Sports
Overreactions, big questions from five wild-card games: Have the Patriots still not beat a good team?
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Dan Graziano
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Ben Solak
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Ben Solak
ESPN
- Ben Solak joined ESPN in 2024 as a national NFL analyst. He previously covered the NFL at The Ringer, Bleeding Green Nation and The Draft Network.
The NFL playoffs are officially underway. The Rams narrowly edged the Panthers, and the Bears took down the NFC North-rival Packers in a wild comeback. On Sunday, the Bills held off the Jaguars, the 49ers took down the defending champion Eagles and the Patriots won a low-scoring affair over the Chargers.
What are the main lessons and takeaways from each wild-card matchup, and what’s next for these teams? We asked national NFL reporter Dan Graziano and NFL analyst Ben Solak to help size up every matchup from the opening round and look forward from all angles. For each wild-card game, Solak is answering one big remaining question and Graziano is judging the legitimacy of one potential overreaction.
Let’s jump in, making sense of potential offensive changes for the Chargers and Eagles, the Bills’ Super Bowl window, the Jaguars’ rushing attack, Caleb Williams‘ growth and Bryce Young‘s future. And check back all weekend for more snap reactions as games happen.
Jump to:
LAC-NE | SF-PHI | BUF-JAX
GB-CHI | LAR-CAR
‘The Patriots STILL haven’t beaten anybody good!’ Overreaction?
No, not an overreaction. Oh sure, they won. Which is all that matters at this point. But their performance did not scream “No. 2 seed/Super Bowl contender,” and it did little to tamp down the notion of them being an untested team that could struggle against better competition. The Chargers are now only the third team the Patriots have beaten this season that made the playoffs. One of the other two was the Panthers, who finished their season 8-10 after losing to the Rams on Saturday. And the final one was the Bills, to whom they also lost to later in the season.
The Patriots made some plays when they had to against the Chargers. They made their field goal attempts, which really matters in games that are touchdown-free until the final 10 minutes. But they were also sloppy with the ball and didn’t generate much of their usual exciting, explosive offense. The Chargers’ defense was one of the best at limiting explosive plays this season, so that might have been a part of it. But it would have been hard to watch this game and not think a team with a functional offense could have knocked out New England in the first round.
So what happens now? Did quarterback Drake Maye & Co. get their stinker out of the way early and survive it? Do they learn from this and play better next week against the Steelers or Texans? Or does this advanced level of competition do them in, the way their critics feared all season that it might?
We’ll have to wait a week for the answers. Coach Mike Vrabel has pressed every correct button in his first season as the Patriots’ coach, and MVP contender Maye has not let anything bother him. They’ll get either the Steelers and a chance to avenge a Week 3 loss in which they turned the ball over five times, or a Texans team that would be coming in on a 10-game win streak and features an even tougher defense than the Chargers.
This is the survive-and-advance time of the year, and the fact that the Patriots won ugly doesn’t disqualify them from winning it all. It just adds a little bit of strength to the arguments of those who continue to believe this team is playing over its head. — Graziano
Why haven’t the Justin Herbert-led Chargers won a playoff game?
Herbert has officially gone 0-3 in his first three postseason starts. He is only the fourth quarterback this century to go winless in his first three postseason starts, joining Andy Dalton, Matt Ryan and Matthew Stafford.
The general NFL consuming public is reasonably suspicious of Herbert among the modern quarterbacking elites, as he doesn’t have the wins that Patrick Mahomes or Josh Allen have, let alone QBs such as Jalen Hurts or Brock Purdy. Though Herbert didn’t play a great game Sunday, it’s hard to construct an argument that he lost the game for the Chargers.
The Chargers clearly need new interior offensive linemen. Though the injuries at tackle submarined the whole line, all three starters on the interior were the expected ones preseason: Bradley Bozeman at center, Zion Johnson at left guard and Mekhi Becton at right guard. Bozeman and Johnson have not been starting-caliber players for years, and Becton is only an average-level starter.
On 12 of Herbert’s 18 starts in 2025, the Chargers gave up a quick pressure rate (pressures in under 2.5 seconds) greater than 15%. The league average for quick pressure rate this season was 13.8%. The Chargers have also been consistently outschemed under coordinator Greg Roman. His usage of wonky personnel and diverse running schemes is valuable, but the Chargers haven’t delivered against playoff-caliber defenses. Though the offensive line was dreadful, few if any efforts were made to change the game around the offensive line. No screens, rollouts, trick plays. When was the last time the Chargers truly outschemed their opponent?
Of course, that doesn’t explain away the four-interception game against the Texans in the 2024 postseason, nor the collapse against the Jaguars in the 2022 postseason. Taking the collective weight of those three losses and calling Herbert a postseason disappointment is a fair assessment. But of the three quarterbacks he has joined (and, not for nothing, Peyton Manning would also qualify if we included the 1999 season), he’s clearly more of a Stafford character than a Dalton one.
Postseason success will come to Herbert when he plays for a more well-rounded team. As unsatisfying as it is to say, it’s the truth. — Solak
0:24
Patriots deck Herbert to force fumble
K’Lavon Chaisson drops Justin Herbert and forces a fumble.
‘The 49ers can make a legit Super Bowl run.’ Overreaction?
Yes, overreaction. The 49ers are an easy team to like and respect. They are TOUGH tough. They’ve been without their two best players on defense (linebacker Fred Warner and defensive end Nick Bosa) for months. They played more than a month without quarterback Brock Purdy. Tight end George Kittle was in and out of the lineup all season — and he’s now out for however long their season continues after tearing his Achilles in Philadelphia. It is a miracle that they’re one of the eight divisional-round teams, and they deserve admiration for the extent to which they’ve fashioned chicken salad out of … well, everything that has happened to them this year.
But the 49ers have to go play in Seattle, and we just saw that game last weekend. Playing the Seahawks at home with the division title and the NFC’s top seed on the line, the Niners put up a meager 173 yards of total offense in a 13-3 loss. Now, the Seahawks will be at home and coming off a bye, while the Niners will limp in after a physically brutal win over the defending Super Bowl champs.
Will it help that left tackle Trent Williams, who didn’t play in Week 18, is expected to play next week? Sure. But the 49ers still won’t have Kittle, and their run game isn’t very good without him. Running back Christian McCaffrey remains a playmaker for Purdy in the passing game, but they averaged 3.5 yards per rush attempt in Sunday’s win. That’s not out of character for the Niners, as they averaged 3.8 in the regular season (30th in the NFL). They’re limited in what they can do on offense, and the Seahawks have the kind of defense that can take advantage of that.
There was a point in the fourth quarter when I thought, “Whoever wins this game is getting smoked in the next round,” and I kind of stand by it. The 49ers are just about out of players, and the Eagles couldn’t do anything against a team that was just about out of players.
It was a fitting end for a 2025 Eagles team that was never as many believed it to be. Even as they marched down for the go-ahead score, it never felt like they would get it. A child born during the third quarter of this game could have figured out the Eagles were going to Dallas Goedert on the final play, and they did despite him being triple-covered. It was peak 2025 Eagles — no creativity, no juice. They weren’t a great team; they just won a lousy division. Meanwhile, the Seahawks won the only division in NFL history in which three teams won at least 12 games. Kudos to Kyle Shanahan, Robert Saleh and Co. for getting as far as they got with their roster crumbling around them. But it’s only getting tougher from here. — Graziano
0:28
49ers stop Eagles on 4th down to clinch victory
Eric Kendricks makes a great play on defense to stop the Eagles from scoring and secure the 49ers’ 23-19 win vs. the Eagles.
The lingering question: Is the Eagles’ offensive breakup inevitable?
There is no worse-kept secret in the NFL than the frustration internally and externally with the Eagles’ offensive coaching this season. Coordinator Kevin Patullo, promoted to replace the outgoing Kellen Moore, has been a longtime assistant for coach Nick Sirianni. But Patullo was evidently underqualified for his role. Wide receiver A.J. Brown was visibly upset to varying degrees throughout the year. Running back Saquon Barkley was not nearly as productive as he was last season. Quarterback Jalen Hurts continued to struggle with throwing to the middle of the field.
There will almost certainly be a new offensive coordinator in Philadelphia next season — the fifth in five years. But perhaps the greatest question is if anything else will be new in the Eagles’ offense? Brown, who went over 20 minutes of game clock in the second half without a target and was seen arguing with Sirianni on the sideline, was a rumored target for many teams at the trade deadline. His contract represents a substantial dead cap ($66.9 million) if he’s traded, and he would likely have to collaborate with the Eagles’ front office and finagle the finances if he demands a trade.
Other than Brown, tight end (and key red zone option) Dallas Goedert will be a free agent. At 31, he’ll want to cash in on what probably will be his final good years, and the Eagles don’t have a ton of cap space to pay him. But they also don’t have a good TE2 waiting in the wings. Right tackle Lane Johnson, a franchise mainstay for more than a decade, missed the end of the season because of a foot injury and will turn 36 this spring. How much longer does he want to play — and how effective would he be? It feels like a bigger change than a mere coordinator switch is on the horizon for Philadelphia’s offense as the Eagles look to get back on top of the NFC. — Solak
‘This really is Josh Allen‘s best chance to win the Super Bowl.’ Overreaction?
No, not an overreaction. This has been the #narrative since the preseason. The Bills were set up with one of the easiest-looking schedules. They’ve played one game all season outside of their home time zone. Patrick Mahomes missed the playoffs. Joe Burrow and Lamar Jackson missed the playoffs. Allen and the Bills, the theory went, had the road cleared for them and were in line to finally get over that postseason hump.
But a funny thing happened on the way to the coronation. This season’s Bills turned out to be … not as good as usual. The defense never really got it together and still looks very vulnerable. Jacksonville ran for over 100 yards outside the tackles in Sunday’s game, the first time a Jaguars team has done that in more than three years. Buffalo is incredibly banged-up and short-handed on both sides of the ball. It didn’t have an answer for Trevor Lawrence until the stunning tipped-ball interception that locked down Sunday’s win. The Bills will likely be a road underdog next weekend.
But what the Bills do have is guts and experience — and Allen, who plays with multiple simultaneous injuries and doesn’t have a star WR1 but somehow finds a way to do whatever it takes. Yes, even if that’s a 10-yard tush push on fourth-and-1 at the opponent’s 11-yard line with a minute left in a playoff game. The Bills have a winning culture, put in place by coach Sean McDermott and GM Brandon Beane, who both get a lot of grief for not getting over the hump. But they have built a postseason mainstay out of a team that — their critics may forget — had missed the playoffs 17 years in a row before it got there.
Jacksonville had the better team this season. Honestly, it looked very much as if it had the better team Sunday. But Allen and the Bills willed their way to a win, and they’re still going. There is still no Mahomes dragon to slay. There is no team left in the field with anywhere close to Buffalo’s postseason experience. This is the year without the dominant team. This is the NFL playoffs, where no one knows who’s supposed to win; where everyone’s favorite team is an NFC 5-seed that barely beat a sub-.500 team in the first round. There is no way we can rule out a Josh Allen Super Bowl run, even if this is far from the best team he has ever brought to the playoffs. Someone has to win this thing.
Find me a team that has been through more than the Bills. Find me a team that’s hungrier. Find me a team that’s more certain it can do what it takes to win games this time of year. Find me another team with Josh Allen. — Graziano
The lingering question: Why didn’t the Jaguars run it more?
About halfway through the third quarter, you, me and every armchair coach in America were wondering the same thing: Why weren’t the Jaguars relying on the running game? Jacksonville was gaining almost 10 yards per carry through their first seven drives, and the deficit was never greater than one score. Lawrence was not bad, but he was certainly erratic, and it felt like the Jaguars’ passing game might be one big mistake away from disaster.
Well, the Jags rolled down the field on their next two drives, scoring touchdowns on 11- and 10-play sequences that collectively took up 11 minutes of clock. The running game was sprinkled in, but it was Lawrence ripping throws with accuracy and aggression that created the scoring opportunities. During the back half of the regular season, the Jaguars had been an extremely one-dimensional offense, ranking fourth in success rate on dropbacks but 31st in success rate on designed runs. They were third in EPA per play on dropbacks but 30th in EPA per play on designed runs. It’s hard to stop dancing with the one that brought you, even when the Bills were so willing to play with light boxes and surrender ground against the run.
0:24
Travis Etienne Jr. shakes off a tackle attempt to put Jags back up late in 4th
Trevor Lawrence finds Travis Etienne Jr., who powers through a tackle attempt to give the Jaguars a lead with a little over four minutes remaining.
Even despite his shaky accuracy and first-quarter interception, Lawrence had a 48.5% dropback success rate (Allen was 42.1%) on the day. The Jaguars certainly could have run the ball more in an effort to shorten the game and minimize the number of second-half possessions Allen got. And I’d make a strong guess that coach Liam Coen and GM James Gladstone will invest serious offseason resources into bolstering the offensive line to ensure they have the sort of running game that they can trust all season long.
At the end of the day, the Jaguars lost a brutally close game to an excellent Bills team. As with all losing teams, there were plenty of little things they could have done better. But someone has to lose the ballgames, and Jacksonville — despite its truly excellent season and legitimate Year 1 leap under Coen — drew the shorter straw Sunday. — Solak
‘Caleb Williams is going to win the MVP award next season.’ Overreaction?
No, not an overreaction. The Bears fell behind 21-3 at halftime. Williams completed less than 50% of his passes and threw two interceptions. And despite pouring it on in the second half, the Bears were down 27-24 at the two-minute warning — at home as the No. 2 seed — to their oldest and most hated rival. It was all setting up for a massive Bears playoff letdown. Until they won.
Williams hit DJ Moore for a 25-yard go-ahead touchdown pass with 1:43 left to complete a furious comeback, and for the seventh time this season, Chicago won a game it trailed in the final two minutes of regulation. Williams can put you through the full spectrum of emotion on literally any snap. But you watched him pick up a fourth-and-8 and a third-and-10 on his way to the touchdown pass that cut the lead to three and turned the Soldier Field crowd all the way up to 11, and you probably thought something along the lines of, “Yeah, there’s something magic about this kid.” You watched him get the ball back after the Packers’ missed a field goal attempt with 2:56 to go and you thought, “Yeah, I kind of think he’s got this.”
Williams can make throws other quarterbacks can’t make, and he appears to be the kind of player whose pulse chills all the way out in the moments that send the pulses of others through the roof. That’s why even when it’s not going great, you feel as if there’s a good chance it eventually will. With Williams in his second season as an NFL quarterback and Ben Johnson in his first year as an NFL head coach, Chicago went 11-6, won a division out of which the other three teams made last season’s playoffs and still has a chance to win the whole thing. The Bears have young skill position talent all over the place around Williams. They can spend their offseason beefing up the defense, too. Is there a compelling reason to believe they’ll be worse next season than they were this season? Nope.
Williams should continue improving with this group around him and Johnson coaching him. If next season’s Bears win 12 or more, and Williams wins five or six of those in the final two minutes, he can be the darling of the MVP voting body. There are a lot of “ifs” there, sure, but this isn’t far-fetched. — Graziano
The lingering question: What’s wrong — and right — with Ben Johnson’s fourth-down decision-making?
The fourth-down haters were out in full force at the end of the first half, as Johnson’s Bears went 1-for-4 there, including a failed fourth-and-5 at their 32-yard line. This was a particularly aggressive call. The NFL Next Gen Stats model favored a punt, while the ESPN model very, very narrowly favored a “go.”
Should Johnson have gone for all those early fourth downs? I’m not sure. The defense felt as if it had no stops in it, but as evidenced by the second half, it did. It’s hard to know from the outside what goes into every decision.
What we can say confidently is that the Bears were making massive, easy mistakes on fourth down. The interception targeting Luther Burden III on fourth-and-6 came because the rookie receiver was confused at the line. The second-half fourth-and-1 failure in the red zone was a result of a blown pass protection. Even the fourth-and-5, way backed up, looked like a huge Burden catch-and-run … until the ball was tipped at the line.
0:27
Bears pull within 3 after TD to Zaccheaus
Caleb Williams throws a beautiful pass to Olamide Zaccheaus for the Bears touchdown, and the two-point conversion is good.
The story of the Bears’ win — and the Bears’ season — isn’t one of decisions; it’s one of execution. Chicago made a lot of sloppy mistakes on offense to start the season and improved later in the schedule. In this first playoff game for a young offense, the Bears made plenty of easy mistakes and improved as the game progressed. These cardiac Bears are living by the hair on their chinny chin chins, and its hard to win all of your playoff games that way. But they are doing exactly what a young team needs to do in the playoffs: settling down, fighting back and learning what it takes to win January football. — Solak
‘Bryce Young is going to get a top-10 QB contract this offseason.’ Overreaction?
Yes, overreaction. Look, massive respect to Young and the Panthers here. The Rams won, but Carolina made all of us who thought it could pull off an upset look good. Young was fearless and fun and everything teams want their quarterbacks to be in big moments. He was 21-for-40 for 264 yards and a touchdown pass, and he also ran for a touchdown. He hit Jalen Coker for the go-ahead TD with 2:39 to go, only to watch his defense inexplicably go into prevent mode with way too much time left, as the Rams marched down the field for the winning score. But Young did everything he could to try to keep his season — in which he threw for 3,011 yards, 23 touchdown passes and 11 interceptions for a division champion — alive. Yes, an 8-9 division champion, but still.
All of that said, it’s too soon for the Panthers to commit. If Young wants to sign a Sam Darnold or Baker Mayfield type of deal, go ahead and do that, Carolina. Well worth it, given the promise Young showed this season and the investment the team has already made in him. But if he wants Tua Tagovailoa money? Uh-uh.
Young is signed through 2026, and the Panthers have an option for 2027, which I feel extremely confident they will pick up because there’s no reason not to do so. They’ll basically have him for $30 million over the next two years if they do that. That’s a totally reasonable investment that would allow them to gather more data and decide whether he’s the franchise guy they believed him to be when they traded up to select him first in 2023. The fifth-year option (and the franchise tag, frankly, if they want to do that in 2028) afford the team the opportunity to make Young prove it again.
Young doesn’t seem like the kind of guy who needs the affirmation that would come with the long-term deal. I’m sure he knows a ton of things he can do better and looks forward to a chance to work on them. Heck, he’s better off waiting and having an even better year in 2026 and negotiating off that. Big hat tip to Young and the Panthers, but it’s still way early. — Graziano
The lingering question: What have the two games against the Panthers taught us about the Rams?
There are plenty of big differences between the Panthers’ regular-season upset of the Rams and their near postseason repeat. The connecting thread is how successfully the Panthers tested the Rams’ defensive backs in coverage. In the first matchup, it was with shot plays late in drives to score big touchdowns; in this game, the Panthers ripped off explosives to Tetairoa McMillan and Coker. The ball came out fast from Young, which helped neutralize the Rams’ pass rush, as Carolina wagered on its supersized receivers against the Rams’ smaller defensive backs. It generally worked.
Nickelback Quentin Lake returned to the starting lineup for the first time since Week 11, and the Panthers immediately tested him, too. Lake was targeted 10 times and allowed 7 receptions for 83 yards, as the big slot Coker in particular gave him trouble (5 catches on 5 targets for 62 yards). As the Rams advance, I’d expect more teams to test that secondary in 50-50 and contested situations, whether deep down the sideline or in the middle of the field. It isn’t a big group, and physical receivers give it challenges accordingly.
1:19
Should Rams be concerned after tight win over Panthers?
Alex Smith, Tedy Bruschi, Rex Ryan and Randy Moss discuss the Rams’ 34-31 wild-card win over the Panthers.
Of course, the Rams have struggled with turnovers against Carolina, as well: three takeaways in the first game, then one (plus the blocked punt) in the second game. In general, the Panthers do well discouraging the play-action pass and forcing Matthew Stafford to play more patiently. And when he plays patiently, he’s forced to scramble more or take more checkdowns — not his preferred style of play. — Solak
“Is this going to be a busy cycle?”
It’s the question most asked of industry insiders around this time every year, as athletic directors, coaches, search firms and agents gear up for the college basketball coaching carousel. Normally, it’s easy to tell which direction the cycle is heading. Last year, there were five high-major programs already open when this story appeared, and 15 power-conference jobs changed hands when the carousel finally stopped spinning.
Could we match that number this season? Kansas State is the only high-major job open as things stand, with Jerome Tang’s ousting failing to jump-start an early string of firings thus far.
There are more than a dozen high-major jobs on the hot seat, but administrations are facing a similar quandary to last season: give their embattled head coach more money to build a roster or pay out the rest of that coach’s contract and start anew? Several of the coaches mentioned below have a substantial amount of money remaining on their deals, and schools will be hesitant to pay those buyouts. Word is already starting to trickle out from some schools that are instead opting to raise their men’s basketball NIL budget and giving their coach one more season to turn things around. But some schools are also hoping to raise their NIL budget — to give to a new coach.
There’s also the question of what type of hiring cycle this will be. Last year, the power-conference carousel featured a mix of lateral moves, mid-major names taking a jump, NBA assistants dropping into college and the occasional high-major assistant getting an opportunity. If more than 10 power-conference programs open up again, it will be interesting to see which bucket is the most prevalent.
To prepare you for the next two months of coaching machinations and the accompanying rumors — of which there will be many — let’s take a look at the biggest jobs and names to watch on the 2026 men’s college basketball carousel.
Jump to a section:
Jobs already open | Jobs that could open | Least a year away
Potential retirements | High-profile candidates | Who’s ready to jump up?
Jobs already open
Jerome Tang was let go earlier this month after less than four seasons in Manhattan and less than three seasons removed from an Elite Eight run. But the Wildcats were 1-11 in Big 12 play and hadn’t returned to the NCAA tournament since 2023. Whether Kansas State had enough to fire him for cause will be figured out in the future.
Meanwhile, athletic director Gene Taylor will look for Tang’s replacement. It’s still early in the search, but names such as Utah State‘s Jerrod Calhoun, Belmont‘s Casey Alexander, Northern Iowa‘s Ben Jacobson and Creighton associate head coach — and Bluejays coach-in-waiting — Alan Huss are already sprouting up. Could Taylor also look to get a sitting high-major head coach, someone like Mississippi State‘s Chris Jans?
Other jobs currently open or with an interim head coach: Air Force, Cal State Bakersfield, North Florida, San Diego, Tarleton State
Jobs that could open
Bobby Hurley’s contract is up after this season and all signs point to the Sun Devils moving on from him. They’ve been playing better basketball of late, but they’re headed for their third straight season without an NCAA tournament appearance. Overall, in Hurley’s 11 seasons at the helm, Arizona State has gone to only three NCAA tournaments (it would have been a fourth had the tournament been held in 2020) and has yet to win a game. But when the dust settles on this cycle, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Hurley land on his feet closer to the Northeast.
The optimism that followed a 20-win 2023-24 season seems a long time ago. BC finished next-to-last in the ACC in 2024-25, and is trending toward a similar ending this season. In fact, coach Earl Grant has yet to lead the Eagles to a .500 finish in conference play, and they entered the week just 6-28 in ACC games over the past two seasons. He’s under contract through the 2028-29 season, and it’s one of the worst Power 4 jobs in the country, but an opening appears likely.
Thad Matta is in the fourth year of his second stint at Butler, but he has yet to lead the Bulldogs to an NCAA tournament appearance since returning. In fact, the program hasn’t gone dancing since 2018 (although it would’ve gone in 2020). There is speculation Matta, 58, could step down, and Atlanta Hawks assistant Ronald Nored, who played at Butler under Brad Stevens, has long been linked as a potential candidate.
Wes Miller might be coaching himself off of the hot seat with the Bearcats’ recent play. They entered the week on a four-game winning streak, including Saturday’s 16-point win over Kansas at Allen Fieldhouse. Another couple of wins, and Cincinnati could even find itself in the midst of the bubble conversation. The Bearcats haven’t gone to the NCAA tournament since Miller was hired in 2021, and they’ve spent real money on talented rosters the past few seasons. The former UNC Greensboro coach is owed nearly $10 million if he’s fired before April 1, but that guarantee drops to less than $5 million on April 1.
Industry sources are beginning to believe Tech is trending toward opening. The athletic director who hired Stoudamire is no longer at the school, the Yellow Jackets are currently in last place in the ACC — despite having a roster with a respectable level of talent — and Damon Stoudamire is just 42-52 in three seasons. He would reportedly be owed less than $3 million if the program moved on at the end of the season.
Athletic director Verge Ausberry raised the temperature on Matt McMahon last month, telling the Baton Rouge Advocate he’d made it clear to McMahon that the Tigers needed to make the NCAA tournament, or he would be forced to “reevaluate.” After a 12-1 start to the season, the Tigers are just 2-12 in SEC play, struggling mightily with star point guard Dedan Thomas Jr. sitting out most of conference play because of a foot injury. McMahon hasn’t been to the NCAA tournament in four years since arriving at LSU, and he’s just 16-52 in the SEC during that time. He would be owed about $8 million if fired — which, along with the injury issues, could ultimately play a role in McMahon trending toward returning for another season.
Penny Hardaway appeared to have Memphis on the right track after last season’s 29-win season and 5-seed in the NCAA tournament — the Tigers’ third tourney trip in four years. But things have fallen apart this season. Hardaway had won at least 20 games in each of his previous seven seasons in charge, but the Tigers dropped to 12-15 overall after their third straight double-digit loss Sunday. He was very emotional in his postgame news conference after an earlier loss, at times fighting back tears. Whether athletic director Ed Scott wants to fire a program legend 12 months after earning a 5-seed remains to be seen — as does whether Hardaway wants to step away on his own. He signed a six-year contract extension in 2022 that runs through the 2027-28 season.
It’s only two years into Jake Diebler’s tenure in Columbus, but the Buckeyes are squarely on the cutline for the NCAA tournament. If they don’t hear their name on Selection Sunday, that will be two years without a tournament appearance for Diebler, four years for the program as a whole. The latest word out of Columbus is that he’s probably safe for another season, but that could depend on what happens over the next three weeks. The school would be on the hook for just over $3 million.
Porter Moser led the Sooners on a late-season surge last season that staved off hot seat pressure, but the program entered this week with losses in 11 of its past 13 games. A roster built via the transfer portal last offseason hasn’t clicked, and OU is now going to miss the NCAA tournament for a fourth time in five seasons. New athletic director Roger Denny, who was hired in late January, will face a critical decision within weeks of his arrival. Moser has more than $5 million left on his deal.
It has been an inconsistent eight seasons in Pittsburgh for Jeff Capel. The Panthers struggled in his first four seasons, then turned things around with 46 wins and one NCAA tournament appearance over the next two (2022-23 and 2023-24). But they took a step back last season, and are now hovering near last place in the ACC, sitting at 10-17 overall and 3-11 in league play. In 2024, Capel signed a contract extension through the 2029-30 season, and would be owed eight figures if fired.
Kim English showed considerable promise in Year 1 (2023-24), leading the Friars to 21 wins and within reach of the NCAA tournament. But he has failed to build off that first year, entering this week with a 24-35 (11-25 Big East) record over the past two seasons despite spending substantial money to build those rosters. Providence gave English a contract extension after that first season, signing him through 2029-30. He would be owed a significant amount of money if fired.
It simply hasn’t quite clicked for Red Autry since he took over for Hall of Famer Jim Boeheim in 2023. He won 20 games in Year 1, then struggled last season. After compiling an impressive on-paper roster with enough talent to compete in the ACC, Syracuse is now just 6-9 in conference play. The Orange made an attempt at bubble consideration after beating Cal and SMU earlier this month, but a pair of blowout losses to Duke and North Carolina probably ended those hopes. One variable to consider: athletic director John Wildhack recently announced he would be retiring this summer.
Probably at least a year away
In reality, Ed Cooley is arguably the safest name on this list. He’s only three years into a long-term contract that reportedly pays him nearly $6 million a season, and the Hoyas have poured plenty of resources into helping him be the coach to return them to their glory days. It hasn’t gone well thus far, with Cooley entering the week with a 15-41 record in Big East play since taking over in the District. But he’ll get at least another season to turn it around.
Hubert Davis entered the season on one of the hotter seats in college basketball, but the Tar Heels are now ranked in the top 20 and are a second-weekend threat with Caleb Wilson expected to return from a hand injury. Barring a catastrophic finish to the season, Davis isn’t at risk of losing his job. He signed a contract extension in December 2024 that keeps him in Chapel Hill through the 2029-30 season, and he would be owed around $5 million if Carolina moved on. A couple of NCAA tournament wins might also ease some of the perceived pressure from the fan base, though this season’s performance, combined with a top-10 recruiting class coming in next season, cools off his seat moving forward.
Three seasons into his tenure in South Bend, Micah Shrewsberry has yet to finish above .500 overall, or in the ACC. The 2025-26 season has been his worst showing, with the Fighting Irish entering the week just 3-11 in conference play. There’s no appetite to make an immediate move, sources told ESPN, though, and Shrewsberry is still signed through the 2029-30 season.
Mike Rhoades arrived in State College in 2023 with three NCAA tournament trips in his previous five seasons at VCU. Unfortunately, the Nittany Lions haven’t come close to the tournament during his three seasons in the Big Ten. They’re last in the conference this season, with a 2-15 record. When Rhoades was hired, he signed a seven-year contract with nearly $26 million guaranteed. There’s still $15.4 million remaining on it.
Since going to back-to-back NCAA tournaments in 2021 and 2022, it has been a steady downhill turn for Steve Pikiell and the Scarlet Knights. Despite having two top-five NBA draft picks last season, Rutgers finished 15-17 overall. It entered this week 11-16 overall and 4-12 in the Big Ten. Pikiell is owed an enormous amount of money, though, with a fully guaranteed deal through the 2030-31 season and more than $20 million left on his contract.
After struggling in Year 1 in Columbia, Lamont Paris guided the Gamecocks to a 26-win season in 2023-24, earning a 6-seed in the NCAA tournament and winning SEC Coach of the Year. But the Gamecocks haven’t come close to sustaining that momentum, entering the week with a 24-35 (5-27 SEC) record over the past two seasons. But it sounds as if the school plans to increase Paris’ NIL budget, in the hope that he will turn things around next season. Paris signed a six-year, $26 million extension through 2029-30, and there’s just over $12 million remaining.
The Hokies entered the week with bubble hopes still alive, sitting at 18-10 overall (7-8 ACC) with games at North Carolina and Virginia remaining that could boost their tournament résumé. Regardless of those results, it appears Mike Young is safe for another season — after which his last contract extension ends. Tech has missed the past three NCAA tournaments after making back-to-back appearances in 2021 and 2022.
The latest intel out of Winston-Salem points to Steve Forbes returning to the Demon Deacons. Wake Forest is poised to miss the NCAA tournament for a sixth straight season, entering the week with a 14-13 overall record (5-9 ACC) — despite the fact that Forbes has won at least 19 games in four of his six seasons. Forbes, who signed a long-term extension in 2022 on a contract that had already run through 2026, also has a strong relationship with athletic director John Currie.
It’s only Year 2 for Danny Sprinkle with the Huskies, but things are already starting to heat up in Seattle. The program has spent significant money on Sprinkle’s rosters, but is just 26-32 overall in those two seasons, including 9-27 in Big Ten play. When Sprinkle was hired in March 2024, he’d signed a six-year, $22.1 million contract.
Others to watch: UAlbany, Ball State, The Citadel, East Carolina, Eastern Michigan, Florida International, Florida Gulf Coast, Cal State Fullerton, Gardner-Webb, Georgia State, Holy Cross, Little Rock, Niagara, Northern Illinois, Rider, Sacred Heart, Southern Indiana, Tennessee Tech, UNC Greensboro, UTEP, Weber State, Western Michigan
Potential retirements to monitor
The obvious place to start is Creighton’s Greg McDermott, who hired Alan Huss last season from High Point to be his associate head coach and coach-in-waiting. There has been no definitive timeline given by McDermott, although the change could happen as soon as after this season.
While speculation has surrounded Colorado’s Tad Boyle and Oregon’s Dana Altman seemingly every season, both are likely to be back in their positions for the 2026-27 campaign, sources told ESPN. The Buffaloes have struggled since moving to the Big 12, sitting at 29-33 (8-26 Big 12) in two seasons, but there have been no significant retirement discussions at Colorado, as the conversations have been focused on retaining the Buffaloes’ young core for next season. Altman is in the midst of his worst season since going 7-19 at Creighton in 1994-95, with the Ducks currently 10-17 (3-13 Big Ten). Before this season, he had won at least 20 games in 15 straight seasons and went to the past two NCAA tournaments. But after a season beset by injuries, there’s no expectation for any change or a retirement. Oregon also remains fully committed to the longtime head coach.
In the elite coaches tier, there’s annual speculation about Tennessee’s Rick Barnes, Gonzaga‘s Mark Few, Houston’s Kelvin Sampson, Kansas’ Bill Self and Michigan State‘s Tom Izzo — but all five programs are ranked in the top 20 and none of the coaches seem overly eager to step away. It wouldn’t be a shock if one of them did, but it’s impossible to predict at this point.
Dayton’s Anthony Grant is also rumored to be mulling a potential retirement. The Flyers entered the week tied for third in the Atlantic 10, but they have gone to only one NCAA tournament since he took over in 2017. It should be noted that the Flyers were tracking for a 1-seed in 2020 before the NCAA tournament was canceled. Grant was also recently named the head coach of the USA Basketball men’s U18 national team for this summer; does that make him more likely to stay?
High-profile candidates to keep an eye on
T.J. Otzelberger, Iowa State
Otzelberger has established himself as one of the elite coaches in college basketball, and he signed a new contract in December 2024 with a restructured buyout that makes him potentially attainable. If Ohio State were to open, there’s reason to believe the Buckeyes would look to gauge Otzelberger’s interest. That said, he’s happy in Ames, with no signs of him itching to leave, and he has a great relationship with Cyclones athletic director Jamie Pollard.
Chris Jans, Mississippi State
After going to the NCAA tournament in each of his first three seasons in Starkville, Jans and the Bulldogs are limping toward a sub-.500 finish this season. Mississippi State is considered one of the worst jobs in the SEC, so it’s conceivable he could look to jump to another high-major program with the right fit.
Will Wade, NC State
Wade has quickly turned around NC State in Year 1, as promised, with the Wolfpack trending toward wearing home jerseys in the first round of the NCAA tournament. But there is growing speculation that LSU would be potentially interested in a reunion, should the Tigers move on from Matt McMahon. Whether Wade would leave NC State after one season is a different story. He previously led LSU to three NCAA tournaments and an SEC title before being fired in 2022 following an NCAA investigation.
Porter Moser, Oklahoma
It’s true, we had Moser on the hot seat earlier, but he also has a big enough name and résumé to land on his feet at a reasonably strong job — whether it’s by leaving on his own or being let go. He has a Final Four and Sweet 16 on his ledger from his time at Loyola Chicago.
Chris Beard, Ole Miss
Beard is in the same category as Jans: a coach who could look to bounce to a job with a bigger budget if something becomes available. The Rebels are struggling mightily this season, sitting only one game out of last place in the SEC at 3-11 (11-16 overall). But Beard did lead Ole Miss to the Sweet 16 last season.
Randy Bennett, Saint Mary’s
Bennett has never shown interest in leaving Saint Mary’s, despite taking the Gaels to 11 NCAA tournament appearances since arriving in Moraga in 2001. But with Arizona State potentially opening, could Bennett — an Arizona native — find that it’s time to make the jump, especially with Gonzaga leaving the WCC?
Shaheen Holloway, Seton Hall
Holloway has guided the Pirates to one of the biggest single-season improvements in the country in 2025-26, going from 7-25 last season to 19-9 entering the week. They’re still trending toward missing the NCAA tournament, but they were picked last in the Big East and their NIL pales in comparison to that of the rest of the conference. Seton Hall hasn’t been to the NCAA tournament under Holloway but did win the NIT in 2024.
Mark Byington, Vanderbilt
There’s no sign Byington has interest in leaving Vanderbilt, but of the coaches at the top 20 schools, he is one of the few who could still potentially make a jump up. He has done one of the best jobs in the country this season, guiding the Commodores to a 16-0 start and a second straight NCAA tournament appearance. But Vanderbilt also checks a lot of boxes for Byington, and there doesn’t appear to be anything in line to open that would be a clear step up. There’s also a sizable buyout to get him out of Nashville.
Richard Pitino, Xavier
Rumors connecting Pitino to Providence have been circulating for several weeks, although it’s difficult to see the partnership coming to fruition. His buyout at Xavier is well into eight figures, and Providence would already have to pay close to $10 million to fire Kim English. With a much lower buyout figure? Perhaps it’s possible. But paying the largest buyout on record to lure a coach in the same league — who entered the week with the same 5-11 Big East record as the potential outgoing coach — doesn’t seem viable.
Kevin Keatts
Keatts was fired by NC State last season, just one year after leading the Wolfpack to the Final Four. He could get back into the sport after only one season out, as his résumé is better than those of other potential candidates this cycle. In addition to the Final Four, Keatts has made five NCAA tournament appearances and won two CAA titles at UNC Wilmington.
Who’s ready to make the jump?
Josh Schertz, Saint Louis
After being one of the hottest names on the coaching carousel only two years ago at Indiana State, Schertz is again the crown jewel of the coaching cycle. He has Saint Louis at 25-2 entering the week, ranked inside the top 25 nationally and on track for a single-digit seed on Selection Sunday. The only thing missing from his résumé is an NCAA tournament appearance — something that will change this season. It’s worth noting Schertz isn’t eager to jump at just any high-major job; he can afford to be selective, or even wait until next year.
Jerrod Calhoun, Utah State
The latest to come off the Utah State high-major coach assembly line, Calhoun has the Aggies atop the Mountain West one year after leading them to the NCAA tournament in his first season in Logan. He’s likely to be high on the list of candidates for any Midwest job, given his Ohio roots. He also has high-major experience from his time as an assistant coach at West Virginia. Calhoun’s new contract, which he signed last March, does include a buyout of more than $3 million.
Casey Alexander, Belmont
Alexander has done a tremendous job this season, taking a Belmont team picked fifth in the Missouri Valley to an outright regular-season title. The Bruins have yet to go to an NCAA tournament since hiring Alexander from Lipscomb in 2019 (though they did win the Ohio Valley tournament in 2020), but will be the favorites to cut down the nets at Arch Madness this season. Alexander has won at least 20 games in each of his past 10 seasons as head coach.
Travis Steele, Miami (Ohio)
Steele is at the helm of the last unbeaten team in men’s college basketball. The topic of a new contract has also already been publicly discussed, with Steele acknowledging over the weekend that the school has offered him a contract extension — and that he has yet to sign it. He has the RedHawks on track for the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2007, and also won 25 games last season. He failed to make the NCAA tournament during his four seasons at Xavier in 2019-22 but could soon get a second chance at the high-major level.
Eric Olen, New Mexico
Olen is in his first season at New Mexico, with the Lobos right on the cutline for the NCAA tournament despite being picked fifth in the preseason Mountain West poll. Last season, he led UC San Diego to 30 wins and an NCAA tournament appearance, and was a consistent winner with the Toreros when they were still in Division II.
Bryan Hodgson, South Florida
Hodgson, a former Alabama assistant coach under Nate Oats, has now shown the ability to quickly turn around programs at two different schools. He won 45 games in two seasons at Arkansas State, including a share of the Sun Belt regular-season title last year, and now has South Florida atop the American in Year 1.
Takayo Siddle, UNC Wilmington
Since a 7-10 record in Wilmington during the COVID-19 2020-21 campaign, Siddle has become one of the most consistently successful mid-major coaches in the country. He has won at least 21 games in each of the past five seasons, leading the Seahawks to the 2022 CAA regular-season title and a 2025 NCAA tournament appearance. This season, UNCW sits in first place in the CAA, and it could be the right time for Siddle to make a jump.
Joe Gallo, Merrimack
Gallo and the Warriors won the outright MAAC regular-season championship, with room to spare, this season, holding a four-game lead with two games to go. It’s Gallo’s fourth regular-season title in seven years at the Division I level, and he has done it in two different conferences. Over the past four seasons — two in the NEC and two in the MAAC — Gallo is 55-15 in conference play. Merrimack also won the NEC tournament in 2023, but was then ineligible for the NCAA tournament. Expect Gallo to be involved in the conversation for bigger jobs in the Northeast.
Tony Skinn, George Mason
A couple of weeks ago, Skinn might have been higher up on this list, alongside Schertz and Calhoun. But the Patriots have fallen apart down the stretch and currently sit third in the Atlantic 10. He did lead Mason to a share of the conference regular-season title last season and has won 68 games in three seasons as a head coach, but he has yet to get to the NCAA tournament. He also has high-major experience from his time as an assistant at Maryland, Ohio State and Seton Hall.
John Groce, Akron
Groce has been one of the most consistent mid-major coaches in the country over the last handful of years, going to three NCAA tournaments in four years and winning the MAC regular-season title last year. The Zips are currently 13-1 in league play, their lone loss coming by three points at unbeaten Miami (Ohio). Groce spent five seasons as Illinois’ head coach from 2012 to 2017, winning 20 games three times but taking the Illini to only one NCAA tournament. With the Midwest seeming like the epicenter of this year’s carousel, he could find himself in the mix for a spot.
Others to watch: Dustin Kerns, App State; Chris Mack, Charleston; Matt Langel, Colgate; Brooks Savage, East Tennessee State; Bob Richey, Furman; Bryce Drew, Grand Canyon; Rob Senderoff, Kent State; Ritchie McKay, Liberty; Rod Strickland, Long Island University; Robert Jones, Norfolk State; Bob Richman, North Dakota State; Ben Jacobson, Northern Iowa; Andy Toole, Robert Morris; Bashir Mason, Saint Peter’s; Chris Mudge, Sam Houston; Herb Sendek, Santa Clara; Richie Riley, South Alabama; Brad Korn, Southeast Missouri State; Matt Braeuer, Stephen F. Austin; Scott Cross, Troy; Eric Konkol, Tulsa; Andy Kennedy, UAB; Russell Turner, UC Irvine; James Jones, Yale
ESPN’s Pete Thamel contributed to this report.
For the third consecutive year, the Miami Dolphins ranked first in the NFL Players Association annual report cards, according to survey results obtained by ESPN. The Minnesota Vikings finished second, followed by the Washington Commanders in third.
“Players consistently describe the organization as ‘the best in the NFL,'” the NFLPA survey wrote about the Dolphins.
The Pittsburgh Steelers finished last for the first time in the four-year history of the union’s survey. Last year, the Steelers ranked 28th. The Arizona Cardinals finished 31st in the 2026 survey, after a last-place finish in 2025, and the Cleveland Browns finished in 30th, the same as in 2025.
The NFLPA is not making the report cards public this year after a grievance filed by the NFL, which said the survey violated the collective bargaining agreement. Earlier this month, an arbitrator agreed with the league, saying the report cards violated the CBA by “disparaging NFL clubs and individuals.” The NFLPA said it would continue to collect responses for report cards even if it can’t publish them.
A spokesperson for the NFLPA declined to comment.
An NFL spokesperson also declined to comment, saying that, as in previous years, the league had no knowledge of the survey. The league sent a memo to all teams later Thursday, saying that, as the arbitration hearing showed, the survey results are “neither reliable nor scientifically valid.”
“… We continue to recommend that clubs prioritize feedback and information provided directly by their own players rather than relying on the NFLPA’s agenda-driven exercise,” the league said in the memo, a copy of which was obtained by ESPN. “We further recommend that Clubs refrain from commenting or engaging publicly on the alleged survey and Report Card results.”
The report cards grade franchises from A-plus to F-minus on everything from ownership to treatment of families. Per the survey results obtained by ESPN, this year’s report cards are based on responses from 1,759 players. All players who were on a 2025 roster at the time of the survey were eligible to participate, and it was conducted from Nov. 2 to Dec. 11.
The Steelers received low grades in several categories, according to the results obtained by ESPN.
“[Steelers owner] Art Rooney ranks last in the league for willingness to invest in facilities, a trend reflected in the Steelers’ poor facility ratings across the board,” according to the survey.
In a new category added this year, the Steelers had the lowest-rated home field in the league “by a wide margin.”
“Players cite inadequate maintenance and excessive wear from hosting local college and high school games,” according to the survey. “Players across the league note the poor condition of the field and emphasize the need for investment to bring it up to standard.”
The Steelers’ locker room was graded an F. Players reported that it “has only five bathroom stalls for the entire team.”
Per the survey, players report that the Steelers’ training room lacks updated recovery technology and “modalities.” Pittsburgh’s strength coaches ranked last in the NFL, though the training staff ranked first.
“We are not going to comment on a report that we have not seen in its entirety,” Steelers senior director of communications Burt Lauten told ESPN.
A spokesperson for the Cardinals declined to comment.
Miami ranked fourth in home field because of the natural grass at Hard Rock Stadium, “with players highlighting their preference for quality grass fields like this one,” the survey said.
Former Miami coach Mike McDaniel’s grade dropped from an A-plus to a B. “Players identify scheduling, communication, and leadership as key areas for head coaching improvement, presenting an opportunity for [new head coach Jeff] Hafley next season,” the survey said.
Last year, 1,695 players leaguewide responded to the survey. The Vikings and Dolphins earned the highest marks for workplace environment, with owners Zygi Wilf of the Vikings, Stephen Ross of the Dolphins and Arthur Blank of the Atlanta Falcons receiving A-plus grades.
Before filing its grievance in November, the NFL had twice asked the union to suspend the survey, once in 2024 and a second time in June of this year — and the NFLPA declined.
At the NFL league meeting in March 2025, New York Jets chairman Woody Johnson — who along with Art Rooney of the Steelers, Robert Kraft of the New England Patriots, Michael Bidwill of the Cardinals and David Tepper of the Carolina Panthers received ownership grades of D or worse in 2025 — called the survey “totally bogus” and hinted that it violated the CBA.
Johnson said he took issue with “how they collected the information [and] who they collected it from. [It] was supposed to be, according to the agreement we have with the league. It’s supposed to be a process [where] we have representatives, and they have representatives, so we know that it’s an honest survey.
“And that was violated, in my opinion. I’m going to leave it at that, but I think there are a lot of owners that looked at that survey and said this is not fair, it’s not balanced, it’s not every player, it’s not even representative of the players.”
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Brady Tkachuk is back with his Ottawa Senators, and he stood his ground when faced with a question about the viral moment when Team USA laughed at a joke by President Donald Trump about the women’s ice hockey team during a phone call after both teams won gold medals in Milan.
As players like Boston Bruins goalie Jeremy Swayman admitted, players “should have reacted differently.”
Tkachuk responded to a reporter’s question about the moment Trump said he would “have” to invite the women’s team, which also defeated Canada in the Olympics, to Tuesday’s State of the Union or else he “probably would be impeached.”
“Yeah, I get it,” Tkachuk said when a reporter asked if he understood that the women’s team felt displeased with the men’s team’s reaction. “I have no other comments other than for the things we can control. We supported them. They supported us. Can’t control what other people say.”
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Brady Tkachuk (7) and Matthew Tkachuk (19) of the United States celebrate after their game against Team Canada during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena Feb. 22, 2026. (Geoff Burke/Imagn Images)
Tkachuk added it was “fun” being around the women’s team while in Milan.
“It was fun seeing them play, fun to see the excellence they brought every single game and how they’re, by far, the best team in that tournament,” he said. “It was just fun seeing them after picking their brains. They were picking our brains, and it was just fun being around them.”
Tkachuk was asked a follow-up question about why he would laugh at Trump’s joke. Again, he stood his ground.
“It was a whirlwind of a moment. You can’t really control what somebody says, and I guess it caught [us] off guard a little bit,” he said. “I mean, when you’re talking to the president 10 minutes after you just achieved your dream, it’s just the fact that you’re talking to him,
“You can’t really believe where your life is at where you’re talking to the president of the United States after you just won a gold medal.”
Tkachuk was with his U.S. teammates at Trump’s State of the Union address Tuesday night, and the chamber gave the team a standing ovation as players showcased their Olympic gold medals
The women’s team declined an invitation to Washington, D.C., citing “previously scheduled academic and professional commitments.” Trump said at the State of the Union address that the women’s team will visit the White House “soon.”
Brady Tkachuk of the United States celebrates after winning the gold medal during the men’s gold medal match against Canada at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena during the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games Feb. 22, 2026, in Milan, Italy. (Catherine Steenkeste/Getty Images)
USA Hockey responded to Trump’s suggestion that the team would be going to the White House.
“Players are back competing with their professional and collegiate teams and are in the midst of their season,” a USA Hockey spokesperson told Front Office Sports. “They’re honored and grateful to be invited, and any opportunity to visit the White House as a team will be based on their schedules once their seasons conclude.”
While there’s been a divide on social media about the moment, Ellen Hughes, the mother of Jack and Quinn Hughes, who played a role in Team USA’s fate in Milan as a player development staff member with the women’s team, did not seem bothered by Trump’s comments.
“These players, both the men and women, can bring so much unity to a group and to a country,” she told “Today.” “People that cheered on that don’t watch hockey, people that have politics on one side or on the other side, and that’s all both the men’s team and the women’s team care about.
Brady Tkachuk of the Ottawa Senators during warmups before a game against the Nashville Predators Oct. 13, 2025, at Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. (André Ringuette/NHLI)
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“If you could see what we see from the inside, and the men and women sharing, you know, dorm rooms and halls and flex floors and the camaraderie and the synergy and the way the women cheered on the men and the way the men cheered on the women — that’s what it’s all about,” she added.
“And the other things they cannot control. They care about humanity. They care about unity, and they care about the country.”
Fox News’ Ryan Morik contributed to this report.
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