NFC North

The Detroit Lions' first-round bye in the NFC playoffs will allow defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn to start interviewing for prospective head coaching positions.

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport first reported on Tuesday that Glenn will be interviewed by the New York Jets, New Orleans Saints, Chicago Bears and Jacksonville Jaguars regarding their respective head coach openings. All of the interviews will be virtual, per NFL rules, and they reportedly will take place from Thursday through Saturday.

Lions DC Aaron Glenn is scheduled to interview today with #Jets officials. So if you're scoring at home, here's where the HC search stands:

Interviewed: Matt Nagy, Ron Rivera, Rex Ryan, Mike Vrabel.

Can interview this week: Steve Spagnuolo

Can interview next week: Joe Brady,…

— Rich Cimini (@RichCimini) January 9, 2025

Both Glenn and Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson are considered to be among the top head coaching candidates this offseason. After Detroit went 15-2 and won the NFC North title for the second straight year while earning the No. 1 seed in the NFC, Glenn and Johnson will have the chance to boost their resumes even further as they try to help the team reach the Super Bowl.

Glenn has been lauded this season for his ability to get the best out of his unit despite the Lions losing multiple key defensive players to injuries throughout the year. Detroit ranked seventh in the NFL with 20.1 points allowed per game and held eight teams to under 20 points during the regular season.

A former NFL cornerback, Glenn has ties to most of the teams he will be interviewing with this week. He spent the majority of his career with the Jets from 1994 to 2001. He also played for the Jaguars in 2007 before ending his career with the Saints in 2008. He also served as defensive backs coach in New Orleans from 2016 to 2020 before joining Dan Campbell's staff in Detroit.

Teams will have to wait until after the Lions are eliminated from the playoffs to offer Glenn a deal, but it's clear that he will have multiple options in front of him as he tries to transition to a head coach this offseason.

The Chicago Bears will conduct a formal interview with former Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel on Wednesday as part of their coaching search, according to the Boston Herald's Doug Kyed.

Adam Schefter of ESPN noted the New Orleans Saints, New York Jets and New England Patriots have shown interest in Vrabel as well. NFL Network's Ian Rapoport offered some more context:

While many assume New England will be his eventual landing spot, Mike Vrabel will go through the process. Jets first, now #Bears tomorrow. https://t.co/Z8XkGzBD84

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 7, 2025

Vrabel played eight seasons for the Patriots and won three Super Bowls with the franchise. He might be angling for a return to Gillette Stadium.

NBC Sports Boston's Phil Perry reported that "several people" around the NFL viewed Vrabel's interview with the Jets last week as a "calculated" move with the Patriots in mind. He was trying to make clear he has options this offseason and that New England couldn't delay if it had any desire to hire him.

Vrabel's interview came when Jerod Mayo was still the Patriots head coach, so Mayo's firing on Monday after just one season at the helm only furthered the notion he'll eventually wind up in New England.

The belief, among sources close to the situation, is Mike Vrabel has been interested in the Patriots' potential vacancy in recent weeks. And he'd have some quality assistants who would be prepared to go with him if that's how it unfolds. https://t.co/YIbj8ymaOf

— Jeff Howe (@jeffphowe) January 5, 2025

That leaves a team such as the Bears in a tough position. You're set to interview a candidate who may not be all that interested in the job, but you don't want to concede defeat before you try if you think Vrabel is the best man for the job.

General manager Ryan Poles could lay out a very compelling pitch about how the organization's future is bright with young quarterback Caleb Williams. Maybe the Patriots totally bungle their interview and Vrabel becomes far more open to other destinations.

Poles will make the effort at least to land a coach he clearly has a high opinion of.

Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy hasn't played a meaningful snap in the NFL, yet he compares favorably to the QB prospects coming into the league, according to The Athletic's Jeff Howe.

"McCarthy would rank as the No. 1 quarterback if he were in the 2025 draft class, according to several executives and coaches who have evaluated Miami's Cam Ward and Colorado's Shedeur Sanders," Howe reported Tuesday.

A detail like that can be read in one of two ways.

Opinions around the NFL continue to be high on McCarthy, who has been sidelined all year due to a torn meniscus. Maybe it's not a bad idea to let Sam Darnold walk, despite him performing at a Pro Bowl level, and seeing what you have with the 2024 first-rounder.

Minnesota could go in the complete opposite direction and make Darnold their long-term solution at quarterback. Howe wrote how the Vikings "would certainly have a market if they decided to move McCarthy."

It's almost never a good sign when a first-round quarterback is being traded this early into his career. But those instances are almost always due to the player struggling on the field and failing to meet expectations. With McCarthy, the upside is still there because we haven't seen him in action outside of the preseason.

.@jjmccarthy09's throw.

Trishton's catch.@JJettas2's reaction.

Everything about this video is gold.

Absolute gold.

📺: @FOX9 | @NFLNetwork pic.twitter.com/qVMMx4e5BY

— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) August 10, 2024

There isn't a surefire can't-miss prospect at quarterback in the 2025 draft. Ward is the best at the position and ranks sixth overall in Bleacher Report's newest big board, while Sanders is second and comes in at No. 16 overall. Georgia's Carson Beck (No. 37) and Alabama's Jalen Milroe (No. 42) are the only other QBs in the top 50.

Ward and Sanders figure to go pretty high based on the value of the quarterback position. A lot of teams in the top 10 of the draft will need to add a QB in some way this offseason, too.

For general managers picking in the latter half of the first round, convincing the Vikings to part with McCarthy might be a smarter play than reaching for the best quarterback on the board.

Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown debuted a fresh new hairstyle on Instagram ahead of the playoffs, choosing a "Honolulu" blue to represent the Lions' team colors.

Amon-Ra brought back the Honolulu Blue hair 🔥 pic.twitter.com/xkSaFGsgZb

— B/R Gridiron (@brgridiron) January 6, 2025

With their 31-9 victory over the Minnesota Vikings, the Detroit Lions clinched first place in the NFC and secured a bye in the first round of the playoffs.

This isn't the first time St. Brown has rocked blue hair in preparation for the playoffs. He debuted the look last season as the Lions finished first in the NFC North.

Perhaps a sign of good luck? The Lions grabbed a 24-23 victory over the Los Angeles Rams in the wild card, then defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 31-23 in the Divisional Round.

Nearly missing out on the Super Bowl, they dropped the conference championship 34-31 to the San Francisco 49ers.

Social media exploded with excitement for St. Brown's bold new look:

He did it again!!!

Amon-Ra St. Brown just posted this to Instagram.

The #Lions WR dyed his hair blue for the upcoming playoff run. pic.twitter.com/eFWebWpotB

— Hobie Artigue (@HeyItsMeHobie) January 6, 2025

Amon-Ra dyed his hair blue for the playoff run (again) 🔥 pic.twitter.com/oH2gqJ8KDM

— Optify 🦁 (@optifyy_) January 6, 2025

Detroit Lions WR Amon-Ra St. Brown is brining BACK the Honolulu Blue Playoff Hair 👀

IT’S PLAYOFF TIME IN DETROIT #OnePride pic.twitter.com/77vfdPThkw

— Crunch Time Sports (@officialctpod) January 6, 2025

𝗕𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴: #Lions WR Amon-Ra St. Brown is bringing back his BLUE HAIR for the playoffs.

🥶🥶🥶 pic.twitter.com/XXetXXH8mT

— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) January 6, 2025

🚨BREAKING: #LIONS STAR WR AMON RA. ST-BROWN HAS DYED HIS HAIR HONOLULU BLUE FOR THE PLAYOFF RUN.

🥶🥶🥶@amonra_stbrown did it last year for good luck and it worked. So he’s running it back. pic.twitter.com/6hLsV34wgE

— MLFootball (@_MLFootball) January 6, 2025

Last season, St. Brown explained on his podcast The St. Brown Podcast, his decision to dye his hair, sticking with a promise he made to himself that he would dye it if the Lions made it to the postseason.

"Before camp, I was like 'If we make the playoffs, I'm dyeing my hair," St. Brown said. "And sure enough...we made it...it wasn't like a stress for us. So I was like, f—. I'm a man of my word unlike others so I dyed my hair."

It seems St. Brown is taking the same route this season, hoping to take it one step further and showcase his hair on the biggest stage at the Super Bowl.

Following a recent report that teams in need of a new head coach could pursue a trade for Kevin O'Connell of the Minnesota Vikings, O'Connell has made it clear that he isn't going anywhere anytime soon.

"I love this team. I love everything about this organization. This is where I want to be," O'Connell told reporters on Monday.

Jay Glazer of Fox Sports reported on Sunday that multiple teams were interested in trading for O'Connell this offseason since he'll be in the final year of his contract in 2025 and negotiations have yet to begin regarding a potential extension.

"There are multiple teams that actually are considering trying to trade for Kevin O'Connell. And the reason why, next year, the last year of his deal. They've had no contract talks yet at all," Glazer explained (3:17 mark). "Look, if you're a team out there, you're saying, 'Why not take a shot, see if we can do it.' Maybe the Vikings don't let it happen, but also Kevin O'Connell kind of has the cards saying, 'Hey, maybe I'm not going to re-sign there, so you might as well get something for me.'"

⬇️ @JayGlazer has a look at the potential coaching carousel as we head into the final Sunday, including multiple teams having interest in attempting to trade for Vikings HC Kevin O'Connell pic.twitter.com/s1LyNrWKiS

— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) January 5, 2025

O'Connell led the Vikings to a 14-3 finish to the 2024 season and is one of the top contenders for NFL Coach of the Year. His ability to bring the best out of journeyman quarterback Sam Darnold, who was selected to his first career Pro Bowl, helped solidify him as an expert in quarterback development and one of the most effective teachers in the league today.

While it's easy to see why teams would be interested in trading for O'Connell, it sounds like he's focused on continuing to build a contending team in Minnesota and help the franchise achieve its first Super Bowl title.

The Chicago Bears are full steam ahead on their search for a new head coach.

Adam Schefter of ESPN reported that the Bears had requested head coaching interviews with both Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores and Pittsburgh Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith.

Bears requested head coaching interviews with Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores and Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith, per source.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 6, 2025

Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reported that the team also requested to interview Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken.

The #Bears put in a request to interview #Ravens OC Todd Monken for their head coaching job, per source.

— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) January 6, 2025

In addition to Monken, Smith and Flores, the Bears have also requested to interview New York Giants offensive coordinator Mike Kafka and current Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy.

The #Bears have requested to speak with #Giants OC Mike Kafka, source said, for their vacant HC job.

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 6, 2025

Chicago Bears have sought permission to interview Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy and are awaiting a response from Dallas, sources tell me and @toddarcher.

If the Cowboys don’t allow permission this week, the Bears could interview McCarthy after his exclusive negotiating window… pic.twitter.com/zoS7vHO5mF

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 6, 2025

Flores and Smith, who both have head coaching experience, have helped lead their respective teams to playoff appearances this season in their coordinator roles.

Chicago went 5-12 in 2024 despite a talented roster. The Bears selected quarterback Caleb Williams with the No. 1 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft and also have wide receivers D.J. Moore, Keenan Allen and fellow 2024 first-round pick Rome Odunze as key offensive pieces.

Williams had some growing pains in 2024, though he dealt with an in-season coaching change after Matt Eberflus was fired following a Thanksgiving Day loss to the Detroit Lions that featured clock mismanagement on the final drive.

Flores has helped lead a disciplined unit with the Vikings that ranked in the top half of the league in total defense and the team went 14-3 and earned the top Wild Card spot in the NFC. He was previously the head coach of the Miami Dolphins from 2019-2021, where he went 24-25 and led the team to two winning seasons.

Smith helped the Pittsburgh Steelers to a 10-7 record and found some statistical success with both Justin Fields and Russell Wilson at quarterback. The team's four-game losing skid to end the regular season does take some luster away from his performance this season, but a strong playoff performance could erase some of that,

He had previously served as the head coach of the Atlanta Falcons from 2021-2023, where he compiled an overall record of 21-30. While that tenure wasn't overly successful, his offensive mind could be intriguing for a team looking to maximize Williams' development.

Monken has been the Ravens offensive coordinator since 2023 and has seen significant explosion from quarterback Lamar Jackson and running back Derrick Henry. He has significant coordinator experience but has never served as a head coach at the professional level.

Green Bay Packers wide receiver Christian Watson will miss the rest of the season after suffering a torn ACL in Sunday's 24-22 loss to the Chicago Bears, coach Matt LaFleur announced on Monday.

"Yeah, it's not good," LaFleur said, per ESPN's Rob Demovsky. "He'll be out for this season or the rest of the year."

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport initially reported the injury was believed to be a torn ACL.

Not only will Watson miss the entire playoffs, but a torn ACL leaves his status for the 2025 regular season in flux.

Watson went down without contact midway through the second quarter of Green Bay's Week 18 contest and was eventually carted back to the locker room. After the game, LaFleur could provide specifics about the injury but told reporters he was "not super confident about that right now."

An injury to Watson's left knee—he hurt the right one Sunday—had sidelined him in Week 17, when his team lost 27-25 to the Minnesota Vikings.

The 2022 second-round pick was a dynamic downfield threat for the Packers this season. His 21.4 yards per reception were second in the NFL behind the Indianapolis Colts' Alec Pierce (22.3 yards).

Christian Watson going down is a big loss for Jordan Love and the Packers

Love on throws of 30+ air yards when targeting Watson vs. anybody else:

EPA/play: 0.61 vs 0.28
Yards/attempt: 17.4 vs 14
Passer rating: 79.5 vs 69.9

Hoping Watson’s recovery goes smoothly and quickly 🙌 https://t.co/eSdOtrBiGs pic.twitter.com/WM10mD0i1d

— The 33rd Team (@The33rdTeamFB) January 6, 2025

Granted, LaFleur may have had to dial back the passing game a bit anyway.

The coach downplayed the extent of the right elbow injury quarterback Jordan Love picked up against the Bears and said the second-year starter could've returned if the circumstances required it.

Still, Love didn't come back into the game and that suggests he wasn't all the way back to 100 percent. Should this continue to linger into the NFC Wild Card Round, it could hinder his ability to be effective on deeper throws.

While the Detroit Lions have a bye in the opening round of the NFL playoffs, their top coordinators could have a busy week ahead.

NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reported the Chicago Bears have requested to interview Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn as part of their coaching search.

Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported Arizona Cardinals offensive coordinator Drew Petzing and New York Giants offensive coordinator Mike Kafka are on Chicago's list, too.

Pelissero also reported Johnson is a candidate for the New England Patriots.

Adam Schefter of ESPN reported Glenn is expected to be a formal candidate for the New York Jets and New Orleans Saints.

On the Jets, Johnson reportedly isn't on their radar at this point because his lack of interest in the job was communicated to the organization:

Ben Johnson has made it very clear he’s not taking interviews with every organization looking for a HC. If the Jets had a better quarterback situation, there would be more interest. https://t.co/1jgZ9eYBuZ

— Dianna Russini (@DMRussini) January 6, 2025

Have heard Ben Johnson does not have interest in the #Jets vacancy, and has made that known.

Not requesting to interview him indicates feeling is mutual, or not worth the time. Some questions on how he’d handle New York. https://t.co/BECmMiEpYX

— Connor Hughes (@Connor_J_Hughes) January 6, 2025

The Lions managed to retain Johnson and Glenn last offseason. The former spurned interest from the Seattle Seahawks and Washington Commanders to stay in the Motor City, while the latter was a finalist for Washington before it hired Dan Quinn.

Now, Detroit could plausibly lose both coordinators within a matter of weeks since they have boosted their stock further in 2024.

The Lions averaged the most points (33.2) and second-most yards (409.5) during the regular season. Quarterback Jared Goff set career highs in touchdown passes (37), passer rating (111.8) and QBR (68.5), per Pro Football Reference. Running back Jahmyr Gibbs also had the fifth-most rushing yards (1,412) despite splitting carries with David Montgomery.

While he didn't state emphatically he intends to move on from Detroit, Johnson made it clear he aspires to be an NFL head coach at some point.

"Yeah, I'd say this, I think there's a burning desire in every man to find what he's made out of, push the limits and see if he's got what it takes," he told reporters in December. "So, yeah, there's a fire there. Now, when that time is, I don't know when that'll be, but there's certainly a fire there."

Glenn, meanwhile, saw his defense decimated by injuries over the course of the season and still maintained a high standard with the unit.

Crossed off all the names that are hurt on the Lions defensive depth chart. This was the initial depth chart from week one. List does not include Cominsky, Lynn, Martin or Moseley as they were already on IR. Up to 19 players being hurt for this group. #OnePride pic.twitter.com/JN8VddCmfY

— Russell Brown (@RussNFLDraft) December 15, 2024

The Lions ranked seventh in points allowed (20.1 per game) and forced 24 turnovers, which tied for 10th.

Their defense stepped up Sunday to help clinch an NFC North title. Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold went 18-of-41 for 166 yards, while star wide receiver Justin Jefferson was held to 54 yards on three catches in Detroit's 31-9 win.

With the offseason just kicking into gear for the teams in need of a new head coach, Johnson and Glenn's list of suitors is only likely to grow.

Teams around the NFL "sense the potential for opportunity" with Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell signed for only one more season, according to The Athletic's Mike Sando.

The Vikings have a 34-17 record in O'Connell's first three years and they're embarking on their second playoff trip under his watch. One presumes Minnesota wants to keep him around for a long time.

Sando, however, laid out why rival teams are encouraged about their odds of swinging a trade for the 2026 coaching free agent, an idea first reported on by Fox Sports' Jay Glazer:

Sunday scoopage: surprise candidate on multiple team’s coaching candidates
lists: Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell. He has one year remaining on his deal after the season and a few teams have an interest in possibly trying to TRADE for him. @NFLonFOX pic.twitter.com/TipEYM6FF6

— Jay Glazer (@JayGlazer) January 5, 2025

Per Sando, officials outside of Minnesota believe O'Connell "deserves outsized credit for the team's success." Spinning off that, the 39-year-old "is in a great position to seek additional power under terms of any new deal," yet the Vikings "might not grant O'Connell that kind of power and/or the type of money O'Connell might command elsewhere."

Sando seemingly hinted at a possible power struggle that could develop in Minneapolis as well.

He wrote out how the initial hiring of general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah in 2022 was met with some questions around the NFL because of his résumé. Adofo-Mensah worked for the San Francisco 49ers and Cleveland Browns before joining Minnesota but was more analytically inclined and didn't have the usual scouting chops for an executive at the GM level.

"Those executives now see the Vikings' struggles in the draft as justifying their skepticism," Sando said. "If they were in O'Connell's position, they would use their leverage to forge a direct link with ownership."

A head coach is no different from a star player. O'Connell doesn't have to accept Minnesota's best offer if he senses there's a better deal from another franchise. And from the Vikings' perspective, trading him now would allow them to get some compensation back instead of him potentially walking out the door after the 2025 season.

In a battle for NFC supremacy on Sunday Night Football, the Detroit Lions came out on top.

The Lions took down the Minnesota Vikings by the final score of 31-9, clinching the No. 1 seed in the conference and a first-round bye to go along with an NFC North title.

Put on for the City 😤#OnePride | #DefendTheDen pic.twitter.com/AQ6KAYVZEU

— Detroit Lions (@Lions) January 6, 2025

Jahmyr Gibbs was unstoppable throughout the contest, picking up 139 rush yards and 31 receiving yards on 28 touches. He scored four total touchdowns, setting a new Lions single-season record with 20 trips to the end zone.

JAHMYR GIBBS. 4 TDs TONIGHT. 20th ON THE SEASON.

📺: #MINvsDET on NBC/Peacock
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/9vhlt49d7T

— NFL (@NFL) January 6, 2025

Gibbs' 20 touchdowns are also the most in the NFL this season.

Anyone faster than Jahmyr Gibbs?

📺: #MINvsDET on NBC/Peacock
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/5Tl80twr3U

— NFL (@NFL) January 6, 2025

Fans were amazed by his stellar performance.

Jahmyr Gibbs with 4 TD's in Ford Field 🦁

Plus the #1 NFC seed with a bye pic.twitter.com/kZOqopzy9X

— B/R Gridiron (@brgridiron) January 6, 2025

Gibbs, 4 TDs. Cancel those LA flights. Lions are going to be back-to-back division champs for the first time of the Super Bowl era. First No. 1 seed about wrapped up, too. What a showing. #PositionalValue

— Ben Raven (@BenjaminSRaven) January 6, 2025

Jahmyr Gibbs tonight: 4 touchdowns

Jahmyr Gibbs this season: 20 total touchdowns, most in the NFL

What a player

— Field Yates (@FieldYates) January 6, 2025

Live look at Jahmyr Gibbs carrying the Lions' offense. pic.twitter.com/Hj0WIJrFw2

— Justin Rogers | Detroit Football Network (@Justin_Rogers) January 6, 2025

Longest Rushing Touchdowns allowed by the Vikings Defense the last two seasons (34 games):

1. Jahmyr Gibbs (Week 7) - 45 yards
2. Jahmyr Gibbs (Week 18) - 25 yards
3. Jahmyr Gibbs (Week 16, 2023) - 14 yards
4. Jahmyr Gibbs (Week 18) - 13 yards

— Al Karsten (@FootballGuy_Al) January 6, 2025

Jahmyr Gibbs is so impressive.

— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) January 6, 2025

Jahmyr Gibbs has as many touchdowns tonight as Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison have catches ... combined.

— James Palmer (@JamesPalmerTV) January 6, 2025

Jahmyr Gibbs with the 1 seed on the line pic.twitter.com/L3sTVQbtwl

— Underdog (@Underdog) January 6, 2025

An impressive night for Jahmyr Gibbs and the #Lions, who are on the verge of taking the NFC North title, the No. 1 seed and the first-round bye. pic.twitter.com/wxkJUMRecP

— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) January 6, 2025

The Jahmyr Gibbs Game.

— Colton Pouncy (@colton_pouncy) January 6, 2025

Jared Goff threw multiple interceptions for the first time since Week 10, finishing 27-of-33 for 231 yards and a touchdown while getting picked off twice.

Detroit's defense stifled Minnesota, as the Vikings recorded 262 total yards and picked up just 14 first downs. They were also held to a single-digit scoring total for the first time this season.

Sam Darnold was only sacked twice, but his accuracy was affected as he routinely dealt with pressure from the Lions' defensive front. Darnold finished with a mere 166 yards through the air despite attempting 41 passes, completing only 43.9 percent of his throws.

Hutch is fired up for the Lions defense!

📺: #MINvsDET on NBC/Peacock
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/RSDDnCLUZE

— NFL (@NFL) January 6, 2025

The Vikings are still headed to the playoffs as the No. 5 seed and are now set to face off against the Los Angeles Rams.

Meanwhile, Detroit will head into a first-round bye while preparing to host its next opponent in the divisional round.