LOS ANGELES — Many of the answers provided by coach Jim Harbaugh and general manager Joe Hortiz in their Wednesday news conference were purposely ambiguous, offering minimal insight into what the Chargers would prioritize in the upcoming offseason.

Between their nonanswers, however, Harbaugh and Hortiz did what they could to emphasize one ...Read more

ALLEN PARK, Mich. — Authenticity is in demand these days.

The Detroit Lions are, too.

So it only makes sense that this is the year Aaron Glenn, the Lions’ defensive coordinator, should finally land a head coaching job.

The 52-year-old Glenn is long overdue for an opportunity, and after interviewing for openings across the league in each ...Read more

PHILADELPHIA — A.J. Brown was not on the practice field at Lincoln Financial Field on Wednesday as the Eagles began their on-field preparations for their divisional-round playoff game vs. the Los Angeles Rams.

No, he didn’t play hooky and go to a Barnes & Noble. The Eagles are continuing to manage Brown’s lingering knee injury in a ...Read more

PITTSBURGH — Steelers president Art Rooney II has settled for high-end mediocrity as the franchise calling card. He apparently will not make a coaching change.

The Steeler Way is to barely exceed chronically low expectations and either miss the playoffs or get blown out of the first round.

If Rooney is afraid of becoming the Jets, Raiders or...Read more

BALTIMORE — Diontae Johnson is a Raven again. No, that’s not a typo.

The 28-year-old wide receiver, who was released by both the Ravens and Houston Texans in a matter of weeks after being frustrated by a lack of involvement in the offense on both teams, was claimed off waivers Wednesday by Baltimore in what is considered a procedural ...Read more

NEW YORK — Seven of the eight quarterbacks starting the NFL’s divisional playoff round were first-round picks.

Two were No. 1 overall picks in their respective NFL drafts. Four of the eight were picked either No. 1 or No. 2 overall.

Six of the eight were taken in the top 10. And the other first-rounder is the Baltimore Ravens’ Lamar ...Read more

SEATTLE — To the decision-makers in Chicago, New York, Jacksonville, New Orleans, Las Vegas and Dallas:

Yes, you need to hire a coach.

But that's just the beginning.

What do you need, really? It's not someone who simply installs a system, steps back and waits for wins. It's not the latest budding branch on somebody else's tree. It's not ...Read more

PHILADELPHIA — The last time a Ram stood this little chance, it was standing on a mountaintop in front of Abraham and an Angel of the Lord. One thing we learned from Monday night's neutral-site wild-card finale: The Eagles would go Old Testament on both of these teams. Unfortunately, they ended up drawing the team that isn't starting Sam ...Read more

PITTSBURGH — One of the first dominos to fall in the Steelers' offseason will be whether 36-year-old quarterback Russell Wilson will return.

Another is what to do with George Pickens, their talented but mercurial receiver who is entering the final year of his contract.

Those are two important decisions for general manager Omar Khan, but for ...Read more

TAMPA, Fla. — Remember Arthur Smith?

In 2020, he was a hotshot offensive coordinator with the Titans. Had the No. 4 scoring offense in the NFL at age 39 when he was hired to be the head coach in Atlanta. Three consecutive 10-loss seasons later, the Falcons fired him.

Surely, you remember Josh McDaniels.

Back in the day, he was the smartest ...Read more

ALLEN PARK, Mich. — At first glance, it looks favorable. The opponent in the Detroit Lions’ playoff opener is a postseason novice with a rookie quarterback, a franchise just now emerging from a two-decade identity crisis.

At second glance, you see the sizzling highlights of Jayden Daniels, Washington’s precocious and elusive quarterback, ...Read more

NEW YORK — Jerry Jones won’t hire Deion Sanders as the Dallas Cowboys’ next head coach.

At least no one will believe it until Sanders puts pen to paper and high-steps back into The Star.

That’s because while Jones loves publicity, he and the ’Boys like control even more.

They like the appearance of being Wild West Cowboys that would...Read more

PITTSBURGH — "That's the plan," Russell Wilson said Monday at UPMC Rooney Sports Complex for Steelers' locker clean out day when asked about returning to the team in 2025.

I get that. I just don't agree with it.

Plans change. Context matters. And so should goals loftier than 10 wins, making the playoffs and getting crushed. Bringing Wilson ...Read more

BALTIMORE — The Ravens’ AFC divisional round playoff game against the Bills on Sunday night could be history in the making.

Barring the Texans upsetting the top-seeded Chiefs on Saturday, either Buffalo or Baltimore will get a chance to defeat Kansas City, which is seeking to become the first to win three straight Super Bowl titles.

It ...Read more

MINNEAPOLIS — An investor named Bill Hwang once lost $20 billion in two days.

Almost as much as Sam Darnold lost in the last week.

American historians called the economic disaster beginning in 1929 “The Great Depression.”

That’s because they never sat amid Vikings fans at 5 a.m. at Sky Harbor Airport in Phoenix after Darnold scuttled ...Read more

PHILADELPHIA — Lincoln Financial Field is known for being an intense environment to play in. But at Sunday’s Eagles-Packers game, a man was caught on camera taking that too far.

Packers fan Alex Basara of Chester County (Pa.) posted a video of an Eagles fan using language that is not fit to print berating his fiancée in the upper deck of ...Read more

DETROIT — The Detroit Lions will welcome back an important member of their offense at practice this week.

Running back David Montgomery (knee) and cornerback Terrion Arnold (foot) were listed as full participants on Tuesday's practice report. The team held a walkthrough to begin the week of preparation for Saturday night's prime-time meeting ...Read more

LOS ANGELES — Kobie Turner calls them "get-back" games.

The Rams' defensive end is talking about redemption, not regression. He doesn't want to get back to where the team was when it lost by 17 to the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 12. He wants to get back at the Eagles for one that got away.

"We were able to get our get-back on Arizona when ...Read more

DENVER — Coach Sean Payton raged at Vance Joseph on the sideline in Buffalo.

But even after the Bills stampeded the Broncos in the second half of a 31-7 loss at Highmark Stadium on Sunday, the 35,000-foot view still tells us the defense is not Denver’s problem.

If the Broncos are going to take the next step in the AFC, they will go only as...Read more

SEATTLE — With the Seahawks not sniffing the postseason, it's fair to ask who Washington's football team is right now.

And the answer is simple: Washington.

No, not those Dawgs donning purple and gold. It's those Commanders in our nation's capital.

It's understandable if folks in our state want to sit out the NFL playoffs because of the ...Read more