: What did Noll, Cowher and Tomlin all have in common when they were hired by the Steelers? They were all young, defensive-minded coaches who were ready for the next gig. Minter fits that criteria perfectly, and is one of the most in-demand coaches on the market this offseason. All of the other eight NFL teams with head-coach vacancies reportedly asked to interview Minter, and the Steelers could wind up being the ninth. In his two seasons as defensive coordinator, Minter’s Chargers led the league in points against in 2024 and have confused plenty of offenses with their disguises, pressures and general difficulty to play against.
Why it doesn’t make sense: Noll, Cowher and Tomlin all worked out well, but that doesn’t mean the Steelers need to perfectly try to recreate those hires in 2025. While Minter has an impressive résumé and is in demand, there’s an argument to be made that the Steelers are in need of a more offensive-minded coach with the team’s quarterback spot in flux. Aaron Rodgers’ future was in question even before Tomlin stepped down, meaning the team will either find another stopgap veteran or spend a draft pick on a prospect. Having a strong offensive mind running things could prove to be more beneficial in the long run, as lack of offense is what has held the team back in recent years.

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Klint Kubiak

Most recent role: Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator (team ranked No. 3 in points scored in 2025)
Why it’s an intriguing hire for Pittsburgh: Kubiak is essentially Minter, but on the offensive side of the ball. After abbreviated runs with the Minnesota Vikings and New Orleans Saints, Kubiak found his stride in Seattle, lifting the team’s offense to third in points per game and securing the No. 1 seed in the NFC. Kubiak received high marks for getting another strong season out of Sam Darnold, who joined the team on a notable free-agent deal after turning his career around in Minnesota. Kubiak has a pedigree within the game, with his father, Gary, being a successful NFL coach and his brother, Klay, serving as the San Francisco 49ers’ offensive coordinator.
Why it doesn’t make sense: The Steelers have shown a preference for defensive-minded head coaches the last three times they’ve made hire. Again, it’s a small sample, but the team does seem to have a type. While Kubiak excelled with the Seahawks in 2025, he lasted just one season with both the Vikings and Saints previously. Kubiak wasn’t brought back by Minnesota after the team fired Mike Zimmer and then lost his job in New Orleans after Dennis Allen was let go. His numbers with those two teams weren’t particularly impressive, as the Vikings ranked 14th in points for in 2021 and the Saints ranked 24th in points for in 2024. The Steelers would have to be willing to put a lot of faith on Kubiak’s performance this season to feel he’s the right guy to lead the team for years to come.

On Monday night when Aaron Rodgers refrained from asserting much with certainty, the quarterback made one point eminently clear: his respect for Mike Tomlin.

The respect, in itself, wasn’t surprising. Rodgers had lavished praise on Tomlin for the better part of a year since he signed up to spend his 21st NFL season with the Pittsburgh Steelers. The longest-tenured head coach in the NFL was Reason 1A Rodgers joined Pittsburgh. It may have also been Reason 1B.

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But after the Steelers’ 30-6 wild-card loss to the Houston Texans on Monday night, the ninth straight year that Pittsburgh has not won a postseason game, Rodgers reiterated that his belief in Tomlin had not wavered.

Considering Tomlin on the hot seat, he said, was “an absolute joke.”

“Mike T has had more success than damn near anybody in the league for the last 19-20 years,” Rodgers said. “And more than that though, when you have the right guy and the culture is right, you don’t think about making a change.”

On Tuesday afternoon, Tomlin had relieved the Steelers of the need to think about making a change as he stepped down from his post of 19 years that included a Super Bowl title.

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The decision will send ripple effects through the NFL, as nine openings now loom at head coach. It may also finalize a decision for Aaron Rodgers’ future.

Because while Rodgers hasn’t confirmed with certainty that this season was his last, the 42-year-old has hinted at that possibility as he spent this season with Pittsburgh first and foremost because of Tomlin.

The reason Rodgers came to the Steelers is now gone. The culture that elevated an aging core of a roster will need to regroup. While the club never finished below .500 in 19 years, postseason success has also eluded it the last decade.

If Rodgers was on the fence about a return, Tomlin may push him over it.

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“I’m not going to make any emotional decisions,” Rodgers said Monday night. “At this point, obviously such a fun year. A lot of the adversity, but a lot of fun. Been a great year overall in my life in the last year, and this is a really good part of that, coming here and being a part of this team. So it’s disappointing to be sitting here with the season over.”

Rodgers’ season-wide performance had bright spots as he led the Steelers to 10 wins and the AFC North title while completing 65.7% of his passes for 3,322 yards, 24 touchdowns and seven interceptions.

After the Steelers’ regular-season finale win over the Baltimore Ravens, teammates hailed the quarterback who accounted for 314 yards and a go-ahead touchdown with 55 seconds to play.

“He’s here for a reason,” edge rusher T.J. Watt said. “This is why he’s here.”

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But Monday night, with just 146 yards, no touchdowns, an interception and a lost fumble, Rodgers’ magic eluded him against an excellent Texans defense. The chance at a ride into the sunset to cap this season evaporated — for Rodgers and for Tomlin.

So Rodgers said he would “just get away and then have the right conversations.” The closest he came to acknowledging he could hang up his cleats was in saying “every game could be my final game.”

Twice, he declined to answer questions.

Each one became more notable with Tomlin’s resignation.

If Rodgers did want to play a 22nd season, would he want it to be with the Steelers?

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“I’m not going to talk about that,” Rodgers said.

And at the end of his news conference, after Rodgers had derided the notion of firing Tomlin or Green Bay’s Matt LaFleur and insisted he would make decisions differently than the trends of a league, Rodgers was asked what he learned from Tomlin in the season with him.

“I’ve answered that a number of times,” Rodgers said. “I’ve talked extensively about how I feel about Mike, and I just did in that f***ing answer.”

Rodgers had said all he wanted and needed to say. And even as he praised the traditions of the Steelers’ organization, it continued to ultimately circle back to Tomlin. So he left the podium and returned to the Steelers’ locker room.

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Even there, Tomlin had said little.

“It’s not time for talk,” Tomlin said. “We agreed that we’ll meet tomorrow and go from there. But when you’re in this single-elimination tournament, man, there’s not a whole lot to talk about.

“You win or you go home.”

Tomlin told the Steelers, in his Tuesday meeting, that he is going home.

The architect of the Steelers’ winning culture the last two decades has stepped down. Rodgers, who enjoyed immense success in 18 seasons with the Packers before dysfunctional losing seasons with the New York Jets, made clear how much he values a well-run, well-coached organization.

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On Monday night, as ESPN analysts including Hall of Fame quarterback Troy Aikman voiced their expectations Rodgers would not play again, the tides seemed headed in one direction.

Tuesday, with Tomlin stepping down, they seemed to crash even more surely.

If Rodgers retires this offseason, he’ll do so with a career regular-season record of 163-93-1 (.636), completing 65.1% of his passes for 66,274 yards, 527 touchdowns and 123 interceptions.

Rodgers played this season as the active leader in passing yardage and passing touchdowns, per Pro Football Reference. He holds the all-time records for interception percentage — 1.4% — and passer rating, at 102.2 across his more than two decades.

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Might Rodgers want to start over again if a talented team with a coach he knew, like the Minnesota Vikings, called? Perhaps. But the chance of running back his 2025 infrastructure is gone.

“After much thought and reflection, I have decided to step down as head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers …” Tomlin said in a statement. “While this chapter comes to a close, my respect and love for the Pittsburgh Steelers will never change.”