The List: Defense \Dominates the Division Round and the Coaching Carousel Starts Moving

The NFL’s final four teams are set after Division Round games in which the defenses played starring roles. Although the Packers and Buccaneers each scored 30 points, the defenses kept their opponents in check. In the AFC, both games were defensive struggles, with the Bills keeping 2019 league MVP Lamar Jackson and the Ravens out of the end zone.

In addition to the games, there were plenty of coaches and general managers finding new homes, plus other odds and ends, including the Super Bowl, getting its first female official, and more musical acts being named for the “big game.” Read about all of that and more in the latest edition of The List. 

THE GAMES

Brady outplays Brees to reach his 14th conference title game

 Tom Brady threw two touchdown passes and ran for another score, leading the Buccaneers to a 30-20 victory over the Saints and clinching his 14th appearance in a conference championship game. The quarterback matchup between Brady and Drew Brees featured the highest combined age among starting passers (85) in NFL history.

The Saints missed early chances. Deonte Harris ran back a punt 54 yards to the Buccaneers’ 21, but the drive stalled inside the five and New Orleans had to settle for a Will Lutz field goal. Harris registered a 67-yard punt return on Tampa Bay’s next possession, but it was called back by an illegal block penalty. The Saints added another Lutz kick for a 6-0 lead.

The Buccaneers cut into the lead with a 15-play drive that culminated in a Ryan Succop field goal. Brees threw an interception that Sean Murphy-Bunting returned 36 yards, and Brady capitalized on the next play by tossing a three-yard scoring pass to Mike Evans for a 10-6 advantage. New Orleans responded with a bit of trickery. Taysom Hill was out with a knee injury and Jameis Winston filled his role by throwing a 56-yard touchdown to Tre’Quan Smith to put the Saints back in front. The Buccaneers tied the score on another Succop field goal as the first-half clock expired.

Each team scored a touchdown in the third quarter, with Brees and Smith hooking up on a 16-yard pass on New Orleans’ first drive and Tampa Bay turning a Jared Cook fumble into a six-yard pass from Brady to running back Leonard Fournette. The Buccaneers took the lead on a third Succop field goal early in the fourth and another Brees interception turned into a Brady quarterback sneak. A third Brees pick ended the Saints’ chances and, if the rumors are true, the 42-year-old’s career.

Brady threw for 199 yards and Fournette totaled 63 rushing and 44 receiving. With his rushing score, Brady became the oldest player with a touchdown in NFL playoff history. The 43-year-old quarterback surpassed Jerry Rice, who had a pair of receiving touchdowns with the Raiders in 2002 at age 40. Brees had 134 yards and a touchdown, but he threw three interceptions. Alvin Kamara ran for 85 yards and Smith was the game’s top receiver with 85 yards and two scores.

Rodgers and the Packers topple the NFL’s top defense

 Aaron Rodgers threw for 296 yards and two touchdowns, and he also ran for a score as the Packers beat the Rams, 32-18. Rodgers will be making his fourth appearance in the NFC Championship Game, but his first one at home. The last title game at Lambeau Field was in 2007 when Rodgers was still the backup to Brett Favre.

Green Bay led 19-10 at halftime, thanks to Rodgers’ sneak and his pass to Davante Adams, as well as two Mason Crosby field goals. The Los Angeles touchdown was a pass from Jared Goff to rookie receiver Van Jefferson Jr. Each team had a rushing score in the third quarter, with Aaron Jones reaching the end zone for the Packers and Cam Akers responding for the Rams. Goff’s two-point pass to Akers cut the deficit to 25-18. Rodgers put the game out of reach midway through the fourth with a 58-yard pass to Allen Lazard. The Rams’ final chance ended with a Rashan Gary sack of Jared Goff at midfield.

Green Bay was led by rushers Jones (99 yards) and Jamaal Williams (65), as well as receivers Lazard (96), Adams (66), and tight end Robert Tonyan (60). The Packers totaled 484 yards on Sunday, which was the most that Green Bay had ever tallied in a playoff game. The mark was also the most allowed by the league’s best regular-season defense in the postseason since the 1970 merger. Goff threw for 174 yards and a touchdown, and Akers ran for 90 yards and a score for the Rams.

Chiefs hold off the Browns, but lose Mahomes

 Patrick Mahomes scored two touchdowns, but he left the game with a concussion in the third quarter of Sunday afternoon’s game. The Chiefs jumped out to a 19-3 lead and had to hold on for a 22-17 win over the Browns. Mahomes finished Kansas City’s first drive with a rushing score and after Cleveland responded with a Cody Parkey field goal, the 2018 NFL MVP found All-Pro tight end Travis Kelce with a 20-yard strike for a 13-3 lead. Harrison Butker kicked a pair of field goals, including a 28-yarder with two seconds left in the half.

The teams traded mistakes early in the third quarter, with Baker Mayfield throwing an interception for the Browns and Butker missing a field goal. Cleveland got back into the game with a four-yard touchdown pass from Mayfield to Jarvis Landry capping an 11-play drive, but Kansas City responded with another Butker kick. However, Mahomes was injured on a tackle by Mack Wilson on a third-down run midway through the quarter.

From that point on, the momentum shifted to the Browns. Cleveland went on an 18-play drive that culminated with a touchdown from former Chief Kareem Hunt, who scored in his first game at Arrowhead Stadium since Kansas City released him in November 2018. Mahomes’ replacement, Chad Henne, threw an interception in the end zone, but the next Cleveland drive stalled. With less than two minutes left, the Chiefs faced a 4th-and-1 and Henne surprised the Browns with a pass to Tyreek Hill that got the first down and finally allowed Chiefs fans to breathe.

Mahomes threw for 255 yards, Darrel Williams ran for 78 yards, Hill had eight catches for 110 yards and Kelce added eight receptions and 109 yards for Kansas City. Mayfield had 204 yards and a touchdown, Nick Chubb ran for 69 yards and Rashard Higgins added 88 yards for Cleveland. Landry had seven catches, but the Chiefs held him to just 20 yards as they reached the AFC Championship Game for the third straight year.  

Bills shut down Jackson and the Ravens’ running game

 Taron Johnson tied an NFL playoff record with a 101-yard interception return for a touchdown late in the third quarter, putting the finishing touches on a 17-3 Bills victory over the Ravens. Baltimore played the final quarter without Lamar Jackson, who left the game with a concussion.

The game started slowly, with both teams managing just a field goal in the first half. Bills rookie Tyler Bass missed two field goals, including a 43-yarder that went wide right in the second quarter. Justin Tucker, the NFL’s most accurate field goal kicker, hit each upright on separate first-half field goal attempts. Buffalo scored on its first possession of the third quarter on a pass from Josh Allen to Stefon Diggs. Baltimore responded with a 15-play drive, but Jackson’s pass to tight end Mark Andrews was intercepted in the end zone and Johnson sped by every Raven, including Jackson, for the record-tying score.

On the final play of the third quarter, Patrick Mekari snapped the ball over Jackson’s head. The quarterback grabbed the ball inside the five-yard-line and threw it away inside, but he was injured as he was driven to the ground by Tremaine Edmunds and Trent Murphy (making matters worse was the intentional grounding call Jackson received on the play). Baltimore had 94 yards in the final period with Tyler Huntley under center, but two drives ended with the Ravens turning the ball over on downs.

Allen threw for 206 yards and a touchdown, Diggs had eight catches for 106 yards and a score, and John Brown had eight receptions and 62 yards for the Bills, who are going to the AFC Championship Game for the first time since the 1993 season, when they went to the Super Bowl for a fourth straight year. Jackson had 162 yards passing and 34 yards rushing, Huntley had 60 yards and Marquise Brown added 87 yards receiving for the Ravens. Although Baltimore was the NFL’s best rushing team during the regular season and ran for 404 yards against Cincinnati in Week 17, Buffalo held them to 150 yards.

In the days following the game, the Ravens waived backup quarterback Robert Griffin III and running back Mark Ingram. The second overall pick in the 2012 NFL Draft spent three years with Baltimore but was passed on the depth chart by Tyler Huntley, who was called up from the practice squad before the Division Round game. Ingram ran for 1,317 yards and 12 touchdowns in two seasons with the Ravens. He made the Pro Bowl in 2019 after posting 1,018 yards and 10 scores, but he fell behind rookie J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards in the Baltimore backfield.

Even though Jackson was on the opposing sideline, “Bills Mafia” still showed respect for the Ravens quarterback. After Jackson left the game injured, Buffalo fans began donating to the Louisville chapter of Blessings in a Backpack, a non-profit charity that helps provide children with food in areas where there are shortages. According to reports, more than 13,600 fans have pledged more than $360,000 in three days.

Stat Leaders

 No players threw for 300 yards or ran for 100 during the Division Round, but several players had solid performances in those areas. Green Bay’s Aaron Rodgers had the weekend’s best passing performance, throwing for 296 yards and two touchdowns in a win over the Rams on Saturday afternoon. Patrick Mahomes had 255 yards passing and a score in a Chiefs victory over the Browns before he left the game with a concussion. Packers running back Aaron Jones led all rushers with 99 yards and a score, with other top performances coming from Los Angeles rookie Cam Akers (90 yards), New Orleans’ Alvin Kamara (85), and Kansas City’s Darrel Williams (78).

Three players reached the 100-yard mark over the weekend, led by Chiefs wide receiver Tyreek Hill, who had eight catches and 110 yards in a win over the Browns. His teammate, All-Pro tight end Travis Kelce, had 109 yards and a touchdown, and Bills wide receiver Stefon Diggs totaled 106 yards and a score. Other top receiving performances included Green Bay’s Allen Lazard (four catches and 96 yards), Cleveland’s Rashard Higgins (5-88), Baltimore’s Marquise “Hollywood” Brown (4-87), and New Orleans’ Tre’Quan Smith (3-85 and two touchdowns). Packers star Davante Adams posted a week-high nine catches for 66 yards in Saturday’s win.

THE NEWS

Former Rams and Bears back Arnett passed away

 Jon Arnett, a star running back at USC who went on to earn five Pro Bowl selections with his hometown Rams passed away on Saturday due to heart failure at age 85. He was a 1955 All-American and a three-year starter with the Trojans and a 2001 inductee into the College Football Hall of Fame.

Arnett was taken second overall in the 1957 NFL Draft behind only future Pro Football Hall of Famer Paul Hornung, who was selected by the Packers. Arnett became a multiple-threat star who was selected as a Pro Bowler in each of his first five professional seasons. In 1958, he earned the only All-Pro honors of his career after registering career-highs with 683 yards rushing, 494 receiving, and 223 on punt returns, which led the NFL. He was traded to the Bears in 1964 and played three seasons in Chicago before he retired. Arnett finished his 10-year career with 3,833 yards and 26 touchdowns rushing, 222 catches for 2,290 yards and 10 scores receiving, 3,110 yards and two touchdowns on kickoff returns, and 981 yards and a score on punt returns.

NFL All-Rookie Teams announced

 On Tuesday, the Pro Football Writers of America named the NFL All-Rookie Team, as well as the top offensive and defensive first-year players. The PFWA has named an All-Rookie Team every year since 1974. Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert was named Offensive Rookie of the Year and also earned the overall top rookie award while Washington defensive end Chase Young was named Defensive Rookie of the Year. The full All-Rookie Team is listed below.

PFWA ALL-ROOKIE TEAM

OFFENSE: 

QB: Justin Herbert, L.A. Chargers; RB: James Robinson, Jacksonville and Jonathan Taylor, Indianapolis; WR: Chase Claypool, Pittsburgh and Justin Jefferson, Minnesota; TE: Harrison Bryant, Cleveland; T: Jedrick Wills Jr., Cleveland, and Tristan Wirfs, Tampa Bay; G: Damien Lewis, Seattle, and Mike Onwenu, New England; C: Lloyd Cushenberry III, Denver.

DEFENSE: 

DL: Derrick Brown, Carolina, Raekwon Davis, Miami, Javon Kinlaw, San Francisco and Chase Young, Washington; LB: Kenneth Murray Jr., L.A. Chargers, Patrick Queen, Baltimore and Isaiah Simmons, Arizona; CB: Cameron Dantzler, Minnesota and L’Jarius Sneed, Kansas City; S: Jeremy Chinn, Carolina, and Antoine Winfield Jr., Tampa Bay.

SPECIAL TEAMS: 

K: Rodrigo Blankenship, Indianapolis; P: Tommy Townsend, Kansas City; KR: Isaiah Rodgers, Indianapolis; PR: James Proche II, Baltimore; ST: Jordan Glasgow, Indianapolis.

Jaguars bring in three-time champ Meyer as their head coach

 After a week of candidates interviewing and visiting teams, the “coaching carousel” has finally started to go into motion (and I know something about this since I live near Binghamton, NY, the “Carousel Capital of the World”). On Thursday morning, the Jaguars hired Urban Meyer, a longtime college coach who is known for his time at Florida and Ohio State that included three National Championships.

Meyer’s first NFL coaching job has him in charge of a Jacksonville team that holds the first pick in the 2021 NFL Draft after ranking 30th in scoring offense and 31st in scoring defense this season. The club has made the playoffs just once since 2008, getting to the 2017 AFC Championship Game before falling to the Patriots, 24-20. That season, the team posted a 10-6 record under Doug Marrone, who was fired the day after the regular season ended.

Meyer has an extensive coaching resume that began when he was a graduate assistant at Ohio State in 1986. He spent two seasons at Illinois State, coaching units both on offense and defense, before becoming the wide receivers coach at Colorado State (1990-95) and Notre Dame (1996-2000). Meyer had successful two-year stints as head coach at Bowling Green and Utah before taking over at Florida in 2005. He led the Gators to a 65-15 record, three SEC titles, and two National Championships in six years, but he resigned in 2011 after stories began to surface about the toxic culture in the locker room.

Meyer spent one year with ESPN before going to Ohio State before the 2012 season. He enjoyed even more success than he had at Florida, as the Buckeyes won at least a share of the Big Ten crown in each of his seven seasons in Columbus. In 2014, the Ohio State team led by future NFL stars in running back Ezekiel Elliott, wide receiver Michael Thomas and defensive end Joey Bosa throttled Oregon, 42-20, to give Meyer his third National Championship. He retired after the 2018 season due to health concerns, citing a cyst in his brain that causes painful headaches. The 56-year-old Meyer has a 187-32 record in 17 seasons as a college head coach, including a 12-3 mark in bowl games.

TJ Mathewson breaks down Urban Meyer’s illustrious coaching career here.

Saleh hired to lead the Jets

 About 12 hours after Meyer was named coach of the Jaguars, the Jets announced that Robert Saleh would be the team’s next head coach after they signed him to a five-year deal. Saleh spent the past four seasons as the 49ers’ defensive coordinator, and he has generated interest for a few years. He takes over a team that has not made the playoffs since appearing in back-to-back AFC Championship Games in 2009-10 and has only one winning season in that span. New York fired Adam Gase after the team’s final game on Jan. 3.

Saleh was a star tight end at Northern Michigan, but he focused on defense when he began coaching as an assistant at Michigan State in 2002. He also held similar roles at Central Michigan and George before coming to the NFL as a defensive intern with the Texans in 2005. After also serving as defensive quality control coach and assistant linebackers coach in Houston, he moved on to become Seattle’s defensive quality coach for three seasons, beginning in 2011. He coached the Jaguars’ linebackers for three years before earning his first defensive coordinator position with the 49ers in 2017.

San Francisco ranked second in yards allowed last season, which ended with a 31-20 loss to the Chiefs in Super Bowl LIV. This year, the 49ers allowed the fifth-fewest years in the NFL, despite Nick Bosa, the second pick in the 2019 NFL Draft and the Offensive Rookie of the Year, missing the final 14 games with a torn ACL. The Jets coach uses some of his tutelage since they ranked 26th in scoring defense this season and 24th in yards allowed.

Saleh was not the only coach the Jets grabbed from the 49ers. On Monday, passing game coordinator Mike LaFleur was named offensive coordinator and offensive line coach John Benton accepted the same role with New York, while also adding run game coordinator duties. LaFleur followed Kyle Shanahan for most of his early career, first as an offensive intern with the Browns in 2014, then as an offensive assistant with the Falcons from 2015-16, and finally as passing game coordinator and wide receivers coach when Shanahan was named head coach with San Francisco in 2017. Benton has been an offensive line coach in the NFL since 2003, and his career includes stops with the Rams (2003-05), Texans (2006-13), Dolphins (2014-15), Jaguars (as an assistant in 2016), and San Francisco (2017-2020). Saleh added two more coaches this week. Former Broncos offensive quality control coach Rob Calabrese is New York’s pass game specialist, and ex-Broncos and Falcons quarterback coach Greg Knapp has been named to the same role with the Jets.

The 49ers replaced LaFleur as offensive coordinator with Mike McDaniel, who spent the past four seasons as the team’s run game coordinator. Saleh’s spot as defensive coordinator would be filled by DeMeco Ryans, a two-time Pro Bowl linebacker during a 10-year playing career with the Texans and Eagles who was San Francisco’s inside linebackers coach since 2018. Replacing Benton as offensive line coach will be Chris Foerster, who also filled that role for the 49ers in 2008-09 and 2015. For the past two years, he was the team’s game-planning assistant. Rich Scangarello will also return to the 49ers as quarterbacks coach, a position he held in 2017-18. He spent this past season as a senior offensive assistant with the Eagles.

What should the Jets expect from new coach Robert Saleh? Read Jacob Keppen’s story to find out. 

Falcons name new head coach and general manager

 While Meyer and Saleh are sure to grab quite a few headlines, Arthur Smith has put together a solid resume in his own right. On Friday afternoon, the Falcons named Smith, the former Titans offensive coordinator, as their new head coach, replacing Dan Quinn, who was fired on October 11, and Raheem Morris, who served as interim coach for the final 11 games.

Smith played guard for North Carolina and was a graduate assistant for his alma mater in 2006. He was a defensive quality assistant with the Redskins for two years and also served as a defensive intern and administrative assistant with Ole Miss before joining the Titans in 2011. With Tennessee, Smith covered both defensive and offensive quality control, and also coached the offensive line and tight ends before replacing Matt LaFleur as offensive coordinator after LaFleur left to coach the Packers in 2019.

Under Smith’s watch, the Titans have made the playoffs the past two seasons, with an emphasis on two-time rushing champion Derrick Henry. Tennessee ranked 10th in scoring offense in 2019 before rising to fourth this season, and the Titans also finished second on total yards. Atlanta will be looking for Smith to transform their offense in 2021. Atlanta dropped from fifth in yards last season to 18th in 2020, despite an offensive unit that is led by quarterback Matt Ryan, running back Todd Gurley, and receivers Julio Jones and Calvin Ridley.

Smith will be joined by Terry Fontenot, who was hired away from the division rival Saints and named new general manager early Tuesday. Atlanta could not officially announce the move until after New Orleans lost to Tampa Bay in the Division Round over the weekend.

Fontenot was a former college safety at Tulane who started his career as a scout with the Saints for 10 years (2003-12). He became the team’s director of pro scouting in 2013 and held that position until this season when he was promoted to the assistant general and vice president of pro personnel role. Fontenot is tasked with turning around a Falcons team that has not made the playoffs since 2017 but has several players who appeared in Super Bowl LI.

Chargers hire Staley as their new head coach

 Brandon Staley needed just one year as defensive coordinator of the Rams to prove his worth around the NFL. Late Sunday night, Staley was hired by the other Los Angeles team, the Chargers, to be their head coach, replacing Anthony Lynn, who was let go on Jan. 4.

The Rams led the NFL in passing defense, total yards allowed, and scoring defense, thanks to Staley, who came to Los Angeles after two years as the outside linebacker in Chicago (2017-18) and one with Denver (2019). Before that, he spent the previous 11 seasons in college, rising to a defensive coordinator role with James Madison University as well as John Carroll University in Ohio and Hutchinson Community College in Kansas. Staley will go from a Rams front seven that featured Leonard Floyd, Michael Brockers, and six-time All-Pro Aaron Donald, to a Chargers unit with three-time Pro Bowler Joey Bosa, underrated linebacker Kenneth Murray and (hopefully) oft-injured safety Derwin James, who missed most of the past two seasons with a stress fracture in his right foot and a torn meniscus.

Lions name new GM, head coach, and defensive coordinator

 Once the Saints lost to the Buccaneers on Sunday, other teams swooped in to snap up staff members looking for promotions. Terry Fontenot became the general manager in Atlanta, and Detroit ravaged the coaching staff, hiring tight ends coach and Sean Payton’s assistant coach, Dan Campbell, as head coach, and defensive backs coach Aaron Glenn as defensive coordinator.

Campbell played 10 years in the NFL, catching 91 passes for 934 yards and 11 touchdowns with the Giants, Cowboys, Lions, and Saints. He appeared in Super Bowl XXXV with New York and won a ring with New Orleans for Super Bowl XLIV despite missing the entire season with an MCL injury. He was hired as a coaching intern by the Dolphins in 2010 and spent the next five years as tight ends coach. Campbell filled in for the final 12 games of 2015 after Miami fired Joe Philbin. The following year, Campbell joined the Saints as assistant head coach and tight ends coach. The Lions are hoping Campbell’s hire can lead to continued improvement by T.J. Hockenson, the team’s current tight end who made the Pro Bowl for the first time this season.

Glenn was a three-time Pro Bowler during his 15-year career spent with the Jets, Texans, Cowboys, Jaguars, and Saints. His totals include 41 interceptions with six returned for touchdowns, 639 tackles and 102 passes defensed. Glenn also registered 2,622 kickoff return yards and one score, with all but 44 of those yards coming with New York. He began his career as a scout with the Jets in 2012 and became an assistant defensive backs coach with the Browns in 2014 before taking on his role with the Saints. Glenn has his work cut out for him since Detroit finished 30th in the NFL in passing yards allowed in 2020.

The Lions also filled their general manager spot after signing Brad Holmes to a five-year contract on Thursday. He will be tasked with turning around the fortunes of a franchise that has never been to a Super Bowl and has made the playoffs just three times since 2000. His focus will be on reviving a Detroit defense that ranked last in the NFL in 2020, both in scoring and yards allowed.

Before joining Detroit, Holmes spent his entire career with the Rams. He began as a public relations intern in 2003, transitioned to the scouting department the following year, and rose through the ranks to become director of college scouting in 2013. The Rams made the playoffs four times in his tenure, including 2018, which ended with a 13-3 loss to the Patriots in Super Bowl LII.

Los Angeles will get something from this move as well. The NFL passed a new rule in November that compensates teams that develop minority head coaches and general managers. As a result, the Rams will receive a compensatory third-round draft pick each of the next two years.

Teams allowed to interview candidates virtually

 The coronavirus pandemic has created some unique issues in sports as well as life in general. One of the biggest challenges plaguing NFL teams is interviewing coaching candidates in the midst of COVID-19. The league has allowed for one rule change that will affect the Texans and Eagles, the two teams with open head coaching vacancies. On Monday, the NFL permitted clubs to conduct virtual interviews with candidates who are still in the playoffs, as long as their current team consents. The main targets for Houston and Philadelphia include Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy, Buccaneers defensive coordinator Todd Bowles and Bills offensive coordinator Brian Daboll.

(Update: Eagles said to hire Colts OC, Nick Sirianni as HC)

Bears to keep their coach and general manager for one more season

 Both general manager Ryan Pace and head coach Matt Nagy will continue in their positions for the Bears, with team chairman George McCaskey announcing on Jan. 13 that both were retained for the upcoming season. McCaskey said that neither would be given an extension and any future contract talks would be “ongoing.”

Nagy has posted a 28-20 mark in three seasons as Chicago’s head coach after serving as Kansas City’s quarterbacks coach and later offensive coordinator from 2013-17. The Bears made the playoffs with an 8-8 record this season before losing to the Saints in the Wild Card round. The biggest question Nagy will be facing heading into the 2021 campaign is at quarterback. Mitchell Trubisky was inconsistent in the final year of his rookie contract, and Nick Foles suffered a hip injury after being acquired in a trade with the Jaguars in late March.

Pace was named Chicago’s general manager in 2015 after spending the previous 14 years in New Orleans, where he started as a scout in 2001 and rose to the position of director of player personnel for the 2013 and ’14 seasons. The Bears have a 42-54 mark in Pace’s six seasons, and the club has made the playoffs twice, exiting in the Wild Card round in both 2018 and 2020.

Broncos name Paton as new general manager

 A new era is beginning in Denver. On Jan. 13, the Broncos named George Paton as their new general manager and gave him a six-year contract. Paton will replace franchise icon John Elway, who stepped down from the post earlier in the month. The Hall of Fame quarterback was promoted to president of football operations after spending the past 10 seasons as general manager and executive vice president of football operations.

Paton came to Denver after working in Minnesota since 2007. He spent five seasons as director of player personnel, became assistant general manager in 2012, and added vice president of player personnel to his title in 2015. During his 14-year tenure, the Vikings earned six postseason berths and reached the NFC Championship Game twice. The team went 12-4 but lost to the Saints in overtime in 2009, and the 2017 squad went 13-3 in the regular season but got squashed by the Eagles, 38-7.

A former defensive back at UCLA, Paton started with the Bears scouting department in 1997 and became assistant director of pro personnel in 2000. The following year, he moved on to take the same position with the Dolphins, a role he held through the end of the 2006 season. Paton will oversee a roster that finished in the bottom third of the NFL in both scoring offense and defense. However, there were a few bright spots for the Broncos in 2020, including quarterback Drew Lock, running back Melvin Gordon III, wide receivers Jerry Jeudy and Tim Patrick and left tackle Garrett Bolles on offense, as well as linebackers A.J. Johnson and Josey Jewell, along with safeties Justin Simmons and Kareem Jackson on defense. Denver should also get a boost from the return of Von Miller, who missed the entire season with a dislocated tendon in his ankle. 

Panthers hire a new general manager

 Early last week the Seahawks gave their general manager a contract extension through the 2027 draft. However, Seattle lost one member of its front office staff later in the week, when the vice president of football operations Scott Fitterer was hired as the general manager of the Panthers on Thursday. A total of 15 candidates were interviewed for the position after Carolina fired Marty Hurney on Dec. 21.

Fitterer played baseball and football at UCLA before focusing on baseball after he transferred to LSU. He spent three years as a pitcher in the Toronto Blue Jays organization before shoulder problems ended his career. Fitterer then turned to football and was a scout for the Giants from 1998-2000. The following year, he went to the Seahawks and spent 10 years as a scout. Fitterer was promoted to director of college scouting (2011-14) and then co-director of player personnel (2015-19) before becoming vice president of football operations this season. During Fitterer’s tenure, the Seahawks went to three title games, including a 43-8 win over the Broncos in Super Bowl XLVIII. He is taking over a Panthers team that has only been to the playoffs once since a loss in Super Bowl 50.

Washington names Hurney as general manager

 Marty Hurney is returning to where his NFL career began. On Tuesday, the Washington Football Team hired him as general manager about a month after he was let go by the Panthers. Hurney served in the Carolina front office from 1998-2012 and 2017-2020, and he worked with Ron Rivera, who was the Panthers coach from 2011-19 and now holds the same title with Washington.

Hurney went to high school in southern Maryland and attended Catholic University in Washington, D.C. His first NFL job was in the public relations department with the Redskins in 1988-89, and he followed that with eight seasons as assistant general manager with the Chargers. Hurney was hired by the Panthers as director of football administration in 1998 and the following year, he was promoted to director of player operations, a role he held for three seasons. In 2002, he was named general manager, and he held the position until he was fired early in the 2012 season. However, many of the players he acquired were essential in Carolina’s run to Super Bowl 50. Hurney was brought back in 2017 and stayed with Carolina until he was fired in December.

Steelers part ways with three assistants, then hire Canada

After an upset loss at the hands of the division-rival Browns, Pittsburgh decided to make some changes to its coaching staff. On Thursday, the Steelers parted ways with offensive coordinator Randy Fichtner, as well as offensive line coach Shaun Sarrett and defensive backs coach Tom Bradley.

Fichtner came to the team along with head coach Mike Tomlin in 2007, and Fichtner served as a coach for wide receivers and quarterback before taking over as offensive coordinator in 2018. The son of former Browns and Saints defensive back Ross Fichtner, Randy followed his father’s path by attending Purdue. He coached in college for 20 years and was the offensive coordinator at Arkansas State (1997-2000) and Memphis (2001-06) before coming to the NFL. The Steelers had a top 10 offense five times during Fichtner’s 14 years, and he was on that staff the helped Pittsburgh defeat Arizona, 27-23, in Super Bowl XLIII.

Sarrett was a Kent State product who was an offensive quality control coach at Duke before he was hired by the Steelers as an offensive assistant in 2012. He was an assistant offensive line coach in 2018 and was promoted the following year upon the departer of former All-Pro offensive lineman, Mike Munchak. Bradley was a standout defensive back at Penn State, and he was on the Nittany Lions’ coaching staff for 33 years. He coached special teams, wide receivers, outside linebackers, and defensive backs, was the team’s defensive coordinator for 12 seasons, and he even had a four-game stint as head coach after legendary leader Joe Paterno was fired in 2011 in the wake of the Jerry Sandusky child sex abuse scandal. After spending time at West Virginia and UCLA, Bradley joined the Steelers in 2018.

Less than two days after parting ways with Fichtner, Pittsburgh named his replacement. The Steelers promoted Matt Canada, a longtime college assistant, who served as their quarterbacks coach this season. The key for Canada will be to improve a running game that ranked last in the NFL by more than 100 yards.

Canada’s college stops include Northern Illinois, where he served from 1998-2003 and 2011 coaching running backs and quarterbacks, and also serving as offensive coordinator. He was also quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator at his alma mater Indiana (2004-10), Wisconsin (2012), North Carolina State (2013-15), the University of Pittsburgh (2016), LSU (2017), and Maryland (2018). He also served as interim coach of the Terrapins after D.J. Durkin was put on administrative leave after the heat exhaustion-related death of offensive lineman Jordan McNair.

Cowboys bring in an ex-Falcons coach to help the secondary

 Last week, the Cowboys hired former Falcons head coach Dan Quinn to be their defensive coordinator. This week, Dallas brought in Joe Whitt Jr. to be the secondary coach and defensive pass game coordinator, a role he held under Quinn last season in Atlanta. Whitt, an Auburn graduate, started his NFL career as assistant defensive backs coach with the Falcons in 2007. He spent the next 11 seasons in Green Bay, mostly as a cornerbacks coach before moving up to passing game coordinator in 2018. Most of his tenure came with Mike McCarthy as Packers head coach, who he will work under once again with the Cowboys. Whitt also spent the 2019 season as secondary coach and defensive passing game coordinator with the Browns. 

Dallas linebacker Smith has wrist surgery

 Jaylon Smith had successful surgery on his left wrist on Thursday. The 2019 Pro Bowler registered a career-high 154 tackles, which ranked second in the NFL. He also had five passes defensed, two fumble recoveries, 1½ sacks, and an interception. Smith played in all 64 games in his four-year career, and he has 498 career stops, including three seasons with 100 or more.

Smith is not the only Cowboys player to undergo offseason surgery. Wide receiver Amari Cooper had a minor procedure on his ankle. Both players are expected to be ready by training camp.

Injuries, odds, and ends

 The Buccaneers went into Sunday night’s contest against the Saints with a shakeup on the offensive line. Alex Cappa, who started every game during the regular season, plus the playoff victory over Washington, was placed on injured reserve on Friday due to a fractured ankle suffered during that Wild Card game. As a replacement for Cappa, Tampa Bay signed veteran Earl Watford, who played four games with the Buccaneers in 2019 but did not appear in a contest this season, although he spent two weeks on the Patriots’ practice squad in December.

The weekend injury report was highlighted by the news that the last two NFL MVPs, Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson, and Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes, both suffered concussions during the second half of their respective Division Round games. Other players leaving games early this weekend include Chiefs cornerback Bashaud Breeland (concussion), Browns tackles Jedrick Wills (ankle) and Kendall Lamm (elbow), Buccaneers linebacker Jack Cichy (elbow), and Saints wide receiver and kickoff/punt returner Deonte Harris (neck).

Two other wide receivers went under the knife this week. Saints star Michael Thomas had surgery on his torn deltoid, as well as several ankle ligaments. Although he set an NFL record of 149 catches in 2019, the injuries caused him to drop to 40 catches for 438 yards and no touchdowns. Titans starter A.J. Brown also had surgery for “cleanup in both knees.” Brown had career highs with 70 receptions, 1,075 yards, and 11 scores this season. 

Also, three players were fined for their actions during Wild Card weekend. Ravens cornerback Marcus Peters was fined $15,000 after celebrating his interception on the Titans logo last week, as well as his “physical actions directed at the Tennessee bench.” Also, Saints cornerback Chauncey Gardner-Johnson was fined $15,000, and Bears wide receiver Anthony Miller received an $8,589 fine for unnecessary roughness during their game. The pair got into a scuffle that resulted in Miller being ejected from the contest.

Super Bowl pregame musicians announced

 A National Anthem duet collaboration involving country star Eric Church and R&B artist Jazmine Sullivan will highlight the pre-game festivities for Super Bowl LV on Feb. 7 in Tampa Bay. Church, Sullivan, and R&B singer/songwriter H.E.R. were announced as performers by the NFL on Tuesday.

Church, a six-time ACM award-winner and nine-time Grammy Award nominee will perform the Star Spangled Banner with Sullivan, a 12-time Grammy nominee. H.E.R. (Having Everything Revealed) will be singing America the Beautiful. The artist (real name Gabriella Wilson) has been nominated for 13 Grammys (including three in 2021), and won twice in 2019 for Best R&B Album (H.E.R.) and Best R&B Performance (“Best Part” with Daniel Caesar).

First female named to Super Bowl officiating crew

 In addition to the pregame musical acts, the NFL also announced its officials for Super Bowl LV, and for the first time, the seven-person crew includes a woman. Sarah Thomas will be the down judge, and the 47-year-old is no stranger to shattering glass ceilings. She was the first woman to officiate a major college football game (between Memphis and Jacksonville State in 2007), the first to work a bowl game (the 2008 Little Caesars Pizza Bowl between Marshall and Ohio), and the first to earn a full-time spot in the NFL (in 2015).

The crew will be led by referee Carl Cheffers, a 21-year veteran who will be working his second Super Bowl (he also was the lead official for the overtime thriller between the Patriots and Falcons in Super Bowl LI). Other members are umpire Fred Bryan, line judge Rusty Baynes, field judge James Coleman, side judge Eugene Hall, back judge Dino Paganelli and replay official Mike Wimmer.

NFL announces format change for the Scouting Combine

 The NFL sent a memo to teams on Monday announcing a format change for the Scouting Combine. Instead of players and coaches convening in Indianapolis for a week in February, workouts will take place at college pro days. In addition, all interviews and psychological testing will be virtual and there will be limited in-person medical exams. The league is working with schools to make sure drills and testing will be consistent, and NFL clubs have access to player workout videos as well as comprehensive medical information.

Coaches named for East-West Shrine Bowl

 Last week, the Senior Bowl announced that the staffs of the Dolphins and Panthers would coach teams at the college showcase. On Friday, the NFL announced the list of nearly 30 coaches that will participate in this year’s East-West Shrine Bowl Professional Development Opportunity. The game, which had been an annual event since 1925, was canceled in late October due to the coronavirus pandemic. Instead, the seniors chosen for college football’s oldest all-star game will participate in virtual training and informational drills, work with current NFL coaches and members of the NFL Operations staff and participate in virtual experiences with Shriners Hospital for Children’s patients. Two of the coaches participating in this year’s event previously played in the East-West Shrine Game (the name changed to Bowl in 2019). Bengals wide receivers coach Troy Walters played in the 2000 game representing Stanford and Colts offensive quality control coach Jerrod Johnson was a quarterback with Texas A&M for the 2011 contest.

A complete list of coaches can be found here and for more on the event and players selected, visit this site.

New Packers tackle Veldheer tests positive for COVID-19

 Remember last week, when one of the 300 or so items in The List was about Jared Veldheer possibly playing for two teams in one postseason? Well, that plan is on hold, at least this week. Two days after signing with the Packers, Veldheer tested positive for COVID-19. Green Bay placed him on the reserve list, making the veteran tackle ineligible for the Division round victory over the Rams. His status for this Sunday’s NFC Championship Game is uncertain.

Veldheer spent each of the past two regular seasons retired before coming back in December both times. Last year, the Packers brought him in for the playoffs, and Indianapolis signed him for the last regular-season game, as well as the Wild Card contest, which the Colts lost to the Bills.

Raiders owner to buy WNBA team

 Mark Davis has decided to try his hand at basketball. Davis agreed to purchase the Las Vegas Aces of the Women’s National Basketball Association from their current owners, MGM Resorts International, on Thursday. The sale requires approval from the WNBA Board of Governors before it takes effect.

Davis has been the primary owner of the Raiders since his father, Al, passed away in 2011. He moved the team from Oakland to Las Vegas before the 2020 season. The Aces moved to Las Vegas from San Antonio in 2018. Led by head coach (and former Detroit Pistons center) Bill Laimbeer, as well as star forwards A’ja Wilson, the Aces went 18-4 last season and reached the WNBA Finals, where they lost to the Seattle Storm.

Peterson ordered to pay nearly $8.3 million to loan company

 Last week, Lions running back Adrian Peterson was ordered to pay nearly $8.3 million to a Pennsylvania loan company after defaulting on a loan, according to New York State Supreme Court records. So how does someone who, according to Sportrac, has made more than $100 million during his NFL career get into this mess? Well, let’s break it down.

Peterson took out a $5.2 million loan from DeAngelo Vehicle Sales LLC (DVS) and defaulted on the loan in 2016. The sides agreed to pay the loan off by March 2017, but the running back did not make any payments. The following year, DVS starts including interest and bumps up the amount owed to more than $6.5 million. In 2019, Peterson signed a settlement that called for him to make two $50,000 payments in October, a $2.25 million payment in November, and one additional $25,000 payment. So, if you’re keeping score, after being ignored for more than two years, the loan company decided to let a future Hall of Fame athlete pay back a loan at less than half the initial cost and he STILL could not meet the agreement. Peterson paid back just $165,000 of that agreement.

Last week, DVS asked for and was granted, an order for Peterson to pay back the original $5.2 million amount, plus $3 million in interest, which comes out at $2,207.12 per day since the original default date. Making matters worse was the fact that neither Peterson nor anyone representing him appeared in court to respond. Learn from Adrian Peterson’s mistakes. Pay off your loans as quickly as possible, and if you can’t, COMMUNICATE with the loan company!

Conference championship schedule: The NFC Championship Game features the “Battle of the Bays” with the Packers hosting the Buccaneers (3 p.m. on FOX). Tom Brady will be playing in his 14th conference title game, while Aaron Rodgers will be appearing in his fourth and the first at home. The AFC contest will feature the conference’s top two teams that boast young stars at quarterback. Patrick Mahomes is looking to get back to the Super Bowl for the second straight year as the top-seeded Chiefs host Josh Allen and the Bills (6:40 p.m., CBS).

Writer

-By: Kevin Rakas