• By the end of last season, Antonio Pierce had rallied the Las Vegas Raiders during a successful stint as interim coach and got the chance to replicate that success as the permanent head coach this season.
• He couldn’t.
• The Raiders started 2-12 and it was clear that the Pierce experiment wouldn’t last another season. Pierce was fired on Tuesday afternoon, according to the NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
• For more, read here.
• The San Francisco 49ers are parting with defensive coordinator Nick Sorensen, according to multiple reports. He’s the second coordinator let go by the 49ers after they fired special teams coordinator Brian Schneider on Monday.
• San Francisco’s decline on defense played big role in its disappointing 6-11 season. After ranking third in the NFL allowing 17.5 points per game in 2023, the 49ers allowed 25.6 points per game in 2024, good for 29th in the league.

Nick Sorensen won’t return as the #49ers defensive coordinator in 2025, per league source. Niners ranked 29th in NFL in points allowed after they were third in 2023.

— Eric Branch (@Eric_Branch) January 8, 2025

• Despite candidates like Mike McCarthy being off the table, the Chicago Bears are interviewing a wide range of potential head coaches. Reportedly among those is former Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll, with the Bears planning to interview the Super Bowl-winning coach on Thursday, per ESPN’s Dan Graziano.

Bears plan to interview former Seahawks coach Pete Carroll for their vacant head coach job Thursday, sources tell me and @JFowlerESPN

— Dan Graziano (@DanGrazianoESPN) January 8, 2025

• One day after requesting permission to interview Mike McCarthy, the Bears have reportedly gotten their answer from the Cowboys: a firm no, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

ESPN Source: The Dallas Cowboys denied permission to the Chicago Bears to interview their head coach Mike McCarthy.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 8, 2025

• Despite his job with Fox and the fact that he’ll call the Super Bowl in just a few weeks, Tom Brady will play a role in the Raiders’ search to find a replacement for Antonio Pierce. He will reportedly be part of the process interviewing candidates.
• Brady owns a piece of the Raiders, and will how have to deal with a clear conflict of interest as he calls his first playoffs as an analyst.
• For more on Tom Brady’s role in the Raiders’ search, click here.
• Daniel Jones is officially on the Vikings’ active roster. Jones, who was released by the New York Giants earlier this season after losing his job as the starter there, was moved up to the Vikings’ active roster on Tuesday.
• Jones will now back up Sam Darnold throughout the playoffs, starting on Monday when they travel to Southern California and take on the Los Angeles Rams. As a result, the Vikings waived quarterback Brett Rypien on Tuesday.
• For more on Daniel Jones’ move with the Vikings, click here.
• Good news for the Lions. Starting cornerback Terrion Arnold is considered day-to-day with a foot contusion after being carted off the field during Sunday’s season-finale win over the Vikings, NFL Network reports. X-Rays on his foot were negative.
• A first-round rookie, Arnold started 15 games during the regular season. He tallied 10 passes defended and 60 tackles while allowing a 55.6 completion percentage on 90 targets thrown in his direction.
• Arnold’s status is a relief in Detroit for a Lions defense that’s been decimated by season-ending injuries to key players, including Pro Bowl pass rusher Aidan Hutchinson. Detroit secured the No. 1 seed in the NFC despite those injuries, and Arnold will have an extra week to recover thanks to the Lions’ first-round bye in the playoffs.

#Lions first-round CB Terrion Arnold, who was carted off the field on Sunday night, is now considered day-to-day with a foot contusion, sources say.

X-Rays were negative and Arnold did tell @davebirkett, “I’m playing” after the game. Further testing showed that’s possible. pic.twitter.com/dDk0muBPtc

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 7, 2025

• The Titans have the No. 1 pick in the upcoming 2025 NFL Draft, but a new general manager will be in charge of making it. The team announced Tuesday morning that they have fired GM Ran Carthon just two years into a six-year contract.
• Head coach Brian Callahan will stay on.
• Read more here.

The Bears will interview former Titans head coach Mike Vrabel tomorrow, per source.

— Doug Kyed (@DougKyed) January 7, 2025

The #49ers have fired special teams coordinator Brian Schneider, sources tell ESPN.

— Nick Wagoner (@nwagoner) January 7, 2025

• Ezekiel Elliott is headed to the playoffs after all. The longtime Cowboys running back has signed a deal to land on the Los Angeles Chargers’ practice squad ahead of the postseason.
• The goal, according to the NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, is to get him ready quickly and hopefully join their active roster. The Chargers will take on the Texans in the first round on Saturday.
• Add another candidate to the Bears’ head coaching search. The team has requested to interview David Shaw, currently a personnel executive with the Broncos and former Stanford head coach.

The #Bears have requested to interview former #Stanford coach and currently #Broncos Senior Personnel Executive David Shaw for their vacant HC position, source said.

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 7, 2025

• Shaw coached Stanford for 12 seasons, compiling a 96–54 record with five first-place finishes in the Pac-12 North division. NFL quarterbacks Andrew Luck and Davis Mills were among the players he developed. Shaw also had assistant coaching stints with the Eagles, Raiders and Ravens before joining Jim Harbaugh’s staff as offensive coordinator, also coaching wide receivers and running backs.
• The Saints are also reportedly interested in interviewing Shaw, according to NFL Network’s Jane Slater.
• The Colts are sticking with Shane Steichen next season, but he’ll have a new defensive coordinator. The team fired Gus Bradley on Monday afternoon.
• Bradley spent the last three seasons as the team’s defensive coordinator.
• “I’m appreciative of Gus and the commitment he made to the Colts,” Steichen said in a statement. “He is a man of great character, and I have the utmost respect for him. I felt like we needed to move in a different direction. I wish Gus and his family all the best moving forward.”
• Rex Ryan is not only confident he’s going to become the next head coach of the Jets, but he believes he can reign in Aaron Rodgers.
• “If he’s back, it ain’t gonna be the country club, show up whenever the hell you want to show up,” Ryan said. “That ain’t gonna happen. I’ll just leave it at that.”
• Click the photo to read more about Rex Ryan and his potential future with the Jets organization. (David Buchan/Variety/Penske Media via Getty Images)
• The search for a new Chicago Bears coach is on in earnest with the conclusion of the NFL’s regular season, and it reportedly includes a surprising new candidate.
• Per ESPN, the Bears have requested permission from the Dallas Cowboys to interview their head coach Mike McCarthy. Per the report, the Bears are now awaiting a response from the Cowboys and owner Jerry Jones.
• For more, read here.
• The Lions are off this week and will play the winner of the Vikings/Rams wild card game in the divisional round.

The #Saints requested an interview with #Lions DC Aaron Glenn for their head coaching job, per source.

A former New Orleans assistant, Glenn was the runner-up for the job last time. The #Bears and #Jets requested him too.

— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) January 6, 2025

• Quarterback Jalen Hurts remains in concussion protocol as the Philadelphia Eagles prepare for Sunday’s wild-card game against the Green Bay Packers.
• Head coach Nick Sirianni told the media on Monday that Hurts is still in the protocol following the concussion he sustained early in the Eagles’ Week 16 game against the Washington Commanders. He missed the remainder of the game, which the Eagles lost, and didn’t play in Week 17 or 18. Kenny Pickett filled in for Hurts in Week 16 and part of Week 17. Tanner McKee stepped in after Pickett took a nasty shot to the ribs in Week 17, then made his very first NFL start against the New York Giants in Week 18.
• Sirianni didn’t give any details, which has been true of every “update” he’s given since Hurts entered the protocol following Week 16. The Eagles haven’t released any information on whether Hurts has been progressing through the various stages of the protocol, but Sirianni confirmed that Hurts was present at Saturday’s walkthrough.
• Read more here.
• Chicago is expected to go after some of the hottest names in the coaching market. That reportedly starts with Vikings DC Brian Flores.

Bears requested head coaching interviews with Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores and Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith, per source.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 6, 2025

The Saints put in a request to interview Bills OC Joe Brady, per source.

— Dianna Russini (@DMRussini) January 6, 2025

• Las Vegas Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce spoke with media on Monday, and he still has his job. As far as he knows, at least. Pierce told reporters that he hasn’t “heard anything different” about his job status on the heels of a 4-13 season.

#Raiders HC Antonio Pierce says he hasn’t “heard anything different” other than he’s back for 2025. Says all of that talk is coming from the outside, not the inside.

— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) January 6, 2025