NFL NEWS
THE AP NFL MVP FINALISTS ARE JOSH ALLEN, SAQUON BARKLEY, JOE BURROW, JARED GOFF AND LAMAR JACKSON
Most Valuable Player
Josh Allen, Saquon Barkley, Joe Burrow, Jared Goff and Lamar Jackson are finalists for The Associated Press 2024 NFL Most Valuable Player award.
Barkley, Burrow and Jackson also are finalists for Offensive Player of the Year and Burrow is also in the running for Comeback Player of the Year.
The winners will be announced at NFL Honors on Feb. 6. A nationwide panel of 50 media members who regularly cover the league completed voting before the playoffs began.
Here are the finalists, in alphabetical order, for the eight AP NFL awards:
Allen helped the Bills win their fifth straight AFC East title. He threw for 3,731 yards, 28 TDs and had six picks for a 101.4 passer rating. Allen ran for 531 yards and 12 scores.
Barkley ran for 2,005 yards, eighth-best in NFL history. He sat out Philadelphia’s final regular-season game when he needed 101 yards to break Eric Dickerson’s single-season record. Barkley helped the Eagles win the NFC East and advance to the conference championship game.
Burrow led the NFL with a career-high 4,918 yards passing and 43 TDs but the Cincinnati Bengals finished 9-8 and missed the playoffs.
Goff threw for 4,629 yards, 37 TDs, nine interceptions and led Detroit to the No. 1 seed in the NFC. The Lions were eliminated in the divisional round by Washington.
Jackson, the reigning winner, is seeking his third MVP award after leading the Ravens to an AFC North title. Jackson had career-highs with 4,172 yards passing, 41 TDs to just four interceptions and a 119.6 passer rating, which led the NFL. He was a first-team All-Pro for the third time and also ran for 915 yards and four TDs. The Ravens were knocked out of the divisional round by Allen and the Buffalo Bills.
Offensive Player of the Year
Barkley, Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase, Derrick Henry and Jackson are finalists for the award.
Chase won the receiving triple crown, leading the league with 127 receptions, 1,708 yards and 17 TDs. The Bengals’ star wide receiver was a unanimous selection for All-Pro.
Henry, the 2020 Offensive Player of the Year, had 1,921 yards rushing and 16 TDs in his first season with the Ravens.
Defensive Player of the Year
Eagles linebacker Zack Baun went from mostly playing special teams for the Saints to earning All-Pro honors in his first season in Philadelphia.
All-Pro edge rusher Myles Garrett, the reigning Defensive Player of the Year, had 14 sacks for the Cleveland Browns.
Bengals All-Pro edge rusher Trey Hendrickson led the NFL with 17 1/2 sacks.
Broncos All-Pro cornerback Patrick Surtain II allowed just 37 receptions, had four picks and opposing quarterbacks had a 61.1 passer rating throwing against him
Steelers edge rusher T.J. Watt, the 2021 winner, had 11 1/2 sacks and forced six fumbles.
Offensive Rookie of the Year
Raiders tight end Brock Bowers set a rookie record with 112 receptions and his 1,194 yards receiving were the most by a first-year player at his position.
Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels led the team to an eight-win improvement and has them one win away from a Super Bowl appearance. He threw for 3,568 yards, 25 TDs and posted a 100.1 rating. Daniels also ran for 891 yards and six scores.
Giants receiver Malik Nabers had 109 catches for 1,204 yards and seven TDs.
Broncos QB Bo Nix helped the team reach the playoffs for the first time in nine years. He had 3,775 yards passing, 29 TDs, 12 picks and ran for 430 yards and four scores.
Jaguars receiver Brian Thomas Jr. caught 87 passes for 1,282 yards and 10 TDs.
Defensive Rookie of the Year
Eagles cornerback Cooper DeJean was among the highest-rated players in the slot, holding opponents to 50 receptions. He had five pass breakups and quarterbacks had an 82.2 passer rating against him.
Rams defensive tackle Braden Fiske led the team and all rookies with 8 1/2 sacks. He had 51 pressures, two forced fumbles and recoveries, 10 tackles for loss and 10 quarterback hits.
Eagles cornerback Quinyon Mitchell allowed 40 receptions, had nine pass breakups and quarterbacks had an 87 passer rating against him.
Dolphins edge Chop Robinson had six sacks, 20 pressures and eight tackles for loss.
Rams edge Jared Verse had 4 1/2 sacks but led all rookies in quarterback hits (18), pressures (77) and hurries (56). He also had 11 tackles for loss.
Coach of the Year
Detroit’s Dan Campbell, Minnesota’s Kevin O’Connell, Denver’s Sean Payton, Washington’s Dan Quinn and Kansas City’s Andy Reid are the finalists.
Campbell guided the Lions (15-3) to the NFC’s No. 1 seed. Connell led the Vikings (14-4) to the playoffs despite the departure of Kirk Cousins in free agency and losing rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy to a season-ending knee injury in training camp.
Payton helped the Broncos (10-8) overcome salary-cap woes stemming from the decision to release Russell Wilson and ended a nine-year playoff drought.
Quinn took over a 4-13 team and turned the Commanders into a 12-win playoff team.
Reid had the Chiefs (16-2) back atop the AFC as the No. 1 seed in a quest for a third straight Super Bowl victory.
Assistant Coach of the Year
Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady, Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, Vikings DC Brian Flores, Lions DC Aaron Glenn and Lions OC Ben Johnson made the list.
Comeback Player of the Year
Burrow, Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold, Chargers running back J.K. Dobbins, Patriots cornerback Christian Gonzalez and Bills safety Damar Hamlin are the finalists.
PATRICK MAHOMES ON WHETHER NFL OFFICIALS FAVOR THE CHIEFS: ‘THE REFEREES ARE DOING THEIR BEST’
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Patrick Mahomes doesn’t believe NFL officials are doing the Kansas City Chiefs quarterback any favors.
Nor do the statistics support that assumption.
In last week’s divisional-round win over Houston, the Texans were twice penalized for hits on Mahomes, and one of them came on third down to extend a drive that ended in points. And that led many fans — to say nothing of some members of the Texans defense — to believe the league’s officials were blatantly favoring one of its biggest stars.
“I don’t feel that way,” Mahomes said Wednesday in his first media availability ahead of Sunday’s AFC title game against Buffalo, where the two-time defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs will try to earn a chance at a three-peat.
“I just try to play football at the end of the day. The referees are doing their best to call the game as fair and proper as best they can,” Mahomes said. “For me, it’s go out there, play hard, try to do whatever I can to win the football game, and then live with the results based on my effort and how I play the game, and that’s what we preach here in Kansas City.”
While it may seem as though one of the NFL’s most visible franchises gets more than its share of calls, the Chiefs in fact have been penalized 147 yards more than their opponents over the past three seasons, including the playoffs.
And lest some think the Chiefs benefit more in moments that matter most, opponents have gained 20 more first downs via penalties on third or fourth down since 2018, which is when Mahomes became the starter. In the fourth quarter or overtime of games decided by one score, the Chiefs have the seventh-worst penalty differential over that same time period.
Still, it appears the narrative that officials are helping the Chiefs to win had reached the Houston locker room before the Texans ever reached Arrowhead Stadium last Saturday, where they lost 23-14 in the divisional round of the playoffs.
“We knew it was going to be us versus the refs going into this game,” Texans defensive end Will Anderson Jr. said afterward.
Then again, Mahomes didn’t earn any latitude among fans by appearing to flop in an attempt to draw another flag. That came as he was scrambling to his left and went out of bounds, and when touched by Houston linebacker Henry To’oTo’o, the two-time NFL MVP dramatically threw himself to the ground — but failed to fool the officials, who kept their flags in their pockets.
It certainly drew the ire of former NFL quarterback Troy Aikman, who was calling the game for ESPN.
“He’s trying to draw the penalty. Rather than just run out of bounds, he slows down,” Aikman said. “That’s been the frustration, and I get it. I understand it. That’s been the frustration for these defensive players around the league.”
Mahomes didn’t seem perturbed by the sudden national discourse into penalties and flopping when he addressed the media on Wednesday. Instead, he methodically answered questions about them and then turned his attention to the Bills.
“You get new referees every year. You get new circumstances,” Mahomes said, “and you never can really tell because every play is different, and that’s what makes the NFL so special. I feel like I just continue to play the game. I just try to win.”
AS THE CHIEFS CHASE A SUPER BOWL THREE-PEAT, THE BILLS AIM TO SPOIL THE PARTY IN KANSAS CITY
Buffalo (15-4) at Kansas City (16-2)
Sunday, 6:30 p.m. EST, CBS/Paramount+
BetMGM NFL odds: Chiefs by 1 1/2.
Against the spread: Bills 12-7; Chiefs 8-10.
Series record: Bills lead 30-25-1.
Last meeting: Bills beat Chiefs 30-21 on Nov. 17 in Buffalo.
Last week: Bills beat Ravens 27-25; Chiefs beat Texans 23-14.
Bills offense: overall (10), rush (9), pass (9), scoring (2).
Bills defense: overall (17), rush (12), pass (24), scoring (T11).
Chiefs offense: overall (16), rush (22), pass (14), scoring (15).
Chiefs defense: overall (9), rush (8), pass (18), scoring (4).
Turnover differential: Bills plus-24; Chiefs plus-6.
Bills player to watch
Josh Allen is enjoying his most efficient season, and the Buffalo quarterback has a track record of raising his level of play in the playoffs. He’s 7-5 in the postseason with a franchise-record 23 touchdowns passing against just four interceptions, and his seven TDs rushing in the postseason are tied for second on the NFL list among QBs, one behind Steve Young. In three playoff losses to Kansas City, Allen is a combined 81 of 126 for 802 yards with seven TDs passing, two rushing and just one interception.
Chiefs player to watch
Patrick Mahomes moved into a tie with Joe Montana for the second-most playoff wins as a starting quarterback in the divisional round against Houston. But while Montana was 16-7 for his career, the Chiefs’ two-time NFL MVP is 16-3, and two of the three losses came in overtime in the AFC championship game while the other came in the Super Bowl — the only Super Bowl he’s lost in four tries.
Key matchup
The Chiefs defensive front against Bills quarterback Josh Allen, who beat them both rushing and passing in a loss in Buffalo in November. Allen threw for 262 yards and a touchdown in that game while running 12 times for 55 yards and another score — a 26-yard TD run with 2:17 left that sealed the 30-21 victory for the Bills.
Key injuries
Bills safety Taylor Rapp is questionable after being carted off the sideline with a hip injury Sunday. Starting linebacker Matt Milano’s status bears monitoring after he did not finish Sunday’s game with a hamstring injury. Starting cornerback Christian Benford (concussion protocol) practiced on a limited basis early this week.
The Chiefs came out of their game against Houston healthy. That includes cornerback Jaylen Watson, who was playing for the first time since breaking his ankle Oct. 20 against San Francisco.
Series notes
Since meeting for the AFC title on Jan. 24, 2021, the Bills and Chiefs have met seven times, with Buffalo winning all four regular-season matchups and Kansas City winning each of the three playoff games. That includes a 38-24 win that sent the Chiefs to the Super Bowl, a 42-36 overtime win in the divisional round the following year, and a 27-24 divisional win in Buffalo last year. The team also met for the 1993 conference championship with Buffalo winning 30-13 in the midst of four straight Super Bowl appearances, and the Bills won a divisional playoff game on Jan. 5, 1992. Kansas City beat the Bills 31-7 for the AFL title on Jan. 1, 1967, and would lose to the Packers two weeks later in the first Super Bowl.
Stats and stuff
The Bills are 4-2 in the AFC championship game with all four wins coming during the 1990-93 seasons. … The Bills are 0-4 in road playoff games in coach Sean McDermott’s eight seasons and 3-12 overall. They’ve lost seven straight playoff road games since a 29-10 win at Miami in the AFC championship game in the 1992 season. That playoff road skid is the third longest in the NFL behind Dallas, Cleveland, Seattle and the New York Giants, who each dropped eight straight, and Detroit (12). … McDermott’s 93 wins, including playoffs, are tied with Mike Holmgren for second most by a coach through his first eight seasons. Only George Seifert (108) won more. …The Bills are the NFL’s first team without a turnover in four straight playoff outings. Buffalo hasn’t turned over the ball since Allen threw an interception in a 27-10 loss to Cincinnati in the 2022 divisional round. … The Bills finished the season with a league-best plus-24 turnover differential, which they’ve increased to plus-27 through the postseason. … Allen has completed passes to eight players in each of Buffalo’s first two playoff games this year. … With two rushing TDs last week, Allen increased his playoff career total to seven, tied with Tom Brady for second on the NFL list, and one behind Steve Young. … Allen’s 629 yards rushing in the playoffs rank second on the career list behind Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson (641). … The Bills are 8-1 when scoring a touchdown on their opening drive this season. Their only loss was a 44-42 decision at the Los Angeles Rams on Dec. 8. … The Chiefs are in the AFC title game for the seventh consecutive season with six of them having been played in Kansas City. New England holds the record with eight straight from 2011-18. … Chiefs coach Andy Reid won his 300th career game last week in the divisional round against Houston. The only other NFL coaches to eclipse that mark are Don Shula (347), Bill Belichick (333) and George Halas (324). … Chiefs TE Travis Kelce needs 226 yards receiving to break the playoff record of 2,245 set by Jerry Rice from 1985-04. Kelce also needs three TD catches to break Rice’s playoff record of 22. … Kelce has nine playoff games with at least 100 yards receiving, including 117 against Houston in the divisional round. That is the longest streak in NFL history. … The Chiefs had eight sacks against the Texans in the divisional round, the second most in a playoff game in franchise history. They had nine against Houston on Jan. 16, 1994. … Chiefs DE George Karlaftis had three sacks against the Texans, tying the club playoff record held by Aaron Brown (at Oakland on Jan. 4, 1974) and Frank Clark (against Houston on Jan. 12, 2020). … CB Trent McDuffie has a Chiefs playoff record 13 passes defensed despite appearing in just three postseasons. … Chiefs K Harrison Butker needs four field goals to pass David Akers (39) for third most playoff FGs in NFL history.
WASHINGTON VISITS PHILADELPHIA IN NFC EAST SHOWDOWN FOR THE CONFERENCE TITLE
Washington (14-5) at Philadelphia (16-3)
Sunday, 3 p.m. EST, Fox
BetMGM NFL Odds: Eagles by 6
Against the spread: Washington 12-6-1; Philadelphia 12-6-1
Series record: Washington leads 90-85-5, including a win in the longtime NFC East Division rivals’ only previous playoff meeting in January 1991.
Last meeting: Jayden Daniels threw for five touchdown passes as the Commanders beat the Eagles 36-33 on Dec. 22 at Washington to end Philadelphia’s winning streak at 10 games.
Last week: Commanders defeated Detroit 45-31; Eagles beat the Rams 28-22.
Commanders offense: overall (7), rush (3), pass (17), scoring (5)
Commanders defense: overall (13), rush (30), pass (3), scoring (18)
Eagles offense: overall (8), rush (2), pass (29), scoring (7)
Eagles defense: overall (1), rush (10), pass (1), scoring (2)
Turnover differential: Commanders: plus-1; Eagles: plus-11
Eagles players to watch
RB Saquon Barkley. Barkley finished with a club-record 2,005 rushing yards in the regular season, 101 yards shy of breaking Eric Dickerson’s single-season rushing record of 2,105 yards, set in 1984. Philadelphia’s star running back was held out of the team’s meaningless regular-season finale against the Giants as a precaution by coach Nick Sirianni. Barkley ran for 119 yards in his return to the field against the Packers in the opening round of the playoffs before following it up with a franchise playoff record of 205 rushing yards against the Rams on Sunday.
Commanders player to watch
Daniels. The rookie quarterback lit up the Eagles defense in the previous matchup in late December, accounting for 339 yards between nine carries and 24 completions. The No. 2 overall pick out of LSU passed for 299 yards and two TDs and ran for 51 yards in the win at Detroit on Saturday night.
Key matchup
Washington’s defense against Barkley. The Commanders were 30th in the regular season defending the run, allowing an average of 137.5 yards per game. That doesn’t bode well for stopping Barkley. In the regular season, Barkley became the ninth player in NFL history to rush for 2,000-plus yards, helping the Eagles average 179.3 yards on the ground, good for second in the league. And he has continued rolling in the playoffs, breaking Steve van Buren’s franchise record for rushing yards in a playoff game by running all over the Rams. The second of Barkley’s two rushing TDs against Los Angeles, a 78-yard scamper through the snow, instantly became one of the highlights of the season and one of the best plays in recent Eagles history.
Key injuries
Commanders: RG Sam Cosmi suffered a torn ACL in his right knee in the second quarter against Detroit and is out for the playoffs. Trent Scott replaced Cosmi for the remainder of the game against the Lions. … Neither DT Daron Payne (knee/finger) nor LB Bobby Wagner (ankle) practiced on Wednesday, though they are expected to play.
Eagles: Hurts limped off the field following Sunday’s win after appearing to injure his left knee late in the game. … The Eagles held a walkthrough on Wednesday. If it was a full practice, Hurts would have been a limited participant. He said his knee was “progressing” and indicated that he could play on Sunday. … Rookie CB Quinyon Mitchell injured a shoulder against the Rams. He participated in Wednesday’s walkthrough but would have been a limited participant for a regular practice. Mitchell told reporters he expects to play Sunday. … TE Dallas Goedert (ankle) and C Cam Jurgens (back) would have been sidelined on Wednesday had it been a regular practice. … LB Nakobe Dean was lost for the remainder of the playoffs after injuring his left knee in the second quarter against the Packers.
Series notes
Mark Rypien passed for 206 yards and tossed touchdown passes to Gary Clark and Art Monk in the only playoff matchup between the teams, a 20-6 win by Washington in the wild-card round at Philadelphia on Jan. 5, 1991. … Washington is 5-1 in franchise history in the NFC title game. … The Eagles are hosting their fifth NFC title game at Lincoln Financial Field since it opened in 2003. They most recently played it at home two years ago when they beat San Francisco.
Stats and stuff
Only five current Commanders were alive the previous time the organization reached the NFC title game 33 years ago: Wagner, LB Nick Bellore, TE Zach Ertz, OL Cornelius Lucas and P Tress Way. … The wild-card win at Tampa Bay was Washington’s first in the playoffs in 19 years. … Washington forced five turnovers against Detroit, including a pair of interceptions by rookie CB Mike Sainristil. S Quan Martin had a 40-yard interception return for a TD. The Commanders also committed zero turnovers against Detroit. … Washington ranked 30th in the regular season in rushing defense and allowed 105 yards and 2 TDs on the ground to Detroit’s Jahmyr Gibbs last week. … Brian Robinson Jr. and Austin Ekeler combined to rush for 124 yards and two TDs against the Lions. … Philadelphia has won 14 of 15 overall and 25 of its past 30 at home, including the playoffs. … Hurts threw for 131 yards and rushed for 36 in the playoff-opening win over Green Bay and passed for 128 yards and ran for 70 yards, including a 44-yard touchdown, against the Rams, who sacked him seven times. … DT Jalen Carter had a stellar game against the Rams, with a forced fumble, two sacks and five tackles. … WR A.J. Brown had 1,079 receiving yards in the regular season but has made just three catches for 24 yards in Philadelphia’s two playoff wins. … K Jake Elliott missed a pair of extra points against the Rams after missing one against Green Bay the previous week. Elliott also made three field goals against Los Angeles, including two in the fourth quarter. The normally reliable kicker went 28 of 36 in the regular season, missing 6 of 7 from 50-plus yards. … Philadelphia’s defense, led by veteran coordinator Vic Fangio, finished the regular season ranked first overall (278.4 yards per game) and tops in passing defense (174.2 yards per game). It is the seventh time in club history the Eagles have led the league in total defense, also doing it in 1991, 1981, 1953, 1949, 1945 and 1944.
EAGLES’ JALEN HURTS READY TO FACE COMMANDERS IN NFC TITLE GAME ON BALKY LEFT KNEE
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Jalen Hurts hobbled back to the Philadelphia Eagles’ huddle after his left knee was twisted on a sack, an injury that forced him after the drive to the sideline medical tent for a quick exam.
Hurts got checked out — and backup Kenny Pickett started to warm up in case he was needed in the NFC divisional playoff game against the Los Angeles Rams.
No so fast.
“We looked up, and (Hurts) was warming up,” wide receiver A.J. Brown said Wednesday. “So that tells you everything about him.”
Hurts never missed a snap to help the Eagles win their ninth straight home game and usher them into their second NFC conference championship game in three seasons at Lincoln Financial Field.
Still banged up, Hurts isn’t about to miss the biggest game of the season on Sunday against the Washington Commanders.
The Eagles held a walk-through instead of a full practice on Wednesday — perhaps in part to take stress off Hurts’ knee — but that won’t keep him off the field against the Commanders.
“I’m expecting him to come out and do what he does,” Brown said. “He’s a warrior.”
His usual stoic self, Hurts kept his emotions more wrapped up than his knee. His answers Wednesday on the state of his health were shorter than a shovel pass.
How’s his knee?
“Progressing.”
Can he play on Sunday?
“Yeah.”
Hurts has been remarkably durable throughout his career from training camp until November when injuries start to hit. Already playing with a broken finger on his non-throwing hand, he missed the final two games of the regular season after suffering a concussion in a Dec. 22 loss to Washington. A year ago, it was a mangled finger on his throwing hand that limited his effectiveness in a playoff loss at Tampa Bay. And two seasons ago, when Hurts led the Eagles to a Super Bowl, he suffered a sprained right shoulder in December that cost him two games.
“It’s a part of the game,” Hurts said. “I accept whatever comes with that.”
Now it’s a balky knee, which could limit the mobility of a quarterback who is one of the elite dual threats in the NFL. He rushed for 630 yards this season, and he ripped off a career-long 44-yard TD run against the Rams before he was hurt.
“The combination of Saquon (Barkley) and Jalen in the backfield is really, really powerful,” offensive coordinator Kellen Moore said. “They do an excellent job of having the threat of both of them. Jalen does an excellent job making decisions. He has to make decisions a lot of times in those runs whether to hand it or keep it. I thought that was a really, really cool play.”
With the Eagles riding Barkley and his 2,005 yards rushing this season, Hurts’ passing numbers dipped He threw for 2,903 yards after topping 3,000 in each of the previous three seasons. Hurts has thrown for only a combined 259 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions in playoff wins against Green Bay and Los Angeles.
Take a look at the other three QBs standing: Buffalo’s Josh Allen has thrown for 399 yards and two TDs with no interceptions in two playoff games; Washington’s Jayden Daniels has 567 yards, four TDs and no picks; and Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes threw for a modest 177 yards and a score in his lone game for the No. 1 seed in the AFC.
True, passing yards aren’t the final grade on a quarterback’s performance — especially in a playoff win — but the Eagles only had 65 net yards through the air against the Rams.
“Not ideal,” Moore said.
But not enough to prevent the Eagles from moving to the betting favorite to win the Super Bowl, according to BetMGM Sportsbook. They are followed by the Chiefs, Bills and Commanders.
Hurts had 18 touchdown passes and five interceptions this season. He threw only one pick after the Eagles returned from their Week 5 bye.
“He’s the same guy all the time,” coach Nick Sirianni said. “No matter who we’re playing, when we’re playing, practice, game, he’s consistent. He loves football. He loves the process it takes.”
One knock on Hurts is that his running style makes him susceptible to injury. He suffered a concussion against the Commanders after his head slammed against the ground on one run and he was hit in the helmet by Frankie Luvu at the end of another.
Knees, fingers, shoulders — playing hurt is part of the gig for an elite quarterback. No matter the state of his physical condition, the Eagles always like their chances with No. 1 in the huddle.
“I’m expecting Jalen to be Jalen,” Barkley said. “He’s going to show up for us. He’s going to make plays. He has that ‘it’ factor.”
PRO PICKS: STICKING WITH THE PRESEASON PREDICTION OF AN EAGLES-CHIEFS SUPER BOWL REMATCH
Familiar foes are facing off in the conference championship games in the NFL playoffs.
Patrick Mahomes and the two-time defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs take on Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills for the fourth time in the past five postseasons.
The Chiefs have won all three playoff matchups, including the AFC championship game four years ago. The Bills ended Kansas City’s bid for a perfect season with a 30-21 victory in Week 11.
Jayden Daniels and the Washington Commanders visit Jalen Hurts, Saquon Barkley and the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC championship game.
The NFC East rivals split their season series, each winning at home.
The Chiefs and Commanders played their divisional games on Saturday so they’ve had an extra day of rest. Since 2004, the teams with an extra day off are 26-16 in the conference championship games, including 20-7 at home.
Pro Picks is sticking with its preseason prediction of an Eagles-Chiefs Super Bowl rematch.
Washington (14-5) at Philadelphia (16-3)
Line: Eagles minus 6
The Eagles are back here for the second time in three years and ninth time in franchise history. They’re 4-4, including 4-2 at home.
The Commanders are in the conference championship game for the first time in 33 years and seventh time in franchise history. Washington is 5-1 in the NFC title game and has won three Super Bowls.
The Eagles beat Washington 26-18 in a Thursday night game on Nov. 14. The Commanders rallied for a 36-33 victory on Dec. 22 in a game where Hurts sustained a concussion in the first quarter. The Eagles had a chance to seal a victory in that one but DeVonta Smith dropped a pass from Kenny Pickett on third down, setting the stage for Daniels to lead a comeback victory.
Daniels has thrown a TD pass in the final 30 seconds or overtime in five games this season. But no rookie quarterback has won a conference title game, going 0-5.
Barkley has 296 yards rushing and four TDs against Washington this season, including a 68-yard TD run in Philadelphia’s loss.
Hurts injured his knee last week in the snow against the Rams. If his mobility is limited, that’ll be a major advantage for Washington.
The Commanders lost right guard Sam Cosmi in their win over Detroit. They’ll have to find a way to contain Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter, who was a dominant force vs. Los Angeles.
The Eagles are 7-3 against the spread in their past 10 games while the Commanders are 5-5 ATS in that span.
EAGLES: 26-23
Buffalo (15-4) at Kansas City (16-2)
Line: Chiefs minus 2
These two teams have played some classic games in the postseason and regular season, too.
There was the back-and-forth in the final two minutes in the 2021 divisional round where Allen threw a TD pass to Gabe Davis with 13 seconds left only to watch Mahomes complete two passes for 44 yards to set up a tying field goal that forced overtime. The Chiefs won the coin toss, scored a touchdown and the Bills didn’t get the ball. That led the NFL to change its postseason overtime rules to ensure both teams get a possession.
There was Buffalo’s win in Week 14 in 2023 when an offside penalty on Kadarius Toney negated Toney’s TD off a lateral from Travis Kelce.
Allen’s 26-yard TD run with 2:17 left sealed the Bills’ win earlier this season in the only game Kansas City’s starters lost.
Allen is 4-1 against Mahomes in the regular season. But he’s still seeking his first win in the playoffs.
Mahomes has only lost to Tom Brady (twice) and Joe Burrow in the postseason, going 16-3. He is 7-0 straight up and ATS as an underdog or a favorite of less than a field goal.
The Bills were a home underdog last week when they beat the Ravens. Allen has never won consecutive games as an underdog in 15 tries.
The Chiefs are aiming to become the first team in NFL history to three-peat in the Super Bowl era. With Taylor Swift and maybe Caitlin Clark cheering them on, they’re tough to beat at Arrowhead Stadium.
CHIEFS: 27-26
___
Last week: Straight up: 3-1. Against spread: 3-0-1.
Playoffs: Straight up: 7-3. Against spread: 6-3-1.
Overall: Straight up: 199-83. Against spread: 150-127-5.
Best Bet: Straight up: 12-7. Against spread: 10-8-1
Upset Special: Straight up: 10-9. Against spread: 10-9.
EAGLES K JAKE ELLIOTT TOP UNDER-THE-RADAR STORYLINE OF CHAMPIONSHIP SUNDAY
Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen certainly are going to do their part. And Saquon Barkley might have his own chapter in the Commanders’ defensive game plan. Nobody doubts the significance of Jayden Daniels’ role for Washington.
But the matchups within the matchups are set to determine which teams advance on Championship Sunday to Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans on Feb. 9.
We reviewed the critical concerns in each game to determine five under-the-radar players who will determine the outcome this weekend. The first in the series moving Thursday-Saturday: Philadelphia Eagles kicker Jake Elliott.
Overall reliable and counted on for six field goals in the playoffs without a miss, Elliott’s 2024 season wasn’t worthy of the Golden Toe award. He connected on 77.8 percent of his kicks. Compared to the 11 kickers with at least 15 makes who finished the season with a FG percentage of 90 or better, some might say Elliott is a concern in a do-or-die game.
The Eagles disagree.
Elliott, who turned 30 this week, has never missed a field goal in the playoffs (22 of 22).
The concern stems from two missed extra points last week in a six-point win over the Rams.
Snow and wind weren’t factors, according to head coach Nick Sirianni.
But there’s a simple explanation, according to Eagles special teams coordinator Michael Clay.
“You see No. 26 (Saquon Barkley) back there. He could take it 80 yards in the blink of an eye,” Clay said.
That’s right, the big-play back for the Eagles with an NFL record six touchdown runs of 60-plus yards (including playoffs) sets the special teams into a fire drill on the sideline when he goes the distance.
Clay said the adrenaline on the plays against the Rams — Barkley broke a big play in the fourth quarter and quarterback Jalen Hurts sounded the alarm with a 44-yard sprint to the end zone in the first — put Elliott’s normal routine into fast-forward, ending in predictable results.
“I don’t think Jake really dwells on it. He’s the kind of guy that has almost like a golfer’s mindset,” Clay said. “You will hit a bad shot here as a golfer, but how do you bounce back from it?”
Elliott’s last missed extra point prior to the divisional playoff win was Nov. 14 in the first of two regular-season meetings with the Commanders.
Barkley scored touchdowns of 39 and 68 yards in the those two games.
LIONS GM NOT WORRIED ABOUT JARED GOFF IN POST-BEN JOHNSON ERA
Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff threw for a career-best 37 touchdowns this season under the watchful eye of then-offensive coordinator Ben Johnson.
Lions general manager Brad Holmes doesn’t expect the good times to come to an end for Goff now that Johnson has moved on to become the head coach of the NFC North-rival Chicago Bears.
“Obviously, he was very productive with Ben as a coordinator but he had a lot of prior success before he even got here as well in a completely different system,” Holmes said on Thursday. “I think he’s a better quarterback, a more mature quarterback now than he was then when he had early success. I don’t foresee that. I think the guy’s in his prime. He’s gotten better and better every year. And when I say prime, I think, like, just entering it because he keeps ascending.
“I think every single year we’ve been here, the next year … the levels keep improving. Again, I have a lot of faith in Dan (Campbell, head coach) and I know that he’ll make sure Jared is in a good position.”
Goff, 30, was named a finalist for the Associated Press 2024 NFL Most Valuable Player award on Thursday after completing a career-high 72.4 percent of his passes for 4,629 yards this season.
He joined fellow quarterbacks Josh Allen (Buffalo Bills), Lamar Jackson (Baltimore Ravens) and Joe Burrow (Cincinnati Bengals) as well as Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley as finalists for the award.
Under Johnson, Detroit boasted the NFL’s No. 1 scoring offense this season (33.2 points per game) and finished second in total offense (409.5 yards per game). The Lions’ points (564) and regular-season wins (15) this season were franchise records.
Goff, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft, is a four-time Pro Bowl selection with 35,058 passing yards and 222 touchdowns in 134 starts with the Los Angeles Rams (2016-20) and Lions.
KEVIN STEFANSKI TO CALL BROWNS’ OFFENSIVE PLAYS IN 2025
Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski confirmed Thursday that he will resume calling the offensive plays in 2025.
Stefanski relinquished play-calling duties to then-offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey after a 1-6 start this season.
He made the announcement during an introductory press conference for new offensive coordinator Tommy Rees.
“I’m going to call plays, and I reserve the right to change my mind,” said Stefanski, a two-time NFL Coach of the Year.
Last week, the Browns promoted Rees from tight ends coach and pass game specialist to the OC role.
“Tommy has an incredible football mind,” Stefanski said last week. “He is extremely bright and has been around the game his entire life.”
Dorsey was fired on Jan. 5 after the Browns finished last in points scored (258) during a 3-14 season.
The Browns’ offense, hampered by rotating quarterbacks and another season-ending injury to running back Nick Chubb, mustered only an NFL-worst 15.2 points per game.
Stefanski settled the play-caller question, but the signal-caller situation still looms large entering an offseason that includes holding the No. 2 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Deshaun Watson is coming off a second Achilles surgery and has two years remaining on a five-year, $230 million contract. He carries cap hits of $72.9 million in 2025 and 2026. He could miss most, if not all, of the upcoming season.
Among other quarterbacks on the roster, only Dorian Thompson-Robinson is under contract for 2025. Jameis Winston is an unrestricted free agent, and Bailey Zappe is a restricted free agent.
BEARS INTERIM COACH THOMAS BROWN MOVING ON
New Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson will not retain interim coach and offensive coordinator Thomas Brown.
Brown has interviewed for the play-calling role with the Seattle Seahawks, who fired Ryan Grubb after one season.
Brown was promoted twice by the Bears in 2024, from passing coordinator to offensive coordinator and then to the interim coaching role when Matt Eberflus was fired in November.
Bears team president Kevin Warren established late in the season that Brown would be a candidate to remain head coach. But a different reality came to light at Johnson’s introductory press conference Wednesday at Halas Hall.
Team chairman George McCaskey revealed there was always one candidate — Johnson, who has been offensive coordinator of the Lions for three seasons and on the Detroit coaching staff since 2019 — based on the preference of his football operations staff.
“(GM) Ryan (Poles) says, ‘This is the guy we want,’ and I said, ‘Go get him,’” McCaskey summarized Wednesday.
Brown and Johnson are the same age (38) with much different degrees of success calling plays. The Bears finished last (32nd) in total offense in 2024, but Brown did push rookie No. 1 pick Caleb Williams toward consistently positive results.
Brown went 1-4 as head coach of the Bears, beating the Packers in his final game in January.
In addition to Brown, the Seahawks have interviewed Lions offensive line coach Hank Fraley, Saints offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak and Vikings assistant OC and quarterbacks coach Grant Udinski for their OC role.
Brown played running back at Georgia and was drafted by the Falcons in 2008 before starting his coaching career in the college ranks. He worked for Georgia, Wisconsin, Miami and the College of Charleston and connected with Sean McVay as an offensive assistant with the Rams following one season as offensive coordinator at South Carolina.
Brown was hired as Panthers offensive coordinator in 2023 but moved on after Carolina made another coaching change.
The Athletic reported Thursday that in addition to Brown, the Bears are parting ways with defensive coordinator Eric Washington, interim OC and wideouts coach Chris Beatty, offensive line coach Chris Morgan and QBs coach Kerry Joseph.
RAMS DL BRADEN FISKE TO HAVE KNEE PROCEDURE
Los Angeles Rams rookie defensive lineman Braden Fiske will have surgery to repair a knee injury sustained in Sunday’s loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.
Rams coach Sean McVay confirmed Thursday that Fiske was injured in the season-ending 28-22 divisional playoff loss at Philadelphia.
Fiske’s recovery from the procedure is not expected to affect his availability for next season, McVay said.
Fiske, who turned 25 last weekend, was named a finalist for Defensive Rookie of the Year honors on Thursday.
The 2024 second-round pick led the Rams and all NFL rookies with 8.5 sacks and finished with 44 tackles, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries in 17 games (eight starts). He added 1.5 sacks in two playoff games.
BENGALS HIRE AL GOLDEN AS DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR
The Cincinnati Bengals announced the hiring of Al Golden as their new defensive coordinator on Thursday.
Golden, 55, spent the past three seasons as the defensive coordinator at Notre Dame. That stint followed two years as the Bengals’ linebackers coach from 2020-21.
“Al is a very highly regarded coach, and we are excited to welcome him back to the Bengals as defensive coordinator,” Cincinnati head coach Zac Taylor said. “He understands football at every level and has had great success as a coordinator, position coach and head coach. Al has a great football mind and will bring a smart, physical, aggressive approach to our defense.”
Golden replaces Lou Anarumo, who was dismissed on Jan. 6. Anarumo had been defensive coordinator of the Bengals since Taylor became head coach in 2019.
Taylor had to wait until the College Football Playoff championship game concluded before being able to talk with Golden. Notre Dame lost 34-23 to Ohio State on Monday night.
Under Golden in 2024, the Fighting Irish defense finished fifth in the nation in points allowed per game (15.5).
The Bengals finished this past season 25th in total defense (348.3 yards per game) and tied for 26th in points allowed (25.5 per game).
COLLEGE FOOTBALL NEWS
AP’S ALL-COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF TEAM FEATURES AN ALL-OHIO STATE OFFENSIVE BACKFIELD
Ohio State’s run to its first national championship in a decade enabled the Buckeyes to dominate the Associated Press’ all-College Football Playoff team.
The AP changed the way it put together its postseason all-star teams this season as college football introduced an expanded 12-team playoff that had some schools playing as many as four postseason games.
The AP released an all-bowl team Jan. 7 for players who competed in non-playoff bowl games. Now the cooperative is unveiling an all-playoff team reserved only for players from the 12 College Football Playoff teams.
Since only four teams actually won any playoff games this season, all but one of the players on the all-playoff team come from those four schools.
Because some defenses operate in 4-3 schemes, others use a 3-4 and still others go with a base nickel defense, the AP covered all bases by having a defense with four linemen, four linebackers and five defensive backs.
QB Will Howard, Ohio State
Howard completed more than 75% of his passes for 1,150 yards with eight touchdowns and two interceptions in four playoff games. He was named the offensive most valuable player of the championship game after going 17 of 21 for 231 yards with two touchdowns and rushing for 57 yards on 16 carries in a 34-23 victory over Notre Dame.
RB TreVeyon Henderson, Ohio State
Henderson had two touchdowns in each of Ohio State’s first two playoff victories and then caught a pass well behind the line of scrimmage and turned it into a 75-yard score in the Buckeyes’ 28-14 Cotton Bowl triumph over Texas. He finished the playoff with 36 carries for 265 yards and four touchdowns plus eight catches for 149 yards and one touchdown.
RB Quinshon Judkins, Ohio State
Before the championship game, the all-playoff team figured to include one of Penn State’s two outstanding running backs — Nicholas Singleton or Kaytron Allen — to pair with Henderson. But Judkins forced his way onto the team with his outstanding performance against Notre Dame. He ran for 100 yards and two touchdowns on 11 carries while also catching two passes for 21 yards and a touchdown. Judkins finished the playoffs with 255 yards rushing and seven total touchdowns (6 rushing, 1 receiving).
WR Matthew Golden, Texas
Texas was on the brink of playoff elimination before Golden made a 28-yard touchdown catch on a fourth-and-13 overtime play in a 39-31 Peach Bowl quarterfinal victory over Arizona State. He totaled 11 receptions for 249 yards to go along with that touchdown in three playoff games. That included seven receptions for 149 yards against Arizona State.
WR Jaden Greathouse, Notre Dame
Greathouse totaled just 359 yards receiving over Notre Dame’s first 14 games before going over the 100-yard mark in each of the Fighting Irish’s last two contests. He caught seven passes for 105 yards and had a tying 54-yard touchdown with 4:38 left in Notre Dame’s 27-24 Orange Bowl victory over Penn State. He then had six receptions for 128 yards — including touchdowns of 34 and 30 yards — to spark Notre Dame’s rally in the championship game.
WR Jeremiah Smith, Ohio State
This Associated Press All-America second-team selection capped his sensational freshman season by catching 19 passes for 381 yards and five touchdowns in four playoff games. He scored twice in a 42-17 first-round victory over Tennessee and followed that up by having seven receptions for 187 yards and two more scores in a 41-21 Rose Bowl rout of previously unbeaten Oregon. Smith caught five passes for 88 yards and a touchdown against Notre Dame, and his 56-yard catch on a third-and-11 play set up a clinching field goal.
TE Tyler Warren, Penn State
The winner of the John Mackey Award as college football’s top tight end scored two touchdowns in Penn State’s 31-14 Fiesta Bowl victory over Boise State. Although Penn State got no catches from its wideouts in the Orange Bowl, Warren juiced the Nittany Lions’ offense by catching six passes for 74 yards and running for 21 yards on two carries. He totaled 16 receptions for 171 yards and three carries for 27 yards in three playoff games.
All-purpose Cam Skattebo, Arizona State
Skattebo, an AP All-America first-team running back, sparked Arizona State’s Peach Bowl comeback by rushing for 143 yards and two touchdowns on 30 carries, catching eight passes for 99 yards and even throwing a 42-yard touchdown pass.
OL Kelvin Banks, Texas
Banks, an AP All-America first-team tackle, allowed one quarterback hurry and no sacks in Texas’ three playoff games, according to Pro Football Focus. He had an overall PFF blocking rating of over 75 in a 38-24 first-round victory over Clemson and against Ohio State. He had an 86.4 pass-blocking rating in the semifinal loss to the Buckeyes.
OL Carson Hinzman, Ohio State
After playing center in 2023, Hinzman moved to left guard this season to make room for Alabama transfer Seth McLaughlin. But after McLaughlin injured his Achilles tendon in November, Hinzman moved back to center and helped open up plenty of holes for Henderson and Judkins throughout the playoffs.
OL Donovan Jackson, Ohio State
Jackson made the AP All-America team as a second-team guard, but he moved to left tackle when Josh Simmons suffered a season-ending knee injury in October. He didn’t allow a single sack in any of Ohio State’s four playoff games, according to PFF.
OL Nolan Rucci, Penn State
Penn State’s left tackle allowed no sacks and just one quarterback hurry in three playoff games, according to Pro Football Focus. PFF graded Rucci out at over 70 overall in each of Penn State’s playoff games.
OL Aamil Wagner, Notre Dame
This right tackle provided stability for a Notre Dame offensive line that dealt with multiple injuries during this playoff run. He allowed just one sack in four playoff games, according to PFF.
DL Abdul Carter, Penn State
Carter, an AP All-America first-team selection and the AP Big Ten defensive player of the year, injured his shoulder against Boise State but returned for the semifinal and collected five tackles and a sack against Notre Dame while playing hurt. He also had three tackles and a sack against SMU.
DL Dani Dennis-Sutton, Penn State
Dennis-Sutton totaled 4½ sacks in Penn State’s three playoff games. He collected two sacks and forced a fumble against Notre Dame, delivered one sack against Boise State and had 1½ against SMU.
DL Jack Sawyer, Ohio State
Sawyer delivered one of the most memorable highlights of this playoff by getting a strip sack and returning the fumble 83 yards for a clinching touchdown against Texas. He also had two sacks against Oregon and 1½ against Tennessee.
DL JT Tuimoloau, Ohio State
Tuimoloau totaled 10 tackles for loss and 6½ sacks in Ohio State’s four playoff games. He had two sacks each against Tennessee and Oregon, 1½ against Texas and one against Notre Dame.
LB Drayk Bowen, Notre Dame
Bowen had eight tackles in each of Notre Dame’s last two games, and he also forced a fumble against Ohio State. He had 1½ tackles for loss in Notre Dame’s 27-17 first-round victory over Indiana and had six total tackles and half a tackle for loss in the Irish’s 23-10 Sugar Bowl win over Georgia.
LB Jack Kiser, Notre Dame
Notre Dame’s sixth-year senior linebacker collected six tackles and a sack and forced a fumble against Georgia. He followed that up by recording a team-high 10 tackles against Penn State.
LB Cody Simon, Ohio State
Simon totaled 38 tackles in Ohio State’s four playoff games. He had 12 tackles in the first-round win over Tennessee and had 11 tackles plus two sacks against Oregon.
LB Sonny Styles, Ohio State
Styles had nine tackles — three for loss — plus a sack and a forced fumble against Texas. He also recorded a sack against Notre Dame.
DB Jahdae Barron, Texas
Barron, an AP All-America first-team cornerback, assisted in the coverage scheme that limited Smith to one catch for 3 yards in Texas’ semifinal loss to Ohio State. He had 11 tackles against Arizona State. He broke up two passes against Clemson and had a 78.5 overall rating from PFF for that game.
DB Caleb Downs, Ohio State
This AP All-America first-team safety solidified Ohio State’s secondary throughout the postseason. His interception with less than two minutes left thwarted Texas’ last comeback hopes in the Cotton Bowl semifinal.
DB Leonard Moore, Notre Dame
This freshman stepped into a featured role following a season-ending injury to AP All-America preseason second-team selection Benjamin Morrison and developed into Notre Dame’s best cornerback. PFF gave him overall defensive ratings of 76.4 against Indiana and 78.5 against Georgia.
DB Xavier Watts, Notre Dame
Watts, an AP All-America first-team safety, made an interception in the red zone that prevented Indiana from taking an early lead in Notre Dame’s first-round playoff game. PFF rated him at 70 or higher in three of Notre Dame’s four playoff contests.
DB Zakee Wheatley, Penn State
Wheatley had two playoff interceptions — one against Boise State and another against Notre Dame. He collected 16 tackles and a sack in the Notre Dame game. He made seven tackles and broke up a pass against SMU.
K Mitch Jeter, Notre Dame
Jeter had a 27-yard field-goal attempt bounce off the left upright in the fourth quarter of the championship game, but he also helped Notre Dame get to that point by making a tiebreaking 41-yarder with seven seconds left in the Orange Bowl. Jeter went 7 of 9 on field-goal attempts in the playoffs, including 6 of 6 from 40-49 yards out.
P James Rendell, Notre Dame
Rendell’s 41.5 playoff punting average might not seem particularly impressive on the surface, but he landed seven of his 13 punts inside the opponent’s 20-yard line and didn’t have a single touchback.
KR Jayden Harrison, Notre Dame
Harrison’s 98-yard touchdown return of the second-half kickoff in the Sugar Bowl was the best return for anyone in this playoff.
OHIO STATE’S SECOND TITLE IN THE CFP ERA AVERAGES 22.1 MILLION VIEWERS, A 12% DECLINE FROM LAST YEAR
Ohio State’s 34-23 victory over Notre Dame in Monday night’s College Football Playoff national championship game, was the most-watched game of the season. However, it was a double-digit drop in viewers from last year.
ESPN announced Wednesday that the Buckeyes’ second national championship in the CFP era averaged 22.1 million viewers. It was the most-watched, non-NFL sporting event over the past year, but a 12% drop from the 25 million who tuned in for Michigan’s 34-13 victory over Washington in 2024.
It was the third-lowest audience of the 11 CFP title games, with all three occurring in the past five years. The audience peaked at 26.1 million viewers during the second quarter (8:30-8:45 p.m. EST) when the game was tied at 7-7.
Since Alabama’s 26-23 overtime victory over Georgia in 2018, the last seven title games have had an average margin of victory of 25.4 points. Ohio State had a 31-7 lead midway through the third quarter before Notre Dame rallied to get within one possession with five minutes remaining in the fourth quarter.
Georgia’s 65-7 rout of TCU in 2023 was the least-viewed title game (17.2 million) followed by Alabama’s 52-24 win over Ohio State in 2021 (18.7 million). The first title game in 2015 — the Buckeyes’ 42-20 victory over Oregon — remains the most-watched college football game by viewers in the CFP era according to Nielsen at 33.9 million.
This was the first year of the 12-team field. The first round averaged 10.6 million viewers with the quarterfinals at 16.9 million. The semifinals averaged 19.2 million, a 17% decline from last year. Both semifinal games in 2024 though were played on Jan. 1. Michigan’s OT victory over Alabama in the Rose Bowl drew a bigger audience (27.7 million) than the Wolverines’ win in the title game.
CFP games ended up being nine of the 10 most-viewed this season. Georgia’s OT win over Texas in the SEC championship on ABC/ESPN was sixth at 16.6 million.
UNC RELEASES BILL BELICHICK CONTRACT: $10M A YEAR, PLENTY OF EXTRAS
Bill Belichick will earn $10 million a year as football coach at North Carolina, with the opportunity to earn hundreds of thousands of dollars more in bonuses.
The university released the 29-page signed contract Thursday, following recent questions as to why the 72-year-old Belichick hadn’t yet signed the deal as rumors of a possible interest in an NFL head-coaching vacancy swirled.
He was hired Dec. 11 and has been hard at work recruiting, already signing 21 players to the roster even before officially signing the deal.
The contract calls for Belichick to pay the school a $10 million buyout if he leaves the Tar Heels before June 1, and $1 million after his first season through the end of the deal.
The university is guaranteeing his contract for only the first three seasons. If he is fired without cause during the last two years of the contract, beginning Jan. 1, 2028, he will receive no payment.
The contract includes a variety of bonuses that coincide with how the Tar Heels play on the field to how well the players perform in the classroom.
An eight-win regular season would bring Belichick $150,000, with each win on top of eight resulting in an additional $50,000 bonus. Winning the Atlantic Coast Conference title would add $300,000 to his pay.
Making the 12-team College Football Playoff would give Belichick a $750,000 jackpot. Reaching the quarterfinals would pay $1 million, with an additional $250,000 for each game won. Should the Tar Heels win the national championship, therefore, Belichick’s CFP bonus would earn him $1.75 million.
Bonuses for team grade-point average begin at $50,000 and rise as the grades do.
The other perks are generous, too.
Among them, the university will pay for Belichick’s membership to the Chapel Hill Country Club, give him $100,000 in relocation fees, supply him and at least 10 staff members with a car, and provide access to a suite at all home and away games.