SEATTLE – The road to Super Bowl 60 in the NFC goes through the Pacific Northwest.

The Seattle Seahawks defeated the San Francisco 49ers 41-6 to advance to the NFC championship game. 

Pro Bowl returner Rashid Shaheed took the opening kickoff 95 yards to the house to begin the game – the Seahawks were off to the races from there.

The Seahawks got the opening kickoff return touchdown, the defense got a fourth-down stop and a takeaway in the first quarter alone as they stormed out to a 17-0 first-quarter lead.  

Later, the Seahawks went on a 10-play, 80-yard touchdown drive that was capped off with a seven-yard touchdown run by running back Kenneth Walker III to give Seattle a 24-6 advantage at halftime.

Seattle’s defense took command of the game in the second half.

Seahawks defensive lineman Leonard Williams sacked Brock Purdy on fourth-and-2 to give the ball back to the Seahawks offense. The Seahawks managed a 24-yard field goal after the change of possession. On the 49ers’ next series, Seahawks linebacker Ernest Jones intercepted a Purdy pass intended for tight end Luke Farrell.

Walker and the Seahawks made the 49ers pay following the turnover. The Seahawks running back found the end zone six plays later to give Seattle an insurmountable 34-6 lead with 2:23 remaining in the third quarter.

The Seahawks defense forced three turnovers, sacked Purdy twice and kept San Francisco out of the end zone for the second time this season.

Walker registered 145 yards from scrimmage and three touchdowns. He was the best player on Seattle’s offense.

Seahawks QB Sam Darnold, who injured his oblique on Thursday, finished 12-of-17 for 124 yards and a touchdown.

Seattle now has a 13-3 all-time record at home in the postseason. Their Jan. 17 win earned the Seahawks their fifth conference championship appearance, and first since 2014. 

Quick takeaways

Kenneth Walker III has career night

Walker rushed for a season-best and career playoff-high 116 yards and his three rushing touchdowns equaled a lifetime best.

The Seahawks running back kept the chains moving for Seattle. He had nice outside runs and in between the tackles.

Walker also displayed his ability to catch passes out of the backfield. He tallied three receptions for 29 yards.

Zach Charbonnet injured his knee in the first half and didn’t return.

Rashid Shaheed’s explosive ability as returner

Shaheed’s given the Seahawks another explosive element ever since he was traded to Seattle. His opening kickoff return was a huge momentum boost for the Seahawks to begin the game. It also ignited an already raucous Seattle crowd.

Shaheed’s 95-yard kickoff return touchdown was the longest postseason kickoff return touchdown in franchise history.

Sam Darnold’s oblique injury

Darnold injured his oblique on Jan. 15. He came on the field late for pregame warmups which caused some concern. Those concerns dissipated quickly in the first half. Darnold rolled out and torqued his body on four-yard touchdown pass to Jaxon Smith-Njigba in the first quarter.

Darnold didn’t perform like his oblique bothered him, but the quarterback didn’t have to do a lot of heavy lifting in what was an all-around team win.

Injury-riddled 49ers

It’s a testament to Kyle Shanahan and the 49ers for making it to the divisional round, but it was apparent that injuries to Fred Warner, George Kittle and Nick Bosa took a toll on the resilient team. To make matters worse, Christian McCaffrey was diagnosed with a stinger during the game. He played through the ailment during the second half, but checked out of the game in the fourth quarter.

Warner, Kittle and Bosa are three of the best players in the NFL at their respective positions. It’s nearly impossible to fill the void left by all three of them.

Follow USA TODAY Sports’ Tyler Dragon on X @TheTylerDragon.

After missing out on one former NFL Coach of the Year, the Atlanta Falcons moved quickly to secure another.

The team on Saturday announced the hiring of Kevin Stefanski, tapping him to take over as the franchise’s new head coach.

‘I’m beyond thrilled to be charged with leading this iconic franchise,’ Stefanski said in a statemen. ‘I am grateful to Mr. Blank and Matt Ryan for trusting me to coach this football team and there are many talented players on our roster that I cannot wait to coach. We share a vision for this football team that I believe will make Falcons fans everywhere proud. We will get to work immediately putting together a first-class coaching staff and working hard to get to know all the great people that are so important to getting us all where we want to go.’

Stefanski’s hire comes in the wake of the New York Giants partnering with John Harbaugh, who finalized a deal with the team on Saturday. Harbaugh had spoken with the Falcons on Monday. But an in-person meeting never took place before the Giants entered into negotiations with the former Baltimore Ravens coach.

Instead, Stefanski, the two-time NFL Coach of the Year who was fired by the Cleveland Browns on Jan. 5, takes over for a franchise that owns the second-longest active playoff drought at eight seasons.

Atlanta’s coaching hire marks the latest step to set up a new leadership structure as part of an offseason overhaul. After an 8-9 season, the Falcons fired both coach Raheem Morris and general manager Terry Fontenot. The organization later installed Matt Ryan, the franchise’s all-time passing leader who spent 14 years with the team, as president of football. Stefanski will report to Ryan, who will oversee all football operations but also hire a general manager.

‘We’re thrilled to land a lead-by-example leader in Kevin Stefanski who brings a clear vision for his staff, our team and a closely aligned focus on building this team on fundamentals, toughness and active collaboration with every area of the football operation,’ Ryan said. ‘Coach Stefanski is a team-first leader who puts a premium on accountability for everyone and a player-driven culture. His experience in Cleveland and Minnesota has given him a great understanding of the importance of working in sync with scouting, personnel and the rest of the football staff to maximize talent across the roster and in doing everything possible to put our players in the best position to succeed.’

In Atlanta, Stefanski will be tasked with turning around an organization that has not registered a winning record since 2017. The Falcons won their final four games of the season under Morris to force a three-way tie atop the NFC South, but Blank still opted for a fresh start.

Stefanski takes over the reins to an offense that ranked just 24th in scoring despite All-Pro running back Bijan Robinson logging a league-high 2,298 yards from scrimmage. Quarterback Michael Penix Jr. suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament – his third such injury in his career – after largely struggling throughout his first season as a full-time starter, completing just 60.1% of his passes.

Backup Kirk Cousins flourished when Stefanski was his offensive coordinator on the Minnesota Vikings, but the veteran could be released this offseason.

The Falcons also interviewed Los Angeles Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter, Green Bay Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley, former Miami Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel, former Las Vegas Raiders coach Antonio Pierce, Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak, Seahawks defensive coordinator Aden Durde and Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver.

Alberto Mendoza is the backup quarterback for Indiana, behind his Heisman-winning brother Fernando.
Indiana recently signed transfer quarterback Josh Hoover, signaling a challenge for Alberto’s future starting role.
Alberto Mendoza intends to compete for the starting job rather than transfer from Indiana.

MIAMI — He sat on a aluminum bleacher with the rest of the forgotten, a full-blown feeding frenzy unloading in front of him.

Everyone wanted a piece of Alberto Mendoza. 

Meanwhile, a larger hoard of media — one not seen at College Football Playoff media day in maybe ever — was hovering around Fernando Mendoza while he sat surrounded at a podium for the elite.

You know him. 

Heisman Trophy winner. Star quarterback. The key to Indiana completing the greatest turnaround in sports history Monday night against Miami in the College Football Playoff championship game. As pure and true since a guy named Tebow.

And the older brother of Alberto, Indiana’s backup quarterback. The guy hanging with the other backups in the bleachers.

This is where the story begins, where a brother trying to find his own way in a sport he loves, dutifully and unflinchingly sitting for an hour — an hour! —  and answering questions about the one player in college football everyone can’t get enough of.

Is Fernando really as perfect as he looks? 

Was Fernando always great at sports? 

If Fernando were an animal in the jungle, what would he be?

But while the deeply vacuous wondered and wandered aloud in the annual menagerie that is CFP media day, an important thing happened to Alberto a couple of weeks ago. 

Indiana coach Curt Cignetti signed TCU quarterback Josh Hoover from the transfer portal for the 2026 season. About as clear a statement as can be made about the future of Alberto. 

The Hoosiers aren’t paying Hoover millions to leave TCU so he can decide a year from now if Alberto is a Tiger or Lion in the jungle. And it’s here where we find the cold, hard truth of the sport. 

There’s a finite clock for starting quarterbacks in the NIL era. Teams and coaches don’t have time to invest two or three years of development.

High-value contracts are made for now, not when it all finally comes together. 

“I get it,” Alberto says. “It’s a business.” 

That doesn’t make it any easier to swallow the reality that he’s a play away from critical minutes against Miami — and who knows how long from becoming the Indiana starter.

He already convinced one NIL gun for hire (see: Fernando) to skip in line ahead of him. He’s not sitting around and letting it happen a second time — or worse, leaving town because of it.  

Mendoza says he will compete with Hoover for the starting job, and says Fernando told him to go win the job instead of waiting. Force Indiana and Cignetti into a difficult decision.

Cignetti, meanwhile, understands the complexities of the situation. It’s a small and growing sample size of the undeniable: inexperienced quarterbacks rarely work in the NIL era. 

The surest, safest way to efficient play from the most important position on the field has quickly become the transfer portal.

Doesn’t matter that Alberto led Christopher Columbus High School in Miami to back-to-back state titles once Fernando left. Doesn’t matter that Alberto brings something different to the offense — his ability to stress defenses with his legs — and has shown rare dual-threat ability in limited backup action this season.

All that matters is the here and now. There’s a reason more than 200 Bowl Subdivision (and another 100 Championship Subdivision) quarterbacks hit the transfer portal when it opened on January 2.

It’s all about the quick fix, with the least amount of the unknown. 

“We’ll see what happens,” Cignetti said. “I like (Alberto) a lot as a player. We’ll see what the future holds.”

There was a moment last month, in what was then the biggest game of the season, that we nearly saw what Indiana had with Alberto. Fernando was drilled by Ohio State edge Caden Curry on the first play of the Big Ten championship game, and Alberto replaced him for a play. 

His first significant snap of the season, and Alberto handed off. But it’s not like he hasn’t shown it this season. 

His numbers are high level, even in mop up time. He plays the part well, with five touchdown passes and runs of 59, 53 and 39 yards. 

He’s not just a guy with clipboard. 

“You get me out there, I can rip it,” Alberto says. “I’m very confident in my ability.”

Meanwhile, back at the circus, the bobblehead bunch is busy asking about six-seven, and if Alberto and Fernando fought as kids. 

Last one from me! Wait, what was I going to ask you again? Oh yeah, social media is ablaze with 2016. What were you doing in 2016?!

“I was, like, 12,” Alberto says.

And just for the record, yeah, they did fight as kids. And yeah, there were times when Alberto got the better of Fernando playing sports.

The last thing he’s going to do is let a high-dollar mercenary run him out of Bloomington. So here’s a better question for the wandering, vacuous masses: 

What if Alberto wins the job, and a multi-million dollar contract sits on the bench? 

Guess who then becomes the story of college football?

For all the right reasons. 

The Denver Broncos return to the AFC championship game for the first time in 10 years in an exceedingly difficult spot.

Starting quarterback Bo Nix will miss the remainder of the season after suffering a broken bone in his ankle in Saturday’s divisional playoff win over the Buffalo Bills, Broncos coach Sean Payton announced.

That leaves Jarrett Stidham to take the reins to the Broncos’ offense for the tilt against either the New England Patriots or the Houston Texans with a trip to Super Bowl 60 on the line.

Here’s what we know about the outlook for Stidham and the Broncos:

Who is Jarrett Stidham?

A seventh-year veteran, Stidham is about to command a spotlight far more intense than he’s ever experienced.

The 2019 fourth-round pick out of Auburn began his NFL career as Tom Brady’s backup on the Patriots. His chance to become Brady’s successor never fully materialized, however, and he was traded to the Las Vegas Raiders in 2022.

All four starts in Stidham’s career came as teams were pivoting away from marquee veteran passers. First, he stepped in for the final two games of the Raiders’ 2022 season when Derek Carr was benched. Then, he did the same for the Broncos in 2023 as Payton and Co. sat Russell Wilson.

But even with Denver bringing on Bo Nix the following year to step in as the starter, Stidham hung around as a trusted backup for Payton. In March, Stidham re-signed to the team on a two-year, $12 million deal that included $7 million guaranteed.

“We’re excited Jarrett’s back,” Payton said at the NFL league meetings this spring. “He brings a veteran presence, but also a young presence about him. And I know how he feels about his own abilities. … I think the experience from Jarrett is helpful to Bo.”

Jarrett Stidham stats

Completions: 117
Passing attempts: 197
Completion percentage: 59.4%
Passing yards: 1,422
Touchdown passes: 8
Interceptions: 8

Broncos QB depth chart

Bo Nix
Jarrett Stidham
Sam Ehlinger

Anthony Edwards produced a career-high night for the Minnesota Timberwolves on Saturday. Still, it didn’t result in a successful outing as they suffered a 126-123 loss to the San Antonio Spurs on the road.

Edwards reached 54 points after nailing a 3-point shot in the corner to make it a one-point game with 9.8 seconds left in regulation. He added one more free throw and finished the game with 55 points, a new career high.

The Timberwolves star scored 26 points in the fourth quarter after scoring 29 points through the first three quarters of play.

Victor Wembanyama led the way for the Spurs with 39 points.

Anthony Edwards stats vs. San Antonio Spurs

Points: 55
FG: 19-for-33
3PT: 9-for-16
Free Throws: 8-for-10
Rebounds: 4
Assists: 3
Steals: 0
Blocks: 0
Turnovers: 2
Fouls: 4
Minutes: 40

Anthony Edwards, Timberwolves vs. Spurs highlights

The Green Bay Packers won’t be among the host of NFL teams looking for a new coach in 2026.

The team on Saturday agreed to a multiyear contract extension with head coach Matt LaFleur, NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero and ESPN’s Rob Demovsky reported.

Extensions for general manager Brian Gutekunst and executive vice president/director of football operations Russ Ball are also in the works, per Demovsky.

LaFleur’s future with the team was a great source of speculation toward the tail end of the coach’s seventh season at the helm. The Packers began this year 9-3-1 but lost their final four games of the regular season, with All-Pro pass rusher Micah Parsons suffering a torn anterior cruciate ligament in mid-December. Green Bay then squandered a 21-6 fourth-quarter lead over the rival Chicago Bears in a wild-card defeat.

LaFleur did not receive an extension last summer from new Packers president and CEO Ed Policy, leaving 2026 as the last year on the coach’s deal.

Now, LaFleur will be back without any questions about his long-term standing.

‘I mean, this is one of one. I love this place. I love the people,’ LaFleur said after the season. ‘I love our players, our locker room, everybody in our organization. This is a unique place. The community has been outstanding.’

Several players, including Parsons and quarterback Jordan Love, were outspoken in their support of LaFleur in the immediate aftermath of the loss.

‘I reached out to him when I started seeing this, and I said, ‘Man, when I agreed to come here, you were part of the reason why I came here, I want you a part of this and I love you and I think you’re a great coach,” Parsons said. ‘And he appreciated those words, and we had a brief conversation, but Matt, I think he’s a great guy and I just think he cares so much, like he cares so much about the players.’

LaFleur is 76-40-1 in the regular season in his career.

DENVER – This is how the Denver Broncos live.

Sweat it, then pull it out.

It happened again Jan. 17 at Empower Field – and this time it punched a ticket to the AFC Championship Game.

The Broncos survived the Buffalo Bills for a 33-30 victory in overtime, winning with Wil Lutz’s fourth field goal, a 24-yarder with 10 minutes, 16 seconds elapsed into OT of the AFC divisional playoff. The game-winning kick was aided by two Bills defensive pass interference penalties after Denver gained possession with JaQuan McMillian’s interception.

While it was another measure of heartbreak for Buffalo – the Bills advanced to at least the divisional round of the AFC playoffs for the sixth consecutive season – the final outcome marked yet another late-game victory for the Bo Nix-quarterbacked Broncos.

Nix guided Denver to an NFL-high seven victories after trailing in the fourth quarter, and now he’s done it again for a franchise hosting its first playoff game in a decade – since the Broncos captured the Super Bowl 50 crown.

This time, though, it came with a twist: The Broncos defense produced a season-high five takeaways – including two interceptions and two fumbles from Josh Allen – and still nearly lost.

Now the Broncos, having advanced to the AFC title game in just Sean Payton’s third season as coach, await the winner of Sunday’s AFC divisional playoff between the New England Patriots and Houston Texans.

Regardless, they are breathing some sigh of relief.

The Bills forced overtime with a 50-yard Matt Prater field goal with five seconds on the clock. That game-tying boot answered Nix’s 26-yard TD pass to Marvin Mims, Jr., with 55 seconds left on the fourth-quarter clock.

It was that kind of flow.

Denver scored 13 consecutive points late in the first half and early in the second half – aided by two Buffalo turnovers – to seize momentum. Buffalo scored 10 straight points early in the fourth quarter to flip momentum.

And now the momentum is all used up until next season for the Bills.

Or until next week for the Broncos.

Contact Jarrett Bell at jbell@usatoday.com or follow on X: @JarrettBell

Blue and white smoke is finally emanating from East Rutherford, New Jersey.

The New York Giants and John Harbaugh have finally completed a five-year deal to make him the team’s next head coach, per multiple reports, days after Harbaugh and the club had agreed to join forces. His package is expected to be worth in the neighborhood of $100 million, according to multiple reports.

“This is the New York Giants,” Harbaugh told ESPN. “I’m proud and honored to the head coach of this historic franchise, and especially excited to work with the Mara and Tisch families. But most of all, I can’t wait to get started with the great players on this football team to see what we can accomplish together.”

Per NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo, a news conference is expected to occur Tuesday. Harbaugh and general manager Joe Schoen, who retained his job despite Brian Daboll’s firing during the just completed season, are expected to have a ‘cooperative setup.’

Schoen led the coaching search that quickly led the organization to Harbaugh.

Harbaugh led the Baltimore Ravens to 12 playoff berths, AFC North titles and one Super Bowl victory in his 18 seasons in Charm City. His record, including postseason, is 193-124.

The Giants have made the playoffs just twice, winning one wild-card game under Daboll, since winning Super Bowl 46 nearly 14 years ago.

The divisional round of the NFL playoffs is regarded as the best weekend of the season by some fans. Four games over two days, two of them including the regular season’s best teams − insomuch as one might regard the No. 1 postseason seeds as the best squads.

Saturday, the Denver Broncos, the top seed in the AFC, will host the Buffalo Bills in a rematch from the 2024 wild-card round − Josh Allen and Co. cruising best then-rookie Bo Nix and the Broncos 31-7. In the NFC, the San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks will meet for the third time (and second in three weeks) − the ‘Hawks returning to action at Lumen Field following their bye.

Sunday afternoon, the New England Patriots will try to advance to their first AFC championship game in seven years − by beating a red-hot Houston Texans squad hoping to get that for for the first time. Ever. The final matchup of the weekend quartet will pair the Los Angeles Rams and Chicago Bears, who will square off in the postseason for the first time in 40 years − since the legendary ’85 Bears shut out the Rams at Soldier Field.

Which teams will qualify for the NFL’s version of the Final Four? Our experts make their selections:

(Odds provided by BetMGM)

Divisional round picks, predictions, odds

Bills at Broncos
49ers at Seahawks
Texans at Patriots
Rams at Bears

The Miami Hurricanes football program connects current players with program legends like Ray Lewis and Michael Irvin.
Coaches, many of whom are former players, use these legends to reinforce the team’s high standards and legacy.
While embracing the past, the current team is focused on creating its own unique legacy.

MIAMI — Before every game this season, Miami wide receivers coach Kevin Beard would gather his players together to FaceTime with former program greats such as Andre Johnson, Reggie Wayne and Santana Moss, asking each one: What do you expect to see from us?

A wideout for the Hurricanes himself in the early 2000s, Beard would open up the floor and let each former player share their thoughts on what it means to play receiver at Miami. In doing so, Beard’s current group would hear the same message he’d been delivering, but from outside voices with baked-in credibility.

“I want them to hear from somebody else,” said Beard. “So when they hear, they understand that this is the standard.”

Miami has long been defined in part by the parade of former players who continue to haunt the program’s halls and practice fields, passing along tips and tricks in a type of oral history.

“They understand it already,” said defensive line coach Jason Taylor. “They hear about it. The brotherhood the University of Miami has post-playing days is palpable.”

Led by a former Miami offensive lineman in coach Mario Cristobal and motivated by pregame speeches from program legends such as Michael Irvin and Ray Lewis, this year’s team has clearly taken these lessons to heart, leaving the Hurricanes one win away from the program’s national championship since 2001.

“You can’t afford to lose,” said offensive tackle Francis Mauigoa, who had the chance to spend time this season with former Miami linemen Bryan McKinnie and Jon Feliciano. “They were the tone-setters back then. So we want to continue on their legacy.

“You can see the sense of brotherhood that the program has. It’s something that you don’t get often.”

When talking to the team, as Lewis did before the Fiesta Bowl against Mississippi, these former players describe how the names, coaches and conference affiliations may change, but that every Miami player is responsible for continuing a legacy that dates back decades, even if the program has been mired in a generation-long championship drought.

“I’m learning anything I can,” he said. “It’s a little like, ‘Damn, that’s Ray Lewis. That’s Edgerrin James.’ At the same time, they’re here for us, and I’m taking as much knowledge that I can on and off the field.”

In some cases, understanding the legacy means going on YouTube and watching grainy, standard-definition clips of vintage TV broadcasts.

Irvin left Miami after the 1987 season and finished his NFL career in 1999, when Cristobal was in his second season as a Miami graduate assistant. Lewis retired in 2012 and James in 2009, when most of this year’s team was in elementary school.

But all three lingered around this installment of the Hurricanes, sharing what their teams looked like and their opinions on what creates and maintains a winning environment. Before the Peach Bowl, linebacker Wesley Bissainthe recalled, Lewis told the team to play for one another and to take things one play at a time.

“To have him come back and speak life into us, there’s no better feeling,” Bissainthe said. “We try our best to model our games after guys like that.”

This year’s team is the first since at least 2003 to find a place in Miami’s pantheon of great teams, joining championship-winning squads of 1983, 1987, 1989, 1991 and 2001 along with the many groups — in 1986, 1988, 1990, 2000, 2002 — that staked a claim to being seen as the best team in college football.

There’s a subtle turn-back-the-clock aspect to this year’s run to the championship game against unbeaten Indiana, in part because of Cristobal’s blueprint for reestablishing the Hurricanes’ physical dominance on the line of scrimmage. Because of his existing links to the program, Cristobal hasn’t shied away from connecting the past with the present; instead, the Hurricanes have embraced the expectations that come with tying the 2025 team with those that established Miami as a national power.

“That’s the foundation that we had,” Beard said. “We are living our lives trying to make the guys before us proud.”

But the Hurricanes also understand they are creating their own legacy.

“At the end of the day, they’re not the ones who are making plays,” said defensive lineman Ahkeem Mesidor. “This is the 2025 Miami team. It’s not 2001. It’s not the 1990s.”

Win or lose on Monday night, the 2025 team may go down as the one responsible for putting Miami back on the map, should the program’s upward trajectory continue deeper into Cristobal’s tenure.

This team is already responsible for erasing Miami’s reputation for folding under pressure by beating Notre Dame in the season opener, rallying from a midseason lull to make the playoff and then beating three higher-ranked opponents in Texas A&M, Ohio State and the Rebels.

A win against the Hoosiers might give Miami the most impressive postseason résumé of any team in Bowl Subdivision history, aided by the expanded playoff format. If so, the Hurricanes will have beaten the tournament’s No. 7, No. 2, No. 6 and No. 1 seeds.

While there are tangible ways to show how the Hurricanes have remained linked to the past, Miami has also forged ahead, said Cristobal, adapting to a new landscape of college football that’s miles removed from the era of the program’s heyday.

“To protect that and to keep the integrity of that, we’ve gone a route where it’s different than some of the traditional Miami teams, and that’s okay,” he said.

“But there was never any lean towards going back. You go back to take the principles and values and bring them forward. But to go forward, that’s in my opinion, as a head coach, the best way to do it.”

These Hurricanes are simply writing the next chapter, creating a unique legacy to layer upon the program’s existing history.

“We understand we’re right in the middle of the 2025 chapter of the Miami Hurricanes,” Taylor said. “We’re not living in the glory days or the former times.”