Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had the most profane taunt for Stephon Castle
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander showed a side of himself that we rarely see during Tuesday’s game.
Gilgeous-Alexander and the Oklahoma City Thunder were victorious over the San Antonio Spurs at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Okla. The final score was not at all close (119-98) as the Thunder got their first win over the Spurs in four tries this season.
During one sequence in the third quarter, Gilgeous-Alexander hit a three-pointer over the outstretched arm of San Antonio’s Stephon Castle to give the Thunder an 18-point lead. As he was going back up the floor, Gilgeous-Alexander hit Castle with an extremely profane taunt.
“Hoe a– n—a,” Gilgeous-Alexander appeared to say in Castle’s direction. Here is the video.
Shai hit a jumper over Stephon Castle and was talking crazy.
— SM Highlights (@SMHighlights1) January 14, 2026
Yessir kid pic.twitter.com/jC2VekMwOO
The reigning NBA MVP Gilgeous-Alexander finished Tuesday’s game with a team-leading 34 points on 11/23 shooting (also adding five rebounds, five assists, and four blocks). With Nikola Jokic currently sidelined with a knee injury, Gilgeous-Alexander is once again looking like the frontrunner to win MVP this season.
Tuesday’s victory over the Spurs also had to feel very cathartic for the 27-year-old Gilgeous-Alexander. For one, Oklahoma City was able to put to rest all the memes that resulted when San Antonio beat them three times earlier this season within a 12-day span.
1 frontrunner has reportedly surfaced for Bo Bichette
Bo Bichette may end up going from the AL East to the NL East.
Rival MLB clubs are beginning to view the Philadelphia Phillies as the most serious suitor for the two-time All-Star shortstop Bichette in free agency, Matt Gelb of The Athletic reported on Tuesday. Gelb notes that Bichette and the Phillies met via video call earlier this week.
The Phillies are even said to be willing to potentially extend a 6-to-8-year contract offer to Bichette in order to sign him. You can read Gelb’s full report on the situation here.
Bichette, the 27-year-old righty hitter, remains a free agent after batting .311 with 18 home runs and 94 RBIs last season for the Toronto Blue Jays. Though Bichette is a career-long shortstop, we learned last month that he was willing to make a big positional change for any interested teams.
That could really benefit the Phillies, who have reigning NL batting champion Trea Turner entrenched as their starting shortstop. The Phillies already re-signed Kyle Schwarber in free agency and also added a notable former World Series champion in the outfield, so now their focus appears to be on upgrading their infield corps.
Another report this week did claim that one AL contender is aggressively pursuing Bichette in free agency as well. But at this point, it sounds like the two-time AL hits leader Bichette may very well be Philadelphia’s to lose.
Details emerge on Mets’ contract offer to Kyle Tucker
The New York Mets apparently mean business after losing Pete Alonso and others this offseason.
The Mets have made a sizable offer to free agent outfielder Kyle Tucker in free agency, Bob Nightengale of USA Today Sports reported on Tuesday. Nightengale says that the Mets have offered Tucker a three- or four-year contract that will pay him an average annual value of $50 million. That would mark the third-highest AAV in MLB history, trailing only Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Dodgers ($70 million AAV) and the Mets’ own Juan Soto ($51 million AAV).
Tucker, 28, is the best remaining free agent hitter on the market. A four-time All-Star as well as a two-time Silver Slugger Award winner, Tucker is drawing interest from the Mets, the Dodgers, the Toronto Blue Jays, and also one prominent new contender.
Earlier this month, we heard that the Blue Jays were the team that had made the biggest offer to Tucker up to that point of free agency. But it looks like Toronto’s offer to Tucker may be spread out over more years, resulting in a bigger total contract value but with a lower average value per year.
The Mets have been licking their wounds for most of the offseason, especially after their longtime slugger Alonso signed with the Baltimore Orioles in free agency. But Alonso “only” signed with the Orioles for five years and $155 million, and it looks like the Mets may be exceeding that overall value with their offer to Tucker.
Interestingly enough, the lefty-hitting Tucker reportedly wanted over $300 million at the beginning of free agency. The Mets’ offer appears to be topping out at $200 million, and if Tucker does not bite, there is at least one other big name that the Mets are seemingly eyeing as a Plan B.
Michael Porter Jr. linked to a top NBA contender in trade rumors
Michael Porter Jr. may be getting his shot at another NBA Finals run before long.
The Eastern Conference-leading Detroit Pistons have internally discussed the possibility of trading for the Brooklyn Nets forward Porter, veteran NBA writer Jake Fischer reported during a Bleacher Report livestream on Tuesday. The news comes with just over three weeks to go before the Feb. 5 NBA trade deadline.
Detroit has been one of the best stories in the league this year as they currently sit atop the East with a record of 28-10 (which trails only the 33-7 Oklahoma City Thunder for the best record in the NBA). But they are a little bit weak at the power forward position, especially with Tobias Harris having missed the last five straight games now due to a hip injury.
As for Porter, he is producing a banner year for the lowly Nets. Porter is averaging career-high tallies across the board with 25.9 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per game and is also shooting an elite 49.1 percent from the field and 40.4 percent from deep.
With Porter still under contract for another full season (making $38.3 million this season and $40.8 million next season), he is a hot trade candidate. Earlier this week, we even learned details about the Golden State Warriors’ trade offer to the Nets for Porter.
When it comes to the Pistons, they could offer a competitive package for Porter based around Harris (to match salaries), a young player like Ron Holland II, and possibly a draft pick or two. Such a move would really put Detroit at the forefront of the championship conversation, and they were recently even linked to an even bigger name on the trade market.
Ja Morant reportedly wants to be traded to 1 team
Ja Morant is apparently trying to do what his fellow star guard Damian Lillard couldn’t — successfully force his way to the Miami Heat.
The disgruntled Memphis Grizzlies guard Morant reportedly wants to be traded to the Heat. Veteran NBA reporter Rachel Nichols made that revelation during an appearance this week on the “Open Floor” podcast.
“I know [Morant] wants to go down there [to Miami] from what I’ve heard,” said Nichols.
This was also corroborated by NBA writer Jake Fischer, who said on a Bleacher Report livestream Tuesday that the Heat are one of the more likely trade destinations for the two-time All-Star Morant.
Morant, still just 26, seems like a lock to be traded ahead of the Feb. 5 deadline as he is unhappy in Memphis and has reportedly even had issues with his teammates. On top of that, Morant may be had for a real discount since he has only played in 18 of 39 possible games due to injury this season and is averaging just 19.0 points per game (Morant’s lowest total since his rookie year) even when healthy.
There are obviously some real questions here about how Morant will potentially be able to deal with the various distractions present in Miami, and the Heat are not even the only team in the East said to be eyeing Morant. But Miami’s interest in Morant dates back more than a month now, and the former All-NBA selection is apparently hoping for such a move as well.
Stephen A. Smith makes a bad ‘Charlie Kirk’ mistake live on ESPN
Stephen A. Smith got his names mixed up in a pretty awful way on Tuesday.
The ESPN personality Smith was speaking live on “First Take” about the Houston Texans’ Wild Card playoff game victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers the night before. While attempting to discuss the performance of Texans wide receiver Christian Kirk, who caught eight passes for 144 yards and a touchdown, Smith accidentally said “Charlie Kirk” instead.
Smith didn’t even realize his error initially until his co-hosts pointed it out. As a result, Smith immediately began to apologize profusely.
Here is the video.
"We saw Charlie Kirk catch 8 receptions for 144 yards…I apologize. Oh my God. Christian Kirk" – Stephen A. Smith pic.twitter.com/PPQXMjXFEr
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) January 13, 2026
Charlie Kirk is the late conservative activist and founder of Turning Point USA who was publicly assassinated in Sept. 2025. Kirk’s killing sparked tributes from some professional sports teams and also led to multiple firings in the sports world over their reactions to his death.
As for Smith, he is notorious for making these kinds of mistakes live on the air and made a bad one several months back about his own beloved New York Knicks. Meanwhile, it seemed like ESPN could not get anything right about the Texans-Steelers playoff game as they also aired an awful goof in the game about Houston safety Jimmie Ward.
Report: Red Sox to ‘aggressively pursue’ 2-time All-Star in free agency
The Boston Red Sox tried, but failed, to bring slugger Alex Bregman back to town.
Bregman signed a five-year, $175 million deal with the Chicago Cubs after just one year in Boston. However, the Red Sox are not just waiting around; they are expected to “aggressively pursue” former Toronto Blue Jays two-time All-Star Bo Bichette in free agency, according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today.
“The Red Sox, who believed their five-year, $165 million offer would lure Bregman back to Boston, now are expected to aggressively pursue Bichette. The Blue Jays remain in the hunt, and the Dodgers continue to hang around.”
The Red Sox signed Bregman to a three-year, $120 million deal last offseason, but he opted out after one year to re-enter free agency. They offered him a five-year, $165 million deal this time around, but he chose to go to the Cubs in a stunning twist.
Bichette, meanwhile, is one of the best available players left in free agency, so his offers could start coming in sometime soon.
Bichette met with the Philadelphia Phillies on Zoom on Monday, and now the Red Sox are reportedly trying to make a serious run at the talented shortstop.
The Red Sox reportedly refused to increase their offer to Bregman even though they were told he had a higher offer elsewhere.
It has been a busy offseason for Boston, which landed St. Louis Cardinals teammates Sonny Gray and Willson Contreras in separate trades earlier in the offseason.
Now, the Red Sox seem to be trying to bring Bichette on board and keep him in the American League East, although the Blue Jays and Los Angeles Dodgers are also still linked to the infielder.
Matt LaFleur’s honest take after Aaron Rodgers praises Packers coach
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers was done answering questions about Mike Tomlin after the 30-6 loss to the Houston Texans in the Wild Card round on Monday night.
While Rodgers left the press conference following plenty of questions about his head coach, he was also asked about his former coach, Matt LaFleur of the Green Bay Packers.
Rodgers had nothing but good words for LaFleur as his name has been in hot-seat conversations, and LaFleur had an honest response on Tuesday after hearing Rodgers’ comments.
I’m speechless,” LaFleur said, via Mike Silver of The Athletic. “He didn’t have to do that, but he did. (It’s) one of the nicest compliments (of) my life. I’m so appreciative of him for that.”
Rodgers had said, “Obviously Matt’s done a lot of great things in Green Bay and we had a lot of success,” and added that “this league has changed a lot in my 21 years” while speaking about Tomlin and LaFleur being on hot seat watch.
On Tuesday, Tomlin stepped down after 19 seasons as the Steelers’ head coach. As for the Packers, they face an important decision with LaFleur after they lost to the Chicago Bears in a stunning 25-point comeback in the Wild Card round.
LaFleur just finished his seventh season as the Packers’ head coach, and he has a 76-40-1 record in the regular season.
Rodgers and LaFleur were together from 2019 through 2022 before Rodgers was traded to the New York Jets, but the veteran QB still has high praise for his former coach.
Texans’ DeMeco Ryans reacts to Mike Tomlin stepping down
After 19 seasons as the Pittsburgh Steelers head coach, Mike Tomlin is stepping down.
Tomlin’s final game in the black and yellow was on Monday night, and the Houston Texans defeated the Steelers, 30-6, at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, Pa.
After the news came that Tomlin was stepping down, Houston Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans weighed in on the Steelers coach leaving on “his own terms,” via Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston.
“Part of me is happy he was able to step away on his own terms,” Ryans said. “One of the toughest jobs. Everyone tries to tell you how to do the job. A lot that goes into it. The Steelers were the beneficiary of having that success for 19 years. Not another coach I respect more than Mike Tomlin. Glad he was able to go on his terms.”
Ryans also added that he was “shocked” by the news, which came the day after the Steelers’ playoff loss to the Texans.
Tomlin was hired by the Steelers as the head coach in 2007, and he finishes his run with an impressive 193-114-2 regular-season record, an 8-12 postseason mark, two AFC titles and one Super Bowl victory.
With veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers also likely done with the Steelers and possibly the NFL, Pittsburgh is set to undergo some massive changes this offseason.
As for Ryans and the Texans, they take on the New England Patriots on Sunday in the Divisional Round, with the winner moving on to the AFC Championship Game.
Ohio State sees offensive playmaker leave for 2026 NFL Draft
The Ohio State Buckeyes saw their College Football Playoff run end with a 24-14 loss to the Miami Hurricanes in the Cotton Bowl.
Since then, roster changes have come quickly in Columbus, and on Tuesday, the Buckeyes saw tight end Max Klare decide to leave school early and head for the 2026 NFL Draft. The Buckeyes tight end announced the news on his Instagram page.
Klare was a three-star prospect who had offers from programs including Georgia Tech, Tulane, Cincinnati, Duke and Purdue. He committed to Duke before flipping to Purdue in December 2021.
Klare spent three seasons at Purdue, catching 73 passes for 881 yards and four touchdowns in 19 games. He entered the transfer portal after the 2024 season and wound up committing to Ohio State.
In Klare’s only season in Columbus, he caught 43 passes for 448 yards with a pair of scores, including a season-high 7 catches for 105 yards and a touchdown in the 42-9 win over Rutgers on November 22. He finished third in both receptions and yards, and he was behind Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate in those categories.
Klare enters a talented tight end class in this year’s NFL Draft. ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. had him as the No. 5 tight end in the class with Oregon’s Kenyon Sadiq and Cincinnati’s Joe Royer on top of the list.
Kliff Kingsbury covets 1 head coach job
Kliff Kingsbury may be in the running for head coach jobs, but he could also wind up serving as someone’s offensive coordinator in 2026. If he does, one job in particular may appeal to him.
In an appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show” Tuesday, Peter Schrager of ESPN dropped a strong hint that Kingsbury would love to get the opportunity to coach Lamar Jackson in Baltimore. Schrager did not necessarily suggest whether that would be as head coach or as offensive coordinator under a different coach.
“He wants to work. And I think he would be fine with me saying this — it would be an honor for him to be able to work with Lamar Jackson. That is something that’s very exciting for him,” Schrager said.
Kingsbury is currently unemployed after leaving the Washington Commanders at the end of the season. He will likely get some looks as a head coach candidate, but if he fails to land one of those jobs, he would likely be coveted as an offensive coordinator candidate. Notably, he has already interviewed with the Ravens, and was one of the first coaches they sat down with.
We have completed an interview with Kliff Kingsbury for our head coach position. pic.twitter.com/tjbkLXASL6
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) January 12, 2026
Kingsbury has worked with Kyler Murray and Jayden Daniels before, so he has the credentials Baltimore may be looking for. The 46-year-old also has previous experience as a head coach, having gone 28-37-1 with the Arizona Cardinals.
Kingsbury is not necessarily the most favored candidate for the Ravens job, but he does appear to be in the running. He may land elsewhere, but this makes it sound like that job is the one he wants most.
Eagles make big change to their coaching staff
The Philadelphia Eagles on Tuesday made a change to their coaching staff that fans have been clamoring for for months.
The Eagles announced that offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo has been fired. Head coach Nick Sirianni said in a statement that the decision was “difficult,” and credited Patullo as being a key part of the team’s recent success.
“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,” Sirianni said. “I have no doubt he will continue to have a successful coaching career.”
— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) January 13, 2026
This was a move the Eagles essentially had to make. Despite an elite defense, the Eagles were eliminated in the Wild Card round largely due to a stagnant offense that held them back for much of the season. While fans had been calling for Patullo’s firing for weeks, Sirianni stuck with his offensive coordinator to the bitter end, focusing on other staff changes instead.
Patullo joined Philadelphia’s staff in 2021 as the pass game coordinator. He was promoted to offensive coordinator last season after Kellen Moore left to coach the New Orleans Saints. Despite one of the most talented offensive cores in the league, Patullo’s offense scored just 22.3 points per game, good for 19th in the entire league.
The change means quarterback Jalen Hurts will have his fourth offensive coordinator in four seasons next year. He might not be bothered by that considering he never seemed to be that enthusiastic about Patullo to begin with.
Aaron Rodgers likely done with Steelers
Mike Tomlin’s decision to leave the Pittsburgh Steelers may have also made Aaron Rodgers’ decision for him.
Tomlin stepped down as Pittsburgh’s coach on Tuesday, ending a 19-year run in the job. The coach’s decision could also have a significant impact on Rodgers, who is a free agent but has not firmly announced whether he will continue playing.
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport noted that Tomlin’s departure makes Rodgers significantly less likely to return to Pittsburgh next season.
“With Mike Tomlin now out with the Steelers, it’s really hard to imagine that would be good news for Aaron Rodgers’ return,” Rapoport said. “Obviously, when you have a new head coach and you have a full reset an organization like the Steelers have never had, it would make sense to start over in all the places.
“To my knowledge, this decreases the chances that Aaron Rodgers would be back in Pittsburgh. The opportunity to run it back with Mike Tomlin would have made sense, but to come back with a new coach and a new system … hard to imagine Aaron Rodgers coming back.”
From our breaking news segment: With Mike Tomlin stepping away from the #Steelers, it makes it less likely that Aaron Rodgers will be back. pic.twitter.com/JN0sKFODVM
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 13, 2026
Rodgers has spoken very highly of Tomlin all season and made it clear how much he enjoyed playing for the coach. He did so again Monday night after the team was eliminated from the playoffs. If Tomlin was a big reason Rodgers came to Pittsburgh in the first place, the coach’s departure probably shuts the door on his own return.
Rodgers may well retire, which would render the entire discussion moot. He has left the door open to playing another year, and previous reports have indicated that the Steelers were interested in keeping him around for one more season. Tomlin’s decision may have changed everything.
Former Steelers star has interesting reaction to Mike Tomlin’s resignation
One former Pittsburgh Steelers star seems to think Mike Tomlin is making the correct decision by walking away from his job, but for a very interesting reason.
Ex-Steelers running back Le’Veon Bell responded to the news of Tomlin’s resignation by saluting his former coach. He also offered Tomlin a message, urging the coach to “go to where (you’re) celebrated.”
go to where your celebrated Coach T 🫡
— Le'Veon Bell (@LeVeonBell) January 13, 2026
Bell’s implication is that Tomlin has gotten a bad rap for a lot of Pittsburgh’s troubles. Late in the season, Steelers fans could be heard chanting for Tomlin’s firing at games, particularly when it looked like the team might miss the playoffs. The criticism died down temporarily as the Steelers rallied to win the AFC North, but the criticism returned after the team’s 30-6 Wild Card loss to the Houston Texans on Monday.
Tomlin never had a losing season during his 19 years coaching the Steelers. Based on that alone, one could easily argue that the coach was underappreciated in Pittsburgh by the end of his tenure. On the other hand, Monday’s loss was also his seventh straight postseason defeat. Under Tomlin, the Steelers could get to the playoffs, but during the latter part of his tenure, they could not win there.
Bell spent five seasons with the Steelers before holding out for an entire season and then leaving for the New York Jets. His career never recovered. Bell later said that he regretted leaving Pittsburgh, but he does not seem to think Tomlin will have the same regrets down the line.
Ravens owner says he would hire Mike Tomlin under 1 condition
Baltimore Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti says he would hire Mike Tomlin under one condition.
Bisciotti was speaking with the media on Tuesday when the news that Tomlin was stepping down as the longtime Pittsburgh Steelers head coach was released. Tomlin stepping down as the Steelers’ head coach comes a week after the Ravens parted ways with their longtime head coach, John Harbaugh.
Bisciotti was asked whether he would hire Tomlin for the Ravens’ head coach vacancy.
“Holy s–t Mike, wouldn’t that be awesome? Only if John (Harbaugh) takes the Pittsburgh job,” Bisciotti said.
Bisciotti then joked that the Steelers beating the Ravens for the AFC North in Week 18 on a missed kick disqualified Tomlin from being hired by Baltimore.
“Good for Mike. I dunno, talk to him. I love Mike, I’ve admired Mike for 18 years. That’s really shocking that he did it that way. That’s kinda crazy,” Bisciotti said.
Here is the Ravens owner’s full response, including the profanity.
“Holy s**t.” pic.twitter.com/tOucoPqg4R
— Andrew Siciliano (@AndrewSiciliano) January 13, 2026
Tomlin had been the Steelers’ head coach since 2007. Harbaugh had been the Ravens’ head coach since 2008. Now both are going to be gone in the same offseason.
The AFC North — and the Ravens-Steelers rivalry — is going to look a lot different next season.
Vikings WR Jordan Addison arrested in Florida
Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Jordan Addison is once again dealing with off-field trouble during the offseason.
Addison was arrested in Tampa, Fla. on Monday for trespassing, according to police records. He had a mugshot taken and was later released on a $500 bond.
Unfortunately, more off-field issues with Vikings WR Jordan Addison.
— Alec Ausmus (@A_TwiceKSTP) January 13, 2026
This time he was arrested Monday in Tampa for trespass in occupied structure or conveyance.
He was released on $500 bond. pic.twitter.com/nKRmnrHKee
Addison’s agent, Timothy Younger, wrote on X that Addison’s legal team is already beginning to gather witnesses, and is even considering making a claim of false arrest.
“He looks forward to the legal process and upon full investigation, we are confident Mr. Addison will be exonerated,” the statement said.
Addison was arrested and charged with a DUI prior to the 2024 season. He wound up having to serve a 3-game suspension to start the 2025 campaign as a result of that arrest. The Vikings will undoubtedly be frustrated that he is once again in legal trouble that might translate to NFL discipline.
Addison caught 42 passes for 610 yards with three touchdowns last season, as he was a victim of Minnesota’s inconsistent quarterback play.
Mike Tomlin steps down as Steelers head coach
It’s the end of an era in Pittsburgh.
Mike Tomlin is stepping down as the head coach of the Steelers after 19 seasons. The news comes the day after the Steelers got dominated at home by the Houston Texans 30-6 in the wild-card round of the playoffs on Monday night.
There had been talk over the last week about Tomlin’s future, and there were plenty of questions about whether he would return to Pittsburgh for the 2026 season. He has made the decision that now is the time for a change.
Despite being a veteran head coach, Tomlin is still only 53 years old. There is speculation that he could go into TV and take some time off from coaching. One NFL reported has already predicted where Tomlin will end up.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that people surrounding Tomlin had been thinking all year that this would be his last season. Schefter says that Tomlin is ready for a life change and that the coach had been worn out all season.
The Steelers have had incredible stability in their organization. Since 1969, the Steelers have only had three head coaches: Chuck Noll, Bill Cowher and Mike Tomlin. Now they will need a fourth.
What’s interesting to keep in mind is that Tomlin is stepping down while still under contract with Pittsburgh. That means if Tomlin wants to work for another team in the future, that team would need to arrange compensation for the Steelers.
Tomlin leaves Pittsburgh with a Super Bowl win, 8 playoff victories, and 8 AFC North titles. He never had a losing season in 19 years as the Steelers’ head coach.
Peter Schrager predicts which TV network will hire Mike Tomlin
Mike Tomlin’s future has been widely speculated about in recent weeks. That speculation will intensify now that the Pittsburgh Steelers have been eliminated from the NFL playoffs.
The Steelers lost badly at home to the Houston Texans 30-6 in their AFC wild-card playoff game on Monday night. The team went 10-7 and won their division, and Tomlin still has another year left on his contract with the Steelers. There has been talk that Tomlin could take a TV job rather than return to the Steelers next year.
Peter Schrager is a longtime NFL reporter who began with FOX for many years and has since gone to work for ESPN. During an appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show” on Tuesday, Schrager predicted that if Tomlin were to take a TV job, it would be with FOX.
Schrager said that Tomlin is friends with FOX NFL reporter Jay Glazer. The two apparently hang out together at a party thrown by Glazer at the NFL owners’ meetings each year.
“In that back corner, it’s Glaze and Tomlin, just sitting at the top of the table. And it’s Tomlin, just the king of the castle. That’s a real relationship. And when you bring in the history with John Lynch and Ronde Barber, FOX makes sense. Not that I’m playing the agent for Mike Tomlin or anything,” Schrager said.
Tomlin has been the head coach for the Steelers since 2007. He has won the AFC North eight times and won the Super Bowl in his second season. He famously has never had a losing season, but the big knock is that the Steelers have been 1-and-done in the playoffs for six straight seasons. And the team hasn’t just been knocked out in the wild-card round for five straight seasons; they’ve been blown out in those games.
There is no guarantee Tomlin won’t return to Pittsburgh. But if he chooses to get a TV job, watch out for him heading to FOX, according to Schrager. We know how Aaron Rodgers feels about where Tomlin should go.
Chargers make big change to their coaching staff
The Los Angeles Chargers are making a significant change to their coaching staff following their early playoff exit.
The Chargers are firing offensive coordinator Greg Roman, according to multiple reports. The decision means next season will be the first year of Jim Harbaugh’s NFL coaching career that someone other than Roman will be his offensive coordinator.
Greg Roman has been Jim Harbaugh’s only OC in the NFL — from San Francisco (2011–14) to the Chargers (2024–25).
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 13, 2026
The 2026 season will be Harbaugh’s first as an NFL head coach without him. https://t.co/lQAVb9CzEr
No matter how much faith Harbaugh has in Roman, changes were needed. The Chargers were limited to just 3 points in their loss to New England in the AFC Wild Card round, and there was a clear sense that something had to change.
Roman is known for his somewhat conservative offenses that emphasize the running game. That was a poor fit for a Chargers team whose best offensive player, by some distance, is quarterback Justin Herbert. That led to a sense that Herbert was being somewhat constrained by Roman’s system, a claim that was also levied against Roman when he was the Baltimore Ravens’ offensive coordinator.
Admittedly, a lot of the Chargers’ issues were not simply down to Roman. The offensive line was decimated by injuries, which kept landing Herbert in hot water for a large portion of the year.
The Chargers’ offensive coordinator job figures to be an attractive one, if only for the chance to run an offense with Herbert at the helm. One would expect it will attract a number of high-profile candidates.
Nolan Arenado is finally getting traded by Cardinals
After over a year of trade rumors and speculation, the St. Louis Cardinals are finally trading Nolan Arenado.
The Cardinals are in serious conversations to trade Arenado to the Arizona Diamondbacks, according to Katie Woo of The Athletic. Jeff Passan of ESPN added that Arenado has agreed to waive his no-trade clause, facilitating a deal.
The move ends roughly a year’s worth of speculation about Arenado’s future. The Cardinals are firmly in the middle of a rebuild, and have long wanted to move the third baseman’s bloated contract. That contract limited interest from other teams, as did Arenado’s willingness to use a his no-trade clause to dictate acceptable landing spots. That latter factor caused a deal to fall through last winter.
While Arenado remains a standout defensive third baseman, his offense appears to be in steady decline. He hit just .237 with 12 home runs last season, and his .666 OPS was the worst mark of his entire career. He also has two years and $40 million left on his contract.
The Diamondbacks had interest in Alex Bregman before he signed with Chicago, so they were at least somewhat in the third base market. Arenado is not much of a consolation prize in comparison, but he is still an eight-time All-Star with plenty of experience.
