Seahawks NFL Free Agency Predictions: 5 Moves for Seattle After Winning Super Bowl

The Seattle Seahawks are Super Bowl champs, but there's work to be done if they want to repeat. Seattle has six players on FOX Sports NFL writer Greg Auman's top 100 free agents list for this offseason. However, Auman also has the Seahawks re-signing four of those players and adding another in his free-agent predictions. The Seahawks are set to have roughly $72 million in cap space this offseason, per Over The Cap. So, finding the cap space to re-sign several key contributors shouldn't be a problem. But which players does Auman think Seattle will re-sign? Here's a closer at Auman's five free-agent predictions for the Seahawks. Re-sign CB Josh Jobe (79th-best free agent, seventh-best free agent cornerback) Auman's thoughts: "Jobe, 27, was cut by the Eagles before the 2024 season, landed on Seattle's practice squad and has quickly ascended to an every-game starter in a talented secondary. He re-signed this season for $2 million, but will be closer to $10 million on his next deal as other teams seek to crib from the NFL's No. 1 scoring defense. Two Super Bowls in four seasons doesn't hurt. Seattle has difficult decisions ahead in their secondary in free agency." Sign Ravens edge rusher Dre'Mont Jones (56th-best free agent, ninth-best free agent edge rusher) Auman's thoughts: "Jones, 29, split last season between the Titans and Ravens and reset his career high with seven sacks. He's been a consistent rotational disruptor bouncing through four teams in seven years, averaging just over five sacks a season. With the coaching change, he could land with John Harbaugh and the Giants or could go back to Seattle with Mike Macdonald, and should get a bump from the $8.5 million salary he earned in 2025." Re-sign CB Riq Woolen (33rd-best free agent, third-best free agent cornerback) Auman's thoughts: "Woolen, 26, led the NFL with six interceptions as a rookie in 2022, making the Pro Bowl, and he's totaled six over the last three seasons in helping the Seahawks to the Super Bowl. Seattle has plenty of cap space, but can't keep them all. Woolen has 10-plus passes defended in each of his four NFL seasons. Projections for his next deal are all over the map. Spotrac has him at $8 million, Pro Football Focus has him at $15 million and others think he could draw more than that." Re-sign Rashid Shaheed (16th-best free agent, fourth-best free agent wide receiver) Auman's thoughts: "Shaheed, 27, was electric after Seattle acquired him from the Saints at the trade deadline — the only NFL player with a punt return and kickoff return for a touchdown, adding another kickoff touchdown in the playoffs. His receiving skills — 59 catches for 687 yards and two touchdowns — are a nice bonus, and Seattle will have tough decisions on which impending free agents it can afford to keep. He's likely to draw $15 million a year from a team that values a return threat and can use him creatively on offense as well." Re-sign RB Kenneth Walker III (Sixth-best free agent, best free agent running back) Auman's thoughts: "Walker, 25, ramped it up in the playoffs with four touchdowns before running his way to Super Bowl MVP after rushing for 1,027 yards in the regular season. Seattle was a good bet to extend him already, but the injury to Zach Charbonnet should make that more of a priority. Can he clear $10 million a year on a new contract? The Seahawks are a Super Bowl team still somehow ranked in the top five in available cap space for 2026, so it's hard to imagine them not paying to bring him back as a central part of their offense moving forward."

from Latest NFL News & Videos from FOX Sports https://ift.tt/N3vfW8l

Eagles NFL Free Agency Predictions: 4 Moves for Philly After Disappointing 2025 Season

The Philadelphia Eagles' run to repeat as champions in 2025 ended in disappointment, but we have a few ideas in mind to help them potentially get back to the Super Bowl in 2026. FOX Sports NFL writer Greg Auman had the Eagles landing four players in his top 100 free agents list this week. Philadelphia has roughly $20 million in cap space this offseason, so retaining key players like edge rusher Jaelan Phillips is plausible. But the Eagles need some help on offense as well, especially with rumors of the team potentially dealing A.J. Brown percolating. Well, Auman has the Eagles finding an answer for their offensive woes, too. So, let's take a closer look at the four free agents he has Philadelphia signing a month before free agency opens. Re-sign S Reed Blankenship (94th-best free agent, 11th-best safety free agent) Auman's thoughts: "Blankenship, 26, was undrafted when he first came to the Eagles and has become a three-year starter and a key piece on their 2024 Super Bowl championship team. He had seven interceptions in 2023-24 but took a step back in 2025. Will the Eagles seek change in their secondary or pay to keep him around? He re-signed a year ago for $3.5 million as a restricted free agent but should command double that now on the open market." Re-sign TE Dallas Goedert (55th-best free agent, fifth-best tight end free agent) Auman's thoughts: "Goedert, 31, probably isn't going anywhere — he's played his eight-year career in Philadelphia, and more than doubled his career high with 11 touchdowns in 2025. He's a reliable target on a team that lacks depth at receiver, so his steady mid-level production (between 40 and 60 catches for the last seven years) is a constant even as the Eagles change offensive coordinators every year. He restructured to a $10 million deal last year and will likely take less to return for 2026." Sign Packers WR Romeo Doubs (23rd-best free agent, sixth-best wide receiver free agent) Auman's thoughts: "Doubs, 25, has had steady mid-level production in Green Bay, averaging 50 catches, 600 yards and five touchdowns a year in his four seasons there. He stepped up in the playoff loss with eight catches for 124 yards and a score — finding value in a No. 2 receiver can be tough, and he's likely to come in the $12-15 million range, above the $11 million extension Christian Watson signed for last year. By Pro Football Reference's "Approximate Value" metric, the top two picks of the 2022 fourth round were both Packers, in Doubs and tackle Zach Tom, already signed to a nice extension." Re-sign edge rusher Jaelan Phillips (10th-best free agent, third-best edge rusher free agent) Auman's thoughts: "Phillips, 26, got traded at the deadline when the Dolphins decided they weren't going to be able to keep him, but it was an underwhelming 2025 — two sacks in eight games with the Eagles after three sacks in nine games with the Dolphins. He's had injury concerns in the past and has 28 total sacks in five NFL seasons, peaking with 8.5 as a rookie in 2021. Phillips' pressure rates were solid and he's drawn praise from Vic Fangio. Could a one-year, $15 million deal get it done and allow him to reset himself at a higher value in 2027?"

from Latest NFL News & Videos from FOX Sports https://ift.tt/ThRA8DZ

Cowboys NFL Free Agency Predictions: 4 Players to Help Dallas Get Back into Playoffs

We all know the Dallas Cowboys desperately need help on the defensive side of the ball, but they have a major question to address this offseason offensively, too. So, how will Dallas thread the needle when it's roughly $30 million above the salary cap (per Over The Cap)? Well, FOX Sports NFL writer Greg Auman believes that the Cowboys will land four players on his top 100 free agents list, including the No. 1 overall player. Of course, the Cowboys will need to aggressively hit the open market this offseason after going 7-9-1 in 2025 to miss the playoffs for a second straight season. But they've got two first-round picks in the 2026 NFL Draft as well (No. 12 and No. 20), potentially setting the Cowboys up for a big offseason. Let's dive deeper into Auman's free-agent predictions for the Cowboys. Sign Steelers CB Asante Samuel Jr. (95th-best free agent, 11th-best cornerback free agent) Auman's thoughts: "Samuel, 26, is a tempting reclamation project, limited to 10 games over the last two seasons due to a shoulder injury, but a late-season cameo with the Steelers showed promise. Samuel once had three interceptions in one playoff game against the Jaguars, and his first three years in the league netted six interceptions and consistent play. Could he land with the Cowboys and his old Chargers position coach, Derrick Ansley?" Re-sign edge rusher Jadeveon Clowney (62nd-best free agent, 12th-best edge rusher free agent) Auman's thoughts: "Clowney, turning 33 next week, is a unicorn of a late-bloomer edge rusher, a former No. 1 overall pick who has played for seven teams in the last eight seasons and somehow has more sacks in his last five years (34.5) than he did in his first seven (32). That includes 8.5 sacks this season for Dallas as an absolute bargain, costing them all of $3.45 million. He might cost a little more this time around, but it's still smart value for any team looking for reliable veteran depth and surprisingly good production." Sign Browns LB Devin Bush (54th-best free agent, fourth-best linebacker free agent) Auman's thoughts: "Bush, 27, found himself this past year in Cleveland, filling up the stat sheet with 125 tackles, three picks (two returned for touchdowns), two sacks and two forced fumbles. Once the 10th overall draft pick with the Steelers, his play there dropped off after a promising rookie year. He made $3.2 million with the Browns and should be a coveted free agent. Pro Football Focus is high on him, ranking him as the No. 8 overall free agent and projecting $12 million a year." Franchise tag WR George Pickens (Best overall free agent, best wide receiver free agent) Auman's thoughts: "Pickens, still just 24, had a breakout year in 2025, catching 93 passes for 1,429 yards and nine touchdowns after the Cowboys acquired him from the Steelers. He's due to make $30 million a year or more, but Dallas is already paying CeeDee Lamb $34 million a year — perhaps the franchise tag, at about $28 million for 2026, is a short-term solution if they don't want to invest more in Pickens. It seems like Pickens is a strong candidate to get the franchise tag as well, which could result in him getting traded. He's averaged at least 15 yards per catch in each of his four NFL seasons. Out of 56 players with 200-plus catches since the start of 2022, he ranks No. 1 in yards per catch at 16.0."

from Latest NFL News & Videos from FOX Sports https://ift.tt/38dnR90

NFL Free Agent Wide Receivers: The Top 10 WRs Available This Offseason

Is your favorite team in need of some pass-catching help? Well, we've got more than a few names in mind that could potentially help teams who are searching for a wide receiver this offseason. There were 10 wide receivers who appeared in my top 100 free agents ranking and predictions for this offseason. As you could imagine, names like George Pickens and Mike Evans were on the list as their contract are set to expire. But there are some other pretty talented wide receivers who could hit the open market when free agency opens on March 9. So, let's take a closer look at my top 10 free-agent wide receivers and what their markets might be this offseason. 10. Christian Kirk, Texans Kirk, 29, disappeared for much of the 2025 season in Houston, then flashed in the playoffs, with eight catches for 144 yards and a touchdown in a win over the Steelers. He'd totaled 104 yards in the previous nine games, mind you, but some team will think they can bring back 2022 Kirk — 1,108 yards and eight touchdowns with the Jaguars. He'll likely cost a third of the $18 million a year he got on his last contract, so there's a chance for value. Perhaps to the Colts if Alec Pierce takes a big payday elsewhere? 9. Keenan Allen, Chargers Allen, 33, returned to the Chargers in 2025 and still found a way to get 81 catches for 777 yards and four touchdowns. He's easing into WR3 mode, but has a résumé with 1,000-plus catches and 70 career touchdowns, so he's a good fit for a team looking for a veteran mentor to pair with a young receiver. That could mean staying with the Chargers, but he'd be a nice value match for the Saints, who could use another playmaker and have Kellen Moore, who had him in 2023. 8. Wan'Dale Robinson, Giants Robinson, 25, is a volume receiver. Only five receivers in the league have more targets in the last two seasons than his 280, and while the other five average 18 touchdown catches in that span, Robinson has just seven. So he's coming off a 1,014-yard season with 90 catches, but only 42% of those catches resulted in a first down. There are lofty projections out there for Robinson. Spotrac has him getting $15 million a year, but that's a lot for someone with nine career touchdowns on 389 targets. 7. Deebo Samuel, Commanders Samuel, 30, has seen his value decline. After being traded from San Francisco to Washington, he agreed to a lesser deal worth $17 million. His one-year production for the Commanders was lackluster: 72 catches for 727 yards and five touchdowns. The same player who once led the league at 18.2 yards per catch averaged a career-low 10.1 in 2025, and the versatile playmaker who once rushed for 365 yards and eight touchdowns was barely used as a ballcarrier, getting 75 yards and a single score. Can a creative offensive mind get more out of his skill set? Perhaps, but it's likely he'll get less this time around, closer to $12-14 million a year. 6. Romeo Doubs, Packers Doubs, 25, has had steady mid-level production in Green Bay, averaging 50 catches, 600 yards and five touchdowns a year in his four seasons there. He stepped up in the playoff loss with eight catches for 124 yards and a score — finding value in a No. 2 receiver can be tough, and he's likely to come in the $12-15 million range, above the $11 million extension Christian Watson signed for last year. By Pro Football Reference's "Approximate Value" metric, the top two picks of the 2022 fourth round were both Packers, in Doubs and tackle Zach Tom, already signed to a nice extension. 5. Jauan Jennings, 49ers Jennings, 28, could benefit as San Francisco is expected to move on from Brandon Aiyuk, who missed 2025 recovering from a major knee injury. The 49ers' receiving corps has underwhelmed — Jennings has 15 touchdown catches over the last two seasons, but he also totaled 643 yards this season on 90 targets, ranking 55th among NFL receivers in yards/target. If he's getting more than $20 million a year, could he price himself out of San Francisco's budget? 4. Rashid Shaheed, Seahawks Shaheed, 27, was electric after Seattle acquired him from the Saints at the trade deadline — the only NFL player with a punt return and kickoff return for a touchdown, adding another kickoff touchdown in the playoffs. His receiving skills — 59 catches for 687 yards and two touchdowns — are a nice bonus, and Seattle will have tough decisions on which impending free agents it can afford to keep. He's likely to draw $15 million a year from a team that values a return threat and can use him creatively on offense as well. 3. Mike Evans, Buccaneers Evans, 32, has a Hall of Fame résumé already with 108 career touchdown catches, so this is a three-way fork — does he retire at 32, coming off a year when he played only eight games due to hamstring and collarbone injuries? Does he come back and try to help the Bucs to one more playoff berth after a down 2025? Or if the outside offers are compelling enough, does he finish his career elsewhere? He made $20.5 million a year on his last deal, but Spotrac only has him projected to $13 million for 2026. It's likely he finishes his career with the Bucs, but leave open the slim chance he goes somewhere like Houston, close to his hometown of Galveston, with a strong contender he could help. 2. Alec Pierce, Colts Pierce, 25, is arguably the NFL's best deep-threat receiver, leading the league in yards per catch in each of the last two seasons. He topped 1,000 receiving yards in 2025, and four touchdowns in the last three games helped his market a bit. The Colts have a handful of top free agents and won't be able to keep them all. Pierce is likely to command $20 million a year as an underrated player who could be utilized more — Ja'Marr Chase had 101 more targets in 2025 than Pierce did, but only 409 more yards than the Colts wide receiver. 1. George Pickens, Cowboys Pickens, still just 24, had a breakout year in 2025, catching 93 passes for 1,429 yards and nine touchdowns after the Cowboys acquired him from the Steelers. He's due to make $30 million a year or more, but Dallas is already paying CeeDee Lamb $34 million a year — perhaps the franchise tag, at about $28 million for 2026, is a short-term solution if they don't want to invest more in Pickens. It seems like Pickens is a strong candidate to get the franchise tag as well, which could result in him getting traded. He's averaged at least 15 yards per catch in each of his four NFL seasons. Out of 56 players with 200-plus catches since the start of 2022, he ranks No. 1 in yards per catch at 16.0.

from Latest NFL News & Videos from FOX Sports https://ift.tt/pxyw7qB

8 Ways to Fix Pro Football's Broken Hall of Fame Voting Process

Bill Belichick belongs in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and there isn’t a good counterargument to that. He would be in the Hall already if the selection process wasn’t completely broken. The people who run the Hall have promised to fix it, but the solutions they recently leaked are likely to make it even worse. They need a complete overhaul, a bigger electorate and more transparency — in essence, a completely new approach to selecting Hall of Famers. Here are eight steps they can take to ensure the greatest of the greats all get in accordingly. 1. Add more voters This is the simplest and most common sense fix the Hall could make. The more voters they use, the more accurate the result will be. They currently have only 50 voters — mostly media members, including one representing every NFL city (two from cities with two teams). In small groups, biases can become a very big factor. Think of it this way: If you polled 500 media members and asked if Bill Belichick belonged in the Hall, he’d probably get 98% of the vote, at least. If there are 11 people who voted "No", that wouldn’t matter. But if those 11 people are in a group of 50, suddenly Belichick is out. A big group, like the way baseball selects its Hall of Famers, eliminates the fringe factor. It eliminates power from small groups that might hold a grudge, have a geographical bias, or other nonsensical issues. Many years ago, a voter told me he voted against players from Dallas because "too many Cowboys are in already." Another once told me he voted against Giants and Jets because "New York players are always over-hyped." Stupidity like that becomes minimized by large numbers. So drop the dumb, outdated geographic requirements and give a vote to every member of the media who has been in the Pro Football Writers of America and actively covering games for at least 10 years. Include broadcasters (both TV and radio) and even some who handle media for NFL teams, since the lines are blurred anyway these days. Even in a shrinking media world, that will guarantee a large, experienced and knowledgeable group. 2. Let Hall of Famers and other NFL people vote, too Randy Moss made headlines over the weekend saying only players and coaches should vote on Hall of Famers. That’s a terrible idea, and all you have to do is look at how they vote for the NFL Top 100 or the Pro Bowl to know why. But Moss does have a point that players, coaches and executives have a knowledge and perspective that media members might not have. So let them vote, too. Not all of them, obviously. But start with giving a ballot to every living member of the Hall of Fame. Then add in a select group of historians, former coaches and GMs, and maybe even some players who played 10 or more years in the league, once their own Hall eligibility expires. The more diverse the vote and perspective is, the better. 3. Expand the yearly class of Hall of Famers The biggest complaint I hear from voters is about the "logjam" on the ballot. They tell me that almost everyone who makes the group of 15 finalists is worthy of enshrinement, but because they can only select up to eight each year — including the senior, coach and contributor candidates — a lot of candidates are forced to wait their turn for years. So expand the class and break the logjam, even if it’s only for a few years. They’ve done it before. In 2020, the Hall inducted a 20-person "Centennial Class" and held the ceremony over two days. There’s no asterisk on their busts. They’re all Hall of Famers, period. So increase the class to 10 "modern-era" players and add one coach, one contributor and one senior every year (more on that in a moment). And either split the ceremony or cut down on the length of speeches to save time. 4. Let the voters vote "Yes" or "No" on everybody The process of whittling down the list of nominees from 120 or so to 50, then to 25 semifinalists, then 15 finalists, then to 10 and then to the final class is pointless. There are worthy candidates that don’t regularly crack the final 25, and the process allows for too much jockeying for position. Voters too often have to consider whether a candidate has a better shot now or in future years. The essential question — and only question — every voter should ask is this: Is this person a Hall of Famer? So let them vote that way. Give every voter a ballot with all 120 or so names. Let them vote baseball style, for up to 10 each year. If a player gets 75% of the vote, they’re in (or use the top 10 if somehow more eclipse the 75% threshold). There will still be some hard choices until the logjam is broken. But eventually it will become easier to do. 5. Stop the presentations and eliminate the selection meeting This is the worst of the Hall selection process. Every year the committee meets (in person or via Zoom) and spends eight or nine hours debating and discussing the 15 finalists before they vote. One media member has to "present" each candidate, based on which city or team they represent. First, no voter should have to "present" a candidate. That’s a major conflict of interest. And what if the presentation is bad? What if another presenter is better, more prepared or more convincing? Why should that be a factor at all? Trust a group of experienced voters to do their own research and homework. And if players need a PR push, let them get that from the teams they played for in the league. Those teams can mount big campaigns if they want. But voters shouldn’t be a part of it. Also, that will eliminate the back-room dealing voters have done in the past — a "you vote for my guy and I’ll vote for yours," wink-wink agreement. And it won’t put voters in position to try and convince their fellow voters to see things their way. There should be no electioneering on Election Day from anyone. And that would eliminate the need for a marathon meeting. All that does is guarantee a platform for negative thoughts. If you need an hour to decide if Bill Belichick is a Hall of Famer, you’re not qualified to vote on him. You already know his records, his accomplishments and all about Spygate, too. So make up your own mind. The same is true for every other player, coach or executive that reaches the final 15. These are the greatest of the greats. They don’t need introduction or debate. 6. Have separate ballots for contributors, coaches and senior candidates I’m honestly not in favor of owners being elected to the Hall of Fame. It feels like a reward for being rich, making others richer, and being smart and lucky enough to hire the right people to win a championship or two along the way. And I feel the same about commissioners because it feels like it’s almost mandatory to put them in the Hall. I prefer this category be for "builders" — people who really did something special to change the league, not just increase its revenue. But whatever we call this non-player, non-coach category, has to be separate. Let a select committee choose 5-10 people for the ballot each year, then put it up for a vote. Whoever gets the most votes (assuming they get at least 75%) that year gets in. And do the same for the coaches, too. One gets in per year (with the same 75% threshold). And the same for the senior candidates too. There should be one spot — and only one spot — reserved for each group in every class, every year. And it has to be separate from the modern-era players. This eliminates the moronic system in place now, where voters get three senior candidates, one coach and one contributor and can only vote for three. I don’t know how you compare Belichick to Robert Kraft to Roger Craig, but I know that voters shouldn’t have to do it. 7. Push the waiting period back for coaches I know at least one voter who questioned the wisdom of voting for Belichick this year because of the fact he may want to return to the NFL (I don’t know how that voter ultimately voted). That’s fair, and a good reason not to vote for him. So eliminate that possibility. No coach is eligible for the Hall until five years after they coached their last NFL game. Every once in a while, a coach will slip through that crack (à la Joe Gibbs) and return after they’re enshrined in Canton. But it will be rare. 8. Make all the ballots public There is danger to this, to be sure. And for proof, just look at the witch hunt that took place to find the people who didn’t vote for Belichick (the fact that many media members participated was particularly disgusting, by the way). It’s admittedly hard to have an honest opinion on something if you’re afraid that an internet mob will want you tarred and feathered for an honest and different thought. But if you can’t take the heat … don’t vote. This isn’t the MVP or Comeback Player of the Year. Voters for Halls of Fame are stewards of a public trust and guardians of an important institution. They are allowed diversity of thought. But they shouldn’t hide behind a wall. The rest of us should call off the dogs when we see a vote we don’t like. But at least we should be allowed to see it. Conclusion Implement all of these measures, and this is what you get: fairness, opportunity, and a still-difficult path to the Hall of Fame. It should be hard. It’s for football immortals. If you can't get a 75% vote from experienced media members, fellow Hall of Famers, historians, coaches, etc., over the 20 years you're eligible to be on the ballot, that probably says you don’t belong in the Hall of Fame. But for those that do make it, it will be a true measure of their qualifications, not the process, groupthink or electioneering. The plan above boils the Hall selection process down to what it should always be about: Is this person a Hall of Famer? That is all that ever should matter in the end.

from Latest NFL News & Videos from FOX Sports https://ift.tt/4yiNTkr

NFL Coaching Hot Seat Rankings: Who's Already on the Hot Seat in 2026?

Half of the NFL’s 32 teams have changed head coaches over the past two years, including the Las Vegas Raiders doing so twice. So the odds are strong that plenty more will be fired over the next 12 months, too. That means that even though Week 1 of the 2026 season is seven months away, the pressure is already on several coaches. Here are the ones who’ll be sitting on the hottest seats when the games begin. 10. Brian Schottenheimer, Dallas Cowboys Jerry Jones is painfully patient with his coaches, and the last one he fired after just two seasons was Chan Gailey (1998-99). But he’s also used to winning. The Cowboys just suffered back-to-back losing seasons (including one under Mike McCarthy) for the first time since the disastrous Dave Campo regime (three straight 5-11 seasons between 2000-02). If the Cowboys don’t get back to the playoffs next season, are we sure Jones won't make a change? He’s going to be 83 later this year. He’s convinced he’s got a Super Bowl contender. And a ready-to-win Cowboys team might be the one opportunity that could lure Mike Tomlin back to the sidelines for 2027. 9. Matt LaFleur, Green Bay Packers He just got a multiyear contract extension, but since when has that mattered (anywhere outside of Cincinnati)? New team president Ed Policy was unsure enough about LaFleur last year that he made him twist until the end of this season. Part of that is because the stakes are high in "Titletown" and LaFleur’s Packers teams haven't made a deep run in five years. His 76-40-1 record is stellar, and it’s great that he’s made the playoffs six times in seven years. But he has one playoff win since the 2021 season and a 3-6 postseason record overall. If the Packers slip next season or fail to get beyond the divisional round of the playoffs, that contract extension might not be enough to save him. 8. Dan Quinn, Washington Commanders It feels unfair to put him on this list, given the sheer volume of injuries that ruined the Commanders' 2025 season — especially the one to quarterback Jayden Daniels. Quinn, after all, is still the coach who led Washington to the NFC Championship Game in his first year with the club (2024). But he also just purged his staff, including offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury, who is widely credited for Daniels having perhaps the greatest season for a rookie quarterback ever. How Daniels responds to a new OC will be crucial to Quinn’s future. Also important: how the Commanders fix a defense that has been terrible during his two-year tenure. 7. Kevin O’Connell, Minnesota Vikings He’s incredibly well-respected, has a reputation as one of the greatest "quarterback whisperers" in the league, and has won nearly twice as many games as he's lost during his five seasons. He just got a lucrative contract extension, too. But his boss, owner Zygi Wilf, clearly wasn’t happy with the Vikings’ 9-8 record this past season and some of their recent quarterback decisions. That’s why he fired GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah. And while, yes, that means O’Connell emerged the victor of a power struggle, it also puts the heat on him. He’s got to prove Wilf was right, which means developing QB J.J. McCarthy and probably returning to the playoffs next season. Anything else, and who knows what Wilf will do? 6. Shane Steichen, Indianapolis Colts When new Colts owner Carlie Irsay-Gordon decided to keep her coach and GM Chris Ballard in place for 2026, she cited one reason in particular: "We were all encouraged by our first half." That’s when a revived Daniel Jones was playing like an MVP and Indianapolis was 8-2. Then came Jones’ injury and a season-ending, seven-game losing streak that cost the Colts a playoff berth. Between the injured Jones being a free agent and Anthony Richardson appearing to be a bust, Indy first has to figure out who its starting QB will be next season. Moreover, Irsay-Gordon made it clear that amid a five-year postseason drought, the urgency to win in Indy has "never been higher." That sure feels like a shot across the bow of Steichen heading into his fourth season, and a warning that more mediocrity (or worse) could result in a complete regime change next year. 5. Zac Taylor, Cincinnati Bengals He is still around for two reasons: 1) Nobody can seriously blame him for the run of injuries to Joe Burrow; and, 2) The Bengals are notoriously cheap and don’t want to pay him not to coach. But even the Bengals owners have their breaking point, right? If Burrow is healthy in 2026, there is no reason this team shouldn’t make the playoffs and compete for the AFC North title, and given how much money the Bengals have put into this roster — mostly on offense — those should be the least of their expectations. Also, everyone noticed how unhappy Burrow looked at the end of last season. By all accounts, he is in Taylor’s corner (for now). But if the losing continues, and he grows unhappier, will that change? At some point, they might want to pair one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL with a more competent coach. 4. Dave Canales, Carolina Panthers His 2025 season was a nauseating roller-coaster ride. He went from the hot seat to Coach of the Year candidate to the hot seat again and then to the playoffs, where his team gave the Rams all they could handle. So it ended on a relative high, but is that sustainable? It better be, considering Canales enters Year 3 working for an impulsive owner. There’s not much room to slide backwards from an 8-9 season and 13-21 overall record. It doesn’t help that his primary job has been the development of quarterback Bryce Young, and the progress there has been inconsistent. Canales was supposed to turn the former top pick into a franchise quarterback. If that doesn’t happen by next January, the Panthers could be looking for both a new coach and quarterback. 3. Todd Bowles, Tampa Bay Buccaneers The fact that a team loaded with talent couldn’t emerge from the worst division in football doesn’t speak well of Bowles’ ability as a head coach. Neither does his 35-33 record in four years in Tampa despite three playoff berths. Yes, injuries hurt the Bucs last season, but that’s not the only reason they lost seven of their last nine games. Even when they were relatively healthy, Bowles couldn’t shake them out of their funk. If history holds, he’ll coach well enough that the Bucs will be mediocre again, but he’s got the quarterback and enough players to do better than that. It’s hard to imagine the Glazer family will be OK if the Bucs don’t break out of the pack in their awful division again. 2. Nick Sirianni, Philadelphia Eagles If this seems ridiculous given Sirianni’s 59-26 record, three division titles, two trips to the Super Bowl and one championship in his four years … well, you don’t know Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie then. His standards are crazy high and there is deep disappointment inside his organization over the wasted opportunities in both 2023 and 2025. Not all of that is directed at Sirianni, but sources said there has been internal frustration about his staffing choices and, at times, the way he manages what is sometimes a difficult locker room. But mostly it’s the late fade and playoff failures in those two seasons. The Eagles will probably win double-digit games and the NFC East again in 2026. But if they don’t advance in the playoffs, no one will be shocked if they make a change. 1. Aaron Glenn, New York Jets There was a good case to be made for Glenn to be one-and-done after the Jets’ disastrous 3-14 season. Instead, Woody Johnson showed surprising patience, despite a bumper crop of potential replacements, and let Glenn fire most of his coaching staff instead. That staff purge is telling, since it’s usually a coach’s last-ditch effort to keep his job. Add in Glenn’s prickly relationship with the New York media, the fact that his team still doesn’t have a viable option at quarterback, and a pitchfork-wielding mob of a fan base, and his short-term future doesn’t seem bright — especially with Mike Tomlin looming in the pool of candidates for next year.

from Latest NFL News & Videos from FOX Sports https://ift.tt/axS9jeQ

Backed by NFL, Flag Football Gains Momentum In NCAA Emerging Sports Program

Thousands gathered in San Francisco in the days leading up to the most anticipated game on the NFL calendar. But before the Seattle Seahawks and the New England Patriots took center stage in Super Bowl LX, it was the contactless version of the game that repeatedly found itself in the spotlight. Whether it was the NFL’s top players going head-to-head in the Pro Bowl, the 2026 NFL Flag International Championship, or a number of showcases highlighting the talents of athletes across the globe, the rapid rise of flag football was represented accordingly in San Francisco. A game once confined to recess has surged in recent years. It helps that three powerhouses are aligned in backing the growth of the sport: the NFL, NCAA and International Olympic Committee. A strong backing is one of the reasons why flag football is on track to move through the NCAA Emerging Sports for Women program at a pace few sports have experienced. "With any sport that we’ve had move through the program, and flag being a good recent example of this, when there are multiple entities that are behind it and are working together towards the shared goal, that’s been a lot more successful for growth," Gretchen Miron, the NCAA's director of education and external engagement, told The Associated Press. The emerging sports program has helped eight women’s sports reach championship status since its creation in 1994: beach volleyball, rowing, ice hockey, water polo, bowling, wrestling, stunt and acrobatics & tumbling. Once in the program, a minimum of 40 schools must sponsor the sport at a varsity level for it to be considered for the next stages. It’s a benchmark that sports like equestrian and rugby haven’t been able to meet after years in the program. Flag football, which entered the program in mid-January, is expected to have well beyond 40 varsity programs by the spring. The sport also offers a solution to equity questions that college athletics have long grappled with. In a college sports landscape historically dominated by men’s football and basketball, women’s flag football offers a new way to broaden participation opportunities. At the very least, it could help with Title IX compliance, which calls for athletic departments to offer opportunities that adequately reflect the student population. "One of the reasons why we see lots of schools add women’s sports is because they are continuing to evaluate and make sure that they’re balanced from a Title IX perspective," Miron said. Equestrian and rugby require larger rosters, so a school with a slight imbalance might opt for a smaller addition. Flag football, with rosters averaging around 20 to 25 athletes, could help fill that gap. "I would say that we have really high participation numbers right now for women," Miron said. "But there is still a significant gap between men and women as far as overall participation opportunities." In 2023, the IOC voted in favor of adding flag football as an official Olympic sport set to debut at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, signifying just how broad its reach has become. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell pointed to access as a driving force behind that growth. "It’s one of the hottest sports in the world," Goodell said in the days leading up to the Super Bowl. "I’m tremendously inspired when you see people who didn’t have access to this game and they have a chance to play. That’s particularly true for young women." An Olympic presence can only help an emerging sport, according to the NCAA Office of Inclusion. The visibility associated with being on the biggest stage can lead to increased participation levels and an accelerated path through the NCAA pipeline. The Olympic announcement unlocked a future that some of the best flag football players in the game, like quarterback Diana Flores, had only dreamt of. "The Olympics is the pinnacle of any athlete’s career," Flores said. "As a young girl, I grew up watching the Olympics every four years and just, like, wondering how it could be to have that opportunity because flag was not even considered. ... The door was not even there. It’s a dream come true just to have the opportunity to be part of that — for me, for all the flag football community worldwide." Reporting by The Associated Press.

from Latest NFL News & Videos from FOX Sports https://ift.tt/eg59f23