NFC South

Tampa Bay Buccaneers safety Jordan Whitehead was placed on the non-football injury list Saturday after suffering injuries in a car accident, according to Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times.

Whitehead is not expected to return this season, per Stroud.

Whitehead is not expected to return this season. Significant loss for the Bucs who will also be without S Antoine Winfield Jr. again today and CB Jamel Dean for Sunday’s game against the Saints. The Bucs must win to clinch the NFC South or have the Falcons lose to the Panthers. https://t.co/UOK7WilA1K

— Rick Stroud (@NFLSTROUD) January 4, 2025

The news comes days after Whitehead returned for Week 17 following four weeks on IR with a pectoral muscle injury.

Whitehead has recorded 79 combined tackles, including two for loss, in 12 starts for the Buccaneers this season.

Stroud wrote that "overall Whitehead is ok but he will miss multiple weeks."

The Buccaneers said the accident occurred while Whitehead was on his way to the team's practice facility on Saturday morning.

Buccaneers Statement on Jordan Whitehead pic.twitter.com/aBhnMnu97B

— Buccaneers Communications (@BuccaneersComms) January 4, 2025

Whitehead underwent tests at a hospital after the accident, according to ESPN's Jenna Laine.

Bucs starting safety Jordan Whitehead was involved in a car accident this morning on his way to the team facility, a source tells me. He’s at the hospital now undergoing tests and he’s alert, but I’m told that he’s going to miss time.

— JennaLaineESPN (@JennaLaineESPN) January 4, 2025

Practice squad safety Ryan Neal was elevated to the active roster following Whitehead's move to the NFI list.

Neal made one appearance earlier this season amid Whitehead's previous stint on IR. He made three tackles in a Week 15 win over the Los Angeles Chargers.

Whitehead, who won a Super Bowl with the Bucs in 2021, spent two seasons with the New York Jets before Tampa Bay re-signed him ahead of the 2024 season to join Antoine Winfield Jr.

Injuries to both Whitehead and Winfield have limited their playing time together since. The Bucs will now head into Week 18 missing their top three safeties following injuries to Whitehead, Winfield and Christian Izien.

Mike Edwards and Kaevon Merriweather could be called on to start in the trio's absence as the Buccaneers look to clinch the NFC South and a playoff spot with a win over the New Orleans Saints.

Should the Bucs lose to the Saints, the team could be eliminated from playoff contention if the Atlanta Falcons win over the Carolina Panthers.

Matt Nagy, Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator and former Chicago Bears head coach, could get another shot at leading a team in New Orleans.

The Athletic's Dianna Russini wrote on Saturday to "expect the Saints to show interest" in Nagy a potential head coach.

The Saints "could also look at" Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy should he move on from the franchise this winter, Russini reported.

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has repeatedly expressed his faith in McCarthy this fall, although the team has yet to extend his contract past the 2024 season.

The Saints are seeking a permanent replacement for Dennis Allen, who was fired after his team lost seven straight games earlier this season. Interim head coach Darren Rizzi could also be considered for the job, according to Russini.

The Saints have gone 3-4 under Rizzi, who served as the Saints' special teams coach from 2019 until his promotion. He could remain part of the team's coaching staff even if another head coach is hired this offseason, per Russini.

Rizzi told the Saints after taking over the head coaching role that becoming an NFL head coach was something he's "been working toward my whole coaching career," per ESPN's Katherine Terrell.

He will now compete to keep his dream job with the advantage of experience with the Saints while being disadvantaged by his lack of previous NFL head coaching experience.

Nagy, who spent four seasons leading the Bears, has meanwhile received head coaching buzz after working with Patrick Mahomes and the rest of the Chiefs' offense through two Super Bowl wins.

CBS Sports' Jonathan Jones reported in November that some NFL coaches and executives believe Nagy "should be in the mix" for a head coaching job in 2025.

McCarthy could also hit the head coaching carousel if he parts ways with the Cowboys this offseason. The franchise is "already doing their homework on potential head coaches" in case of a split, according to Russini.

The Saints are likely to have competition if they decide to pursue McCarthy. ESPN's Jeremy Fowler recently reported that the Cowboys head coach could have interest in joining the Chicago Bears.

Rizzi has one more chance to make his case for his first permanent NFL head coaching job when the Saints wrap up the 2024 season with Sunday's road game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Carolina Panthers linebacker DJ Johnson will miss the team's season finale against the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday after being involved in a car accident.

He was listed as out on the injury report for personal reasons, and head coach Dave Canales confirmed while speaking to reporters Friday that it was because of a car accident. Per The Athletic's Joe Person, Canales said his condition is not life-threatening.

"It was a car accident, first and foremost, and that's pretty much what I know about it," Canales said. "Enough to the point where he's in evaluation right now."

Dave Canales says DJ Johnson was involved in a car accident. Not sure on his condition, but not life-threatening. pic.twitter.com/Fv6m6dEyKA

— Joe Person (@josephperson) January 3, 2025

Johnson, a third-round pick in the 2023 NFL draft, had a strong second season for the Panthers. He picked up 44 tackles and an assisted sack in 14 games after posting just 16 tackles during his rookie year.

Though he made just two starts this season, Johnson has emerged as a big part of Carolina's defense as he's racked up the eighth-most tackles on the team and third-most by a linebacker behind Josey Jewell and Trevin Wallace.

Johnson, who is under contract until 2026, will look to come back strong in 2025 after showing growth in his second NFL season.

The Panthers, who have been eliminated from the playoffs, hope to close out the season on a positive note against an NFC South rival on Sunday. While Carolina didn't turn into a playoff contender in the second year of the Bryce Young era, it improved slightly, doubling its win total from the 2023 season. They'll look to make it five wins on Sunday.

Young struggled early but showed flashes of potential with big games against the Kansas City Chiefs and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He had 263 passing yards and a touchdown against the Chiefs, taking the defending champs down to the wire in a 30-27 loss. The following week against the Bucs, he threw for a season-high 298 yards and two total touchdowns in an overtime loss.

While the primary focus for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 18 is beating the New Orleans Saints to clinch the NFC South, Mike Evans can earn himself a nice chunk of change with a good performance.

Per NFL Network's Peter Schrager, Evans needs five receptions and 85 yards on Sunday to hit the incentives in his contract for an extra $3 million.

What's the incentive? 💰

We take a look at some potential contract incentives that will be in play for Week 18👇 pic.twitter.com/lp1d2CsqW6

— Good Morning Football (@gmfb) January 3, 2025

Evans currently has 65 receptions and 915 yards this season. The yardage total is notable because he has never finished with fewer than 1,001 receiving yards in a season in his career.

Evans' 10 seasons with at least 1,000 yards are tied with Randy Moss for the second-most in NFL history, trailing only Jerry Rice's at 14. He is also the only player in NFL history to start his career with 1,000 yards in 10 consecutive seasons.

The only reason Evans' streak is in jeopardy is because he missed three games earlier in the season due to a hamstring injury. New Orleans would seem like a good opponent to have a big game against, but he only had two catches for 34 yards in the first matchup against this defense in Week 6.

Granted, that was at a point when the Saints were still trying to win games. They enter Week 18 having lost three straight, including a 25-10 defeat against the Las Vegas Raiders on Dec. 29.

Another key difference from that game is Chris Godwin was healthy. He had 11 catches on 13 targets for 125 yards and two touchdowns but suffered a season-ending dislocated ankle that required surgery the following week against the Baltimore Ravens.

The Buccaneers can clinch the NFC South with a win over the Saints or a loss by the Atlanta Falcons against the Carolina Panthers.

Atlanta Falcons head coach Raheem Morris acknowledged calling a timeout might have been a preferable course of action to running the hurry-up offense late in Sunday's 30-24 overtime loss to the Washington Commanders.

"In hindsight, it could have been a good decision or a better decision to take that timeout, but I wanted to have the opportunity to move up there," he said, per ESPN's Marc Raimondi. "You always second-guess those things, you can always second-guess those motives. You can always go back and look at it and see if you can get it snapped a little bit quicker."

#Falcons HC Raheem Morris on not using his timeouts:

“Probably could have. I thought the operation would be a lot faster there…in hindsight, could’ve been a better decision to take that timeout.” pic.twitter.com/Lm7DbpF8jJ

— Bryce Lewis (@Bryce_Lewis86) December 30, 2024

The Falcons got the ball with the game tied 24-24 and 40 seconds on the clock. Rookie quarterback Michael Penix Jr. hit wide receiver Darnell Mooney on the first play and got the ball to Atlanta's 44-yard line.

Morris didn't use one of his two remaining timeouts and watched his offense scramble to the line of scrimmage. By the time the next snap got off, the clock was sitting at 17 seconds.

The head coach later reflected he "thought we could get to the line of scrimmage and run our operation a little faster there."

Atlanta's possession ultimately ended with Riley Patterson missing a 56-yard field-goal attempt.

Morris' choice to let the game clock keep running was puzzling to many watching the action unfold.

Should Raheem Morris have called a timeout? Yes.

Did Raheem Morris call a timeout when he should have? No.

— Ian Hartitz (@Ihartitz) December 30, 2024

Does Morris think his timeouts roll over to the next week?

— Geoff Schwartz (@geoffschwartz) December 30, 2024

His explanation after the game won't help his case.

Penix is a rookie, and Sunday was just his second start in the NFL. He has played in big games before, and the Falcons have undoubtedly practiced two-minute drills.

Still, it's asking a lot of a first-year signal-caller inside the final minute to get his offense organized and communicate the play call.

You'd think Morris would've also seen the heat the Chicago Bears got for their dreadful clock management in their losses to the Detroit Lions and Seattle Seahawks. First Matt Eberflus and then Thomas Brown totally bungled late-game drives, with a rookie QB no less, by not using their timeouts correctly.

It might've been a little different if the Falcons had nothing to play for. Sunday's loss could've been a way to throw Penix into the deep end and get him familiar with situations when he needs to quickly lead the offense down the field without any timeouts.

But Atlanta remains in the thick of the playoff race and now trails the Tampa Bay Buccaneers by one game for first place in the NFC South. This wasn't a time for Morris to throw caution to the wind.

Especially if the Falcons miss the postseason, how he handled the final minute against Washington might be one or Morris' bigger regrets of the campaign.

Taking over as the Atlanta Falcons starting quarterback isn't the only life milestone Michael Penix Jr. is hitting this season.

Penix proposed to his fiancée Olivia Carter on Christmas Eve, the couple announced on social media.

"I will love you forever. I can't wait to do life with you," Penix wrote in the caption of his Instagram post.

Congrats to @themikepenix and his fiancée on their engagement! 💍 pic.twitter.com/JTOD63h9MI

— Atlanta Falcons (@AtlantaFalcons) December 28, 2024

The news comes days after Penix made his first career start following the Falcons' decision to bench veteran QB1 Kirk Cousins.

Penix went 18-of-27 for 202 yards with one interception on Sunday to help lead the Falcons to a 34-7 victory over the New York Giants.

The rookie signal-caller is now preparing to make his second career start on Sunday night against Jayden Daniels and the Washington Commanders.

The Falcons could clinch the NFC South with a win if the Tampa Bay Buccaneers also lose to the Carolina Panthers. On the other hand, a defeat by the Commanders would put the Falcons' playoff hopes at risk.

Penix will look to earn a second win in the most important game of his NFL career so far when the Falcons and Commanders kick off on Sunday night at 8:20 p.m. ET.

Chuba Hubbard's best season of his career has come to an end two games early.

Per ESPN's Adam Schefter, the Carolina Panthers placed Hubbard on injured reserve on Saturday due to a calf and knee injury, meaning he will miss the final two games of the year. The Panthers, who have been eliminated from the playoffs, will rely on Raheem Blackshear in the backfield with Hubbard and backup running back Miles Sanders both on injured reserve.

A Friday night MRI on Chuba Hubbard revealed a season-ending Grade 2 calf strain. https://t.co/qCRMByNZtr

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) December 28, 2024

Hubbard, a fourth-round draft pick in the 2021 NFL draft, recorded 1,195 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns this season, both career-highs. He also had 171 receiving yards and a touchdown through the air.

He rushed for more than 100 yards in four games this season, including Sunday's matchup against the Arizona Cardinals when he had 152 yards and two touchdowns, one of which was the game-winner in overtime. That performance earned him NFC Player of the Week honors.

Congrats Chuba 🎉@Hubbard_RMN | #KeepPounding pic.twitter.com/yybW3pVm8N

— Carolina Panthers (@Panthers) December 24, 2024

Amid Hubbard's breakout season, he signed a four-year, $33.2 million extension with the Panthers, keeping him with Carolina through the 2028 season. Given the new contract, the Panthers opted to take the safe route and keep him off the field until next season.

Carolina, which improved to 4-11 with last week's win over the Cardinals, has already been eliminated from the playoffs, so it has little to play for in its final two games. Instead, its focus will be on developing young players and ending the year on a positive note.

With no Hubbard, Blackshear is the only running back currently on the Panthers' 53-man roster. Blackshear, a third-year player, has just three carries for 13 yards this season. Should Carolina decide to call up another running back, it has Mike Boone and Emani Bailey on the practice squad.

Carolina Panthers wide receiver Xavier Legette included his teammates in his unique holiday tradition on Thursday.

The rookie brought a plastic container of chopped raccoon meat to Carolina's locker room, urging his fellow Panthers players to try it out.

"I had some coon," Legette explained, per Darin Gantt and Kassidy Hill of the team's official website. "I brought some with me. I'm about to eat it just like this with a spoon."

Xavier Legette says bell peppers and onions are too exotic - but he did bring some coon to the locker room. #Panthers pic.twitter.com/IkTIWfvgGD

— Sheena Quick (@Sheena_Marie3) December 26, 2024

Xavier Legette: “It ain’t gamey, it’s just GOOD.”#Panthers pic.twitter.com/XCxJw8Piq3

— Sheena Quick (@Sheena_Marie3) December 26, 2024

Veteran receiver David Moore was among the players willing to try it out, offering some suggestions to improve the meal.

Coon on wheat David Moore?!#Panthers pic.twitter.com/aZ9k9a14Uv

— Sheena Quick (@Sheena_Marie3) December 26, 2024

Legette previously revealed his affinity for the meal during a Dec. 11 appearance on the St. Brown Podcast with fellow NFL wide receivers Amon-Ra and Equanimeous St. Brown. The 23-year-old confirmed that he ate raccoon for Thanksgiving.

"Like a raccoon you see in the trash can," Legette explained (h/t NBC News' Gabriella Rudy). "I hunt it. I kill it. I skin 'em. Cook 'em. Eat 'em. All that."

Legette was selected by the Panthers with the No. 32 overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft after spending his entire college career at South Carolina.

In 14 appearances, he's caught 41 passes for 439 yards and four touchdowns. He's also seen limited action in Carolina's rushing attack, picking up 24 yards on six carries.

We have an XL TD! Bryce Young finds Xavier Legette for the @Panthers TD 🐎

📺: #NOvsCAR on CBS/Paramount+
📱: https://t.co/waVpO909ge pic.twitter.com/QXlc77yb2R

— NFL (@NFL) November 3, 2024

Legette was steadily improving as his rookie year progressed, racking up 10 receptions for 148 yards from Week 12 through Week 14 before suffering a hip injury during a 30-14 loss to the Dallas Cowboys in Week 15.

He missed Carolina's 36-30 win over the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday due to the issue and was listed as a limited participant in the Panthers' practice session on Thursday.

That didn't stop Legette from attempting to include his teammates in his holiday tradition, though.

While many believe veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins is on the verge of being released by the Atlanta Falcons this offseason, some are wondering if the team would consider trading him instead.

The Athletic's Jeff Howe reported that the Falcons "have not yet decided what they'll do with Cousins in 2025," but if they want to trade him, "executives around the league believe they would have to consume a chunk of his contract to get anything of substance."

"He would have a market. However, the contract is what will hold it back," an executive told Howe. "The compensation would depend on how much Atlanta would eat or if he would rework the contract."

Cousins has a no-trade clause and is guaranteed to make $27.5 million next season. If he's still on the Atlanta roster by March 17, it would activate his $10 million guarantee for the 2026 season. ESPN's Adam Schefter reported on Saturday that the Falcons are likely to release him before that date.

Atlanta would be better off if it could acquire assets for Cousins rather than losing him for nothing, but there isn't much motivation for teams to give up anything for him. The offset language in his contract means that the Falcons would have to pay the balance of his 2025 guaranteed money if the 36-year-old is released, so other teams could sign him for the veteran's minimum.

Still, all signs point to Cousins' time in Atlanta coming to an end after just one year. The Falcons will have paid him $90 million for 14 games in which he threw a career-high 16 interceptions.

The New Orleans Saints could keep Derek Carr as the team's starting quarterback in 2025 due to a lack of salary cap flexibility, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.

"Whoever takes over as the coach in New Orleans will have a major quarterback question," Schefter said during an appearance on Monday Night Countdown. "But right now, because this team is so strapped against the cap, Derek Carr is in line to be back next year. They don't have a lot of flexibility, he makes the most sense. And it certainly looks like he can be back next season."

The 33-year-old has started 10 games for New Orleans in 2024, finishing with a record of 5-5. The Saints currently sit at No. 3 in the NFC South standings with a 5-9 overall record.

New Orleans is projected to be $63.8 million above the 2025 salary cap, per Over the Cap.

As for Carr, he's signed with the Saints for two more seasons. He'll carry a $51.5 million cap hit in 2025 and a $61.5 million hit in 2026, via Spotrac. Carr also has a guaranteed $10 million roster bonus next season.

His $30 million base salary for his next year in New Orleans also becomes fully guaranteed on the third day of the 2025 league year (h/t ESPN's Katherine Terrell).

Carr hasn't exceeded expectations with the Saints, as they've failed to make the playoffs in both seasons since he joined the team in March 2023.

In the veteran's 10 starts this year, he's completed 67.7 percent of his throws for 2,145 yards and 15 touchdowns compared to five interceptions. His average of 214.5 yards per game through the air represents his lowest mark since 2014.

Carr to MVS for 66 yards!

📺: #ATLvsNO on FOX
📱: https://t.co/waVpO909ge pic.twitter.com/64zPfDWrFv

— NFL (@NFL) November 10, 2024

A lack of superior options may keep Carr in the black and gold next season, though. Spencer Rattler and Jake Haener have started under center in the games that he's missed, with both players failing to stand out.

The two have combined to complete 54.7 percent of their throws for 932 yards and three touchdowns compared to three interceptions.

Zyon McCollum comes down with the INT for Tampa!

📺: #TBvsNO on FOX
📱: https://t.co/waVpO909ge pic.twitter.com/RzWRSJqjgi

— NFL (@NFL) October 13, 2024

If the Saints can't find a way to gain some cap relief, they might be heading into their 2025 campaign with a familiar face at quarterback.