No matter how good a resume is or isn’t, streaks of wins or losses in the final month of the regular season can heavily influence where a team lands in the bracket, and it could be the determining factor of success in March.

Prime examples include St. John’s and Oregon. The Red Storm, only with three Quad 1 victories, are leading the Big East and their tournament stock is rising. Then there’s the Ducks, who have seven Quad 1 victories but are tumbling toward the bubble despite their resume. In summary, maintaining success in the second half of the season is just as important as stacking up quality wins to start the campaign.

There’s only four more weeks of the regular season for the majority of the country before fate is left in conference tournaments. As teams attempt to boost their draw in the NCAA Tournament, here are the times on the rise in the latest USA TODAY Sports Bracketology, and which teams are stumbling down the seed line.

Rising

St. John’s

Current projected seed: No. 3 (Midwest)

The Big East is literally running through Madison Square Garden with St. John’s beating the conference contenders in back-to-back weeks. After defending home court against Marquette and going into Gampel Pavilion and taking down the defending champions, the Red Storm sit on top of the Big East with a greater chance to play in the tournament without ever leaving the East Coast.

Arizona

Current projected seed: No. 3 (West)

The Wildcats avenged their only Big 12 defeat by outlasting Texas Tech at home to extend the win streak to six. Arizona is 7-2 in its last nine Quad 1 opportunities and is ranked No. 7 in the NET. While they remain a No. 3 seed in the projected bracket, Arizona is now in the West, giving them a geographical boost. A loss to a suddenly hot Kansas State team wasn’t ideal, but Arizona has a big matchup against Houston on deck.

Clemson

Current projected seed: No. 7 (Midwest)

Being the second best team in the ACC doesn’t mean as much as it used to, but Clemson capitalized on a much-needed resume booster to get into the top half of the bracket. After dropping a confusing loss to Georgia Tech, the Tigers rebounded to beat Duke and then pummeled North Carolina. Now a projected seventh seed, Clemson is closer to the same spot it last year’s Elite Eight team was in.

Nebraska

Current projected seed: No. 10 (East)

Nebraska looked dead in the water when it lost six in a row, but the Cornhuskers have rebounded quickly with a four wins in a row that include quality defeats of Illinois, Oregon and Ohio State. Now Fred Hoiberg’s team is looking more secure of landing back-to-back tournament appearances for the first time in two decades, and a chance to capture that elusive first tournament win.

Virginia Commonwealth

Current projected seed: No. 11 seed (First Four)

Can VCU get in the tournament without an Atlantic 10 conference tournament title? So far, the answer is yes, with the Rams winners of three in a row and just one game behind leader George Mason. While the NET ranking of 36 is good, VCU doesn’t have a Quad 1 win and no opportunities left, leaving little room for error for a team with a Quad 4 loss.

Falling

Kansas

Current projected seed: No. 5 (Midwest)

It’s almost deja vu for Bill Self with another slump late in the season resulting in Kansas falling way down the seed line. In the past two weeks, the Jayhawks have had multiple bad results, including a loss to Baylor and an embarrassing effort against in-state rival Kansas State. The schedule is going to get softer for the next few weeks, a perfect time for Kansas to turn things around.

Connecticut

Current projected seed: No. 8 (Midwest)

There the same amount of fear when facing Connecticut, which split its last six games before Tuesday’s defeat of Creighton. A lot more has to go wrong for the Huskies to be in real danger of missing the tournament, but they’ve become such an enigma, it’s tough to tell what team will show up each night. It may result in the defending champions not getting to the second weekend of the tournament.

Oregon

Current projected seed: No. 9 (West)

How the mighty Ducks have fallen. Oregon has gone from a projected No. 3 seed to a team in danger of becoming a double-digit seeded team thanks to a five game losing skid. Before the Ducks can worry about making the tournament, it has to make sure it stays as one of the 15 teams to qualify for the Big Ten tournament − they are just one game ahead of the danger line.

Vanderbilt

Current projected seed: No. 9 (East)

After picking up some impressive wins to start conference play, the toughness of the SEC may finally be getting to Vanderbilt; the Commodores have lost three of its last four. The road won’t get an easier with five consecutive ranked opponents coming after Tuesday’s loss to Auburn. It’s truly sink or swim now for Vanderbilt.

Brigham Young

Current projected seed: First four out.

Brigham Young was trending toward a tournament spot when it won four consecutive games, but another losing skid put the Cougars on the outside of the projected field. With a NET ranking of 41 and a Quad 1 and 2 record of 6-8, BYU can ill afford to lose anymore and continue to let opponents shoot well against it. Beating West Virginia on Tuesday was a good start in getting back into consideration.

Fox Sports’ debut event for LIV Golf produced meager ratings for the broadcaster at the league’s 2025 season-opening event.

Fox averaged only 40,200 viewers for the final round played under the lights in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, which began at 10 a.m. ET on Saturday. While FS1 averaged 54,000 viewers between 10 a.m.-noon ET on Saturday, FS2 averaged only 31,000 for the final three hours, according to Nielsen ratings cited by multiple outlets.

And that was up from the 12,000 average viewers across five hours on FS2 for the first day of the three-round event on Thursday, although that is similar to other daytime programming on the channel, according to Front Office Sports.

Fox Sports has yet to release the official ratings results, which could improve when streaming numbers are included. The timing of the event was moved to make the broadcasts more accessible for viewers in the United States.

It’s a concerning start to Fox’s multi-year media-rights deal with the Saudi-backed league, whose events were broadcast on The CW Network last season with modest ratings. LIV’s Individual Championship averaged 89,000 viewers on The CW last year.

LIV’s second event of the year begins Friday in Adelaide, Australia, before the league travels to Hong Kong and Singapore in March. LIV makes its 2025 United States debut at Trump National Doral in Miami on April 4-6, with the final round slated to air on Fox’s main network on a Sunday afternoon.

LIV’s next three tournaments also are set to be played internationally. The league’s Miami event in April will be a strong test case for Fox, with that final round airing on the main network on a Sunday afternoon — a traditional golf TV window.

Fox Sports announced in January that it will air live coverage of LIV’s 14 tournaments on Fox or FS1, carrying all three rounds of each event.

Select rounds are being broadcast on FS2, Fox Business Network or the Fox Sports App and every round can be streamed on the Fox Sports App and LIV Golf Plus.

LIV Golf CEO Scott O’Neal cited the Fox deal in trumpeting the ‘momentum’ he has seen through his first 40 days since taking the role over from Greg Norman.

‘I’ve seen a U.S. agreement with Fox, broadcast agreement, I’ve seen a UK agreement with ITV to get us over the air in the UK. It’s the only golf that’ll be over the air in the UK,’ O’Neil told reporters in Adelaide on Wednesday. ‘I’ve seen our first pillar partnership with Madden. I’ve seen stars extended. I’ve seen a successful event in Riyadh. I’ve seen interest from all over the world. We’re now broadcast in 100 countries and territories, over 800 million households.

‘From my perspective, we have incredible interest with television broadcast networks, which has been a bit of an Achilles heel for us, sponsors — marketing partners as we call them — seems to be interest like the group has never seen before, attendance seems to be something that’s going in this trajectory.

‘I think that right now we are going to the moon and back. I’m very confident in where we are in this business and the interest we have currently.’

The 2025 Major League Soccer season — the 30th in league history — is quickly approaching.

While the Los Angeles Galaxy enter the season as defending MLS Cup champions and Inter Miami CF are the reigning Supporters’ Shield winners, San Diego FC is the latest expansion club to join the league. San Diego FC is the league’s 30th team.

The regular season will kick off on Saturday, Feb. 22 and will conclude with Decision Day on Saturday, Oct. 18.

In the time leading up to the season openers, teams will be shaping rosters in preparation for a run at MLS Cup 2025.

Follow along here this preseason for transfers, trades and other MLS news and analysis:

Luciano Acosta sold to FC Dallas by FC Cincinnati

Feb. 12 — The Luciano Acosta era at FC Cincinnati is officially over.

After four years of ‘Lucho’ captaining FC Cincinnati through two different technical director/general manager and managerial regimes, Acosta will move within MLS to FC Dallas in the largest cash-for-player trade in league history. FC Cincinnati will receive up to $6 million in exchange for the 2023 Landon Donovan MLS MVP.

Chicago Fire acquire former USMNT player Omar Gonzalez

Feb. 7 — Defender Omar Gonzalez, who has been capped by the U.S. national team 52 times, has joined Chicago Fire FC as a free-agent acquisition.

Gonzalez has bounced around after a decorated tenure with the Los Angeles Galaxy from 2009-2015. With the Galaxy, Gonzalez was part of a club that won three MLS Cups (2011, 2012 and 2014) while being named MLS Rookie of the Year in 2009 and MLS Defender of the Year in 2011. He was a four-time MLS Best XI selection while with the Galaxy. He made his USMNT debut in 2010 and was on Jurgen Klinsmann’s squad for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, making two starts. Gonzalez’s last USMNT appearance came during the 2019 Gold Cup.

After playing in Liga MX from 2016-19, Gonzalez returned to MLS, where he has experienced a vagabond existence ever since. He played three seasons for Toronto FC (2019-2021), two seasons with the New England Revolution (2022-23) and spent the 2024 season with FC Dallas. The Chicago Fire represent Gonzalez’s fourth team in five years.

Atlanta United acquiring Emmanuel Latte Lath for MLS record fee, per reports

Feb. 3 — Atlanta United’s busy offseason continued with the transfer of striker Emmanuel Latte Lath from English Premier League club Middlesbrough. Atlanta United will pay what will be a league-record fee of around $22 million for Latte Lath, per reports. The current MLS record transfer fee is $16.2 million, which FC Cincinnati paid for Kevin Denkey in November.

Latte Lath, a 26-year-old from Ivory Coast, scored 27 goals in 58 appearances for Middlesbrough, which plays in the EFL Championship.

Atlanta United also brought back midfielder Miguel Almiron, who helped the team win the 2018 MLS Cup. Almiron was an MLS Best XI selection in both of his seasons (2017-18) in Atlanta.

Cucho Hernandez transferred from Columbus Crew to La Liga’s Real Betis

Feb. 3 — The Columbus Crew have transferred star forward Cucho Hernandez to La Liga’s Real Betis in Spain. The transfer fee for Hernandez was for approximately $16 million, according to a source.

Following the closure of La Liga’s winter transfer window on Monday, the Crew officially announced the move.

Last year, Hernandez was the runner-up in the MLS MVP vote behind Inter Miami’s Lionel Messi. The 25-year old’s two goals in the 2024 Leagues Cup final allowed the Crew to defeat Los Angeles FC for the title.

Another key goal for Hernandez with the Crew was his penalty kick in a 2023 MLS Cup victory over LAFC, earning the club its third MLS Cup title. — Brianna Mac Kay, Columbus Dispatch

Philadelphia Union trade USMNT prospect Jack McGlynn to Houston Dynamo

Feb. 3 — U.S. national team prospect Jack McGlynn is on the move.

The Philadelphia Union traded the 21-year-old midfielder to the Houston Dynamo for a $2.1 million fee that includes an additional $1,300,000 if certain performances metrics are met plus a sell on percentage for any future McGlynn transfer.

This deal was consummated due to a new MLS rule that was unveiled in January that allows teams to make up to two trades involving cash, rather than needing to move players or MLS-only assets like allocation money, international spots, or draft picks.

Dejan Joveljic goes from MLS Cup champs to Sporting Kansas City

Feb. 2 — Dejan Joveljic thought he would be part of the Los Angeles Galaxy for a long time.

But after his best MLS season and pivotal part of the franchise’s 2024 title, Joveljic will be looking to further his accolades with Sporting Kansas City.

One day after being acquired for $4 million — the first cash-for-player trade in MLS history — the change in scenery was sinking in for the 25-year-old Serbian.

‘In 2021, I came to the United States for the first time and I had big goals,’ Joveljic said on social media on Sunday. ‘I joined the most historic team in MLS and I wanted to play and score in every match. I had to wait a little longer than I would’ve liked, but I finally showed everyone what my game is about: scoring goals and doing anything and everything for the team to win.’

Joveljic excelled in the 2024 postseason with six goals in five matches. He scored one of LA’s goals in the 2-1 victory over the New York Red Bulls in the MLS Cup title match. — Reuters

Miguel Almiron returns to Atlanta United

Jan. 30 — Atlanta United announced the return of franchise hero Miguel Almiron.

The 31-year-old Paraguay international helped Atlanta claim the 2018 MLS Cup before joining the Premier League’s Newcastle United for a then-record outgoing transfer fee of $27 million.

Almiron returns from Newcastle for a reported $10 million transfer fee, plus add-ons. Atlanta also had to pay Charlotte FC $400,000 in general allocation money to acquire his discovery priority. — Reuters

Five MLS franchises top $1B in Sportico’s latest valuations

Jan. 30 — Five MLS franchises top $1 billion, with the average team worth $721 million, in Sportico’s valuations announced on Thursday.

The other four reaching the $1 billion plateau are superstar Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami ($1.19 billion; 17 percent increase), LA Galaxy ($1.11 billion; 11 percent increase); Atlanta United ($1.08 billion, 3 percent increase) and New York City FC ($1 billion, 19 percent increase).

Inter Miami and the Galaxy each moved up one spot from the 2024 rankings, with Atlanta United slipping two spots.

CF Montreal again ranked last at $450 million, which was a 2 percent increase. — Reuters

New 2025 Leagues Cup format for MLS, LIGA MX clubs

Jan. 30 — The 2025 Leagues Cup will feature 18 of 30 MLS teams and all 18 clubs from LIGA MX, beginning July 29 to the Aug. 31 final. Tournament organizers announced the new format Thursday.

Leagues Cup 2025 will be played in two rounds: Phase One and the Knockout Rounds. Phase One will feature three consecutive match dates per club, and all 54 Phase One matches will be played between MLS and LIGA MX clubs.

New York Red Bulls sign Canadian defender Raheem Edwards

The New York Red Bulls announced the signing of Canadian defender Raheem Edwards.

The two-year deal is pending receipt of his international paperwork and includes an option for 2027.

Edwards, 29, has eight goals and 28 assists in 177 MLS matches with Toronto FC (2016-17), CF Montreal (2018, 2024), the Chicago Fire (2019), Minnesota United (2020), Los Angeles FC (2021) and the Los Angeles Galaxy (2022-23).

Edwards won the MLS Cup and Supporters’ Shield with hometown Toronto FC in 2017. — Reuters

MLS, Apple make push for more viewers; ‘Sunday Night Soccer’ game added for 2025

Jan. 29 — Major League Soccer and Apple are making a major push to reach more viewers in 2025.

Soccer fans with Comcast Xfinity and DirecTV can subscribe and watch MLS Season Pass through the TV providers, while T-Mobile users will be able to access MLS Season Pass for free, the league announced Wednesday.

MLS announces clubs for US Open Cup, Leagues Cup in 2025

Jan. 28 — All 30 Major League Soccer teams will compete in at least one, but no more than two North American competitions during the 2025 MLS season.

MLS announced its qualification structure for the four tournaments — the Concacaf Champions Cup, Leagues Cup, Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, and Canadian Championship — on Tuesday for the next two seasons. The qualifications will be revisited in the 2027 season. — Safid Deen

NYCFC sells prospect Christian McFarlane to Manchester City

Jan. 27 — New York City FC has sold 18-year-old defender Christian McFarlane to Manchester City, the MLS club announced on Monday.

McFarlane joined NYCFC at age 11 and represented the club at every age category, making his senior debut last season. He is expected to join the academy at City which, like NYCFC, is under the City Football Group ownership umbrella.

In 2021, McFarlane became the third-youngest Homegrown Player signing in MLS history when he signed a pro deal with NYCFC at age 14 years, 234 days.

State of soccer in U.S. 500 days before 2026 World Cup

Jan. 27 — Mark your calendars, soccer fans: The FIFA World Cup 2026 starts in 500 days.

Expect President Donald Trump, reigning World Cup champion Lionel Messi and the U.S. men’s national soccer team to be among those playing major roles in driving attention to the sport and the tournament during the next 500 days.

What is the state of the sport in the United States with about a year and a half until the big tournament? — Safid Deen

MLS NEXT Pro releases 2025 schedule

Jan. 27 — MLS NEXT Pro — the developmental league for Major League Soccer — will kick off its 2025 season on Friday, March 7. This is the earliest season kickoff date for MLS NEXT Pro, which is entering its fourth season.

The 2025 season will include 29 clubs — 27 MLS affiliates and two independent teams (Caronlina Core FC and Chattanooga FC).

More than 155 players have signed MLS first-team contracts after playing in MLS NEXT Pro. That collection of players includes five who played for the U.S. national team during its January friendlies against Venezuela and Costa Rica: defender Max Arfsten and goalkeeper Patrick Schulte of the Columbus Crew, forward Patrick Agyemang of Charlotte FC, midfielder Benjamin Cremaschi of Inter Miami CF and midfielder Jack McGlynn of the Philadelphia Union.

Most MLS NEXT Pro matches will be available to stream on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV.

USMNT’s Luca de la Torre joins San Diego FC on loan

Jan. 21 — San Diego FC has announced the signing of Luca de la Torre on a 12-month loan from Spanish La Liga club Celta Vigo.

The U.S. men’s national team midfielder returns to his hometown ahead of the club’s inaugural season in MLS.

‘We’re thrilled to bring Luca home to San Diego,’ SDFC sporting director Tyler Heaps said. ‘Luca’s journey — competing in some of the world’s top leagues and representing the USMNT — speaks volumes about his dedication and talent.’

New England Revolution sign MLS veteran Maximiliano Urruti

Jan. 16 — The New England Revolution signed forward Maximiliano Urruti to a one-year contract with a club option for 2026.

Urruti, 33, joins the Revolution after spending the 2022 and 2023 seasons with Austin FC, posting 10 goals and two assists in 57 games (38 starts) in that span. In 11 MLS seasons, he has 70 goals and 39 assists in 295 games (218 starts) with Toronto FC, the Portland Timbers, FC Dallas, CF Montreal, the Houston Dynamo and Austin.

The Argentina native ranks ninth in goals and 17th in games played among active MLS players. — Reuters

San Jose Earthquakes sign former MLS MVP Josef Martinez

Jan. 13 — The San Jose Earthquakes signed former MLS MVP Josef Martinez to a one-year contract, the team announced.

The deal with the 31-year-old free agent striker from Venezuela includes a club option for 2026.

Martinez tallied 11 goals in 23 matches with CF Montreal last season, his fifth MLS season with double-digit goals. He has 116 goals and 20 assists in 184 matches with Atlanta United (2017-2022), Inter Miami (2023) and Montreal. — Reuters

First look at ‘Onside: Major League Soccer’

Jan. 9 — A trailer for the eight-part documentary, ‘Onside: Major League Soccer,’ has been released.

‘Onside: Major League Soccer’ will premier on Friday, Feb. 21 on Apple TV+, and is produced by Box To Box Films, the company behind Netflix’s popular ‘Formula 1: Drive to Survive’ series.

The documentary will showcase the biggest moments from the 2024 MLS season, which concluded with the Los Angeles Galaxy winning MLS Cup for the first time in 10 years.

‘Onside: Major League Soccer’ is the latest soccer-themed project from Apple, which includes the docuseries ‘Messi Meets America’ and ‘Messi’s World Cup: The Rise of a Legend,’ as well as the award-winning scripted series ‘Ted Lasso.’

Austin FC adds USMNT forward Brandon Vazquez

Jan. 6 — Austin FC finally has its impact striker.

At least it hopes so.

In what at first glance appears to be a major get for the club, Austin FC signed forward Brandon Vazquez from Mexican side C.F. Monterrey for a club-record transfer fee to a four-year deal through 2028.

Vazquez, 26, who has made 11 appearances for the U.S. men’s national team in the past two years, scored 14 goals in 48 appearances for C.F. Monterrey after joining the club in January 2024. Vazquez spent 2020-23 with FC Cincinnati, where he broke out in 2022 with 20 goals across all competitions. — Colby Gordon, Austin American-Statesman

When does the 2025 MLS season start?

Dec. 19 — The 2025 MLS season will kick off on Saturday, Feb. 22.

Here is the slate of games for ‘MLS is Back’ weekend (all games on  MLS Season Pass on Apple TV):

Saturday, Feb. 22

Inter Miami CF vs. New York City FC, 2:30 p.m. ET
Los Angeles FC vs. Minnesota United FC, 4:30 p.m. ET (FOX)
Atlanta United vs. CF Montreal, 7 p.m. ET
FC Cincinnati vs. New York Red Bulls, 7:30 p.m. ET
Columbus Crew vs. Chicago Fire FC, 7:30 p.m. ET
D.C. United vs. Toronto FC, 7:30 p.m. ET
Orlando City SC vs. Philadelphia Union, 7:30 p.m. ET
Austin FC vs. Sporting Kansas City, 8:30 p.m. ET
Houston Dynamo FC vs. FC Dallas, 8:30 p.m. ET
Nashville SC vs. New England Revolution, 8:30 p.m. ET
St. Louis City SC vs. Colorado Rapids, 8:30 p.m. ET
San Jose Earthquakes vs. Real Salt Lake, 10:30 p.m. ET
Seattle Sounders FC vs. Charlotte FC, 10:30 p.m. ET

Sunday, Feb. 23

Portland Timbers vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC, 4 p.m. ET
LA Galaxy vs. San Diego FC, 7 p.m. ET

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Philip Imbriano was on a subway going to work in New York’s West Village when he noticed a red and silver metal badge inside the subway car.

It suddenly hit him.

He got off the 1 train at the Houston Street exit, raced into the Topps office where he has been a senior designer for the past 1 ½ years, and started sketching his idea.

Two months later, his design was selected after four rounds of competition, and his swoosh element is now featured through the upper left-hand corner of the Topps’ new Series 1 card set.

The celebration will begin Wednesday when Topps officially unveils the set at their New York office.

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“I guess they call it the aha moment,’’ Imbriano said. “I like to walk around and see things in the world, and if I think it relates to something that’s going to work down the line as far as the design goes, I take a quick little photo of it. So that’s kind of what happened here. I saw that little metal badge on the subway and thought maybe that little swoosh element could work. So I sketched it, and developed it.

“Beginner’s luck, I guess.’’

Pretty cool for a guy who’s a diehard Yankees fan with Aaron Judge, his favorite player, also being featured on the Topps hobby box with his design.

Who would ever have thought a simple subway ride would create the design for an iconic baseball card series?

“Everyone gets inspired,’’ said Clay Luraschi, Topps senior vice president/global development, “but it’s common to hear how much inspiration like a designer will get just on their way to work buecase New York is like sensory overload. I personally get it and I know Phil and a lot of designers do. …

“I saw it along with about 15 other designs, but this one stood out to me because the border is so different, it broke the mold of the basic border card that you see in a lot of our products. It’s just striking. It was something your eye was drawn to very quickly.’’

The Series 1 will feature an All Topps Team celebrating the 35-year anniversary of their design, autograph relic cards, while featuring current stars, Hall of Famers and promising rookies.

“The one thing I always stress is that if someone, say 25 years from now, can look at this card and remember the year it was made?’’ Luraschi said. “Does it stand the test of time? Does it speak to the current moment?

“It’s the same thing when you look at cards from the 1970’s. They look like they’re from the 1970’s. Trading cards has really become a cultural phenomenon.  Not just the moments, but the design of them, too. …

“This card implements the team name in a way that I’ve never seen on a card. Usually, you see the team name at the bottom or the top. This one comes down the side and blends in with the border, which is a very cool and unique way to do it. It really stands out.’’

Imbriano can tell you all about the culture growing up collecting cards himself, with his earliest baseball card memory being the 1992 Derek Jeter draft pick card.

“I distinctly remember that one was a kid, but I also was a big WWE guy,’’ Imbriano said. “I used to buy WWE cards as a kid. I’m also a big comic book fan. So, you know, cards and comics are always married together in the same house. I would always buy a couple packs here and there when I would buy comics.

“I was very much a collector, so I definitely think I’m in the right field.’’

And now, the father of twin boys three weeks ago, Imbriano is now part of Topps history.

“This is the 74th edition of Topps baseball,’’ Luraschi said, “that’s an incredible legacy to build on. So, this is an important moment for trading cards, and obviously the company. The flagship product really sets the tone for the entire trading card season.

“This is a big day for us.’’

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The NFL’s coaching carousel made for a particularly long ride this go-around.

More than four months passed from the time of the first firing of a head coach – the New York Jets dumping Robert Saleh in October after a 2-3 start – to the last hire – the New Orleans Saints bringing aboard Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Kellen Moore on Tuesday. In all, seven teams made leadership changes at the top. While that figure is relatively standard for a given cycle in recent years, there was plenty of unexpected fallout for teams across the league – from those that did opt for an overhaul to those that didn’t.

Here are the biggest winners and losers of this year’s coaching fires and hires:

Winners

Chicago Bears

In orchestrating the Detroit Lions’ prolific offense for the last three seasons, Ben Johnson developed a reputation for being precise and discerning. That extended beyond his typical duties and into his approach to head-coaching interviews, as he dropped out of the last two cycles despite being a leading candidate. Landing the most in-demand option this cycle, then, was a victory in and of itself for a Bears franchise that has largely been rendered irrelevant from a competitive standpoint for the last decade-plus, with no playoff wins since 2011. Whether Johnson’s aptitude as an assistant will translate to a top post remains to be seen, but his acumen as a play-caller is unquestioned, and he clearly understands the importance of connecting with players and establishing buy-in after his time under Dan Campbell. And at the very least, Chicago can feel encouraged about the trajectory of 2024 No. 1 pick Caleb Williams, whose presence was a driving factor in Johnson taking the job.

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Robert Kraft

The New England Patriots owner seemed to sincerely regret almost everything about the last year, from the untenable position in which it put Jerod Mayo to how Bill Belichick’s successor handled that subpar set of circumstances. But after his public mea culpa, Kraft quickly moved to the front of the hiring line to secure Mike Vrabel, the former Patriots linebacker and Tennessee Titans coach whom Kraft said ‘had a clear and focused strategy for how to get us back to a championship way.’ That matters greatly to the 83-year-old, who has lamented New England’s three-year playoff absence. While the Patriots’ vacancy was attractive enough that Kraft could have lured a top assistant from another franchise, he instead secured someone better equipped than Mayo was to turn the page on the Belichick era and return the organization to a competitive state.

Drake Maye

The hire of Vrabel, a tough-minded CEO-style coach whose Titans offenses were defined by their rugged run games, might not scream bottom-line improvement for Maye, the No. 3 pick in last year’s draft who showed plenty of promise as a rookie. But Vrabel has vowed to surround his quarterback with ‘great people,’ an effort he acknowledges begins with building up the undermanned offensive line. The coach seems to be off to a strong start in establishing support through his staff, as offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels will be called on to adapt his scheme to accentuate Maye’s mobility. Meanwhile, former Jaguars coach Doug Marrone’s arrival as offensive line coach should help fast-track the development up front.

New York Jets

Another season of dysfunction and reports of Woody Johnson’s heavy-handed approach left many wondering what kind of candidates Gang Green would be able to attract to fill its voids at head coach and general manager. With Aaron Glenn – who was also under strong consideration for the Saints’ opening after his time as an assistant there – and Darren Mougey, however, the Jets might have captured their first semblance of stability in some time. With a patient, process-driven approach, the franchise has a chance to implement the cultural reset that has been sorely needed. It might take time to manifest in the standings, but Glenn – who was voted the league’s top defensive coordinator in a 2023 survey of players – should be able to get his message of personal and joint accountability to resonate within the locker room in the early going.

Pete Carroll

When the Seattle Seahawks pushed out their longtime coach, it seemed like Carroll’s farewell from the NFL. And he even seemed to embrace that notion himself, as he went back to the University of Southern California to co-teach a class this semester. Well, school’s out, kids: Carroll is back in the saddle as the Las Vegas Raiders’ head coach. Given that the only other team he interviewed with was the Bears, it was no sure thing that he would be granted another opportunity, especially given that he will become the oldest coach in league history when he makes his debut. But Mark Davis – and apparently Tom Brady – saw fit to bring him on to invigorate this group and try to shed the label of AFC West outcast.

C.J. Stroud

The Houston Texans quarterback’s encore to a sterling rookie campaign was wrecked by rampant protection problems and crippling injuries to his receiving corps. The hire of Nick Caley as offensive coordinator should help get Stroud – and the Texans’ offense at large – back on track. The former Los Angeles Rams pass game coordinator and tight ends coach, who eschewed coordinator looks elsewhere, further extends the reach of the Sean McVay coaching tree. For Stroud, that likely means a heavier dose of motion and more empowerment to change protections and play calls.

Buffalo Bills

Pulling the strings for the second-ranked scoring offense and an MVP campaign is typically a ticket to a head-coaching role. And though Joe Brady interviewed with three teams for their top job, he’s back for another ride with Sean McDermott and Josh Allen as offensive coordinator. Brady helped Buffalo weather what was supposed to be a season of change given the loss of top targets Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis, and his highly adaptable attack proved comfortable emphasizing its run game or unleashing Allen through the air. With much of their core already in place despite receiver Amari Cooper heading to free agency, the Bills’ offense should have a smoother transition to 2025.

Shane Steichen

The Indianapolis Colts coach was granted a reprieve from owner Jim Irsay despite a 45-33 meltdown in Week 17 against the lifeless New York Giants that knocked his team from playoff contention. Beyond that, however, Steichen’s offseason got off to a strong start with the addition of defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo to his staff. Though his run leading the Cincinnati Bengals’ defense came to an unceremonious end amid the unit’s downturn, Anarumo’s aggressive approach should be embraced by players after ousted coordinator Gus Bradley’s static scheme seemed to grow stale. With Anarumo at the controls, Steichen should be able to place more of his focus elsewhere, including on setting Anthony Richardson up for success in a critical third year of the quarterback’s NFL tenure.

Brian Callahan

His first year at the helm was defined by rampant on-field mistakes, whether it was quarterback Will Levis’ 18 turnovers or an unending cavalcade of special teams gaffes. While the Titans’ plan behind center has yet to come into focus, help could be on the way for the latter issue with the hire of John Fassel. Long regarded as one of the league’s top special teams coordinators, ‘Bones’ led a Cowboys unit that had two Pro Bowlers last season in returner KaVontae Turpin and kicker Brandon Aubrey. If Fassel can elevate this group to a league average level, the Titans’ hopes for becoming competitive within the AFC South could get a significant boost.

Jacksonville Jaguars’ running game

He fumbled his first ‘DUUUUVAL’ chant, but there’s no question that Liam Coen knows how to fix a run game. In his lone season running the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ offense, the Jaguars’ newly appointed head coach took the Buccaneers’ ground attack from last place the prior two years to a fourth-place finish (149.2 yards per game) in 2024. Replicating that turnaround in Jacksonville could be tricky given the state of the team’s offensive line, but the arrow is pointing up for running backs Travis Etienne Jr. and Tank Bigsby.

Young offensive coordinators

Good time to be young and in search of a lofty title, even if it doesn’t come with play-calling responsibilities. The Bears made Declan Doyle, 28, the NFL’s youngest offensive coordinator, and the Jaguars followed suit with Grant Udinski, 29. Both have enjoyed meteoric rises, as Doyle was an offensive assistant for the New Orleans Saints in 2022, the same time when Udinski was assistant to the head coach and director of special projects for the Minnesota Vikings’ Kevin O’Connell.

Losers

Dan Campbell

The Lions coach took the season-ending loss to the Washington Commanders particularly hard, and with good reason: Campbell knows as much as anyone how hard it is to get back to the top tier of the league every year. The challenge will be especially difficult for Detroit, which lost not only Ben Johnson and Glenn as expected but also six other assistants. Among the notable departures were passing game coordinator Tanner Engstrand (Jets offensive coordinator), receivers coach coach Antwaan Randle El (Bears receivers coach/assistant head coach) and defensive line coach Terrell Williams (Patriots defensive coordinator). There were some promising developments, with offensive line coach Hank Fraley staying and adding run game coordinator to his responsibilities and linebackers coach Kelvin Sheppard taking over the reins to the defense. But the fear of brain drain is real, and the Lions will have plenty of lost wisdom to make up for.

Dallas Cowboys fans

Brian Schottenheimer deserves a chance to show what he can do as a first-time head coach. Still, it’s entirely fair that the Cowboys faithful would be disillusioned not only by the endpoint of this coaching search, but also the process that led to it. Dallas was tied with New England for the fewest candidates interviewed (four), and Schottenheimer is a far cry from Vrabel as a proven entity worth centering one’s efforts around. Continuity will no doubt benefit Dak Prescott and some other incumbent figures. But at a time when the rival Eagles won the Super Bowl – with an attack led by Moore, the former Cowboys offensive coordinator who was pushed out – and the Commanders made it to the NFC title game that has eluded the Cowboys for so long, Dallas might be going bankrupt in a key currency: relevance.

Aaron Rodgers

With Woody Johnson opting for a full reset, it appeared for some time that Rodgers would be a long shot to be granted a third year in Gotham Green. But the arrival of Glenn and Mougey cemented his fate, with the team now plucking out the piece around which it centered all its plans for the past two years. Despite all the volatility of his time with the Jets, Rodgers called the stretch ‘the best two years of my life’ and maintained his preference was to remain with the organization. And while he could end up coming out ahead if he lands with a stable outfit like the Pittsburgh Steelers – should he choose to play at all – the four-time NFL MVP now can no longer redefine what will go down as a failing chapter of his career.

Mike McCarthy

He and the Cowboys called off their marriage after five years. After getting a late start to this year’s cycle, he was passed over for the Bears job and withdrew from consideration from the Saints, though his decision came at a time when the team was zeroing in on Moore. Now he’s set to spend the year out of football and preparing himself for consideration next offseason. That method worked for him when he did it prior to being hired by Dallas in 2020, and maybe he could follow the same path as Carroll, who is 12 years his senior. But there are no guarantees, and it’s a tough break for a coach who not long ago seemed like he would be leading some team this fall.

Bobby Slowik

A year ago, he was the surprise name to emerge in the coaching cycle after coming on strong in his first season as the Texans’ offensive coordinator. Now he’s out of work after a trying campaign for Houston’s offense prompted his dismissal. There’s no reason that Slowik, who on Tuesday was hired as the Miami Dolphins’ senior pass game coordinator, can’t recover from this setback, with Joe Brady serving as a potential model after he bounced back from being dropped as the Carolina Panthers’ offensive coordinator in 2021. But it’s likely that Slowik will need to wait a good while to run an entire team.

Trent Baalke

When Jaguars owner Shad Khan initially announced he would retain Baalke, he left open the possibility for a change if the team had trouble luring top coaching candidates due to the general manager’s presence. Coen’s initial withdrawal from the Jaguars’ search then prompted Baalke’s dismissal, with the former Buccaneers offensive coordinator then circling back to join the franchise. Baalke’s series of regrettable moves certainly warranted a change in leadership. But the reversal still goes down as one of the most stunning turns of the hiring and firing cycle.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Losing an offensive coordinator and top play-caller to a head coaching job can be deflating for any franchise. Tampa took it especially hard when Coen reneged on his acceptance of a new contract keeping him in place so that he could go back to the Jaguars after they fired Baalke, as the Buccaneers blocked multiple offensive assistants from following him there. Turning to Josh Grizzard could prove fruitful, as the former pass game coordinator was instrumental in helping Baker Mayfield throw for a career-high 4,500 yards and 41 touchdowns. But four different offensive coordinators in four years is tough for any team to endure.

Minority coaching pipeline

Of the 11 offensive coordinator hires, zero have gone to minority candidates, according to data compiled by USA TODAY Sports. The Eagles and Saints still have openings, but this is going to be a tough trend for the league to account for, especially after the league in December touted the nine quarterbacks coaches of color as evidence that the pipeline was shaping up well.

Ohio State

At the collegiate level, few can compete with the Buckeyes’ bucks. But the school was served up a lesson in the NFL’s spending power, as the Raiders tripled offensive coordinator Chip Kelly’s salary to bring him over as the play-caller under Carroll. The defending champs promoted Brian Hartline, a former NFL wideout who’s played a key role in establishing the school’s incredible run of receivers, but it marks yet another notable figure in the team’s title run who’s ticketed for the league in 2025.

Jerod Mayo

Even as the grumbling grew late in the Patriots’ 4-13 campaign, it’s hard to square how the coach Kraft so readily crowned as Belichick’s successor could be out after just one year. Yet that’s exactly where Mayo found himself, and the New England coach hasn’t landed elsewhere as defensive coordinator gigs have filled up. Expect it to be a long climb back up the coaching ladder for the 38-year-old.

UNLV football offensive lineman Ben Christman has died at the age of 21, the university announced on Wednesday.

UNLV announced the passing of Christman, who was found dead in an off-campus apartment Tuesday morning, on the program’s X (formerly Twitter) account Wednesday afternoon.

He transferred to UNLV from Kentucky this offseason for the final year of his eligibility. UNLV’s press release mentioned that there is no cause of death at this time, and the Clark County Coroner’s Office will release one at a later time.

‘Our team’s heart is broken to hear of Ben’s passing. Since the day Ben set foot on our campus about a month ago, he made the Rebels a better program,’ first year UNLV football coach Dan Mullen said in a statement. ‘Ben was an easy choice for our Leadership Committee as he had earned the immediate respect, admiration and friendship of all his teammates.

‘Our prayers go out to this family and all who knew him. Ben made the world a better place and he will be missed.’

Christman began his career at Ohio State, but transferred to Kentucky following the 2022 season. As noted by the Columbus Dispatch, Christman was the top-ranked offensive lineman in Ohio per 247Sports Composite when he signed with the Buckeyes as part of their 2021 recruiting class.

He transferred to Kentucky in May of 2023 after participating in Ohio State’s spring practices. In his two seasons with the Buckeyes, Christman played in one game against Indiana during his redshirt freshman season.

Christman missed the Wildcats’ entire 2023 season with a knee injury that he sustained before the season. This past season at Kentucky, Christman appeared in all 12 games, primarily playing on special teams.

‘We are heartbroken by the sudden passing of Ben Christman, a new member of our football program and UNLV community. Ben recently joined us as a transfer student and had already made a meaningful impact on his teammates and coaches,’ UNLV athletic director Erick Harper said in a statement. ‘Our thoughts are with his family, friends and teammates during this extremely difficult time. Counseling services are being provided for anyone in need.’

Over the past several years, Dan Hurley has become the most accomplished coach in men’s college basketball, having led UConn to national championships in each of the past two seasons.

As his Huskies vie for a third-consecutive NCAA title, something that hasn’t been done at the Division I level since John Wooden’s UCLA dynasty of the 1960s and 1970s, Hurley hasn’t been particularly shy when it comes to boasting about his achievements.

On Tuesday night, Creighton fans were the latest to be on the receiving end of his boasts.

Following UConn’s 70-66 victory against the Bluejays at the CHI Health Center in Omaha, Nebraska, Hurley was seen taunting what remained of the home crowd on his walk back to his team’s locker room, waving goodbye and saying, “Two rings” while pointing to his finger — a reference to his program’s recent national championships. Hurley lobbed the insult at one follicly challenged Bluejays fan, whom he called “Baldy.”

The victory was Hurley’s first ever at Creighton, which had defeated UConn in each of their previous four meetings in Omaha since the Huskies rejoined the Big East ahead of the 2020-21 season.

Earlier in the evening, Hurley had been showered with boos and was serenaded with chants of “F— Dan Hurley” during the university’s fan appreciation night, which included a $1 beer promotion.

“I’m not going to lie to you — that was very gratifying,” Hurley said in his postgame news conference. “I waved at some people. I just wish there was more of them still left. There’s been a lot more of them left when I’ve lost.”

It’s not the first time Hurley has gotten into an impassioned back-and-forth with Creighton fans. 

Following an 85-66 loss in Omaha in February 2024 — the Huskies’ final loss of the season on their way to repeating as national champions — Hurley was caught on video chirping with heckling Creighton fans, telling one of them, “If you come over (the railing), he’ll knock you out,” referring to the security guard accompanying him on his walk to the tunnel.

It’s also not the first time this season the UConn coach has turned to his recent titles while in a contentious exchange. During an 80-78 victory against Butler on Jan. 21, Hurley berated a referee over what he thought was a missed foul call, telling the official during a timeout, “Don’t turn your back on me. I’m the best coach in the f—g sport.”

The win Tuesday against Creighton, which was led by a career-high 38 points from freshman Liam McNeeley, improved the Huskies’ record to 17-7 overall and 9-4 in Big East play.

“When I’ve gotten my butt kicked here … I’ve obviously had to walk off unceremoniously just crushed by the crowd, cursed at,” Hurley said after the victory. “As long as they’re not leaning over the rail or getting in my face, I think it’s what makes college basketball so much better than any other type of basketball. The home fans here didn’t get the win that they wanted, but they got a show.”