Four years after being traded to the Colts and three years after retiring as a player, Matt Ryan is back with the Falcons. And he’s in charge of the entire team.
Via Patrick Finley of the Chicago Sun-Times, Ryan will be the primary decision-maker in the Falcons’ organization.
Finley’s report focuses on the notion that the Bears won’t get a pair of compensatory third-round picks if assistant G.M. Ian Cunningham, as a minority candidate, is hired to be Atlanta’s next G.M. But there’s a more significant practical consequence as to Ryan’s reported role.
Regarding any executive with another team who remains under contract, that team can block a move to the Atlanta G.M. position, since it’s not really a G.M. position.
If the report is accurate, Ryan’s power over the football operation could become an impediment to the Falcons’ effort to hire a General Manager. And it could nudge the search toward someone who currently isn’t employed by an NFL team.
The Packers will not have right tackle Zach Tom for Saturday night’s playoff game against the Bears.
Tom, who is dealing with back and knee injuries, is inactive. He was questionable to play after limited practices on Tuesday and Wednesday and a missed practice on Thursday.
Tom has not played since Week 15 against the Broncos.
Jordan Morgan is expected to start in Tom’s stead, with Darian Kinnard serving as the sixth offensive lineman.
The Packers’ other inactives are wide receiver Dontayvion Wicks (concussion), quarterback Desmond Ridder, cornerback Jaylin Simpson, defensive lineman Collin Oliver and wide receiver Jakobie Keeney-James. Ridder is the emergency third quarterback.
The other four players the Packers listed as questionable, including backup quarterback Malik Willis, are active.
Jordan Love will play his first game since Week 16.
The Bears’ inactives are quarterback Case Keenum, wide receiver Jahdae Walker, cornerback C.J. Gardner-Johnson (concussion), linebacker Amen Ogbongbemiga (concussion), linebacker Ruben Hyppolite II, offensive guard Luke Newman and defensive end Joe Tryon-Shoyinka (concussion).
Bears nickel back Kyler Gordon will play his first game since Nov. 28 against the Eagles, working his way back from a groin injury. He was questionable to play.
The Bears have cornerback Kyler Gordon back on the roster for Saturday night’s playoff game against the Packers.
Gordon was activated from injured reserve on Saturday afternoon. Gordon has been out with a groin injury since late November and only appeared in three games during the regular season because of injury issues. He had seven tackles, a sack and a fumble recovery in those games.
The Bears did not activate tackle Braxton Jones, so he will remain on injured reserve through the weekend.
Tight end Nikola Kalinic and linebacker Jalen Reeves-Maybin have been elevated from the practice squad for Saturday’s games.
The calendar says January. The weather forecast in Charlotte screams September.
Depending on which unreliable weather forecasting app you rely on (and they all sort of suck these days), there’s a threat of thunderstorms for Saturday’s Rams-Panthers wild-card contest. Which opens the door to the possibility of a delay, before or during the game.
And that could create potential chaos for the NFL.
Rams-Panthers is due to begin at 4:30 p.m. ET, on Fox. Packers-Bears streams on Prime Video at 8:00 p.m. ET. If lightning delays the early game, the NFL says it can slide the late-game kickoff by 10 minutes.
So there’s a chance of two playoff games going on at once, depending on whether and to what extent Rams-Panthers is delayed by Mother Nature. Which could prompt some to utter a different phrase that begins with “muther.”
Especially in Chicago and Milwaukee, where the Packers-Bears game is due to be televised on the Fox affiliate that will be broadcasting Rams-Panthers.
Browns defensive end Myles Garrett set the single-season sack record during the 2025 season and he also became one of three unanimous choices for the Associated Press All-Pro team.
All 50 voters selected Garrett as one of their choices at edge rusher in this year’s voting. Those voters also unanimously selected Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua and Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba for this year’s first team.
Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford got the nod over Drake Maye at quarterback, which opens up the possibility of a split with MVP for the second straight season. Stafford got 31 votes while the Patriots quarterback got 18 with Bills quarterback Josh Allen getting the other one.
Stafford joins kicker Gary Anderson as the only players to be named a first-team All-Pro for the first time in their 17th season or later.
The full All-Pro teams appear below:
First team
Offense
Quarterback — Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams
Running Back — Bijan Robinson, Atlanta
Fullback — Kyle Juszczyk, San Francisco
Wide Receivers — Puka Nacua, Los Angeles Rams; Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Seattle; Ja’Marr Chase, Cincinnati
All Purpose — Christian McCaffrey, San Francisco
Tight End — Trey McBride, Arizona
Left Tackle — Garrett Bolles, Denver
Left Guard — Joe Thuney, Chicago
Center — Creed Humphrey, Kansas City
Right Guard — Quinn Meinerz, Denver
Right Tackle — Penei Sewell, Detroit
Defense
Edge Rushers — Myles Garrett, Cleveland; Will Anderson Jr., Houston; Micah Parsons, Green Bay
Interior Linemen — Jeffery Simmons, Tennessee; Zach Allen, Denver
Linebackers — Jack Campbell, Detroit; Jordyn Brooks, Miami
Cornerbacks — Derek Stingley Jr., Houston; Quinyon Mitchell, Philadelphia
Slot cornerback — Cooper DeJean, Philadelphia
Safeties — Kyle Hamilton, Baltimore; Kevin Byard, Chicago
Special Teams
Placekicker — Will Reichard, Minnesota
Punter — Jordan Stout, Baltimore
Kick Returner — Ray Davis, Buffalo
Punt Returner — Chimera Dike, Tennessee
Special Teamer — Devon Key, Denver
Long Snapper — Ross Matiscik, Jacksonville
Second team
Offense
Quarterback — Drake Maye, New England
Running Back — James Cook, Buffalo
Fullback — Patrick Ricard, Baltimore
Wide Receivers — George Pickens, Dallas; Amon-Ra St. Brown, Detroit; Chris Olave, New Orleans
All Purpose — Bijan Robinson, Atlanta
Tight End — Kyle Pitts, Atlanta
Left Tackle — Trent Williams, San Francisco
Left Guard — Quenton Nelson, Indianapolis
Center — Aaron Brewer, Miami
Right Guard — Chris Lindstrom, Atlanta
Right Tackle — Darnell Wright, Chicago
Defense
Edge Rushers — Brian Burns, New York Giants; Danielle Hunter, Houston; Aidan Hutchinson, Detroit
Interior Linemen — Leonard Williams, Seattle; Cameron Heyward, Pittsburgh
Linebackers — Devin Lloyd, Jacksonville; Ernest Jones IV, Seattle
Cornerbacks — Patrick Surtain II, Denver; Devon Witherspoon, Seattle
Slot cornerback — Derwin James, Los Angeles Chargers
Safeties — Jessie Bates III, Atlanta; Talanoa Hufanga, Denver; Xavier McKinney, Green Bay (Hufanga and McKinney were tied for the second-team spot)
Special teams
Placekicker — Brandon Aubrey, Dallas
Punter — Michael Dickson, Seattle
Kick Returner — Kavontae Turpin, Dallas
Punt Returner — Marcus Jones, New England
Special Teamer — Del’Shawn Phillips, Los Angeles Chargers
Long Snapper — Andrew DePaola, Minnesota
