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Andy Reid outlines the Chiefs’ retooling plan after a disappointing 2025 season, including updates on Patrick Mahomes and roster changes. The post Andy Reid Makes His Feelings Clear on ‘Retooling’ After Chiefs Disappointing 2025 Season appeared first on Heavy Sports.
Pittsburgh Steelers president Art Rooney II told the media he expects to have a decision from Aaron Rodgers by the 2026 NFL Draft. The post Art Rooney II Provides Positive Update on Aaron Rodgers 2026 Steelers Decision appeared first on Heavy Sports.
One of the greatest mysteries of the NFL offseason is Aaron Rodgers’ future. There is still the belief that the 42-year-old quarterback will be running it back with the Pittsburgh Steelers, who appear to be keeping their doors open for another season with Rodgers. But until something conclusive is reached on that front, Rodgers’ future … The post Insider names a Steelers QB option amid uncertainty on Aaron Rodgers appeared first on Larry Brown Sports.
The 2025 NFL Season was remarkable, as we witnessed the wild journey of many teams making serious playoff pushes, culminating in the Seattle Seahawks winning the Lombardi Trophy in Super Bowl 60. Even though the Seahawks have lost some key pieces from their championship roster, they’re likely going to return to the playoffs and defend their honor with ease. Other teams during the offseason have made drastic roster improvements that could help them return to the playoffs, while some might not return to the big dance when the 2026 season is all said and done. As we’ve seen before, NFL teams do whatever they can to rebuild, retool, and reset their rosters for the new season. The moves these teams made during the offseason will always spark our interest on paper. We just have to see it in action when the time arrives. The 2026 regular season may be a long way away, but it’ll be here sooner than you know it. Here at TPS, we’re going to predict who’ll make their return to the playoffs and who won’t return to the playoffs: Which NFL teams will return to the playoffs and which ones will not? Won’t Return: Houston TexansAug 9, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; A Houston Texans helmet sits on the sidelines during the 4th quarter against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Barry Reeger-USA TODAY Sports The 2025 Texans had arguably one of the league’s best defenses, but were beaten by the New England Patriots 28-16. The 2026 Texans did trade for David Montgomery from the Detroit Lions, but they need interior offensive linemen to protect C. J. Stroud, as they need a new guard and center for Stroud to work with. Although Stroud reduced his sack rate from 2024, he struggled in the NFL playoffs, completing 51.9 percent of his passes and throwing two touchdowns against five costly interceptions. The Texans also parted ways with safety Jimmie Ward, defensive tackle Mario Edwards, who failed a physical, and defensive tackle Kurt Hinish, who had significant roles on the team’s defense. The Texans have a tougher schedule than they did last year, as they’ll square off against the Baltimore Ravens, Pittsburgh Steelers, Buffalo Bills, Philadelphia Eagles, and Los Angeles Chargers, to name a few of the teams they’ll square off against. If the Texans suffer a few losses against these opponents and their divisional rivals due to key injuries or poor play, they can likely kiss their playoff chances goodbye. Will Return: Kansas City ChiefsFeb 9, 2025; New Orleans, LA, USA; A detail view of Kansas City Chiefs helmets before Super Bowl LIX between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Kansas City Chiefs at Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images As fun as it was for some NFL fans to witness the Chiefs missing the playoffs, they’re reloading their roster for the 2026 season and will be ready to compete for a chance to return to the playoffs. Adding Kenneth Walker III was a smart move, along with retooling the defense with DT Khyiris Tonga, Safety Alohi Gilman, and cornerback Kader Kohou. Patrick Mahomes’ rehab has been going well, but if he isn’t ready by week one, the Chiefs did trade for Justin Fields, who should play fairly well under Andy Reid’s and offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy’s system. The rest of the Chiefs’ roster will be fresh and healthy for the start of the 2026 season and will slowly return to their winning ways. The Chiefs’ schedule is also more favorable, as they’ll square off against the New York Jets, Miami Dolphins, Indianapolis Colts, Cincinnati Bengals, and Arizona Cardinals, who’ll likely give the Chiefs some well-needed wins for a strong 2026 season. Won’t Return: Pittsburgh SteelersDec 15, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers helmet on the sidelines against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images 2026 will be a strange year for the Steelers, as Mike Tomlin stepped down immediately after their playoff exit against the Houston Texans, and they are in uncharted waters with Mike McCarthy leading the way. The questions continue, as no one knows whether Aaron Rodgers will continue playing or retire before the start of the 2026 season. If Rodgers does retire, Will Howard will have to prove himself to be the guy the Steelers hoped for, or roll with Mason Rudolph, whose reputation doesn’t scream Pro Bowl-caliber starter. Not to mention key players are starting to age on the roster, such as Cameron Heyward, who’ll be 37 when the 2026 season kicks off. Both T. J. Watt and Jalen Ramsey turn 32 in October of the regular season, and newly signed Jamel Dean will be 30 in October of the regular season. The AFC North is still a competitive division, with the Baltimore Ravens lingering around and wanting revenge for the final game of the 2025 season. It won’t be a cakewalk for the Steelers. The Steelers also have a tougher schedule ahead, as they’ll face teams like the Denver Broncos, Philadelphia Eagles, New England Patriots, and Jacksonville Jaguars, all of whom won their divisions in 2025. Don’t be surprised if the Steelers’ streak of winning seasons since 2004 comes to an end in 2026 and the team finds itself on the outside looking in as other teams reach the NFL playoffs. Will Return: New York GiantsOct 28, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; New York Giants helmets on the sidelines against the Pittsburgh Steelers during the third quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images Hear us out, the “John Harbaugh effect” is real. The moves the teams have made recently should excite and energize Giants’ fans. Signing former Ravens fullback Patrick Ricard and tight end Isaiah Likely will help further improve Jaxson Dart’s performance on offense, as well as the additions of Darnell Mooney and Calvin Austin to solidify the passing attack. Not to mention Malik Nabers and Cam Skataboo will both be fully healthy for kickoff in week one. The Giants’ offense ranked 13th in total offense and averaged 333.5 yards per game in 2025. That ranking is going to increase under new offensive coordinator Matt Nagy, who coached the Chiefs’ offense to back-to-back Super Bowl wins. The Giants still have to further adjust their offensive line for the 2025 season, as Dart was sacked 31 times during his rookie season. Harbaugh and company should find some diamonds in the rough during free agency and in the upcoming NFL Draft. The defense also saw a revamp during the offseason, as Tremaine Edmunds, Ar’Darius Washington, Greg Newsome II, Jason Pinnock, and Elijah Campbell are great additions to the roster. Coach Harbaugh’s physical and mental toughness style of coaching will be refreshing for the G-Men moving forward, as they get prepared for the start of the 2026 season. Won’t Return: San Francisco 49ersSep 15, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; San Francisco 49ers helmets sits idle during the game against the Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images The 2026 49ers still have some issues to address before the start of the 2026 season. The pass rush needs an update, and the team had 20 sacks in the 2025 season. Brock Purdy will be without Brandon Aiyuk and Jauan Jennings, weakening the pass attack. Sure, the team signed veterans Mike Evans and Christian Kirk, but they’re way past their prime. Tight end George Kittle is coming off an Achilles’ tear and is in his 30s, while Christian McCaffrey has had his fair share of injuries throughout the years. The defense saw some regression and has injury problems of its own, with Nick Bosa tearing his ACL, Fred Warner suffering a dislocated and broken ankle, and backup linebacker Tatum Bethune suffering a knee injury. The team’s schedule isn’t forgiving, as they have to square off against the Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs, Philadelphia Eagles, and Los Angeles Chargers, who will likely give the 49ers a run for their money. The 49ers will also have a grueling travel schedule ahead of them, as they’re set to travel over 15,000 miles to play their rivals, the Los Angeles Rams, in Melbourne, Australia, and have a home game in Mexico City On top of that, competition in the NFC West has shifted with the Rams and Seattle Seahawks drastically improving their rosters. No NFL playoffs for this squad. Will Return: Baltimore RavensJan 11, 2025; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; A view of Baltimore Ravens players’ helmets on a heated bench against the Pittsburgh Steelers in an AFC wild card game at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images A new era has arrived in Baltimore, as the Jesse Minter saga has begun, as he looks to resurrect the team’s defense to a top-tier unit in 2026. Although the Maxx Crosby trade didn’t work out, the team signed Trey Hendrickson as the next best option to improve the defense. The defense still has playmakers like Kyle Hamilton, Roquan Smith, Marlon Humphrey, and Nate Wiggins ready to cause havoc, and should flourish under Minter’s and defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver’s system. Adding safety Jaylinn Hawkins will improve the secondary. Lamar Jackson should adjust to offensive coordinator Declan Doyle’s schemes and should be healthier for the 2026 season. Not to mention Zay Flowers, Mark Andrews, and Derrick Henry are still on the roster and are ready to regain their offensive footing against opposing defenses, as the team ranked 16th in offensive rankings last season, averaging 332.2 yards per game. The Ravens have the pieces to make a serious playoff run for the 2026 NFL season. They just need to make it happen. Won’t Return: Carolina PanthersDec 8, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Carolina Panthers helmet rests on the bench against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images As fun as it was to see the Panthers reach the NFL playoffs, things could get rough for them in the 2026 season. The Panthers will have a tougher schedule for the upcoming season, as they’ll square off against the Chicago Bears, defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks, Philadelphia Eagles, Baltimore Ravens, Pittsburgh Steelers, and Denver Broncos. All of those teams have playoff-caliber rosters. Bryce Young showed strides of improvement, but could regress due to poor play and trouble with the offensive line, as offensive tackle Iken Ekwonu suffered a ruptured patellar tendon during the team’s Wildcard round playoff game and is potentially doubtful to return by week one. Not to mention Young’s play was inconsistent during the 2025 season, as he threw for 3,011 yards and threw 23 touchdowns against 11 interceptions, the most in his career so far. Losing Rico Dowdle to the Steelers will impact the backfield, but the team still has Chuba Hubbard. The Panthers traded away veteran backup Andy Dalton to the Philadelphia Eagles for a seventh-round draft pick and signed Kenny Pickett to back up Young, who is younger but not nearly as experienced as Dalton. We’ll just have to wait and see what will happen with the Panthers when the 2026 season kicks off. Will Return: Detroit LionsHelmet of Detroit Lions place kicker Jake Bates (not in the photo) before the NFC divisional round between Detroit Lions and Washington Commanders] at Ford Field in Detroit on Saturday, Jan. 18, 2025. The Lions can make a return to the NFL playoffs by strengthening their offensive line, as adding Cade Mays, Larry Borom, and Seth McLaughlin should help. The team’s offense should make some improvements under new offensive coordinator Drew Petzing. The Lions still have one of the more talented rosters in the league, thanks to Jared Goff, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams, Sam LaPorta, and Jahmyr Gibbs on offense, and Aidan Hutchinson and Jack Campbell on defense. As a bonus, the Lions have a much easier schedule for the 2026 season, as they’ll face the New York Giants, New Orleans Saints, Arizona Cardinals, Miami Dolphins, New York Jets, and Tennessee Titans, who all had losing records in 2025. It should be interesting to see how the Lions will fare in the 2026 season, and we can’t wait to see what they’ll bring forth. Won’t Return: Green Bay PackersDec 29, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; A Green Bay Packers helmet sits ready before the game against the Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images As iconic as the Packers are, they could miss the playoffs due to a lingering injury crisis that could carry over from the 2025 season. Losing Malik Willis to the Miami Dolphins will sting, as Desmond Ridder is not a flashy name to get behind if Jordan Love gets hurt during the season. The team will also miss Romeo Doubs, who was the team’s leading receiver with 724 receiving yards and scored six touchdowns. Not the flashiest of numbers, but he and Love made things work during their time together. Emmanuel Wilson is also gone, as he signed a one-year deal with the defending champion Seahawks. The Packers’ defense imploded near the end of the 2025 season, and could be a weak point during the 2026 season. Not to mention the NFC North remains one of the most competitive divisions in the NFL, with the Lions and Chicago Bears making significant moves to improve. The Packers have a lot of issues to resolve, but have some time to fix a couple of things before the start of the 2026 season in September. Will Return: Atlanta FalconsNov 10, 2024; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Detailed view of the Atlanta Falcons helmet against the New Orleans Saints during the second half at Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images The Falcons finished the 2026 season slightly better than expected. Sure, they showed Raheem Morris the exit, but they made a great hire, bringing in Kevin Stefanski, who’ll bring a much-needed offensive stability to the team moving forward. The Falcons’ offense has talented playmakers still on the roster like Bijan Robinson, Drake London, and the recently franchise-tagged Kyle Pitts, who should flourish under Stefanski’s and Tommy Rees’ systems. Plus, the team added Austin Hooper and Jahan Dotson to the mix Kirk Cousins is no longer on the roster, and signing Tua Tagovailoa is a decent yet risky option to back Michael Penix Jr., just in case he suffers an injury down the road. The defense still has defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich calling the shots on defense, as they took some serious steps forward in the 2025 season with rookies and some injuries to the unit. The unit also added defensive end Cameron Thomas, defensive tackle Da’Shawn Hand, and linebacker Christian Harris to further solidify the unit. The 2026 Falcons will be an interesting team to watch when the offseason and NFL Draft are in the review mirror, and everyone is ready for kickoff with their sneaky good roster.
FORMER Super Bowl champion Russell Wilson is failing ‘to grasp how far he’s fallen’ as his search for a new NFL team hits a dead end. Wilson, 37, still has…
PFSN's latest 3-round NFL mock draft projects Jeremiyah Love to the Washington Commanders, Ty Simpson to the Pittsburgh Steelers, and more.
PHOENIX — NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has repeatedly shared his opinion that diversity makes the NFL stronger and that has been enshrined in the engineering of the league's Diversity, Equity and Inclusion policies for decades. But it's a new day and the NFL's two highest-profile DEI hiring initiatives are being challenged or even significantly changed as part of the new times.The league has already altered its Accelerator Program, which originally aimed to identify and advance minority coaching and executive talent by placing them in front of league owners.The program, which started in 2022 until it was paused in 2025, excluded white male potential job candidates from participating.The new Accelerator Program, which is scheduled for May, will include white male candidates.This is seen by some as a victory for inclusion because it will include everybody. And it's seen as a rollback of minority advancement by others."Not everyone likes the change," one NFL executive admitted during the NFL Annual Meeting. "But, frankly, there were dissenting voices about the way the program was previously imagined because there were calls to have a program inclusive of all talent."The redesigned program is an evolution for us as a league." And while the Accelerator Program is ¨refinining¨ its nomination criteria to include white men, the league confirms it is in receipt of a letter from Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier that is challenging the long-established Rooney Rule and the Accelerator Program as to their applications in Florida."We are reviewing the letter," NFL executive vice president Jeff Miller said. "We believe our policies are consistent with the law and reflect our commitment to fairness, opportunity, and building the strongest possible teams."Yes, there will be lawyers collecting billable hours soon. Uthmeier wrote his letter to Goodell last week, claiming both the Rooney Rule and Accelerator programs violate Florida law."I write with a word of caution to the NFL on its race-and-sex-based hiring policies," Uthmeier said in his letter. "As applied in Florida, the NFL's "Rooney Rule," which governs the hiring of certain team executives and coaches, brazenly violates Florida law."The NFL told OutKick on Sunday that ¨The Rooney Rule is one part of a broader set of efforts to expand opportunity and ensure clubs are considering a wide range of qualified candidates. It does not mandate hiring decisions. Those decisions are made by each club.¨But Uthmeier quoted The Rooney Rule itself as evidence the Rooney Rule violates the Florida Civil Rights Act in that it aims ¨to increase the number of minorities hired in head coach, general manager and executive positions.¨The NFL also mandates ¨that all teams must employ a female or minority coach as an offensive assistant.¨ The Florida Civil Rights Act, in part, prohibits "discriminat[ing] against any individual with respect to compensation, terms, conditions or privileges or employment" because of the individual's "race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, national origin, age, handicap, or marital status."So, the rule's aim seems to run counter to Florida law.The Florida law also prohibits employers from discriminating based on those same characteristics "in admission to … any program established to provide apprenticeship or other training."The "other training" part may be problematic for the NFL because the Rooney Rule is meant, at minimum, to give interview repetitions for minority candidates, which could be considered training.The NFL had 10 head coach openings during the last hiring cycle. Robert Saleh, who is of Lebanese descent, was the only minority candidate hired. No black coaches were hired. "We do have an obligation to make sure that our policies comply with the laws, whatever the law is, and whatever the changes in law might be," Pittsburgh Steelers owner Art Rooney II, the chairman of the league's DEI committee and son of Dan Rooney, for whom the Rooney Rule is named, recently told ESPN. "We've got to look at that and make sure we're in compliance. When the league's lawyers have a chance to analyze it to determine what it is about Florida law that the attorney general is questioning, we'll have to review that. That's just the environment we're existing in today."It seems the Steelers are comfortable in that environment. When the club lost black head coach Mike Tomlin to apparent retirement after the 2025 season, Rooney hired Mike McCarthy, who is white.
With the 2026 NFL draft less than a month away, there are all kinds of mock drafts, with all kinds of reasonings behind them. One way to put a mock together is to take what you think the actual NFL teams will do, and go more with what you perceive to be each teams' weaknesses, lining those ...
A former Pittsburgh Steelers cast-off and failed first-round pick just made news as one of the top "value signings" of 2026 NFL free agency. The post Ex-Steelers 1st-Rounder’s $30 Million Deal Praised as Top 5 ‘Value Signing’ appeared first on Heavy Sports.
NFL teams can earn multiple extra draft picks each year, as early as the third round.
Mike Tomlin has been one of the more successful coaches of the current generation, who recently retired after spending 19 seasons as the Pittsburgh Steelers, which ended with an overall 193–114–2 regular-season record. After Mike hung up his shoes post the 2025 season, many fans were asking his son, Dino, why he isn’t using his […]
Former Minnesota Vikings QB Kirk Cousins got some relatively good news regarding his pending free agency and a chance to start in the AFC. The post Former Vikings QB Kirk Cousins Gets Major Free Agency Update appeared first on Heavy Sports.
IT’S a little less than one month until the 2026 NFL Draft, so that means there’s still time for some mock drafts. The U.S. Sun’s second mock draft has been…
Jets could impact Steelers future post-Aaron Rodgers by making one simple move sportingnews.com
The latest Pittsburgh Steelers' NFL draft rumors highlight Alabama wide receiver Germie Bernard as the "perfect" playmaker for this offense. The post Steelers Predicted to Add ‘Perfect WR3’ Behind Metcalf & Pittman appeared first on Heavy Sports.
After a trip to the Super Bowl and the AFC Championship in the 2021 and 2022 seasons, the Cincinnati Bengals have since disappointed. They are fresh off their worst season since 2020 as the team went 6-11 and missed the postseason for the third consecutive season.Despite possessing superstar talent at the quarterback position with Joe […] The post Bengals-Steelers Blockbuster Trade Pitch Delivers Massive Return for Cincy appeared first on Heavy Sports.
Could the Cincinnati Bengals trade Joe Burrow to their AFC North rivals, the Pittsburgh Steelers? It's unlikely, but there's at least one trade offer the Bengals would have to consider.
The Pittsburgh Steelers are getting some good news this NFL offseason. Pittsburgh is getting a seal of approval from some league analysts and sportswriters, for their offseason moves. Pittsburgh is getting the most improved tag of any team by ESPN, based on the team’s free agency performances. One of the team’s most impressive moves according […] The post Steelers get most improved tag in ESPN offseason rankings appeared first on ClutchPoints.
The Cincinnati Bengals had a rough 2025 season as they finished with their worst record since Joe Burrow’s rookie season in 2020. Despite a rare 2-0 start to the season, things quickly took a turn for the worse as Joe Burrow suffered a turf toe injury during the team’s Week 2 victory over the Jaguars.Burrow […] The post Former Bengals Player Hints At Possible Joe Burrow Departure appeared first on Heavy Sports.
DESPITE the NFL Draft not happening until late April, fans are already wondering when the fixtures for the 2026 NFL season will be released. The Seattle Seahawks are the Super…
With serious uncertainty surrounding the Pittsburgh Steelers, a likely contender for former Vikings QB Kirk Cousins has become clear. The post Likely Team Emerges for Kirk Cousins as Questions Surround Steelers’ Job appeared first on Heavy Sports.
Ben Roethlisberger wants the Steelers to sign Joshua Dobbs as a contingency plan if Aaron Rodgers does not return for 2026.
The Steelers have celebrated their growing fanbase in Ireland by designating a popular Dublin outlet as their official pub in the country, six months after the team's historic 2025 game at Croke Park
Steelers could be an option as a veteran WR looks to make his return. The post Steelers Seen as Option for 10-Year Veteran Eyeing NFL Return appeared first on Heavy Sports.
