HEADLINES

Steelers Place LT Broderick Jones On Season-Ending IR; CB Asante Samuel To Make 2025 Debut

November 30th, 2025 at 10:39am CST by Nikhil Mehta

NOVEMBER 30: Jones’ neck injury is more serious than originally thought, per Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. He will be miss the remainder of the season as a result.

NOVEMBER 29: The Steelers placed left tackle Broderick Jones on injured reserve and elevated cornerback Asante Samuel Jr. from the practice squad for Sunday’s game against the Bills, per a team announcement.

The 2023 first-round pick will miss at least four games due to his IR placement. His earliest return would come in Week 17 against the Browns.

Jones suffered a neck injury during Pittsburgh’s Week 12 loss to the Bears. Six-year veteran Calvin Anderson closed out the game, but head coach Mike Tomlin said on Saturday that Andrus Peat would take over blind side duties in Week 13.

Jones, 24, started the Steelers’ first 11 games of the season, allowing six sacks and 23 pressures in 356 pass-blocking opportunities, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required). His 95.9 pass block efficiency is not much better than his 95.3 marks in the previous two season.

Peat will start at left tackle in the meantime. He has barely played in the last two years, but started 11 games at left tackle in New Orleans in 2023. He allowed two sacks and 30 pressures in 459 pass-blocking opportunities, per PFF, suggesting he can be a solid but unspectacular fill-in for Jones.

Samuel, 26, will make his 2025 debut against the Bills He was cleared from offseason spinal fusion surgery at the beginning of November and signed with the Steelers after taking visits with a number of teams. Sunday’s game will be Samuel’s first action in over a year and the Steelers are entering Week 13 with a relatively healthy cornerback room. As a result, he may not see much action, though Pittsburgh may try to get him in the game so he can reacclimate to the field. That would also give the Steelers a chance to evaluate Samuel and see what he can contribute for the rest of the year.

Vance Joseph’s Head Coaching Stock Rising; Broncos DC Discusses Future

November 30th, 2025 at 10:08am CST by Rory Parks

Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph, who also served as the team’s head coach from 2017-18, interviewed for the Raiders’ and Jets’ HC posts in this year’s carousel. While he did not appear to be a serious contender for either job, an October report suggested he would be back on the head coaching radar in a more meaningful way in 2026, and Mike Klis of 9News confirms as much.

According to Kils, Joseph is the candidate who has been mentioned most frequently with respect to one of the HC vacancies in the upcoming cycle. After working as the Cardinals’ defensive coordinator from 2019-22, the 53-year-old joined Sean Payton’s first staff in Denver in 2023. Although his ‘23 unit finished near the bottom of the league in terms of both total defense and points per game, his 2024-25 defenses have been among the NFL’s best.

As Klis notes, Joseph is particularly well-regarded for his ability to create pressure on opposing quarterbacks, which is perhaps the most important attribute of a defense in the modern game. The Broncos have amassed a league-leading 112 sacks in the past one-and-a-half seasons, which is one of the reasons why Joseph is expected to generate so much HC interest (he has already been connected to the Titans’ vacancy).

When asked earlier this week about the attention his work has earned, Joseph predictably downplayed his HC aspirations while acknowledging that working under Payton has provided him with valuable insight as to how to “fix” a team (which is similar to what Commanders offensive coordinator and former Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury, Joseph’s ex-boss, recently said about working under Dan Quinn).

“It’s flattering, but my second time through the process, or my third or fourth time through the process, I don’t think about it,” Joseph said. “I really don’t because I know it’s about winning. Everyone wants to hire winners. They want to hire someone who’s fixed something. And there’s no better example than what we’ve done here the last three years. Being with Sean Payton helped my learning with how to fix a team.”

Joseph posted a disappointing 11-21 record in his two seasons as the Broncos’ bench boss, but Denver’s quarterback situation during that time left much to be desired. Additionally, Joseph’s team was 6-6 in 2018 before injuries to Pro Bowlers Chris Harris and Emmanuel Sanders helped key a four-game skid to close that season.

As of the time of this writing, the 9-2 Broncos are just a half-game behind the Patriots for the AFC’s No. 1 seed. Naturally, Joseph indicated his attention is focused on his team’s postseason push, and he said he will be happy to return to Denver if he does not land an HC job in 2026.

“The key is to win. And not worry about the process,” he said. “It’s the Broncos’ season right now and that’s my focus, honestly. If it happens, I’ll be happy. And if it doesn’t, I’m still going to have a good job. I have good players. I’m in a great city. I have no worries, honestly.”

His accomplishments aside, there could be another reason for the buzz around Joseph. As our Sam Robinson recently wrote in a subscribers-only piece, the would-be 2026 crop of offensive-minded HC talent (like Kingsbury) has not generated much momentum in 2025, which could make teams more inclined to consider defensive-oriented candidates.

Commanders WR Terry McLaurin To Return In Week 13; Latest On QB Jayden Daniels

November 30th, 2025 at 9:51am CST by Adam La Rose

NOVEMBER 30: Both Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network (video link) and ESPN’s Adam Schefter note that Daniels has not been cleared for contact yet and is officially out for Week 13. While Daniels could suit up in Week 14 and has expressed his desire to do so (per Schefter), it remains unclear 1) whether he will be medically cleared; and 2) if the team will believe it is worth the risk to put him back on the field for the stretch run of a lost season.

NOVEMBER 28: The Commanders are not in position to contend for a playoff spot in 2025, but they could be much closer to full strength on offense down the stretch. Receiver Terry McLaurin is in line to make his return on Sunday.

“I plan to play as much as I can and as much as they’ll allow me to,” McLaurin said (via ESPN’s John Keim). “It’s really encouraging to hear from my teammates and coaches that they don’t feel like I’ve missed a step. I just have a confidence about myself.”

McLaurin was available for the first three games of the season before suffering a quad injury. His next game action came in Week 8, and he aggravated the issue. That has resulted in by far the most missed time in the seven-year veteran’s career while dealing a blow to Washington’s offense. The Commanders sit at 3-8 on the year ahead of a primetime matchup with the Broncos.

A return to the postseason in 2025 is not in store as a result, but Washington’s outlook for the coming weeks would receive a boost with McLaurin back in the fold. The two-time Pro Bowler topped 1,000 yards every year from 2020-24, something which helped land him a $29MM-per-year extension in August. Expectations for the McLaurin-Jayden Daniels connection will remain high for the foreseeable future, and that duo could be back on the field together shortly.

Daniels is set to miss Week 13, but his recovery from an elbow injury is ongoing. The 2024 Offensive Rookie of the Year has returned to practice, setting up a potential return for next week. The possibility of shutting Daniels down for the remainder of the season has been raised, and ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler confirms team and player have engaged in “big-picture conversations” about returning this late in a lost season. For now, though, a return as early as Week 14 can be expected.

Both Daniels and receiver Noah Brown – who was designated for return from IR on Monday – were full participants in yesterday’s practice. As such, they could soon rejoin McLaurin in game action, something which would give the Commanders a rare instance of offensive availability in 2025.

Bucs WR Jalen McMillan Expected To Begin Practicing This Week

November 30th, 2025 at 9:37am CST by Rory Parks

A recent report suggested Buccaneers wide receiver Jalen McMillan is close to seeing regular season game action for the first time in 2025, and Sunday brought more good news in that regard. As Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network writes, McMillan has received clearance from a spine specialist and is expected to begin practicing this week.

McMillan had a strong rookie showing in 2024 but has been on injured reserve since the current season began due to a neck injury he sustained in an exhibition contest in August. Originally described as a “severely strained neck,” we subsequently learned the second-year pro was also dealing with a fracture in his neck, although the ligament issue (the strain) was actually more problematic and was what forced McMillan to wear a brace.

In a follow-up to Rapoport’s story, Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times added that McMillan actually suffered three fractures in his neck while reiterating that the strain was the more significant concern. In any event, the Bucs surely will be happy to open McMillan’s practice window, which will give them 21 days to activate him or shut him down for the rest of the season. Obviously, the fact that they are planning to have him return to practice suggests they are optimistic about his ability to play.

And his return will be especially welcome for a 6-5 team that has dealt with major injury concerns this season and that has just a half-game lead in the NFC South as of the time of this writing. McMillan’s fellow wideouts, Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, have combined to play in just seven games in 2025, and while Godwin returned to action on a pitch count in Week 12, Evans remains on the shelf with a broken clavicle (though he is also expected to return soon). RB1 Bucky Irving is set to return in Week 13 after a lengthy absence, and starting quarterback Baker Mayfield was unable to finish the Bucs’ Week 12 loss to the Rams due to a sprained AC joint (he will nonetheless play in Week 13).

For a time, it appeared Tampa Bay would easily capture its fifth straight division title, but a three-game losing streak has kept the Panthers (6-6) and even the Falcons (4-7) alive in the NFC South race. The Bucs appear to be getting healthy at the right time, and they may soon have the loaded WR corps they expected to field when they selected Emeka Egbuka in the first round of this year’s draft. 

Egbuka has played well in his rookie campaign, and a WR contingent comprised of him, Evans, Godwin, and McMillan, to go along with Irving and Rachaad White in the offensive backfield and Mayfield under center, will make the Bucs a tough out in the playoffs if they should qualify.

Steelers QB Aaron Rodgers To Return In Week 13

November 30th, 2025 at 7:00am CST by Nikhil Mehta

NOVEMBER 30: While Rodgers is indeed playing in Week 13, he is doing so with at least three fractures in his wrist, per Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network. One of those is a more significant break that can only occur as a result of considerable force.

As Rapoport adds, howerver, since Rodgers’ bones are fractured but are not displaced, and since he is able to tolerate the pain, he can play. His willingness to do so has reportedly increased the respect the locker room has for him.

NOVEMBER 28: Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin announced (via ESPN’s Brooke Pryor) that quarterback Aaron Rodgers will return from a one-game absence and start on Sunday against the Bills.

“Full participant today, no injury designation Sunday. All systems go,” Tomlin said.

Rodgers went down in the Steelers’ Week 11 win over the Bengals with a fracture in his left (non-throwing) wrist. He was hoping to suit up in Week 12, but ultimately sat out to avoid further damage to his wrist. Mason Rudolph got the start instead and could not get the win over the Bears. A strong Pittsburgh running game racked up 186 yards and two touchdowns on the ground, but Rudolph only passed for 171 yards despite completing 24 of his 31 passes. To be fair to Rudolph, the Steelers defense allowed 31 points, but they also produced a score of their own, so the offense was only responsible for 21 of the team’s 28 points.

The Steelers will hope that Rodgers’ return will help them against the Bills’ top-ranked pass defense. Buffalo has allowed just 168.2 passing yards per game this year, the lowest in the league, though they have struggled against the run. Between Rodgers’ injury and a Steelers offense that has been stronger on the ground, they may lean on their rushing attack on Sunday.

A win on Sunday would put Pittsburgh one game ahead of Baltimore in the AFC North after the Ravens’ loss to the Bengals on Thursday night. But a more severe injury to Rodgers’ wrist could put the rest of their season in jeopardy. The Bills have a 25.1% pressure rate, a 10.6% knockdown rate, and a 7.9% sack rate, all top 10 marks in the league, while the Steelers’ 21 sacks allowed are the ninth-fewest in the league. Their offensive line will need to continue their success on Sunday afternoon to keep Rodgers safe.

Lack Of Momentum Behind Offensive Candidates Could Shape 2026 HC Carousel

November 29th, 2025 at 10:02pm CST by Sam Robinson

The NFL's upcoming coaching carousel lacks a Ben Johnson- or Mike Vrabel-level presence. Barely a month out, no slam dunks look to be heading to the upcoming market. The makeup of said market also figures to create some complicated decisions among ownership and, in certain situations, within front offices.

A breakdown of the NFL's offensive coordinator list does not reveal a candidate on Johnson's level or even where Shane Steichen was as a 2023 HC aspirant. Flaws and negative stock fluctuations abound among this year's OC ranks. Some of the coordinators for successful teams are unrealistic candidates, and the some of the NFL's top-shelf quarterbacks are tied to play-callers whose value has not climbed since rides on the 2025 HC carousel.

Hiring an offensive-oriented coach represents the most logical path to sustained success. A glance at recent Super Bowls highlights this path. That team's quarterback, in most cases, will not lose his play-caller if an offense-based candidate is hired. That creates vital stability. QB success has provided teams a playoff fast-pass for ages, while defense carries more volatility. Having your HC be the offensive play-caller is not a must-have, as the Eagles have shown by advancing to Super Bowls with two different OCs under CEO leader Nick Sirianni. Then again, this Eagles period also show the value of a long-running play-caller.

The performances of Kevin Patullo and Brian Johnson have underwhelmed, with the former (Jalen Hurts' fifth play-caller as a pro) commanding a cascade of boos in Philadelphia's Black Friday loss to Chicago. The value Ben Johnson has brought the Bears reinforces how a proven play-caller with leadership chops can change a franchise's direction.

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Lions C Frank Ragnow Fails Physical, Will Not Play In 2025

November 29th, 2025 at 10:00pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

Lions center Frank Ragnow failed his physical and will not play in 2025, per a team announcement.

Detroit’s medical team found a Grade 3 hamstring strain that will prevent Ragnow from completing his comeback attempt after retiring this offseason. Head coach Dan Campbell said that Ragnow informed the team about the injury, prompting further evaluation. That revealed a more severe injury that immediately eliminated the chance of Detroit’s longtime center playing this season.

Ragnow, 29, came out of retirement after the Lions’ suffered multiple injuries along their offensive line. Left guard Christian Mahogany broke his leg in Week 9 and could be out until the new year. Center Graham Glasgow did not play on Thanksgiving due to a knee injury.

Mahogany has been replaced by Kayode Awosika, while Trystan Colon filled in for Glasgow on Thursday. If Ragnow had returned, he would have taken over at center and moved Glasgow to left guard, his spot in 2024, once he was healthy.

Ragnow would have been a boost to the Lions’ offensive line. Though the unit is not exactly struggling, the injuries have left them without their preferred options. Ragnow, a four-time Pro Bowler, has been one of the league’s best centers for the last several years. In his last five seasons, he allowed just four sacks and earned a 90.0 grade from Pro Football Focus (subscription required) three times.

Instead, the Lions will have to stick with Awosika, Colon, and Glasgow to fill their left guard and center spots. The first has only played guard, but the latter two line up at both spots, giving Detroit a few potential combinations. Rookie Miles Frazier came off the non-football injury list this week and could get a look as well. He primarily played right guard in college, but spent time at left guard in 2022 and would likely step in there.

As for Ragnow, his age indicates that he could try again in 2026, but his initial retirement was partially driven by the injuries he suffered throughout his career. His only full season came in 2020. Since his comeback was foiled by another injury, he may take it as confirmation of his initial decision.

Campbell said that nothing had been discussed regarding Ragnow’s future, per Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press.

Nick Sirianni Backs Kevin Patullo, Will Not Change Offensive Play-Caller

November 29th, 2025 at 9:19pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

Despite the Eagles’ offensive woes, head coach Nick Sirianni has no intention of taking play-calling duties away from OC Kevin Patullo.

“We’re not changing the play caller, but we will evaluate everything,” Sirianni said after Philadelphia’s 24-15 loss to the Bears (via Zach Berman of The Athletic). “It’s never just about one person. You win as a team, you lose as a team, and you try to evaluate everything, win, lose or draw and get better from it.”

But Eagles fans do not agree. Chants of “Fire Kevin” rang out at Lincoln Financial Field on Friday as Philadelphia’s offense converted only four of their 12 third downs and turned the ball over twice. The Bears finished with a massive advantage in rushing yards (281-87), number of plays (85-51), and time of possession (39:18-20:42). But Sirianni does not think Patullo is the problem.

“I know it will keep coming back to Kevin, but again, if I thought it was one thing, then you make those changes,” Sirianni said. “Obviously, it’s a lot of different things, but I don’t think it is Kevin. Now, we all have a part in it. Kevin has a part of it. I have a part of it. All the coaches have a part of it. All the players have a part of it.”

However, Patullo’s offense is the Eagles’ worst in years. Currently, the unit are ranked 19th in points and 24th in total yards, which would be the franchise’s worst finishes since 2020. That, of course, was Doug Pederson‘s last year in Philadelphia before Sirianni took over the top job. In other words, this is the Eagles’ least productive offense in the Sirianni era.

Patullo is also the Eagles’ fourth coordinator in four years. After running Sirianni’s offense for the first two years of his tenure, Shane Steichen took the Colts’ head coaching job in 2023 and was replaced by Brian Johnson. But Johnson’s offense sputtered in the second half of the season and only put up nine points in a wild card loss to the Buccaneers. Kellen Moore took over in 2024, and he put together a dominant offense that fueled the Eagles’ playoff run, especially in the NFC Championship Game and the Super Bowl. He was hired as the Saints’ next head coach, and Patullo was promoted from pass game coordinator to OC.

As a result, Sirianni may be hoping that he can weather the storm with Patullo in the hopes that the 44-year-old coach can bounce back by the rest of the season. That would prevent Sirianni from finding another offensive coordinator and, ideally, allow Patullo to learn from his initial mistakes and put together a stronger campaign next year.

Raiders HC Pete Carroll Heavily Influenced Offense During Chip Kelly’s Tenure

November 29th, 2025 at 9:18pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Raiders have fired two coordinators this month, including OC Chip Kelly. His brief Vegas tenure fell well short of expectations to say the least.

Despite giving Kelly $6MM per year to return to the NFL, the Raiders moved on in the immediate aftermath of a dismal loss against the Browns in Week 12. The team is tied for last in the NFL in scoring (15 points per game) and finding success on the ground has been a major challenge despite the presence of sixth overall pick Ashton Jeanty. Further details have emerged regarding the dynamic between Kelly and head coach Pete Carroll.

Many expected Kelly to receive a long leash in terms of handling the offense considering his contract and his track record at the NFL and college levels. As Ian Rapoport of NFL Network writes, however, Vegas’ offense in 2025 has been far different than any unit Kelly has led before. That is an illustration of the influence Carroll has yielded during his first year with the Raiders.

Per Rapoport, Kelly was “miffed” at the extent to which Carroll was “heavy-handed” with his role in directing the offense. Much of Vegas’ attack, opposing defensive coordinators have observed, has closely resembled what was in place during Carroll’s final season in Seattle. The Super Bowl-winning coach carrying over elements of his Seahawks schemes was always expected when he took the Raiders gig, but things have certainly not gone according to plan so far.

Trade acquisition Geno Smith reunited with Carroll this offseason. He has thrown an NFL-worst 13 interceptions, leading in large part to the 35-year-old posting a lower passer rating than any of his five Seahawks campaign. The coming Raiders offseason will once again be dominated by questions at the quarterback position. There is also a chance Carroll’s tenure could be in doubt even after one year in place.

Minority owner Tom Brady – well known to be a major voice in the Raiders’ decision-making – reportedly played a leading role in the Kelly hire. It will be interesting to see how Brady, owner Mark Davis and general manager John Spytek proceed with respect to Carroll’s status. That, in turn, will largely determine the team’s offensive coordinator for 2026.

Greg Olson will handle play-calling duties for the remainder of the season, one in which the Raiders would be expected (given their 2-9 record) to increasingly turn their attention to developing younger players. Largely speaking, that has not been the case to date with rookies other than Jeanty yet to receive major workloads. Rapoport notes there has been a “disconnect” based on Carroll’s mandate to compete right away and the reality of where Vegas stands in terms of talent on the roster.

The Raiders have lost five straight games, and they are among the teams which could be eliminated from playoff contention tomorrow. Moving forward, how (or if) Vegas manages to rebound on offense – along with Carroll’s impact in that regard – will be a storyline worth following.

Minor NFL Transactions: 11/29/25

November 29th, 2025 at 8:28pm CST by Adam La Rose

Here are Saturday’s minor moves around the NFL, including gameday elevations for the remainder of Week 13:

Atlanta Falcons

Buffalo Bills

Cleveland Browns

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

Minnesota Vikings

New York Jets

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

The Vikings brought back Desmond Ridder as quarterback insurance with J.J. McCarthy concussed. Ridder joined the team’s practice squad, and he will not dress for Minnesota tomorrow. Instead, it will be Wolford handling backup duties while undrafted rookie Max Brosmer makes his first career start.

Diggs returned to Seattle earlier this week. The veteran will receive the opportunity to play right away during his second stint with the Seahawks. Diggs earned three Pro Bowl nods during his first run in Seattle, and he will look to provide depth in the secondary with a familiar team down the stretch.

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