“I took a lot of pride in what we did,” he said on Pardon My Take. “I took a lot of pride in this season. I thought, honestly, as a coaching staff, it might have been our best job this year coaching this team. I thought we did a great job. But it wasn’t good enough in terms of getting us where we needed to get for whatever reason.”

Harbaugh’s last campaign with the Ravens ended with a record of 8 wins and 9 losses, far from the initial aspirations. Now, a new challenge awaits him with the Giants, where he will seek to get back to the Super Bowl.

No regrets over the firing

Harbaugh’s tenure with the Baltimore Ravens was highly successful. Despite this, his final season sealed what seemed like an endpoint for the relationship, leading to the head coach’s dismissal at the end of the campaign.

“If the job’s not getting done, it’s not good enough, they’ll make a change,” Harbaugh said. “I really wasn’t worried about it ever, keeping the job. I felt like at some point in time if they felt like I wasn’t the best guy for the job to do the job then they’re going to put me out of a job, and that’s what they should do if they feel that way.”

Harbaugh’s numbers with the Ravens

John Harbaugh led the Baltimore Ravens for 18 seasons until his departure in early 2026. He compiled a regular-season record of 180 wins, 113 losses, and 0 ties.

His postseason success was equally notable, totaling 13 wins and 11 losses in the playoffs. The pinnacle of his tenure came in 2012, when he guided the franchise to a victory in Super Bowl XLVII, defeating the San Francisco 49ers with a 34–31 score. He also finished his time in Baltimore as the winningest coach in the team’s history.

Can he lead the Giants to the Super Bowl?

The New York Giants are officially entering a new era with John Harbaugh as head coach and Jaxson Dart leading the offense. Harbaugh has taken the reins in East Rutherford with the clear goal of returning the G-Men to the Super Bowl for the first time since February 2012.

Throughout its storied history, the franchise has secured four Super Bowl titles (1986, 1990, 2007, and 2011). Now, the focus is on building around Dart’s dual-threat talent to bring a fifth Lombardi Trophy to New York and end the team’s long championship drought.

“The only thing better than one Super Bowl is two,” the wide receiver revealed to the press. It won’t be an easy task, as they now have a target on their backs, and the other 31 teams will be looking to take that privileged spot away.

In recent days, Smith-Njigba became the highest-paid wide receiver in NFL history. Starting in Week 1, he’ll have to justify the immense trust his franchise placed in him with this new contract on the field.

A dream 2025 for Smith-Njigba

Jaxon Smith-Njigba’s 2025 breakout campaign was nothing short of legendary, as he spearheaded the Seahawks‘ offense with a record-breaking performance. The star wideout led the NFL with a staggering 1,793 receiving yards and set franchise highs with 119 receptions and 10 touchdowns, earning him the league’s Offensive Player of the Year honors.

His impact reached its peak during Super Bowl LX, where his elite route running and gravity on the field dismantled the New England Patriots’ secondary. By drawing constant double-teams, JSN opened up the field for his teammates and came up clutch with several third-down conversions, ultimately proving to be the catalyst in Seattle’s decisive 29–13 victory to secure the Lombardi Trophy.

New offensive teammate in Seattle?

Looking ahead to next season’s roster, the Seattle Seahawks want to keep the bar high. Bringing in veteran leadership is seen as essential.

According to insider Ian Rapoport on X, the player who recently met with the franchise was none other than Najee Harris. The former Steelers star could land with Mike Macdonald’s team, though he’s also scheduled to interview with the Las Vegas Raiders.

The list includes many high-profile names: Rob Gronkowski, Antonio Brown, Ali Marpet, and Ryan Jensen have stepped away from the game. On the defensive side of Bruce Arians’ team, there are also a few cases.

Ndamukong Suh, William Gholston, and Steve McLendon are perhaps the most impactful names on this list of former players. Arians, leading from the sideline, is also no longer coaching in the league.

There are also two particular cases: Jason Pierre-Paul signed in December 2025 to join the team’s practice squad after being without a team for a long time, but he didn’t retire. Leonard Fournette, another notable player, hasn’t played in a while but also hasn’t officially announced his retirement.

Historic day for the Bucs

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers made history by becoming the first team to ever play—and win—a Super Bowl in their own home stadium, dominating the Kansas City Chiefs with a final score of 31-9. Tom Brady was named the game’s MVP after throwing three touchdown passes, securing his record-breaking seventh championship ring.

A unique fact from the evening is that due to COVID-19 restrictions, the stadium was filled with a mix of 25,000 live fans and 30,000 cardboard cutouts to create a full-crowd atmosphere, making it the least-attended yet most visually unique Super Bowl in NFL history.

Heroes still in Tampa Bay

Although most of the championship roster has moved on, a few key survivors of Super Bowl LV are still anchoring the team in 2026. Defensive tackle Vita Vea continues to dominate the line of scrimmage, while Antoine Winfield Jr. remains the heart of the secondary.

On the offensive side, cornerstone tackle Tristan Wirfs and veteran wideout Chris Godwin are the last standing pillars of that historic 2020 starting unit still wearing the red and pewter.

David’s farewell

After a successful 14-year career playing at the elite level, Lavonte David brought his NFL stint to an end. His words reflect this turning point in his life.

“It’s time,” David started. “I’ve been playing football since I was 6 years old. Thirty years straight of football. I never missed a year. A lot of time, man. When it’s time, when you know, you know.

“I always wanted to be a guy who wanted to retire on my own terms. Right now is the perfect opportunity for that. I give glory to God for me to be able to play football for this long.”

“…I know it’s the end goal bringing me in is the Lombardi Trophy, so everything we do to bring a ring back to this city is what I’m going to do,” the cornerback revealed via nbcsports.com.

His arrival to Los Angeles came at a very high cost in terms of the four draft picks that the Rams decided to offer Kansas City in return. It will ultimately be a matter of seeing at the end of the next NFL season whether it was worth it.

McDuffie’s championship rings

McDuffie played a pivotal role in the Chiefs’ back-to-back championships, securing titles in Super Bowls LVII and LVIII. As a shutdown corner, he combined elite coverage with high-impact production, recording 13 total tackles and a forced fumble across his first two Super Bowl appearances.

His ability to neutralize top receivers and provide versatility in the secondary made him an indispensable asset during Kansas City’s historic championship run alongside stars such as Patrick Mahomes.

The Rams’ last Super Bowl title

Sean McVay‘s Rams secured their latest NFL title with a thrilling 23-20 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals in Super Bowl LVI. Playing at their home, SoFi Stadium, the Rams relied on a late-game connection between Matthew Stafford and MVP Cooper Kupp, who caught the game-winning touchdown with just 1:25 remaining.

Kupp finished the night with 8 receptions for 92 yards and 2 touchdowns, while the defense, led by Aaron Donald’s two sacks, held firm to clinch the franchise’s second Super Bowl trophy.

McDuffie’s versatility

Although Trent McDuffie is considered one of the best at his position in the league, the former Chiefs player sent a clear message to his new coach regarding his role on the field.

“It don’t matter where you put me,” he said. “I’ll play safety. I’ll put my hand in the dirt. Like, I hope I don’t have to. But, really, I’m just out here wanting to play ball, you know. And no matter where you put me, I’m going to work, day in and day out, to make sure that I do my job at a very high level, and that’s the guy you’re getting.”

Will the Rams add more reinforcements?

Once the news broke that the Philadelphia Eagles indicated that trading AJ Brown seemed inevitable, the Los Angeles Rams emerged as one of the main contenders.

Agreeing to bring in the wide receiver could force the franchise to make additional moves, given that they also have stars of the caliber of Puka Nacua and Davante Adams. Although negotiations are reportedly on pause, Brown’s arrival to the West Coast could provide a significant boost to Stafford’s offense.

According to Connor Hughes of SNYtv, the Giants are monitoring “Seattle’s Kenneth Walker or Notre Dame’s Jeremiyah Love.“ The Giants want to push strongly for free agents, and that includes Walker, who won Super Bowl MVP a month ago. Love is the best RB prospect in the draft, so that would be a hit too for the Giants.

This report may sound surprising. However, it aligns with the news that Harbaugh has defined the team’s offensive approach for next season. Still, it’s a confusing matter when you see that the Giants already have Cam Skattebo and Tyrone Tracy on the roster. Especially on the Skattebo side, since he was stellar during his rookie season, though he suffered a gruesome ankle injury.

Kenneth Walker III might be too tempting

Not only did Walker win Super Bowl MVP, he also had an incredible campaign and is entering free agency this offseason. He had 1,027 yards with five touchdowns, and that was with him having just 50% of the snaps in 2025. Walker’s elusiveness, speed, and power set him apart as a unicorn running back.

However, Skattebo had 410 yards and five touchdowns in only five starts last season. Unless Harbaugh wants to use a committee with Walker and Skattebo, there is not room for both backs. Given how strongly Walker ended the season, he will be getting a big paycheck, one that will be to heavy to pay for a guy on a committee.

The Giants already had a strong running game

Since Skattebo didn’t start the season as the RB1 and suffered a season-ending injury, some might think the Giants rushing offense was not great. However, it was. The Giants ranked as the fifth-best rushing offense in 2025, averaging 129.1 yards per game.

Running back Isiah Pacheco is hitting unrestricted free agency, and Jesse Newell of The Athletic reports that he is considered “likely” to join another NFL team in the open market.

Pacheco, who turns 27 in March, is free to explore his options for 2026 as his rookie deal expired last season. Selected in the seventh round of the 2022 NFL Draft out of Rutgers, he’s been a key member of the Chiefs RB room, contributing to two Super Bowl victories.

Isiah Pacheco might be heading for Chiefs exit

That said, injuries stood in his way in the last two years, and 2025 was particularly tough for the Chiefs’ running game. Kareem Hunt led the team with only 611 rushing yards, followed by Pacheco with just 462 and Mahomes with 422.

The fact that the quarterback produced almost the same numbers as the starting running back speaks for itself. While it shows how much danger Mahomes can produce with his legs, it also proves that Pacheco had a bad year.

We’re still talking about a player who helped Reid and Mahomes win the Super Bowl in 2023 and 2024, which is why thinking about a change might be difficult. And even after a poor 2025, his name will still draw interest in free agency, along with other Chiefs players out of contract.

How the Chiefs could replace Pacheco

We’ll have to wait and see whether the Chiefs make an effort to bring him back, or if Pacheco seeks a bigger contract elsewhere. Either way, Reid and Mahomes will have options to bring a new running back if needed.

Free agency will allow the Chiefs to entertain the idea of pursuing a big name, with the likes of Kenneth Walker III, Breece Hall, and Travis Etienne running out of contract. The 2026 NFL Draft could also provide an opportunity to take a new prospect at the position, just like they did with Pacheco in 2022.

Prior to the 2025 NFL season, Carr informed the Saints that he would retire from football. A few months later, the veteran quarterback appears eager to return, but only if a legitimate Super Bowl contender shows interest.

However, there is bad news for the signal-caller. According to Mike Florio of NBC, not only have the Saints not received an offer from a contender, they have not received any offer at all to acquire Carr’s rights.

Derek Carr may have to lower his standards

During this offseason, Carr has repeatedly stated that he wants another chance to win a Super Bowl. However, that opportunity may not come as a starting quarterback, as he likely hopes.

At the moment, true Super Bowl contenders do not have pressing needs at quarterback — which is part of the reason they are contenders. On top of that, Carr has not played in over a year, and his last season was far from his best.

As things stand, Carr seems to have three options: remain retired, join a Super Bowl contender as a backup, or sign with a team that has potential and attempt to turn it into a contender with his arrival.

Following news of his possible return, rumors linked him to multiple teams. Some reports even suggested he could have competed with Aaron Rodgers for a spot with the Minnesota Vikings. However, it now appears that teams are either not interested or unwilling to offer him the role he expects.

Derek Carr needs the Saints’ help

When Carr informed the Saints of his retirement decision, the NFC South franchise placed him on the reserve/retired list. That designation means New Orleans still holds his rights, and any interested team must negotiate with the Saints to acquire him.

One possible reason no team has inquired about Carr is the potential cost. Franchises may be unwilling to surrender a draft pick or player in exchange for a quarterback coming out of retirement.

For that reason, Carr may need to approach the Saints’ front office to explore the possibility of a release, which would clear a simpler path for him to sign with any team willing to take a chance on his comeback.

With Rodgers weighing all his options on his NFL future, there isn’t much the Steelers can do but wait. In the meantime, they can focus on other positions on the offensive side of the ball.

In that regard, running back Kenneth Gainwell—who joined the Steelers in 2025, one year removed from his Super Bowl LIX conquest with the Philadelphia Eagles—is now a top priority. As GM Khan admitted, the Steelers have shown their hand to Gainwell’s agent.

“Omar Khan said he’s spoken with Kenneth Gainwell’s agent and ‘he knows we want him back’,” as reported by Mike DeFabo of The Athletic.

Aaron Rodgers is set to make a decision on NFL future

The 2026 NFL offseason is just beginning. There is plenty of time for teams to work things out and put together strong rosters to chase the Vince Lombardi Trophy. However, the Steelers would much rather take care of some pieces of business as soon as possible. Chief among them is figuring out who their starting quarterback will be next season.

If only it were that simple. With Rodgers, it usually isn’t. Pittsburgh has learned its lesson, so it knows better than to force A-Rod’s hand. For the time being, the Steelers can give the future Hall of Famer some space.

Although Rodgers is among the top candidates in the NFL’s free agent quarterbacks class in 2026, there are plenty of options for the Steelers to pursue if the future Hall of Famer opts to steer in a different direction—whether that be retirement or a new destination.

One receiver already sent a message to the team, but Smith-Njigba’s message almost seems like a warning. Speaking to Jonah Javad of WFAA, JSN admitted he wants to be the highest-paid wideout in the NFL.

“I know my time is coming and when we get it done it’s gonna be a great deal. God’s timing is perfect timing… I think I deserve to be the highest-paid at my position, just what I give to the game and the community, I give it my all. And I think that’s worth a lot, lot more.” Smith-Njigba said. “I would play this game for free, I love this game so much, but you don’t have to. I’m learning to be a good businessman, and we need that check at the end of the day.”

The Seahawks offense must remain untouched

The Seahawks lost Klint Kubiak to the Raiders already, so they will change offensive coordinator. However, it’s imperative for them to keep their offensive personnel as untouched as they can. With JSN knowing his contract is next, as well as running back Kenneth Walker III and WR Rashid Shaheed going into free agency. Hence, it’s go time for the Seahawks front office.

Sam Darnold is the only one under contract, at least for two more years. Hence, at least the quarterback is locked and loaded to run it back. Crucial days are coming for the Seahawks right now. After all, JSN, Walker, and Shaheed were all instrumental for the Seahawks win.

The Seahawks must take advantage of Darnold’s contract

Darnold is the 18th-highest paid quarterback in the NFL. Hence, that leaves the Seahawks with plenty of room to operate. That’s why they have the sixth-most cap space. Hence, the Seahawks must be eager and willing to spend the money if that means keeping their Super Bowl roster intact.

Isiah Pacheco will not receive a contract extension and, although Kareem Hunt was key in short-yardage situations, the Chiefs need a star who can take some of the offensive burden off Patrick Mahomes.

Although Jeremiyah Love could be an option through the 2026 NFL Draft, the reality is that there will be very attractive players in free agency with proven experience. Now, a very interesting name appears likely to be available.

Chiefs could sign Kenneth Walker III

The Chiefs will have a real opportunity to sign Kenneth Walker III after a report from Adam Schefter confirmed that the Seattle Seahawks will not use the franchise tag on the running back.

“The Seattle Seahawks are unlikely to use either a franchise or transition tag on running back and Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III, league sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The Seahawks have multiple free agents that they want to retain and sign, and the team would also try to extend the contract of wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba.”

Walker was a key piece for the Seahawks in winning the Super Bowl, but they would not be willing to pay him top money on the market. If the Chiefs make the necessary financial adjustments to the roster, he could be a very attractive option. It is worth noting that in recent weeks, there has also been much talk about Breece Hall, but it is still unknown what the Jets will do with him. The door will be open for a big splash.

For WR/Returner Rashid Shaheed, coming back to Seattle is the priority. Shaheed appeared on The Insiders podcast and said what he wants. “Conversations are definitely going to be heating up towards March. But you know, I would love to come back. I loved my experience here, I’m loving the Pacific Northwest, and obviously the organization is second to none. I kind of want to run it back. We just won the Super Bowl, so, you know, why not?”

Shaheed was instrumental for the team’s success. Not only did he become the deep threat of the team and helped Sam Darnold, he also was stellar as a returner on special teams. Shaheed’s impact on the roster can’t be overstated.

The Seahawks should bring him back

The Seahawks have $62 million in salary cap space, which is the sixth-highest in the NFL. Bringing back Shaheed, who is not an expensive player, should be a priority. Shaheed earned Pro Bowl honors this year for his special teams’ output.

As a receiver, he had 59 catches for 687 yards and two touchdowns, which is a very nice output for a guy who is the third option in the depth chart. As a returner, he had 786 yards for two touchdowns. Hence, Shaheed ended with 1,542 all-purpose yards in 2025.

Shaheed was key for the Seahawks in must-win games

Shaheed turned the tide in Week 16 against the Rams. He housed a punt return that shifted the momentum of the game in Seattle’s favor, and then went to have a rush for 31 yards that almost killed the game. That pretty much sealed Seattle as the first seed in the NFC.

During the playoffs, he returned the opening kick all the way to the endzone and instantly put the 49ers in a world of trouble. It was a knockout blow in the first play of the game. In the Super Bowl, he had two receptions that ended in first downs for the Seahawks as well. The Seahawks really need him back as he is an absolute threat to opposing teams.