PITTSBURGH — The NFL regular season didn’t just end; it imploded. While the Pittsburgh Steelers celebrated a division title in the freezing rain, four franchises spent the morning handing out pink slips. In a matter of hours, the league’s landscape shifted as Kevin Stefanski, Pete Carroll, Jonathan Gannon, and Raheem Morris were all shown the door.
The biggest shockwave came from Las Vegas. Pete Carroll’s second act in the NFL lasted exactly one year. Despite high hopes and a 74-year-old’s energy, the Raiders collapsed to a 3-14 record, securing the No. 1 overall pick for the 2026 NFL Draft. Minority owner Tom Brady is reportedly taking a lead role in finding the next man to lead the Silver and Black.
In Cleveland, the “Sack King” made history, but his coach paid the price. Minutes after Myles Garrett dragged down Joe Burrow for his 23rd sack of the season—surpassing the 22.5 record held by Michael Strahan and T.J. Watt—the Browns’ front office decided Kevin Stefanski’s six-year run was over. A 5-12 finish was the final nail for the two-time Coach of the Year.
An end to the regular season that we’ll never forget.@insidetheNFL Week 18 Mic’d Up on X pic.twitter.com/HK5rjUfBcn
— NFL (@NFL) January 5, 2026
Arizona and Atlanta also hit the reset button. Jonathan Gannon departs the desert with a dismal 15-36 record over three seasons, while the Falcons fired Raheem Morris after back-to-back 8-9 finishes and another missed postseason.
The regular season finale provided the kind of drama that makes January football legendary. The stadium shook as Baltimore’s rookie kicker, Tyler Loop, lined up a 44-yarder to steal the AFC North. When the ball sailed wide right, Acrisure Stadium erupted. The Steelers’ 26-24 victory secured their first division title since 2020.
Aaron Rodgers, defying the “washed” allegations at 42, delivered a 26-yard strike to Calvin Austin III with just 55 seconds remaining. It wasn’t pretty—the Steelers secondary allowed two long touchdowns in the fourth quarter—but it was enough to punch a ticket to the dance.
“We should have won this game and we didn’t. That’s on us. We let them stay in it, and in this division, if you leave the door open, someone’s going to kick it down.” — Keaton Mitchell, Ravens RB
With the dust settled, the road to the Super Bowl is clear. The Seattle Seahawks (NFC) and Denver Broncos (AFC) have secured the first-round byes. The Wild Card weekend kicks off with high-stakes rematches, including a brutal 49ers-Eagles showdown and a Texans-Steelers battle in the AFC.
For the teams heading home, the focus shifts to the scouting combine and a coaching carousel that is spinning faster than ever. For the remaining 14, the real season begins now.
