Black Monday Bloodbath: Harbaugh Ousted in Baltimore, NFL Playoff Field Set
- The Coaching Carousel: Seven Teams Start Over
Harbaugh wasn’t the only casualty. The Cleveland Browns fired Kevin Stefanski after a 5-12 campaign that saw the roster’s talent wasted by inconsistent play. In Las Vegas, Pete Carroll’s experiment ended after just one year and a dismal 3-14 record. The Atlanta Falcons also cleaned house, dismissing both head coach Raheem Morris and GM Terry Fontenot after finishing 8-9.
The total list of vacancies now includes:
- Baltimore Ravens (John Harbaugh)
- Cleveland Browns (Kevin Stefanski)
- Las Vegas Raiders (Pete Carroll)
- Atlanta Falcons (Raheem Morris)
- Arizona Cardinals (Jonathan Gannon)
- New York Giants (Interim status)
- New Orleans Saints (Interim status)
Yahoo! @AaronRodgers12 pic.twitter.com/aADjAU2VPj
— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) January 7, 2026
2026 Wild Card Matchups & Betting Lines
While front offices scramble for replacements, 14 teams are moving toward Super Bowl LX. The Denver Broncos (AFC) and Seattle Seahawks (NFC) secured the #1 seeds and the only first-round byes. The Wild Card round begins Saturday with high-stakes matchups across the board.
| Matchup | Opening Line | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| LA Rams at Carolina Panthers | Rams -10.5 | Sat, 4:30 PM |
| Green Bay Packers at Chicago Bears | Packers -3 | Sat, 8:15 PM |
| Buffalo Bills at Jacksonville Jaguars | Bills -6 | Sun, 1:00 PM |
| SF 49ers at Philadelphia Eagles | Eagles -1.5 | Sun, 4:30 PM |
| LA Chargers at New England Patriots | Chargers -4.5 | Sun, 8:15 PM |
| Houston Texans at Pittsburgh Steelers | Steelers -2.5 | Mon, 8:15 PM |
What They Said
“This was the best game to conclude a regular season I’ve ever seen, but the fallout is immediate. John Harbaugh becomes the number one candidate for every single opening in the league the second he hits the market.” — Warren Sharp, Sharp Football
Playoff Implications: A New AFC Power Dynamic
With Patrick Mahomes and Joe Burrow both missing the postseason for the first time in years, the AFC is wide open. Josh Allen and the Bills enter as heavy favorites in the Wild Card round, but they face a gritty Jaguars defense. Meanwhile, the NFC goes through Seattle, where the Seahawks have turned Lumen Field into a fortress once again. The road to the Super Bowl has never looked this unpredictable.
