🐺 Wolf Sports Weekly

Super Bowl LIX is set with the Chiefs and the Eagles matching up for the second time in three years, and there’s a ton of NFL coaching news to get to in this week’s edition of Wolf Sports Weekly.

🧐 Officiating overshadows KC’s three-peat run

The insane run for the Chiefs continues after they beat the Bills in another thriller to bring their quest for a three-peat down to the Big Game. Sadly, Kansas City’s success—from QB Patrick Mahomes’ strong showing to Chiefs DC Steve Spagnuolo’s excellent fourth-and-five cornerback blitz call forcing a very difficult Josh Allen throw down the field that was dropped on a diving attempt by TE Dalton Kincaid—has been overshadowed by questions about officiating.

From current and former players to national media to a bunch of fans calling for a Super Bowl boycott, many are voicing displeasure with what they feel are game-changing calls going in favor of the Chiefs. The headliner was a key fourth-and-one stop where it appeared Allen made the first-down marker (as spotted by one official), but the ball was tossed to the further official who spotted the ball short—ultimately leading to the call on the field standing. CBS rules analyst Gene Steratore, who typically agrees with whatever the call on the field is, said he felt like Allen clearly got the first, with Jim Nantz and Tony Romo both agreeing.

The Chiefs have now won an overly impressive 17 consecutive one-score games, which according to probabilities is nearly impossible. But game by game, the back-to-back defending champions have found a way to get it done and are on the cusp of the first-ever Super Bowl three-peat.

🦅 Eagles destroy Commanders in NFC title game

The Eagles are back in the Super Bowl for the second time in three seasons after demolishing the NFC East rival Commanders, scoring the most points ever in a conference championship game (55). RB Saquon Barkley ran for a 60-yard touchdown on Philadelphia’s first offensive play, and both he and QB Jalen Hurts ran for three touchdowns (Hurts threw another to WR A.J. Brown). Not only does Philadelphia have New York to thank for Barkley, but the Empire State Building had to shine in Eagles colors to honor the NFC Championship victory.

The Super Bowl LIX matchup will feature a storyline of the Eagles looking for some redemption from the classic 38-35 Super Bowl LVII loss—and now armed with another insane weapon in Saquon. However, you can bet Spagnuolo is going to have his guys on defense determined themselves after Hurts and company lit them up a couple of years ago.

🏈 A ton of coaching moves

The 2025 NFL head coaching cycle hit a flywheel last week, with four hires:

• Super Bowl-winning HC Pete Carroll will lead the Raiders, with former Bucs assistant GM John Spytek named the GM.

• The Jets officially hired Lions DC Aaron Glenn and introduced him in a fiery press conference, and Broncos executive Darren Mougey is the franchise’s new GM.

• Cowboys OC Brian Schottenheimer was promoted to the top position after Dallas and HC Mike McCarthy could not agree to a new deal.

• Liam Coen initially turned down the Jaguars and agreed to a huge new contract to remain the OC with the Bucs, but Jacksonville then fired GM Trent Baalke to get Coen to re-consider and take the job.

The Saints are now the lone team without a new HC, and McCarthy is someone to watch there. Meanwhile, the Vikings signed HC Kevin O’Connell to a big new contract extension, extinguishing rumors about a potential trade.

There’s also been a ton of assistant coaching moves to note:

• The Texans fired OC Bobby Slowik.

• The Patriots brought back Josh McDaniels as the OC for the third time, and New England swiped Terrell Williams from Detroit to be their new DC. Former Jaguars HC Doug Marrone and Bears interim HC Thomas Brown also both have roles.

• Robert Saleh returns to the 49ers as their DC.

• Former Bears HC Matt Eberflus is the new DC in Dallas.

• The Seahawks hired Klint Kubiak as their OC.

• Al Golden is coming from Notre Dame to be the DC of the Bengals.

• The Lions promoted Kelvin Sheppard to DC and Hank Fraley to run game coordinator/offensive line coach.

• The Bears hired Broncos assistant Declan Doyle as their OC and brought in former players Al Harris and Antwan Randle El on the staff.

📰 More NFL news and notes

Award finalists: Five MVP finalists led by Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson among those named.

Player futures: The future of Rams QB Matthew Stafford is said to be uncertain. Chargers OLB Khalil Mack, set to become a free agent, will play next season after considering retirement. Steelers owner Art Rooney II says the team knows they must find an answer at QB and prefers to re-sign only one of Russell Wilson or Justin Fields.

Referee Ron Torbert will lead the Super Bowl LIX officiating crew.

Bill Belichick said on the Let’s Go! podcast that he doesn’t like how assistants can interview for HC jobs during the playoffs, noting that it basically penalizes good teams to have their assistants distracted.

Browns HC Kevin Stefanski says that he will resume play-calling duties in 2025 but has the right to change his mind.

Ravens TE Mark Andrews posted about his emotions following the two-point conversion drop in the Divisional Round loss to the Bills.

Texans RB Joe Mixon says he was fined for something he didn’t say after the controversial Wild Card Round loss at KC.

New Bears HC Ben Johnson received a warm welcome to the team facility, saying it was the place he wanted to be. Ramping up the Green Bay rivalry, he also said it was fun to beat Packers HC Matt LaFleur twice per year (and the two apparently don’t even really know each other). And Bears WR DJ Moore has seemingly claimed the role of Shadow in Johnson’s offense.

The Texans hired Mike Tomon as their new team president.

Other Sports Updates

⚾️ Ichiro Suzuki headlines Baseball Hall of Fame Class of 2025.

🏒 NHL blockbuster: Hurricanes acquire F Mikko Rantanen in a three-team deal with the Avalanche and Blackhawks.

🎲 Las Vegas will host the 2027 College Football Playoff National Championship.

🏈 Ohio State DC Jim Knowles is leaving to be the DC at Penn State, becoming the highest-paid coordinator in the country. USC hired Notre Dame GM Chad Bowden in the same role.

✍️ MLB moves: Braves add Jurickson Profar, while the Dodgers continued to beef up by adding RP Kirby Yates.

🐺 Found on wolfsports.com

• Initial 2025 NFL Draft Big Board (🔒)

• Initial 2025 NFL Draft Positional Rankings (🔒)