Packers hold out RT Zach Tom and Bears activate CB Kyler Gordon for playoff game The Associated Press CHICAGO
CHICAGO (AP) — The Green Bay Packers held out right tackle Zach Tom while the Chicago Bears activated cornerback Kyler Gordon prior to their wild-card playoff game on Saturday night.
Packers coach Matt LaFleur said early in the week he expected Tom to be available after missing the final three regular-season games. The fourth-year pro made 12 starts this season.
Gordon had been sidelined since Week 13 with a groin injury and was listed as questionable. He was limited to three games this season because of a hamstring injury and the groin issue.
A second-round draft pick by Chicago in 2022, Gordon has five interceptions and 17 passes defended in 45 games.
Chicago won the NFC North in coach Ben Johnson's first season after finishing last a year ago. Green Bay was second in the division.
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Stafford's late TD pass to Parkinson lifts the Rams past the Panthers 34-31 in tense playoff opener By STEVE REED AP Sports Writer The Associated Press CHARLOTTE, N.C.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Puka Nacua stepped into the huddle with the Los Angeles Rams trailing by four with 2:38 left, the home crowd roaring and his team's season on the line.
He never thought twice about losing.
“Never a doubt — No. 9 is with us,” Nacau said with a wide smile in reference to the team’s 37-year-old All-Pro quarterback, Matthew Stafford.
Stafford calmly led the Rams 71 yards by completing 6 of 7 passes — the only incompletion coming on a drop by Davante Adams — before capping it with a perfectly-placed 19-yard touchdown pass to Colby Parkinson with 38 seconds left, lifting the Rams to a dramatic, come-from-behind 34-31 win over the Carolina Panthers in the opening game of the NFL playoffs on Saturday.
Stafford finished 24 of 42 for 304 yards with three touchdown passes and an interception, while Nacua had 10 receptions for 111 yards and two total touchdowns as the Rams (13-5), who were 10 1/2-point favorites, advanced to the divisional round.
“You see him out there, he just has the best composure of anyone I have ever seen,” Parkinson said. “He knows that we are going to go make it happen and we completely trust him. ... I knew he was going to have to throw a back-shoulder ball — and that was a perfect ball. Like perfect. It couldn’t have been placed any better.”
Stafford credited his calmness to his 17 years of NFL experience.
“I have been in that spot a lot in my life — and I love that spot,” Stafford said. “I would rather be me having to go out there with our offense and do it then watch from the sideline. You can make it stressful or you can make it calm and collected, and think the latter is what we were today.”
Bryce Young threw for 264 yards and a touchdown and ran for another score for Carolina (8-10), which finished its second season under coach Dave Canales by losing four of its final five games.
Jalen Coker had career highs with nine receptions for 134 yards with a touchdown and Chuba Hubbard ran for 46 yards and two touchdowns as the Panthers lost in their first playoff appearance since the 2017 season.
“There is such a mix of emotions right now in the locker room, from guys being proud of what we accomplished and where we got, to being sick about the opportunity that was right there in front of us,” Canales said. “And that is going to sting.”
The Panthers, who beat the Rams 31-28 on this same field six weeks ago, fell behind 14-0 early but stormed back to take a 24-20 lead on Hubbard’s second touchdown of the run game early in the fourth quarter.
Stafford, who was selected as an All-Pro earlier in the day, led the Rams back down on the field and found Kyren Williams for a 13-yard touchdown to regain the lead.
Los Angeles appeared to be in charge after getting a stop on defense, giving Stafford the ball back.
But a holding penalty put the Rams behind the sticks and forced a punt, which Isaiah Simmons blocked to set the Panthers up the Rams 30.
Four plays later, Young found Coker in the left corner of the end zone for a 7-yard touchdown to give Carolina a 31-27 lead with 2:39 left, sending the crowd into a frenzy.
But the celebrations quickly turned to silence after Stafford gave the Rams the lead again.
Carolina’s last attempt to move into field-goal range ended when Jimmy Horn dropped a fourth-down pass from Young.
“Yeah, total team effort,” said Stafford, a leading candidate for league MVP after leading the league in yards passing and touchdowns. “Obviously had some mistakes along the way. I turned it over, we had a punt blocked, didn’t score before the half when we probably should have. So, a lot to clean up, but found a way to win it late.”
Carolina was hoping the return of former quarterback Cam Newton to Bank of America Stadium to hit the “Keep Pounding” drum before the game would give the Panthers a little extra mojo early, but things didn’t start well.
After the Rams' defense came up with a stop on fourth down at midfield on Carolina’s opening drive, Stafford quickly moved the offense downfield and found Nacua for a 14-yard touchdown over the middle for a 7-0 lead.
Nacua made it 14-0 on a 5-yard run following Young’s interception.
Carolina cut the lead 17-14 at halftime after a 1-yard touchdown run by Hubbard and a 16-yard scramble by Young, the second-longest TD run of his career.
The Rams had a chance to build on the lead, but Nacau dropped a potential third TD on a pass down the right sideline from Stafford just before halftime.
Rams coach Sean McVay admitted it wasn’t his team’s best effort and there is plenty to clean up this week.
“We are going to need to be able to play better if we expected to advance,” McVay said.
But Rams defensive lineman Kobie Turner said rectifying those mistakes is something that can be addressed on Sunday.
“There are no style points in the playoffs,” Turner said. “It's all about survive and advance.”
Stafford sets Rams mark
Stafford surpassed Kurt Warner for the most postseason passing yards and completions in Rams history.
Up next
Rams: Await their opponent in the divisional round.
Panthers: Season over.
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Bears linebacker T.J. Edwards carted off with left ankle injury vs. Packers The Associated Press CHICAGO
CHICAGO (AP) — Bears linebacker T.J. Edwards was carted off the field with a left ankle injury in the first half of Saturday night's playoff game against the Green Bay Packers.
Edwards went down early in the second quarter after his left foot got caught up with the leg of Packers receiver Christian Watson and bent awkwardly. He was fitted with an air cast before he was carted away.
The Bears said Edwards would not return.
The 29-year-old Edwards was limited to 10 games during the regular season because of injuries. He returned an interception 34 yards for a touchdown in Chicago's 42-38 loss at San Francisco on Dec. 28.
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Carolina Panthers believe they 'aren't the same old' team after close playoff loss to LA Rams By STEVE REED AP Sports Writer The Associated Press CHARLOTTE, N.C.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — There were plenty of questions about how the Carolina Panthers would fare in the postseason.
They repeatedly missed opportunities down the stretch to wrap up the NFC South, only to back into the playoffs with a losing record on the final day of the regular season.
Las Vegas oddsmakers sure didn't believe in the Panthers. Carolina entered the week 200-1 longshots to win the Super Bowl — by far the lowest of any of the 14 teams in the postseason — and a 10 1/2-point home underdog to the Los Angeles Rams in Saturday's wild-card game, according to BetMGM Sportsbook.
But the Panthers proved they were indeed playoff worthy — nearly pulling off a stunning upset.
“We just showed people that we aren’t the old Panthers,” cornerback Mike Jackson said.
They took the high-powered Rams to the brink of elimination before All-Pro quarterback Matthew Stafford pulled out a late 34-31 victory with a 19-yard touchdown pass to Colby Parkinson with 38 seconds left, allowing Los Angeles to move on to the divisional playoffs and abruptly end Carolina's season.
After the game, there was a mixture of pride and pain in the locker room. But above all, there was optimism and hope.
“This is the new standard now. We're going to be a playoff team," defensive lineman and team captain Derrick Brown told his teammates.
“A lot of people didn’t give us a chance,” Jackson said. "I think the spread was something crazy. So, we just showed people who we are, and we got a lot to build on.”
The biggest question entering this season was whether Bryce Young was the right guy to lead the franchise.
The No. 1 pick in 2023 showed he doesn't lack heart, leading six winning drives in the fourth quarter or overtime. He now has 12 in the past three seasons, more than anyone named Josh Allen, Patrick Mahomes or even Stafford, who denied Young No. 13.
It wasn't always pretty this season for Young, but there's clearly something to build on.
He overcame an early interception Saturday and completed 21 of 40 passes for 264 yards, including a well-placed 7-yard touchdown pass to Jalen Coker with 2:39 left to put the Panthers ahead 31-27. He also fearlessly ran for a 16-yard TD.
“He just showed who he is, man,” Jackson said. “A lot of people talk about how little he is, how he can’t get it done, and it’s just like, he doesn’t listen to it. He is a silent killer, and I love that about him.”
The Panthers finished 8-10 overall, but took a big step — a year before most in and around the organization thought they would be competitive.
It might not have unfolded the way they wanted it to by losing four of five to close the season, but the Panthers snapped a seven-year playoff drought and dethroned four-time NFC South champion Tampa Bay to win their first division title in a decade.
“There is such a mix of emotions right now in the locker room, from guys being proud of what we accomplished and where we got, to being sick about the opportunity that was right there in front of us,” second-year coach Dave Canales said. “And that is going to sting.”
“I didn’t want it to end,” Young said. “It’s a super special group of guys in the locker room. I’m super proud of the way guys responded to adversity.”
There will be mistakes that will be questioned this week, too.
— Why did the Panthers appear to give the Rams receivers so much cushion on Stafford's winning drive?
— Why were they unable to advance the ball a single yard on their final drive with 38 seconds left and three timeouts remaining?
Despite it all, this will go down as a season of growth for a young team.
And the future appears bright.
“They’re really creating a beautiful culture here. Guys are bought in,” safety Nick Scott said. “Hopefully, they will continue to be here and good things will happen in the future.”
Injuries
After the game, Canales said starting left tackle Ickey Ekwonu suffered a significant right knee injury in the first quarter that caused him to leave the game. The extent of the injury was not immediately known, but it's possible it could impact Ekwonu's availability for training camp.
Cornerback Jaycee Horn was not on the field for the Rams' final offensive drive after leaving with a concussion, his second of the season. ___
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No, he wasn't just holding back: Sean Payton's candid take on Broncos' offensive struggles By ARNIE STAPLETON AP Pro Football Writer The Associated Press ENGLEWOOD, Colo.
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — Yes, Sean Payton would prefer to blame the Denver Broncos' stagnant offense on facing two backup quarterbacks whose teams were intent on keeping Bo Nix from running up the score.
“Yeah, I'd like to say that, but honestly, you guys know me well enough, we're going to have to play better,” the Broncos head coach said Friday after a spirited practice he compared to OTA days with the starters squaring off.
After losing 34-20 to Jacksonville at home on Dec. 21, snapping their 11-game winning streak , the Broncos won at Arrowhead Stadium for the first time since 2015 when they beat the Chiefs and their third-string quarterback 20-13 on Christmas night.
With Justin Herbert and several of his teammates sitting out Week 18, the Broncos beat the Los Angeles Chargers 19-3 but didn't score an offensive touchdown , going 0 for 3 in the red zone.
Still, those two victories helped secure the top overall seed in the AFC playoffs and the lone first-round bye that comes with it. They'll face the lowest remaining seed after wild-card weekend in the divisional round next week.
The popular narrative around Broncos Country is that Payton held back over the last two weeks with conservative calls and vanilla gameplans so as not to show anything to opponents heading into the postseason.
“I'd love to say that we pulled a bunch back, but the tape from last week wasn't really good offensively,” Payton said. “Wasn't great in Kansas City, either. It was good enough to win that game. But no, we've got to be sharper. As we get to these next games here we're going to see good teams that can score and we're going to see (stingy) defenses.”
That's why the Broncos didn't just go through the motions Friday when they reconvened after a 72-hour break to rest their minds and bodies following a 14-3 season.
“I said to them, ‘Look, I don’t want to go out and just fill in today, or just fill in time. I'm going to be honest with you, our third-down numbers bother me on each side of the ball,'" Payton recounted. "We can improve in that area.
“These games are going to come down to the 2-minute. I want those to be competitive, all right? And then I really want to work our red zone offense and defense.”
So, the Broncos didn't practice with the Chargers, Steelers, Texans or Bills in mind — those are the four teams they could face first in the divisional round — but were focused on execution and effort.
“Yeah, I was a little salty last week,” Payton said, referencing some harsh words he had for a columnist who made a wisecrack at his postgame news conference. “It wasn't just (the columnist). I was just salty.”
Payton is of the mindset that the biggest benefit to having the top seed is having to win just two games to reach the Super Bowl instead of three. Still, the rest and four days off were much needed and appreciated.
“It was good,” right tackle Mike McGlinchey said. “It was great to get rest and be able to chill out and enjoy some family time this week. My wife and I are about 2 1/2 weeks away from our second (child), so it's nice. We're nesting a little bit. But, no, it was good. Got the body right, get some treatment, get some workouts in during the week and then today was good, clean, get to kind of knock the rust off, get some long individual work in and then compete a little bit.”
McGlinchey concurred with his coach that the film review was uncomfortable and chock full of caveats.
“First and foremost, the obvious thing is executing in the red zone,” he said. “You've got to turn field goals into touchdowns and that's how you win games, especially this late in the year and especially as you go through the playoffs. Got to be better on third down — by being better on first and second down. ... We've just go to clean up details and we'll be fine."
After another similar practice Saturday, the Broncos will return to work either Monday or Tuesday, depending on when their first game is.
“You play great teams in the playoffs, that's the bottom line,” McGlinchey said. “It doesn't matter who we play. Whoever's going to come to town here is going to be a great challenge for us and we'll cross that bridge when we get there.”
NOTES: Payton said he expected ILB Dre Greenlaw (hamstring) to return during the playoffs, but added he wasn't ready to make a prediction about the return of RB J.K. Dobbins from Lisfranc foot surgery.
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Washington Commanders are promoting David Blough to offensive coordinator By STEPHEN WHYNO AP Sports Writer The Associated Press
David Blough is the new offensive coordinator for the Washington Commanders , rising from his previous job as assistant quarterbacks coach just a few years removed from being a backup QB in the league.
The Commanders announced the 30-year-old Bough's promotion on Saturday.
Blough, who never has called plays in the NFL, takes over the offense under head coach Dan Quinn and replaces former offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury , who agreed to part ways with the team earlier in the week after Washington finished the season with a 5-12 record.
Quinn still needs to replace fired defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr. and offensive line coach Bobby Johnson, and now also will need to find a quarterbacks coach and assistant quarterbacks coach.
Keeping Blough in the fold as OC, rather than potentially watching him leave for the same position with the Detroit Lions or elsewhere, helps Washington give star quarterback Jayden Daniels some continuity going into his third NFL season.
Daniels, the reigning AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, dealt with a series of injuries to his left knee, right hamstring and left elbow this season before being shut down in December. He played in only seven games as the Commanders took a major step back after going 12-5 in the regular season and making it all the way to the NFC title game a year earlier.
Blough worked under QBs coach Tavita Pritchard during Daniels’ standout rookie year in 2024, then filled in this past year after Pritchard was hired by Stanford as its coach.
As a player, Blough was a quarterback at Purdue in college and then appeared in nine games in the pros — going 0-7 as a starter — with the Lions and Arizona Cardinals from 2019-22.
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Down 50 pounds, Liam Coen’s personal transformation mirrors Jacksonville’s dramatic turnaround By MARK LONG AP Pro Football Writer The Associated Press JACKSONVILLE, Fla.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Liam Coen remembers sitting in his new Jaguars office last January, crushing energy drinks and stuffing his face with junk food while trying to put together a coaching staff.
It was a stressful time for sure. Long days that stretched into late nights, and Coen admittedly started making unhealthy choices.
“It wasn’t pretty,” Coen quipped.
Jacksonville’s top executive, Hall of Famer Tony Boselli, took notice and essentially asked Coen if he was planning on becoming one of those overweight, out of shape football coaches who can barely move on the sidelines.
It was harsh and honest enough to grab Coen’s attention. Nearly a year later, Coen’s personal transformation mirrors his team’s evolution . The NFL coach of the year candidate has lost roughly 50 pounds while leading a turnaround that ranks among the most impressive in league history .
Edgy, energetic and extremely competitive, Coen undoubtedly sets the tone for the scrappy and surprising Jaguars (13-4).
The 40-year-old play caller is widely praised for his communication skills, whether he’s in the team meeting room or on the headset. He’s the driving force behind a team that’s averaging 32.8 points during its eight-game winning streak. And he’s been instrumental in quarterback Trevor Lawrence’s rise from middling starter to budding superstar.
He’s also considered a master motivator who finds ways to keep his guys feeling overlooked and underappreciated.
It’s not hard in Jacksonville, which landed only a long-snapper in the Pro Bowl after winning its most games since 1999 and opened as a home underdog against Buffalo (12-5) in their AFC wild-card matchup Sunday despite the Bills having not won a road playoff game since January 1993.
“He’s in it with us,” cornerback Jourdan Lewis said. “He’s in that foxhole with us. You can feel it every day. He wants to win as bad as any of us.”
It shows. Coen wears his emotions on his sleeve, unafraid to express himself.
He vented at Lawrence following a less-than-ideal pass in Week 2, threatened to fight San Francisco defensive coordinator Robert Saleh later that month for suggesting his staff steals signs, took exception to Denver coach Sean Payton calling Jacksonville a small-market team (even though it's true) and has turned more egregious slights into bulletin board material.
“He’s a player’s coach, but he knows when to be tough at the same time,” veteran receiver Tim Patrick said.
Coen brings 'the juice’ after wins
His postgame speeches have become must-see events , with most of them starting with the coach walking into a winning locker room and waiting for everyone to quiet down before enthusiastically thrusting his fist through the air and setting off a raucous celebration.
“I’m surprised he hasn’t thrown out his shoulder," Lawrence said. "It's funny seeing the juice when he comes in there. Guys get fired up about that. It’s become kind of his thing. It gets us going.”
It's been going for two months now. The Jaguars have won every game since the worst collapse in franchise history, a 36-29 stunner at Houston in early November. That agonizing loss, in which Jacksonville blew a 19-point lead in the fourth quarter, remains a painful reminder of the need to play four quarters.
It's considered a catalyst for the team's turnaround. Jacksonville is the third team in NFL history to win 13 or more games a year after losing 13 or more.
‘It’s all about us'
Coen, meanwhile, is one of seven NFL head coaches to win 13 or more games in his debut season. He inherited a talented team that was filled with dysfunction — the coaching staff and the front office pointed fingers at every turn in 2024 — and quickly convinced guys they had a chance to be special.
“For one, it’s all about us,” left tackle Cole Van Lanen said. “Everything we do, we’re not worried about the outside. At the end of the day, it’s about what we’re doing and who we are as a group.
“I don’t want to say the word culture, but it's really turning this group into a way where we play for each other, and we all have our minds on an ultimate goal as one. It’s been a blast.”
Coen gets a lot of credit for his play-calling acumen — he sticks to the ground game, schemes receivers open and hunts mismatches — and for unlocking Lawrence, who has accounted for 24 touchdowns (19 passing and five rushing) during the winning streak and recorded the two highest passer ratings of his five-year career. Lawrence finally looks like the generational quarterback the Jags thought they were getting when they drafted him first overall in 2021.
All of it has led to conversations about Coen being the franchise’s best coach since Tom Coughlin — after just 17 games.
Coen patterns his style after another playoff coach
Coen grew up in Rhode Island, played quarterback at UMass and then turned to coaching after a brief stint as an arena league backup. He got his big break when Los Angeles Rams coach Sean McVay hired him in 2018.
Coen took detailed notes during his time with the Rams and has been trending upward since, with two college stops at Kentucky before landing back in the NFL with Tampa Bay. The Buccaneers had one of the league’s most potent offenses under Coen.
He has taken Jacksonville to similar heights. The keys: Being consistent, truthful and direct with players, which has helped Coen navigate trading starting cornerback Tyson Campbell early in the season, benching receiver Dyami Brown and left tackle Walker Little midway through the year and reducing the roles of several others, including defensive linemen Maason Smith and Emmanuel Ogbah.
“As you’re building, you just have to make sure you’re doing right by the whole place and putting the best 11 out there,” Coen said. “Individual success is extremely important to us. You want every player to get what they truly deserve and earn.
“But it has to come back to the team first. Ultimately, everything we’re trying to do is for that.”
Almost everything. Coen has completely changed his diet and rarely misses a workout. He's in his best shape in years — just like the franchise.
“For our leader to have that juice and energy, it gives us juice and energy as well,” tight end Brenton Strange said. “It makes us want to fight for him and fight for the organization and fight for everybody in the building even more."
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2025 NFL All-Pro Team: See who made the roster By The Associated Press The Associated Press
The Associated Press 2025 NFL All-Pro team selected by a national panel of 50 media members:
First team
Offense
Quarterback — Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams
Running Back — Bijan Robinson, Atlanta
Fullback — Kyle Juszczyk, San Francisco
Wide Receivers — Puka Nacua, Los Angeles Rams; Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Seattle; Ja’Marr Chase, Cincinnati
All Purpose — Christian McCaffrey, San Francisco
Tight End — Trey McBride, Arizona
Left Tackle — Garett Bolles, Denver
Left Guard — Joe Thuney, Chicago
Center — Creed Humphrey, Kansas City
Right Guard — Quinn Meinerz, Denver
Right Tackle — Penei Sewell, Detroit
Defense
Edge Rushers — Myles Garrett, Cleveland; Will Anderson Jr., Houston; Micah Parsons, Green Bay
Interior Linemen — Jeffery Simmons, Tennessee; Zach Allen, Denver
Linebackers — Jack Campbell, Detroit; Jordyn Brooks, Miami
Cornerbacks — Derek Stingley Jr., Houston; Quinyon Mitchell, Philadelphia
Slot cornerback — Cooper DeJean, Philadelphia
Safeties — Kyle Hamilton, Baltimore; Kevin Byard, Chicago
Special Teams
Placekicker — Will Reichard, Minnesota
Punter — Jordan Stout, Baltimore
Kick Returner — Ray Davis, Buffalo
Punt Returner — Chimere Dike, Tennessee
Special Teamer — Devon Key, Denver
Long Snapper — Ross Matiscik, Jacksonville
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Second team
Offense
Quarterback — Drake Maye, New England
Running Back — James Cook, Buffalo
Fullback — Patrick Ricard, Baltimore
Wide Receivers — George Pickens, Dallas; Amon-Ra St. Brown, Detroit; Chris Olave, New Orleans
All Purpose — Bijan Robinson, Atlanta
Tight End — Kyle Pitts, Atlanta
Left Tackle — Trent Williams, San Francisco
Left Guard — Quenton Nelson, Indianapolis
Center — Aaron Brewer, Miami
Right Guard — Chris Lindstrom, Atlanta
Right Tackle — Darnell Wright, Chicago
Defense
Edge Rushers — Brian Burns, New York Giants; Danielle Hunter, Houston; Aidan Hutchinson, Detroit
Interior Linemen — Leonard Williams, Seattle; Cameron Heyward, Pittsburgh
Linebackers — Devin Lloyd, Jacksonville; Ernest Jones IV, Seattle
Cornerbacks — Patrick Surtain II, Denver; Devon Witherspoon, Seattle
Slot cornerback — Derwin James, Los Angeles Chargers
Safeties — Jessie Bates III, Atlanta; (asterisk)-Talanoa Hufanga, Denver; (asterisk)-Xavier McKinney, Green Bay
Special teams
Placekicker — Brandon Aubrey, Dallas
Punter — Michael Dickson, Seattle
Kick Returner — Kavontae Turpin, Dallas
Punt Returner — Marcus Jones, New England
Special Teamer — Del’Shawn Phillips, Los Angeles Chargers
Long Snapper — Andrew DePaola, Minnesota
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(asterisk)-tied for second-team spot
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Matthew Stafford, Myles Garrett, Puka Nacua and Jaxon Smith-Njigba lead the 2025 Associated Press NFL All-Pro Team The Associated Press NEW YORK
NEW YORK (AP) — Matthew Stafford, Myles Garrett, Puka Nacua and Jaxon Smith-Njigba lead the 2025 Associated Press NFL All-Pro Team.
Former quarterback Matt Ryan to lead search for Falcons' new coach and GM as president of football By CHARLES ODUM AP Sports Writer The Associated Press ATLANTA
ATLANTA (AP) — The Atlanta Falcons on Saturday named former longtime quarterback Matt Ryan to the newly created role of president of football.
Ryan, who holds most of the team's passing records after he spent 14 years as the starter, was announced to the new role after interviewing on Friday.
Ryan will be responsible for leading the search for the Falcons' new coach and general manager. Each new hire will report directly to Ryan, who will leave his role as NFL analyst with CBS.
Falcons owner Arthur Blank on Thursday confirmed the team's interest in Ryan. The team interviewed candidates for only two days before hiring Ryan.
Ryan was the Falcons' starting quarterback from 2008-21 and was named the 2016 NFL MVP after leading the team to the Super Bowl. He holds most of the team’s major passing records, including yards, touchdown passes and completions, and he retired following one season with the Indianapolis Colts.
“Arthur gave me the chance of a lifetime almost twenty years ago, and he’s done it again today,” Ryan said in a statement released by the team. “While I appreciate the time I had with the Colts and with CBS, I’ve always been a Falcon. It feels great to be home."
The Falcons have scheduled a news conference with Ryan on Tuesday.
Blank said Thursday he believed Ryan was qualified for the job despite his lack of front-office experience because of his high football IQ. Blank said in a statement Saturday that Ryan's “leadership, attention to detail, knowledge of the game and unrelenting drive to win made him the most successful player in our franchise’s history.”
Added Blank: “I am confident those same qualities will be a tremendous benefit to our organization as he steps into this new role. From his playing days to his time as an analyst at CBS, Matt has always been a student of the game, and he brings an astute understanding of today’s NFL, as well as unique knowledge of our organization and this market. I have full confidence and trust in Matt as we strive to deliver a championship caliber team for Atlanta and Falcons fans everywhere.”
The Falcons fired coach Raheem Morris and general manager Terry Fontenot last weekend, hours after the completion of an 8-9 season. It was the team's eighth consecutive losing season. It will be Ryan's challenge to help direct the team to its first playoff appearance since 2017.
“I could not be more excited, grateful, or humbled by this new opportunity,” Ryan said. "I began my career with a singular goal: to do right by the Blank family, the Falcons organization, the city of Atlanta, and especially our fans. My commitment to the success of this franchise has not changed. I’m beyond ready to help write a new chapter of excellence.”
David Berson, CBS Sports president and CEO, congratulated Ryan in a post on social media.
“We couldn't be happier for Matt,” Berson said. “Becoming the president of football with the same organization he once guided as an MVP quarterback is an incredible opportunity. Matt is an outstanding teammate, leader and friend and we thank him for his time at CBS Sports. We know he'll bring the same level of excellence to this new role that defined his playing career and his time with us.”
Ryan acknowledges there will be an adjustment in his new job.
“My history with this team speaks for itself, and I’m really grateful for it, and the great relationship I’ve been lucky to have with Arthur and his family,” Ryan said. “I also recognize this side of football is not where I’ve come up. I’ve played, I’ve commented, but I haven’t directly operated. I think I’m humble enough to recognize there will be some baptism by fire, but I’m ready for that.
"I know I’ve got great resources and partners throughout this organization and I’m fortunate to have mentors across the league. That said, I do understand the weight of a role like this — I’ve lived it. I have confidence in the perspective my years as a player and a team leader give me. This is not a new table; it’s just a new seat.”
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