We’re always tossing around dream Super Bowl matchups during the regular season, but this game might actually be the real deal. This past week, I spent a few days at the league meetings in Irving, Texas, where Roger Goodell, team owners and executives gathered to discuss league business. While a historic decision to allow NFL teams to sell minority stakes to private equity firms headlined the gathering, there was plenty of chatter about the Buffalo Bills’ visit to Detroit on Sunday. When the “big bosses” of the NFL are buzzing about a matchup, you know this is gigantic. It could be the first time since 2011 — when the New England Patriots and New York Giants faced off in the regular season and then met again in the Super Bowl — that we see something like this.
We’ll get to Bills-Lions. First, the other topics I’m hearing about around the league:
• You’ll never believe who Bill Belichick’s camp talked to
• What does a lost season mean for the future in San Francisco?
• Latest on Jerod Mayo’s, Kevin Stefanski’s and Mike McCarthy’s fortunes
• How the Panthers — favorites for the first time in 2024! — turned it around
• Josh Allen and everything else that will determine Lions-Bills
• A lesson to be learned about staying the course
The biggest Belichick twist
In our last column, we told you Bill Belichick’s interest in the UNC head coaching job was real. At the time it sounded wild — to many, unbelievable — but on Wednesday, when UNC officially announced they had hired Belichick, it sent shockwaves through the NFL world.
Owners and NFL executives attending the league meetings huddled in the Ritz-Carlton lobby on Wednesday, asking each other (and even reporters): “Is this really happening?” Yes, it’s really happening. Belichick is heading to the ACC to recruit and coach players, many still in their teens, despite being 14 victories away from tying Don Shula atop the NFL’s all-time coaching wins list.
But if you thought that was surprising, wait — there’s more.
About two weeks ago, the New York Jets were informed (and were stunned to learn) that there was interest in their organization coming from none other than … Bill Belichick. The same Bill Belichick who, famously (or infamously, from the organization’s perspective), was the Jets’ head coach for less than a day 24 years ago, before scribbling on a piece of paper, “I resign as HC of the NYJ.” Belichick took great pleasure in torturing the Jets over his years as Patriots coach — and even more so in the past year as a TV analyst.
For months, Belichick’s inner circle quietly conducted informal conversations with a few teams, testing the waters. A very small circle of people in the Jets building were made aware of his interest, though I was told no meeting or formal conversation ever happened because the UNC opportunity popped up. So, in the end, none of the talks — with the Jets or any other NFL team — turned into anything serious, and now North Carolina is Chapel Bill.
GO DEEPER
Bill Belichick agrees to deal to become UNC football head coach
The season is lost, but the 49ers are still building around coach and QB
The dark cloud hanging over the San Francisco 49ers just won’t seem to lift. It’s been a difficult season, one that’s felt “off” since the summer, but the team is sticking to its plan. They’re firmly committed to Brock Purdy as their long-term quarterback. I’ve been told the 49ers are still planning to negotiate a multi-year contract extension with Purdy this offseason, backing up the message they’ve consistently sent: “Purdy is our quarterback.”
Now, the big question is: How much will they pay him? Extending Purdy is definitely doable, but it will require some savvy salary cap moves and maybe a few roster adjustments in 2025.
And what about Kyle Shanahan? Despite this being the Niners’ worst season since 2020, Shanahan, in his eighth season with San Francisco, isn’t going anywhere. The mutual commitment between coach and franchise remains. Ignore all the rumors. The organization fully believes in his ability to lead the team forward, even after a rough year.
Call it a “Super Bowl runner-up hangover,” or just a down season, but the 49ers are sticking to their plan, betting on Purdy and Shanahan and hoping the skies clear soon.
GO DEEPER
Silver: This 49ers season is effectively over — and Kyle Shanahan bears plenty of responsibility
The coaching cycle gets ready to spin
The latest on three teams that have decisions to make after disappointing 2024 seasons…
Maye and Mayo will stick together: While there hasn’t been a public vote of confidence for the head coach from the Kraft family, Patriots leadership is standing by Mayo. Just as discussions about the next NFL hiring cycles heat up, team owner Robert Kraft has privately assured those close to him that he’s committed to giving his first-year head coach the time and resources he needs to grow into the role.
The organization understood from the start that this wouldn’t be seamless. Transitioning into a high-pressure role like this, especially following the legendary Belichick, comes with a steep learning curve, and mistakes were expected. The Krafts want to allow Mayo the opportunity to find his voice, establish his footing, and develop into the leader they believe he can be. The franchise knows they have their quarterback in Drake Maye, and his coach will be given a runway.
Browns want stability: Stefanski and general manager Andrew Berry aren’t going anywhere. After Browns owner Jimmy Haslam publicly expressed his support for both the head coach and GM in a conversation with ESPN, it’s clear the organization is standing by their leadership despite a disappointing 3-10 record this season. According to sources in Cleveland, the Browns believe Stefanski and Berry remain the right duo to guide the team forward. Leadership within the organization is focused on maintaining stability and giving them the opportunity to address the team’s challenges and improve. Barring any wild circumstances over the next few weeks, it’s a vote of confidence in their long-term vision, even in the face of a tough season. (The next big decision? What to do at QB1.)
McCarthy needs a big finish: Outside the Ritz-Carlton in Irving, Texas, Cowboys Executive Vice President and COO Stephen Jones wasn’t ready to give a public vote of confidence for McCarthy’s return in 2025 — or the possibility of a contract extension. When I asked, Jones said: “We have not made any decisions. We have four games left to play, and we need to look at the full body of work after the season.”
Around the league, speculation is swirling about McCarthy’s future, including from those looking for a chance to be the head coach of the Cowboys. Many believe the team’s performance in these final games will be critical, with some executives believing Dallas might stick with their “lame duck” coach if they see enough progress and the locker room support the coach has received continues.
Some key Cowboys players, including linebacker Micah Parsons and quarterback Dak Prescott, have been vocal in their backing of McCarthy. Both have emphasized the importance of stability and expressed their belief that he’s the right person for the job. It’s reminiscent of last year’s Las Vegas Raiders, where players rallied around interim head coach Antonio Pierce, making the case for him to stay.
One NFL executive (not with the Cowboys) believes: “It will be important for McCarthy to finish strong, for Jones to stand pat.”
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A different kind of Panthers
Carolina Panthers owners David and Nicole Tepper strongly believe they have the right leaders in place. The owners are sticking with their vision for the future, showing confidence in general manager Dan Morgan and head coach Dave Canales. Both will be back next season, and it’s easy to see why — ownership is thrilled by the steady growth of second-year quarterback Bryce Young, who’s starting to show off his special qualities. Tepper has a high standard, and losing close games to good opponents still isn’t good enough, but this team is trending in a different direction than it was just two months ago. Just look at this Sunday: For the first time in 33 games, the Panthers are walking into a matchup (against Dallas) as betting favorites. That alone is a big sign of progress. But what’s driving the optimism? Since Week 8, the Panthers are 2-3, and while that might not sound amazing, those three losses came by a combined 12 points.
The Panthers are now plus-1 in turnover margin on the season and are finally playing complementary football — they’re no longer beating themselves with costly mistakes, and that’s making a difference. But the real spark? Young. After losing his starting job to Andy Dalton earlier this season, Young has come back stronger and smarter. Over the past five games, he’s thrown five touchdowns to just two interceptions, showing he’s learned to make better decisions and manage the game more efficiently.
Perhaps even more impressive is how he’s handling the pocket. In those five games, Young has attempted 166 passes and has only been sacked six times. That’s a sign of improved confidence, faster reads and better pocket awareness. He’s getting rid of the ball when he needs to and scrambling when the situation calls for it. The time he spent watching from the sidelines clearly wasn’t wasted. It gave him a chance to reset and come back ready to take the next step.
Now comes a new challenge: Can the Panthers handle being the favorites? It’s a different kind of pressure, but if Young and this team keep building on their recent progress, they might just be ready to embrace it. The road ahead looks bright in Carolina, and the Teppers have this team on the right track. As one executive shared: “The Teppers are letting the football people do the football things.”
GO DEEPER
What Bryce Young has improved to look more like the QB the Panthers expected
Bills. Lions. The Game.
The Bills, led by superstar QB Josh Allen, are probably the one team that can go toe-to-toe with the Lions in a shootout. We know Buffalo has struggled on the road this year, but even in last week’s loss to the Rams, Allen nearly pulled off a win all by himself, accounting for all six of the Bills’ touchdowns.
The Lions are the league’s No. 1 scoring machine, with the Bills right behind them. One NFL team executive said he has eyes on the coaches in this matchup: “I am just watching to see: Will it be a gutsy Dan Campbell fourth-down dice roll that makes the difference, or a Sean McDermott clock-management decision that determines the outcome?”
The fireworks (or, maybe, heartbreak) will come down to the red zone, and both teams know it. The Bills also are most likely going to have to go on the road in the playoffs, so it’s not a bad time for their biggest road challenge of the season.
GO DEEPER
Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs can’t keep getting away with this. Or can they?
Sometimes it’s the move that isn’t made
Finally, I was talking to an NFL owner recently about how unpredictable this league can be, and he brought up a great point about the value of having leaders who stay calm and composed, no matter what, and no matter how difficult it can be for everyone involved. He used a perfect example: Remember when the Dolphins absolutely destroyed the Broncos 70-20 in 2023? At the time, it felt like a season-defining game — Miami looked unstoppable and Denver looked embarrassing — one that could shape the narrative for both teams.
But in the year-plus since, things haven’t exactly played out as you might have expected. Since that game, the Dolphins are .500 at 14-14 (including a playoff loss), struggling with consistency. On the other hand, the Broncos have bounced back with a vengeance, going 16-11 since. Instead of panicking, or making drastic coaching or roster moves after that blowout loss, the Broncos stayed the course, found their rhythm and turned things around.
It’s a classic NFL lesson. Heck, it’s a life lesson: The highs aren’t always as high as they seem, and the lows aren’t the end of the world. The key is finding leaders who can weather it all without losing their cool. That very principle will be put to the test in the coming weeks, as many owners face the tough decisions about whether to stick with their current coaches and general managers or make a change.
(Top photo of Bill Belichick: Jared C. Tilton / Getty Images)
