In the past week, the Eagles have made it known to sources around the league that hiring former Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel as their new offensive coordinator is their No. 1 offseason priority. That includes fired New York Giants coach Brian Daboll, who is expected to interview for the position this week. Virtually no amount of money, literally no amount of autonomy, and no fear of conflict would deter the team from signing McDaniel, a respected offensive innovator.
McDaniel and Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio endured a rocky year together in 2023, when Fangio worked for McDaniel as his defensive coordinator in Miami, and their split, while couched as a mutual parting of the ways, was not without acrimony.
At any rate, league sources indicate that even though Fangio’s work the last two seasons has been integral and possibly unmatched around the league, if the Eagles were somehow able to hire McDaniel, they would not be deterred by any possible discomfort from Fangio.
Of course, the actual hiring of McDaniel in Philadelphia would be an unexpected coup for the Birds. Right now, he’s a hotter commodity than Venezuelan oil.
He got even hotter Monday morning.
The Bills fired head coach Sean McDermott on Monday. McDaniel is sure to be a candidate for that job. So will Daboll, who worked with superstar quarterback Josh Allen as the Bills’ offensive coordinator from 2018-21. And McDermott immediately becomes the top head coaching candidate in the league.
There’s also a chance McDermott blocks McDaniel from a head coaching position, which pushes him back into the OC market, to the Eagles’ benefit.
One thing is certain: McDermott’s firing immediately makes the Eagles’ quest for their top two candidates much less likely to succeed.
McDaniel already has interviewed for head coaching vacancies in Tennessee, Baltimore, and Cleveland, was scheduled to interview in Las Vegas on Monday, and is expected to be interviewed a second time by the Browns this week. He interviewed with Atlanta, too, but the Falcons have already hired Kevin Stefanski, whom the Browns just fired.
A report last week indicated that McDaniel would consider taking one of the premier offensive coordinator positions in favor of a bad situation as a head coach.
Former Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel will interview for the Bucs’ OC job Friday. He would consider a great OC opportunity better than a not-great head coaching vacancy.
To that end, McDaniel has interviewed with the Detroit Lions and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The former is reportedly closing in on a deal with Arizona’s Drew Petzing. The latter offers a head coach in Todd Bowles whose future beyond next season is unsure, and the Bucs are as fervent pursuers of McDaniel as the Eagles.
After he leaves Las Vegas — or, if he leaves Las Vegas, which owns the No. 1 overall pick and would be an enticing rebuild — McDaniel is expected to interview for the Los Angeles Chargers’ vacant OC job. There, McDaniel would coach Justin Herbert, who, like Lamar Jackson in Baltimore and Allen in Buffalo, is a more enticing option than the QBs on the other teams.
And yes, that includes Jalen Hurts.
However, in Philadelphia, McDaniel would have the best offensive roster of any of the other stops. That is, unless you believe: right tackle Lane Johnson is too old, left guard Landon Dickerson never will be healthy, Hurts will never develop past his current skill set, and A.J. Brown and Saquon Barkley, both 28, have lost a step.
Nick Sirianni (right) and the Eagles reportedly have not yet convinced Mike McDaniel to interview for the offensive coordinator position.
League sources say the Eagles have not yet convinced McDaniel to interview, which offers a glimpse into how he considers the Philly job. That said, don’t expect money to be an obstacle. Sources say that, for McDaniel, the position could be worth as much as the $6 million annual salary the Raiders gave Chip Kelly, who then was fired just 11 games into 2025, his first of three seasons under contract. At the end of the season head coach Pete Carroll also was fired, which created the current vacancy.
The Eagles have already interviewed former Falcons OC Zac Robinson, Indianapolis Colts OC Jim Bob Cooter (who does not call plays and therefore can leave), and former Eagles backup QB Mike Kafka, who was Daboll’s offensive coordinator with the Giants. They are expected to interview fired Bucs OC Josh Grizzard on Monday, and have expressed interest in Dolphins passing game coordinator Bobby Slowik, fired Washington Commanders OC Kliff Kingsbury, and former Ole Miss OC Charlie Weis Jr., who was scheduled to follow Lane Kiffin to LSU.
They’re wise to cast their net wide, because, as of Monday morning, it looked like no amount of money or power will be enough to land their two biggest fish.
From experienced offensive minds and play-callers to young and up-and-coming offensive coaches, the Eagles are looking at candidates from various backgrounds. They have so far been linked to at least eight names.
Let’s take a look at the coaches the Eagles could be looking at, according to reports. (Names are listed in alphabetical order.)
Indianapolis Colts offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter has a connection to Eagles coach Nick Sirianni.
Jim Bob Cooter
Cooter was a consultant when Sirianni first got the Eagles job in 2021 and has been Shane Steichen’s offensive coordinator in Indianapolis since 2023. The Eagles, according to Sports Illustrated, interviewed Cooter on Friday after the team requested permission to interview him.
Cooter does not call plays for the Colts, which is why this would not technically be a lateral move to the Eagles.
The Colts revived Daniel Jones’ NFL career before he suffered a season-ending injury this season. While he didn’t call plays, Cooter helped oversee what was one of the best offenses in the NFL before Jones got hurt.
Cooter, 41, was Doug Pederson’s passing game coordinator in Jacksonville during the 2022 season. He previously worked under Adam Gase with the New York Jets as the team’s running backs coach and before that worked under Jim Caldwell and Matt Patricia with the Detroit Lions. Sirianni and Cooter also worked together with the Kansas City Chiefs in 2012 under Romeo Crennel. Sirianni was the wide receivers coach that season while Cooter was an offensive quality control coach.
Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts has familiarity with former Giants head coach Brian Daboll.
Brian Daboll
ESPN reported Sunday that the Eagles are expected to interview Daboll, who most recently was the head coach of the New York Giants before he was fired in November.
Daboll was also on that 2012 Kansas City staff with Sirianni and Cooter. He was the boss as offensive coordinator. Daboll, 50, worked with Jalen Hurts at Alabama, so there is plenty of familiarity with the coach and quarterback in Philadelphia.
That said, Daboll is also in the market for head coaching jobs, and an interesting one opened Monday morning when the Buffalo Bills fired Sean McDermott. Daboll was born in Canada and grew up in suburban Buffalo. He was the team’s offensive coordinator during the rise of Josh Allen before leaving to lead the Giants.
Daboll is one of the more experienced offensive coordinators on the market. His offenses have been up and down over the years, but when he led the Cleveland Browns, Miami Dolphins, and Chiefs more than a decade ago, he wasn’t working with stellar quarterback talent. His best success was with Allen, who is sort of a unicorn. Could he help Hurts turn the Eagles offense around?
Bucs offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard worked closely with quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) this season.
Josh Grizzard
The Eagles, according to NFL insider Jordan Schultz, plan to interview Grizzard, who was just let go by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Grizzard, 35, was the offensive coordinator for one season after joining the Bucs in 2024 as a passing game coordinator.
Before Tampa Bay, Grizzard worked with Mike McDaniel in Miami and was with the Dolphins during stints with Gase and Brian Flores, too.
Grizzard has been a fast riser. He played at Yale and was a student coach there, too. He was hired to David Cutcliffe’s staff at Duke as a 23-year-old and was there for four seasons as a graduate assistant and then a quality control coach before leaving for the NFL.
This past season was Grizzard’s first calling plays, and he oversaw a steep drop-off in Tampa after former coordinator Liam Coen departed for the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Bucs, however, dealt with multiple key injuries.
Mike Kafka was the Giants’ interim coach and knows the Eagles well.
Mike Kafka
The Eagles, according to ESPN, have already interviewed Kafka, who was Daboll’s coordinator in New York before taking over as interim head coach.
Kafka, 38, is a familiar name around here, having spent two seasons as a backup quarterback after the Eagles selected him in the fourth round of the 2010 draft.
Kafka bounced around to seven teams in six seasons before embarking on his coaching career at his alma mater, Northwestern, as a graduate assistant in 2016. He joined Andy Reid’s Chiefs coaching staff in 2017 as a quality control coach and then was Patrick Mahomes’ first position coach as a full-time starter in 2018. Mahomes’ career high in touchdowns (50) came that season, and Kafka was his quarterbacks coach through the 2021 campaign when Kafka left to become Daboll’s offensive coordinator.
The Giants, obviously, did not have a ton of offensive success under the Daboll-Kafka regime. Kafka called plays before Daboll stripped him of those duties in 2024. But Daboll gave that responsibility back to Kafka this past season. The Giants were 13th in yards per game in 2025, up from 30th in 2024. The Jaxson Dart effect.
Mike McDaniel (left) is a popular pick to become Nick Sirianni’s offensive coordinator but could also be in the running for another head coaching job.
Mike McDaniel
The Eagles’ link to McDaniel is a loose one, with ESPN’s Jeff Darlington replying “yes” to a person on X when asked if McDaniel would get an interview with the Eagles. But it’s worth including him as a candidate.
McDaniel, of course, was fired by the Dolphins after it initially appeared as if he’d return for a fifth season.
The 42-year-old went 35-33 as Dolphins head coach. Before that, McDaniel spent 11 seasons working under 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan, who is well respected as an offensive mind. McDaniel was San Francisco’s offensive coordinator in 2021 and helped lead the 49ers to the NFC title game.
His titles before that under Shanahan were running game coordinator, offensive assistant, and wide receivers coach. McDaniel could help revive an Eagles running game that stalled behind a weakened offensive line in 2025.
He is also a popular head coaching candidate.
Zac Robinson helped guide Michael Penix Jr. and Kirk Cousins while with Atlanta.
Zac Robinson
The Eagles interviewed Robinson on Friday, according to ESPN. They are among at least three teams who have interviewed Robinson for an OC job, joining the Bucs and Lions.
Robinson, 39, was Atlanta’s offensive coordinator for two seasons. The Falcons had a lot of success on offense in 2024 but took a step back in 2025 as quarterback Michael Penix struggled in his second NFL season (first as a starter).
Robinson, a former quarterback, was a seventh-round pick by New England in 2010 and was in the league for four seasons as a backup or practice squad player. In addition to the Patriots, he spent time with the Seattle Seahawks, Lions, and Cincinnati Bengals.
Robinson then became an independent coach and trainer of quarterbacks and was a senior analyst at Pro Football Focus before Sean McVay hired him in 2019. Robinson eventually became the Rams’ passing game coordinator and quarterbacks coach in 2022.
Bobby Slowik had initial success as the Texans’ offensive coordinator but was fired by DeMeco Ryans after the 2024 season.
Bobby Slowik
The Eagles, according to ESPN, requested to interview Slowik, Miami’s senior passing game coordinator.
Slowik, 38, is another branch on the Shanahan tree. He worked with the Shanahans in Washington from 2011 to 2013 and then, like Robinson, was a PFF analyst. Kyle Shanahan then hired Slowik in 2017 as a defensive quality control coach.
Slowik, the son of Bob Slowik, a longtime NFL coach, jumped to the offensive side of the ball in San Francisco in 2019. He was the passing game coordinator for the 2022 season before Houston hired him to be its offensive coordinator in 2023. He was with the Texans during C.J. Stroud’s impressive rookie season but oversaw a decline in 2024 that led to his firing.
Slowik then joined his pal McDaniel in Miami for the 2025 season.
Ole Miss offensive coordinator Charlie Weis Jr. is a wild-card candidate in the Eagles’ OC search.
Charlie Weis Jr.
As with McDaniel, the connection from Weis to the Eagles is a loose one right now. The Eagles, according to the New York Daily News, “poked around” on Weis, the 32-year-old son of longtime coach Charlie Weis.
Weis was just 28 when Lane Kiffin hired him to lead Ole Miss’ offense after the 2021 season. In four seasons at Ole Miss, Weis helped lead one of the best offenses in college football. The Rebels were second in yards per game in each of the last two seasons.
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — Sean McDermott arrived in Buffalo in 2017, envisioning the day of looking out his office window and seeing a throng of fans celebrating a Super Bowl victory.
That possibility ended on Monday, when McDermott was abruptly fired by team owner Terry Pegula following a nine-year tenure in which the coach transformed the Bills into perennial contenders but fell short of reaching the Super Bowl.
The move came two days after a heart-wrenching 33-30 overtime loss at Denver in the divisional round of the playoffs.
“Sean helped change the mindset of this organization and was instrumental in the Bills becoming a perennial playoff team,” Pegula said. ”But I feel we are in need of a new structure within our leadership to give this organization the best opportunity to take our team to the next level.”
The new structure features general manager Brandon Beane being promoted to president of football operations. Beane will oversee his first coaching search since arriving in Buffalo five months after McDermott, who replaced Rex Ryan after two seasons in Buffalo.
Beane is expected to target an offensive-minded coach to spur an offense in which quarterback Josh Allen was too often asked to carry the burden.
Sean McDermott was the Eagles’ defensive coordinator in 2009 and 2010.
Playoff shortcomings
Despite a seven-year playoff run and Allen setting many franchise passing and scoring records and earning AP NFL MVP honors last season, the Bills advanced no further than the AFC Championship Game, which they lost both times to Kansas City in the 2020 and ’24 seasons.
Buffalo became the league’s first team to win a playoff round in six consecutive years but not reach the Super Bowl.
McDermott was aware of the shortcomings, and addressed them in August.
“We take a lot of pride in what we’ve done here. And nobody has more internal drive and internal expectations than I do or we do. And very confident in who we are,” McDermott said. “There’s one thing that remains. We know what that is. But you can’t get there tomorrow.”
Tomorrow never came.
The Bills went 12-5 in the regular season and had their five-year run atop the AFC East end, finishing second behind the New England Patriots.
McDermott’s firing is the latest in what’s become a seismic shift in the NFL’s coaching ranks this offseason. He became the 10th head coach to lose his job, joining a respected group that includes Baltimore’s John Harbaugh and Pittsburgh’s Mike Tomlin. Harbaugh has since been hired by the New York Giants.
The 51-year-old McDermott finished with a 98-50 regular-season record and was 8-8 in eight postseason appearances, ranking second on the team in wins behind Hall of Fame coach Marv Levy (112-70, 11-8). McDermott’s eight playoff wins are the most by any NFL coach to not include a Super Bowl berth.
A wrestling and football star at North Penn and La Salle College High School, McDermott spent the first 12 years of his NFL coaching career with the Eagles in a variety of roles, including defensive coordinator in 2009 and 2010.
To his credit, in McDermott’s first season, Buffalo sneaked into the postseason on the final day to end a 17-year drought that stood as the longest active streak in North America’s four major professional leagues.
Allen arrived a year later as a first-round draft pick to raise the franchise’s national profile to among one of the NFL’s elite.
Sean McDermott, left, and quarterback Josh Allen fell short of reaching the Super Bowl in their eight seasons together.
There is increasing urgency in Buffalo to win with Allen turning 30 in May, and with the team now moving into a newly built $2.1 billion stadium across the street from its old home.
Allen was nearly inconsolable following the loss at Denver. Choking up several times and wiping tears from his eyes, Allen stood at the podium and took the blame following the loss at Denver in which he threw two interceptions and lost two fumbles.
“I feel like I let my teammates down tonight,” Allen said. “It’s been a long season. I hate how it ended, and that’s going to stick with me for a long time.”
McDermott rallied to Allen’s defense. He then let his emotions show in questioning the officials’ ruling on Allen’s second interception, which ended Buffalo’s lone possession in overtime.
Receiver Brandin Cooks came down with Allen’s deep pass, but had it wrestled out of his hands by Ja’Quan McMillian. Officials ruled McMillian had the ball before Cooks was down by contact, and Denver was awarded the turnover at its 20.
“I’m standing up for Buffalo, damn it. I’m standing up for us,” McDermott said, noting he was particularly dismayed by how little time the league took to review the play.
‘13 seconds’
Each of Buffalo’s past three playoff losses have been decided by three points. And three of McDermott’s playoff losses ended in overtime.
That includes a 42-36 loss to Kansas City in the 2021 divisional round that’s become dubbed “13 seconds” — the amount of time Patrick Mahomes had to complete two passes for 44 yards and set up Harrison Butker’s tying, 49-yard field goal on the final play of regulation.
McDermott, otherwise, led a team that won 10 or more regular-season games over seven straight seasons.
He also was credited with guiding the Bills through some difficult moments. The worst came January 2023, when safety Damar Hamlin nearly died after collapsing and needing to be resuscitated on the field during a game at Cincinnati.
Hamlin was one of several current and former players to express their support for McDermott following his firing. He posted a note on X referring to McDermott as “A True Leader of Men.”
Defensive tackle Jordan Phillips described the firing as “stupid honestly sickening.” Former center Eric Wood posted a note that read: “Sean is a great man and will be a great hire for another organization, and I hate we couldn’t get over the hump with him as HC in Buffalo.”
McDermott moved up the NFL ranks as a defensive specialist, and was hired by Buffalo following six seasons as Carolina’s coordinator, and where Beane worked in a front office role.
Coach/GM rift?
Together, McDermott and Beane provided the Bills with stability before fractures began showing this past season.
Allen’s 3,668 yards and 25 touchdowns passing were his fewest since 2019.
The defense struggled in part because of a transition to youth and a rash of injuries. Though Buffalo’s defense finished ranked seventh in the NFL this season, the unit had difficulty stopping the run.
It’s in the playoffs where the defense was criticized for collapsing too often. Buffalo allowed 30 or more points in four of its playoff losses.
If there’s anyone who understands the position Broncos fans are in right now, it’s the Eagles.
So, naturally, Nick Foles offered a few words of encouragement to Broncos fans on Sunday, after Denver learned it had lost starting quarterback Bo Nix for the rest of the season with a broken ankle he suffered in the closing moments of Saturday’s win over Buffalo.
“Note for the Broncos and their fans: I know it has been an emotional 24 hours. I feel for Bo and the team, and I’m sending prayers for a strong recovery,” Foles wrote on X. “A positive note going into the game vs. the Patriots is that they struggle against backup QBs in championship-type games.”
Note for the Broncos and their fans: I know it has been an emotional 24 hours. I feel for Bo and the team, and I'm sending prayers for a strong recovery.
A positive note going into the game versus the Patriots is that they struggle against backup QBs in championship-type games.
Foles, of course, famously took over for Carson Wentz in 2017, after Wentz suffered a torn ACL in a Week 14 win over the Rams. Foles led the Eagles all the way to Super Bowl LII against the Patriots, and threw for 373 yards and three touchdowns, plus his one receiving touchdown — the Philly Special. Foles was named Super Bowl MVP.
Nix finished the 33-30 win over Buffalo, but coach Sean Payton revealed after the game that he would miss the rest of the Broncos’ playoff run. Jarrett Stidham is expected to replace Nix for the AFC championship game against Drake Maye and the Patriots, which will be played in Denver.
Broncos fans can only hope that Stidham puts up anywhere near the caliber of performance Foles turned in. Stidham has been a backup for five seasons, including two in New England, appearing in 20 career games. The AFC championship game will be his fourth career start.
The long arc of history is a lot shorter in the modern NFL. Howie Roseman offered a nod to it last week. The tone of his voice was quite grave.
“There’s natural transition in what we do,” the Eagles’ general manager said. “I’m not making an excuse or anything, but there’s a national transition in that in terms of what you’re paying your guys, which side of the ball you’re paying guys who are coming up.”
Look back at the historically great teams and you will see a familiar pattern.
The early-’90s Cowboys won three Super Bowls in four years and have not been back to a conference championship since.
The turn-of-the-century Rams went to two Super Bowls in three years and then had one winning season in the next 15.
The Patriots won three Super Bowls in four years in the early 2000s and then did not win another over the next decade. Then they won three in five years.
And let’s not forget about the Andy Reid Era Eagles: four straight conference championship appearances with one Super Bowl Bowl appearance followed by one conference championship appearance in the next eight seasons.
More often than not, you look back and realize that the best version of a team was the one that took everybody by surprise. The Chiefs’ two biggest point differentials in the Andy Reid Era came in Patrick Mahomes’ first two seasons as a starter. The Packers outscored opponents by a combined 452 points in Aaron Rodgers’ first four seasons as a starter and then outscored them by 428 in his next eight.
Tackle Lane Johnson broke down this season and the Eagles offense suffered.
The phenomenon extends beyond the NFL. You don’t need to look far. The Phillies in 2008 and 2022. The Sixers in 2018-19. The Flyers in 1996-97 and 2009-10.
By the time you realize the good times are here again, they are already ending.
You might reject that thought as depressing, even nihilistic. But it is the reality of the Eagles’ situation. Their regression on the offensive side of the football was more due to the natural order of things than it was to the unique and aggressive incompetence of the head coach and his handpicked play-caller. They were a team with disproportionate reliance on the overwhelming talent of its offensive line. That talent advantage wasn’t as great this season.
Mekhi Becton left for more money. Lane Johnson missed the end of the season. Landon Dickerson and Cam Jurgens weren’t as healthy as last season. Even if the line was 85% of what it was, that would still jibe with the Eagles overall being 85% of what they were, especially if it was compounded by A.J. Brown and Saquon Barkley not being as uniquely dominant as they were last season.
Attrition is a natural part of the NFL, both at the individual level and the roster level. Those two things go hand-in-hand, obviously. One can argue that the job of a head coach and play-caller is to adapt to the realities on the ground. That’s more than fair. It is also a difficult thing to do midseason. The Eagles are right to be doing it now in their search for a play-caller to replace Kevin Patullo. But nobody should be surprised if they fail to find one.
Over the next few weeks, we’ll learn a lot about the rest of the NFL’s diagnosis of the Eagles. Former Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel is a unique enough genius to be interviewing teams rather than teams interviewing him. A recent report said that he would rather accept a great offensive coordinator position than another head coaching job doomed to fail. A year ago, you would have counted the Eagles as such a job. Maybe they still are. But are they really a better job than the Lions?
McDaniel reportedly has spoken with Detroit, which previously made Ben Johnson a star. Jahmyr Gibbs is a running back with the same skill set that McDaniel had in Miami with De’Von Achane. Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams and Sam LaPorta can make their case over Brown, DeVonta Smith, and whoever plays tight end for the Eagles next season. The Lions’ offensive line has consistently ranked near the top of the league, albeit behind the Eagles.
Eagles running back Saquon Barkley had a subpar season.
Brian Daboll and Zac Robinson are two other recognizable free agents. At the same time, the Chargers and Ravens are two other recognizable jobs. The Eagles aren’t just looking for the right guy … the right guy is looking for the right team.
All of that is to say that the real challenge of this Eagles offseason is figuring out the talent situation. Roseman has done a marvelous job of it on the defensive side of the ball, reinventing that unit in barely two offseasons. This season, the Eagles had seven players from their last three draft classes log at least 700 defensive snaps. No other team had more than five.
Building the offensive line is always the Eagles’ top priority. But they could sure use some reinforcements at the skill positions. Another wide receiver, a tight end, a change-of-pace running back with pass-catching skills, all would have helped immensely this season. That’s true even before we start to contemplate whether to trade Brown.
“I think we’ve drafted 15 guys since Nick [Sirianni] has been here in the first and second day, and 14 of them have been long-term starters. We’ve got to keep hitting like that. I know that’s hard, but we’ve got to keep doing it,” Roseman said. “That means we have to have a good process. We’ve got to understand the people that we’re bringing into the building. We’ve got to understand the roles and the vision that we have for them when they’re playing. If we do that, good things will happen. We’ll be able to keep the players that we need to keep under long-term contracts and have an influx of young players that are really good that can play at a high level.”
It’s no coincidence that the NFL’s championship windows are the same as the four-to-five-year windows of rookie contracts. The Eagles have already begun to extend theirs with their draft success on defense. It’s still the place where they are most likely to fix the offense.
Thousands of college football coaches have paid their dues through the years, so it’s good to see a lifer like Curt Cignetti reach the top rung in his sport.
Cignetti’s unbeaten Indiana Hoosiers will play Miami tonight for the College Football Playoff championship (7:30, ESPN), and for the 64-year-old coach it is the culmination of quite a climb.
He was the head coach at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Elon, and James Madison, among many other stops in his career. He also put in his time on North Broad Street as quarterbacks coach for Temple from 1989-92. Matt Breen tells the story of Cignetti’s time on Jerry Berndt’s staff, when the young coach learned by watching a master in another sport: Basketball Hall of Fame coach John Chaney.
Speaking of someone paying his dues, linebacker Mohamed Toure certainly has done that with the Miami Hurricanes. A native of Pleasantville, Atlantic County, Toure is in his seventh season of college football after ACL injuries cost him two seasons at Rutgers.
“It means a lot to the community,” says Chris Sacco, who was Toure’s head coach at Pleasantville. “I know it means a lot to the younger kids to be able to look at the school and say there’s somebody playing on Monday night for the national championship that went here, and recently.”
Beyond the local connections tonight, there is a reason for Eagles fans to tune in. Several Hoosiers and Hurricanes could be draft candidates for the Birds, and Devin Jackson identifies seven players who could fit the bill.
Sports Daily is taking a break to observe Martin Luther King Jr. Day. There will be no newsletter on Tuesday. We’ll return to your inbox on Wednesday morning.
Bo Bichette reportedly has two opt-outs in his three-year deal with the Mets.
Bo Bichette is headed to the Mets, much to the chagrin of Phillies fans. The reports emerging in the immediate aftermath of New York’s agreement with the former Blue Jays star shortstop on a three-year, $126 million contract suggest the Phillies thought they were on the verge of signing Bichette to a seven-year, $200 million deal. But that’s more a misreading of the state of play than it is reality, David Murphy writes.
If the Mets were willing to offer Bichette these kinds of terms, and Bichette was intent on taking the best deal for his personal finances, the Phillies weren’t going to sign him. Both of those outcomes were more likely to be the case than Bichette accepting a long-term deal that the Phillies felt made fiscal sense.
Sixers guard Tyrese Maxey believes his team could be better at producing offense late in games.
With their second straight loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday, the Sixers dropped from fifth to seventh in the Eastern Conference standings. They blew an 11-point fourth-quarter lead in the 117-115 defeat at home.
They have played 25 “clutch” games — contests with the scoring margin at five points or less with five minutes remaining — and they have lost 12 of them, including three in a row.
“We’ve got to close games,” says Joel Embiid, “and we’ve had a lot of games that [we] probably wish we could take it back.”
Rodrigo Ābols was averaging 10 minutes, 43 seconds a night, centering the fourth line and killing penalties before the injury.
The Flyers will try to end a six-game losing streak tonight when they take on the Knights in Las Vegas (8, NBCSP+), but they’ll have to do it without Rodrigo Ābols. The team placed the fourth-line center on injured reserve after he was hurt Saturday in the loss to the Rangers. Ābols appeared to get his right toe stuck in the ice along the boards in the offensive zone, and his ankle buckled.
The Flyers called up Lane Pederson from the Phantoms to take his place.
Temple’s Jordan Mason looks to pass as he is covered by Florida Atlantic’s Kanaan Carlyle (left) and Niccolo Moretti.
Temple ran out of gas at the Liacouras Center on Sunday, getting outscored by 10 points in the last 10 minutes of a 79-73 loss to Florida Atlantic, the first-place team in the American Conference.
An aerial view of Veterans Stadium during the last football game played there in 2003.
Jan. 19, 2003: In the final Eagles game at Veterans Stadium, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers spoiled the party with a 27-10 victory in the NFC championship game. Ronde Barber intercepted a Donovan McNabb pass and returned it 92 yards for a touchdown.
We compiled today’s newsletter using reporting from Matt Breen, Devin Jackson, Owen Hewitt, David Murphy, Gina Mizell, Jackie Spiegel, Jeff Neiburg, Colin Schofield, Katie Lewis, Ryan Mack, Sean McKeown, and Conor Smith.
By submitting your written, visual, and/or audio contributions, you agree to The Inquirer’s Terms of Use, including the grant of rights in Section 10.
Thanks for reading Sports Daily. Enjoy the holiday and we’ll return to your inbox on Wednesday. — Jim
With a wad of chewing tobacco in his mouth, Curt Cignetti instructed the Temple quarterback to pause the VCR and stop the game tape from rolling. Cignetti, the Owls QB coach in the early 1990s, told the quarterback to hit rewind when he wanted to see something again.
The path to Monday night’s College Football Playoff national championship has taken Curt Cignetti, 64, all across college football. He worked his way from stops at schools like Indiana University of Pennsylvania and James Madison before becoming the head coach at Indiana, where he authored perhaps the most stunning turnaround in the history of the sport over the last two seasons.
That winding path came through North Philadelphia for four seasons as he was on Temple’s staff from 1989-92. He was young but he was intense, especially if you arrived late to that cramped office in McGonigle Hall, where a spittoon was always on the desk.
Curt Cignetti has led Indiana to one of the most stunning turnarounds in the history of the sport.
“We had some guys who came in like 15 minutes late and he was freaking hot,” said Matt Baker, Temple’s quarterback when Cignetti arrived.
The Owls practiced on a piece of AstroTurf surrounded by North Philadelphia rowhouses and played Saturdays at an often-empty Veterans Stadium. Cignetti’s office did not have enough chairs for his quarterbacks — “Two of us were laying on the floor,” Dennis Decker said — and the TV didn’t even have a remote. He was a long way from college football glory.
“The only thing D1 about it was that we were playing D1 opponents,” said former offensive coordinator Don Dobes.
A basketball school
The Owls have had more gambling probes in the last 10 seasons than March Madness wins, but Temple was very much a basketball school when Cignetti arrived on North Broad Street in 1989.
Cignetti was just 28 when he came to Temple on the staff of Jerry Berndt, who was a Hall of Fame coach at Penn in the early 1980s before spending three seasons at Rice. Berndt was winless in his last season at Rice before replacing future Super Bowl champion Bruce Arians, who was fired after the Owls went 7-15 in his final two seasons while basketball dominated the landscape.
Temple coach John Chaney was at the peak of his coaching career when Cignetti joined Temple football’s staff. Cignetti and other coaches used to watch Chaney’s morning practices to gain “wisdom.”
John Chaney was at his peak, and the Owls were ranked No. 1 during the 1988 season. Cignetti and the other football coaches often started their mornings watching Chaney run practice before sunrise.
“We’d get some wisdom before we went out there and practiced in the afternoon,” said Dobes. “You want to talk about a great teacher, a great motivator, the ability to impress upon people the importance of teamwork, and sacrifice, and character. That was John Chaney.”
Perhaps coaching football at a school where hoops was king was a precursor for what Cignetti did at Indiana, where he made a basketball-crazed campus fall in love with a sport that was often just an excuse to tailgate. The Hoosiers had the worst winning percentage in college football history before they hired Cignetti in November 2023. He took the microphone a few days later at a Hoosiers basketball game and boldly trashed IU’s rivals.
“He had a lot of [guts] saying that,” Baker said. “He’s the same guy now that he was back then.”
Cignetti retooled the Hoosiers through the transfer portal and reached the College Football Playoff last year in his first season. This year, the Hoosiers are 15-0 with a Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback in Fernando Mendoza, and enter Monday’s title game against Miami as favorites despite not having any five-star recruits. Cignetti was asked in December 2023 how he planned to sell his vision.
“It’s pretty simple,” the coach said. “I win. Google me.”
That was the coach the Temple guys remembered, a straight shooter who tended to be a tad quirky.
“I remember him questioning me after I threw a touchdown pass against Wisconsin,” Baker said. “He’s like, ‘Why’d you throw that?’ I said, ‘What? What do you mean?’ He said, ‘Did you see that?’ I said, ‘Yeah, in the pre-snap I saw he couldn’t cover [George] Deveney. He had a linebacker on him.’ He said, ‘Come on, Matt.’ I’m like, ‘What?’ It was just crazy things like that. We did a lot of good things.”
The Owls won one game in Berndt’s first season before winning seven games in 1990 and gaining admission into the Big East. It was a win for a program that qualified for a bowl game that season but didn’t get picked because another school pledged to buy more tickets to the game.
The success was short-lived. The Owls missed out on local recruits — Dobes said he thought they had an in with Roman Catholic’s Marvin Harrison before he picked Syracuse — and announced their arrival to the Big East by winning three games in their first two seasons. The coaches knew the walls were closing in when they read the newspapers on the way to the airport in November 1992 for a game at No. 1 Miami.
“The headlines said ‘Berndt is burnt’,” Dobes said.
Curt Cignetti coached all over in different roles, including head-coaching stints at IUP, Elon, and James Madison.
The Owls lost that game by 48 points, and when they arrived back in Philly, the coaches were informed that their season finale, just a few days away, would be their last game. They ended the 1992 season by dropping 10 straight.
“We were all in scramble mode at that point,” Dobes said.
Cignetti, then just 31 years old, spent the next 14 seasons as an assistant at Pittsburgh and North Carolina State before spending four seasons under Nick Saban at Alabama. He often credits his time with Saban for his success. His first head-coaching gig was at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, the school an hour east of Pittsburgh, where his father had been the head coach from 1986 to 2005. Cignetti moved from IUP to Elon before landing at James Madison, where he reached the FCS national championship game and helped the Dukes transition to the FBS before being hired by the other Indiana University.
“There’s so many good coaches like him out there who never get a chance,” Dobes said. “He got a chance and made it happen.”
And there he was on New Year’s Day, beating Alabama by 35 points in the Rose Bowl. Decker, a teacher at Ridley High, told one of his coworkers that Cignetti was his coach 35 years ago. They couldn’t believe it. A few days later, the teacher’s old coach beat Oregon by 34 points to reach the national championship game. He’s the same guy, Decker said. Now, he has a remote control.
“Whoever was the low man on the totem pole had to stand up there and hit rewind, pause, play,” Decker said. “He was intense, but as a quarterback, you want that. You can’t be passive as a quarterback. He got his point across. He knew how to get his point across in the way he spoke to you. What that does is push yourself to bring the best out of you. You’re not going to be as successful as he is by being quiet and behind the scenes.”
The college football season will conclude in Miami with the College Football Playoff national championship game on Monday night between Indiana and Miami, two teams with several NFL draft prospects to keep a close eye on.
The top names in this game include Indiana quarterback and potential top overall pick Fernando Mendoza, Miami edge rusher Rueben Bain, a projected top-10 pick, and Miami right tackle Francis Mauigoa, who could be one of the first offensive linemen drafted.
All three players might be out of the Eagles’ draft range at No. 23 overall, but both rosters are littered with NFL talent. Here are seven prospects the Eagles could target come April:
Of the prospects remaining in the playoff, it’s possible that no player has done more for his stock than Smith, who hasn’t allowed a pressure or a sack across 48 pass blocking snaps, according to Pro Football Focus. The Indiana left tackle, a three-year starter, consistently gets his hands inside the frame of a pass rusher, latches on, and doesn’t let go.
Will continue to bang the drum for #Indiana LT Carter Smith. Gets those hands inside the frame, latches on and doesn't let go. Hasn't allowed a pressure across 48 pass blocking snaps in the playoffs. pic.twitter.com/ntBjFym2DW
Smith‘s running-game blocking has shown flashes of improvement, too. He has the upper-body strength and strain to move defensive linemen off their spot and is a decent enough athlete to kick out players in space.
Smith has a tendency to lunge against quicker players, and his ability to handle relentless power will be tested in his matchup with Bain. But the offensive tackle has starter-level qualities and could be a long-term option at tackle for the Eagles.
Miami defensive lineman Akheem Mesidor (left) helped lead the Hurricanes to an upset win at Texas A&M in the first round.
Akheem Mesidor, edge rusher, Miami
Older prospects at premium positions aren’t typically valued in the first round, but there may be no edge rusher prospect as deserving to hear his name called in Round 1 as Mesidor, who is having his best season in his sixth year of college football. With strong hand usage and a quick first step, the Miami edge rusher is relentless coming off the edge and can create havoc from multiple spots along the defensive line.
Mesidor has 19 pressures during Miami’s playoff run alone, according to Pro Football Focus, along with 3½ sacks. He can improve in setting a better edge as a run defender and likely won’t be a player you drop in coverage in the NFL, but Mesidor has game-wrecking ability and can bring instant production to an Eagles pass rushing corps that has uncertainty beyond Nolan Smith and Jalyx Hunt.
D’Angelo Ponds, DB, Indiana
Ponds made the pick heard around the world when he intercepted Oregon’s Dante Moore on the first offensive play of the game in the CFP semifinal. He’s often the smallest player on the field (5-foot-9, 175 pounds) but plays much bigger, and has done so multiple times during Indiana’s undefeated season.
He has a fearless mindset at cornerback, challenging wide receivers at the line of scrimmage and being disruptive at the catch point. He gives up plenty of size and teams with bigger receivers try to take advantage of it, but he’s sticky in man coverage and has ideal instincts in zone to break on the football.
Indiana CB D'Angelo Ponds is fearless.
I love his his trigger, aggressiveness, fluidity to stick to guys in coverage, and his instincts in Zone. pic.twitter.com/JXUVI2CL3b
He’s a reliable tackler despite his size, having missed just two tackles all season, according to PFF. He won’t be a fit for every NFL team because of his size, but his play-making ability will help him find a long-term role on a defense.
Keionte Scott, nickel/safety, Miami
When Scott was out of Miami’s lineup for two games down the season’s stretch, the defense missed his propensity to cause chaos. When he returned in the first round of the CFP against Texas A&M, Scott disrupted screens and was an effective blitzer on third downs.
Then against Ohio State in the quarterfinal matchup, he jumped a screen and took it 72 yards for a pick-six.
#Miami nickel Keionte Scott may have strengthened his draft stock the most out of any prospect during bowl season. Erases screen plays, makes plays on the football and a playmaker in space. Has a knack for making game-changing plays during this CFP run. pic.twitter.com/eNGSexb8TV
Although he has allowed 68.5% of passes thrown his way to be completed, he hasn’t surrendered a touchdown. Because he plays with his hair on fire, he takes chances and has missed 15 tackles (21.4% missed tackle rate) according to PFF. But his physicality allows him to play multiple roles in a secondary, which would be valuable for the Eagles’ depth.
Riley Nowakowski, TE, Indiana
A quick look at Nowakowski‘s stats won’t show gaudy numbers (30 catches, 370 yards) but his impact as a blocker is invaluable to Indiana’s offense. The tight end and fullback, who spent his first five seasons of college at Wisconsin, is an outstanding run blocker and has shown the ability to block edge defenders one-on-one, insert block linebackers and safeties filling against the run, and block secondary players in space.
#Indiana TE Riley Nowakowski is so valuable for their running game with his ability to block edge defenders one-on-one and insert block to kick out linebackers or safeties filling in the run game. Teams looking for a blocking tight end who is a reliable checkdown option will get… pic.twitter.com/g4zqW74MlH
The 6-1, 249-pound prospect won’t make many people miss in the open field but is a reliable option on checkdowns and over the middle of the field. He had zero drops and caught 3 of 6 contested catch attempts this season, according to PFF.
While he won’t be a top receiving option and stands to be more consistent handling blitzers in pass protection, Nowakowski could be the kind of valuable blocking tight end the Eagles desperately needed in 2025. He also has the flexibility to align at fullback on under-center formations.
Anez Cooper, OG, Miami
Cooper has started at right guard for Miami for the last three years and provides a physical presence as a run blocker. The 6-6, 345-pound lineman thrives blocking in close quarters and has powerful hands and grip strength, and has made highlight-reel blocks in space when he can square up second- and third-level players.
If #Miami RG Anez Cooper gets a chance to square up player in open space, look out. Thrives in tight quarters, cleans up the pocket, and grip strength that's tough to disengage from. Will be fun to watch him against Indiana's D-line on Monday night. pic.twitter.com/5VxQlRdx5N
Moving laterally and redirecting on passing downs are not Cooper’s strengths, and he struggles staying square when passing off defensive line stunts. But his run-blocking demeanor will be coveted by teams with gap-scheme running offenses. He has allowed just one sack and 12 pressures in 483 pass blocking snaps, according to PFF, and could provide depth for an Eagles offensive line in need of more players who thrive as downhill blockers.
Pat Coogan (right) was a critical piece of Heisman Trophy Winner Francisco Mendoza’s success this season.
Pat Coogan, center, Indiana
Coogan has garnered praise throughout the playoff, beginning with his Rose Bowl MVP award in Indiana’s CFP quarterfinal win over Alabama, and his film backs it up. The center, who has a rugged play style, does not have the athleticism the Eagles have coveted at the position, but he is a savvy blocker who takes great angles in the running game and anticipates defensive line stunts in pass protection.
The fifth-year player began his career at Notre Dame, showcasing his versatility by making starts at both guard and center. His lack of foot quickness causes him to overextend against quicker players and he doesn’t always mirror pass rushers well in one-on-one scenarios. Coogan thrives, though, working on double teams up to linebackers and would be a depth option at both guard and center, which would be valuable for the Eagles, who struggled with injuries on their interior line.
Went back and watched the film, #Indiana Center Pat Coogan had a fantastic performance vs. Oregon. Pulling in space, working well on double-teams up to LBs, overtaking players in pass pro and picking up blitzing linebackers, blocking even when his helmet is knocked off. https://t.co/FEXHiTE1rIpic.twitter.com/cbcBdmVywn
Philadelphia Eagles kicker Jake Elliott celebrates an extra point during the third quarter of the Philadelphia Eagles game against the Los Angeles Rams at Lincoln Financial Field on Sunday, Sept. 21, 2025 in Philadelphia.Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer
The Eagles' season ended sooner than expected with a loss to the 49ers in the wild-card round. Now the Birds will try to assemble a roster that can help them get back to their Super Bowl standard. Beat writer Jeff McLane makes his picks on what personnel decisions he sees the team making this offseason.
Make your pick for each player by swiping the cards below — right for Stay or left for Go. Yes, just like Tinder. Finding it hard to decide? We'll also show you how other Inquirer readers have voted so far and what we think the team will do.
Advertisement
Quarterbacks
The biggest question here (for a second straight year) is whether Tanner McKee will stick around as the backup.
#1
Jalen
Hurts
Crowd says
Height
6'1"
Weight
223lb.
Age
27
Inky Says Stay
We've seen what he can accomplish with a good coordinator. But he needs help in the drop-back game if he's going to elevate.
#14
Sam
Howell
Crowd says
Height
6'1"
Weight
220lb.
Age
25
Inky Says Go
Tanner McKee's broken hand in camp forced the Eagles to trade for him before the season. He's a free agent and should get a backup opportunity elsewhere.
#19
Kyle
McCord
Rookie
Crowd says
Height
6'3"
Weight
218lb.
Age
23
Inky Says Go
He had a rough first camp, but a full season to watch and learn may help. His return may depend on the new coordinator and scheme.
#16
Tanner
McKee
Crowd says
Height
6'6"
Weight
231lb.
Age
25
Inky Says Stay
It's not fair to base an evaluation solely on the finale. But it's unlikely the Eagles will receive attractive enough offers to trade.
A.J. Brown’s long-term future with the Eagles might be the biggest question of the 2026 offseason.
#80
Darius
Cooper
Rookie
Crowd says
Height
5'11"
Weight
210lb.
Age
24
Inky Says Stay
The undrafted rookie was used mostly as a run blocker, but he has some receiving upside. He'll be back.
#11
A.J.
Brown
Crowd says
Height
6'1"
Weight
226lb.
Age
28
Inky Says Stay
His future is the question of the offseason. By his standards, he didn't have a good season and may have lost a half-step. He still projects as one of the best. There's also a significant cap charge.
#18
Britain
Covey
Crowd says
Height
5'8"
Weight
173lb.
Age
28
Inky Says Stay
It took too long, but when he was promoted to the active roster the return game was given a boost.
#2
Jahan
Dotson
Crowd says
Height
5'11"
Weight
184lb.
Age
25
Inky Says Go
It must have been tough running all those for-the-love-of-the-game routes. He was just too slight to make an impact as the third receiver.
#6
DeVonta
Smith
Crowd says
Height
6'0"
Weight
170lb.
Age
27
Inky Says Stay
He was maybe the one guy on offense who met expectations. If A.J. Brown leaves, he should be the bona fide No. 1.
#85
Terrace
Marshall
Crowd says
Height
6'2"
Weight
200lb.
Age
25
Inky Says Go
The Eagles need more young receivers with upside. He doesn't satisfy that need.
#86
Quez
Watkins
Crowd says
Height
6'0"
Weight
193lb.
Age
27
Inky Says Go
After a few post-Eagles years in the NFL wilderness, he returned to the practice squad.
#89
Johnny
Wilson
Crowd says
Height
6'6"
Weight
228lb.
Age
24
Inky Says Stay
The Eagles lost their best blocking receiver in training camp. He should return in that role.
Some big names could be moving on here, as Nakobe Dean and Jaelan Phillips appear set to test the market.
#53
Zack
Baun
Pro Bowl
Crowd says
Height
6'3"
Weight
225lb.
Age
29
Inky Says Stay
He proved that 2024 wasn't a fluke and his contract guarantees he's here through 2027.
#30
Jihaad
Campbell
Rookie
Crowd says
Height
6'3"
Weight
235lb.
Age
21
Inky Says Stay
He handled his demotion with grace, but the former first-rounder needs to be in the lineup next season. Can he be a hybrid?
#59
Chance
Campbell
Crowd says
Height
6'2"
Weight
232lb.
Age
26
Inky Says Stay
He provided good looks on the scout team and should probably get a look-see in training camp. Making the 53-man roster is another thing.
#17
Nakobe
Dean
Crowd says
Height
5'11"
Weight
231lb.
Age
25
Inky Says Go
A few years ago, it would have been a no-brainer to retain him. But the Eagles have Campbell in the wings and their most depth at off-ball linebacker in years.
#58
Jalyx
Hunt
Crowd says
Height
6'3"
Weight
252lb.
Age
24
Inky Says Stay
Eagles' scouting deserves accolades for plucking this former safety out of anonymity. He did it all in his second season. The future is bright.
#48
Patrick
Johnson
Crowd says
Height
6'2"
Weight
248lb.
Age
27
Inky Says Go
Practice squad Patrick has been a loyal soldier for five on-and-off years. He wasn't getting call-ups late in the season.
#42
Smael
Mondon Jr.
Rookie
Crowd says
Height
6'2"
Weight
224lb.
Age
22
Inky Says Stay
He'll be a depth piece who can play special teams for years, if need be.
#13
Azeez
Ojulari
Crowd says
Height
6'3"
Weight
240lb.
Age
25
Inky Says Go
It's hard to see him wanting to be back when it was clear the Eagles slow-played his return from a hamstring injury.
#50
Jaelan
Phillips
Crowd says
Height
6'5"
Weight
266lb.
Age
26
Inky Says Go
He started strong and then leveled out. Vic Fangio likes him, but is he worth the squeeze when others will pay?
#3
Nolan
Smith Jr.
Crowd says
Height
6'2"
Weight
238lb.
Age
24
Inky Says Stay
The triceps injury lingered into the season. He plays with great effort, but size and durability remain concerns.
#54
Jeremiah
Trotter Jr.
Crowd says
Height
6'0"
Weight
225lb.
Age
23
Inky Says Stay
He could probably start at middle linebacker for a number of teams, but will likely have to watch for another season.
#0
Joshua
Uche
Crowd says
Height
6'3"
Weight
226lb.
Age
27
Inky Says Go
The trade for Jaelan Phillips and Brandon Graham's unretirement marginalized him. He'll likely want to explore other options.
#43
Ben
VanSumeren
Crowd says
Height
6'2"
Weight
231lb.
Age
25
Inky Says Go
It will be tough to return from back-to-back season-ending knee injuries, but I wouldn't count him out.
CHICAGO — Matthew Stafford and the Los Angeles Rams survived an incredible throw by Caleb Williams that forced overtime, beating the Chicago Bears 20-17 on Sunday night to advance to the NFC championship game.
Harrison Mevis kicked a 42-yard field goal in OT after Kam Curl intercepted a deep pass by Williams on the Bears’ first possession of the extra period. Stafford completed a 16-yard pass to Puka Nacua to get the Rams into field-goal range and set up Mevis, known as the “Thiccer Kicker,” for the game-ending kick. He was mobbed by teammates while a crowd that was rocking earlier watched in near silence.
The Rams (14-5) will visit NFC West rival Seattle next Sunday in their first trip to the conference championship game since the 2021 team won the Super Bowl. The Seahawks beat San Francisco 41-6 on Saturday.
“It was crazy,” Stafford said. “It was back and forth. We didn’t play our best on offense. Our defense dominated the game. It was unbelievable to watch. Hell of a play on fourth down by Caleb to get his team to overtime. And just glad we got the ball back.”
Los Angeles led 17-10 in the final minute and the Bears faced fourth-and-4 from the 14-yard line when Williams backpedaled to avoid the pass rush and heaved the ball to Cole Kmet for the tying touchdown with 18 seconds left. Although officially a 14-yard pass, the ball traveled 51.2 yards in the air, according to the NFL’s Next Gen Stats.
Williams threw for two touchdowns but was intercepted three times as the Bears (12-7) — who pulled off seven fourth-quarter comeback wins under first-year coach Ben Johnson — came up short this time. They won the NFC North after finishing last in the division a year ago.
Stafford led a 91-yard touchdown drive in the fourth quarter, with Kyren Williams scoring from the 5 to give the Rams a 17-10 lead with 8:50 remaining. Nacua kept the possession going on the previous play with a 2-yard run on fourth-and-5.
The Bears then drove to the 2, but Omar Speights broke up Williams’ fourth-down pass to Luther Burden just inside the goal line.
Chicago got the ball back at midfield with just under two minutes remaining after Ethan Evans shanked a 33-yard punt, setting up Williams’ heroics.
In overtime, the Bears won the toss and deferred. They quickly got the ball back when the Rams went three-and-out, forced to punt after Blake Corum was stopped for a 1-yard loss on third-and-1 at the 36.
Chicago took over at the 16. Williams kept the drive going with a 3-yard keeper on fourth-and-1 near midfield. But Curl picked off Williams’ pass intended for DJ Moore two plays later.
Stafford was 20 of 42 for 258 yards and took four sacks. Nacua had 56 yards receiving after going for 111 in a wild-card win over Carolina, and Kyren Williams ran for 87 yards and two scores.
Caleb Williams completed 23 of 42 passes for 257 yards. Moore had a touchdown catch, and D’Andre Swift ran for 76 yards.
