Before practice on Friday, Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel ruled out safety Minkah Fitzpatrick (calf) for Sunday’s game against the Buccaneers.
Cornerback Isaiah Johnson will land on injured reserve after tearing an ACL in practice earlier this week.
The full report also brought news that defensive tackle Benito Jones (back) won’t play. Jones was downgraded to a non-participant in Friday’s practice after limited work Wednesday and Thursday.
Wide receiver Dee Eskridge (toe) is doubtful after another missed practice on Friday.
Linebacker Tyrel Dodson (chest), center Aaron Brewer (neck), offensive lineman Andrew Meyer (triceps) and kicker Jason Sanders (right hip) are questionable.
Tight end Darren Waller (rest/groin) and wide receiver Jaylen Waddle (wrist) does not have an injury designation.
Bucs Clips
The Buccaneers will not have left tackle Tristan Wirfs in the lineup for Sunday’s game against the Dolphins.
Wirfs injured his toe in last Sunday’s loss to the Panthers and head coach Todd Bowles said on Friday that Wirfs has been ruled out because of the injury. This will be the fifth game that Wirfs has missed this season with knee and oblique injuries accounting for the previous absences.
Bowles said that rookie Benjamin Chukwuma will start in place of Wirfs. He also started in the team’s Week 14 loss to the Saints.
Edge rusher Anthony Nelson and defensive tackle Calijah Kancey have also been ruled out. Nelson injured his knee against Carolina while Kancey is working his way back from a Week 2 pectoral injury that landed him on injured reserve.
Dolphins safety Minkah Fitzpatrick will not play against the Buccaneers on Sunday.
Head coach Mike McDaniel told reporters at a Friday press conference that Fitzpatrick has been ruled out. It is the second straight game that Fitzpatrick will miss with a calf injury and McDaniel said he considers Fitzpatrick day-to-day for the team’s Week 18 game against the Patriots.
Fitzpatrick has 82 tackles, an interception, a sack, a forced fumble, and two fumble recoveries this season.
McDaniel also said that defensive back Isaiah Johnson is out after tearing his ACL in practice earlier this week. Wide receiver Dee Eskridge (toe) is also expected to miss the game while tight end Darren Waller (groin), linebacker Tyrel Dodson (chest), and center Aaron Brewer (neck) are expected to practice Friday.
With the Lions losing on Christmas Day in Minnesota, the NFC playoff field is nearly set.
The NFC’s postseason qualifiers are the Seahawks, Bears, Eagles, Rams, 49ers, Packers, and the eventual winner of the NFC South.
It will be the Panthers or the Buccaneers winning that division, and hosting a wild-card game as the No. 4 seed against the No. 5 seed.
As to the rest of the seeding, it’s all TBD. Which gives the last two weekends some extra sizzle — possibly with the No. 1 seed coming down to the Week 18 game between the Seahawks and the 49ers.
Three NFC teams that didn’t make it last year are in for 2025: Bears, Seahawks, and 49ers. The number will increase to four if the Panthers take the NFC South from the Bucs, who have won it every year since 2021.
Bounced from the 2024 field are the Lions, Vikings, and Commanders. The failure of the Lions to make it is stunning; they were 15-2 last year. They’re 8-8 through sixteen games in 2025.
Dolphins safety Minkah Fitzpatrick remained out of practice on Wednesday as he works his way back from a calf injury.
Fitzpatrick hurt his calf in Week 15 and missed Sunday’s loss to the Bengals with his injury.
In 14 games with the Dolphins after the trade from Pittsburgh, he has totaled 82 tackles, four tackles for loss, one sack, six pass breakups and an interception.
The Dolphins also practiced without linebacker Tyrel Dodson (chest). He played 58 of 61 defensive snaps on Sunday.
Center Aaron Brewer (neck), wide receiver Dee Eskridge (toe) and tight end Darren Waller (rest/groin) also sat out Wednesday’s session.
Cornerback Isaiah Johnson (knee), defensive tackle Benito Jones (back) and kicker Jason Sanders (right hip) were limited. Sanders is in his 21-day return-to-practice window.
Wide receiver Jaylen Waddle (wrist) was among the full participants for the Dolphins.
Buccaneers left tackle Tristan Wirfs (toe) did not practice on Wednesday.
He played all 64 snaps in Sunday’s loss to the Panthers.
Outside linebacker Anthony Nelson (knee) was the only other player on the active roster to miss Wednesday’s session.
Tight end Devin Culp (illness), linebacker Lavonte David (rest), wide receiver Chris Godwin (fibula), right tackle Luke Goedeke (ankle) and defensive tackle Calijah Kancey (pectoral) were limited.
Kancey is in his 21-day return-to-practice window.
Defensive tackle Logan Hall (knee) and wide receiver Kameron Johnson (knee) were full participants.
Defensive tackle Calijah Kancey is set to return to practice for the Buccaneers.
Kancey has been out since Week 2 with a pectoral injury, but the team announced on Wednesday that they are opening his window to return from injured reserve. Kancey will be able to practice with the team for the next three weeks as a result of the move.
The Bucs can activate Kancey at any point in that window, so he could be available as soon as this Sunday’s game against the Dolphins.
The 2023 first-round pick started the first two games of the season and he’s started every game he’s played since entering the league, so his return would be a boost to the defense as the Bucs try to beat out the Panthers for the NFC South title.
The AFC and NFC rosters for the 2026 Pro Bowl Games were announced on Tuesday morning.
Votes from fans, coaches and players were used to select the teams. Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce led the fan vote and was named to his 11th Pro Bowl. Bills quarterback Josh Allen, Patriots quarterback Drake Maye, Bears quarterback Caleb Williams, and Bears safety Kevin Byard were the other leaders in that vote, but Williams is not on the initial NFC roster.
Chargers tackle Joe Alt did make the AFC roster despite playing in only six games before being shut down with an ankle injury.
Three teams — the Jets, Saints and Vikings — have no Pro Bowlers. The Broncos, 49ers, Ravens, and Seahawks each had six players selected.
The Pro Bowl Games will be held in San Francisco on February
The full rosters appear below with starters indicated by an asterisk.
AFC
Quarterback: Josh Allen*, Buffalo Bills; Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers; Drake Maye, New England Patriots
Running back: De’Von Achane, Miami Dolphins; James Cook, Buffalo Bills; Jonathan Taylor*, Indianapolis Colts
Fullback: Patrick Ricard*, Baltimore Ravens
Wide receiver: Ja’Marr Chase*, Cincinnati Bengals; Nico Collins*, Houston Texans; Zay Flowers, Baltimore Ravens; Courtland Sutton, Denver Broncos
Tight end: Brock Bowers, Las Vegas Raiders*; Travis Kelce, Kansas City Chiefs
Offensive tackle: Joe Alt*, Los Angeles Chargers; Garett Bolles*, Denver Broncos; Dion Dawkins, Buffalo Bills
Offensive guard: Quinn Meinerz*, Denver Broncos; Quenton Nelson*, Indianapolis Colts; Trey Smith, Kansas City Chiefs
Center: Creed Humphrey*, Kansas City Chiefs; Tyler Linderbaum, Baltimore Ravens
Defensive end: Will Anderson Jr.*, Houston Texans; Maxx Crosby, Las Vegas Raiders; Myles Garrett*, Cleveland Browns
Interior linemen: Zach Allen, Denver Broncos; Chris Jones*, Kansas City Chiefs; Jeffrey Simmons*, Tennessee Titans
Outside linebacker: Nik Bonitto*, Denver Broncos; Tuli Tuipulotu, Los Angeles Chargers; T.J. Watt*, Pittsburgh Steelers
Inside/middle linebacker: Azeez Al-Shaair, Houston Texans; Roquan Smith*, Baltimore Ravens
Cornerback: Christian Gonzalez, New England Patriots; Derek Stingley Jr.*, Houston Texans; Pat Surtain II*, Denver Broncos; Denzel Ward, Cleveland Browns
Free safety: Jalen Ramsey*, Pittsburgh Steelers
Strong safety: Kyle Hamilton*, Baltimore Ravens; Derwin James Jr., Los Angeles Chargers
Long-snapper: Ross Matiscik*, Jacksonville Jaguars
Punter: Jordan Stout*, Baltimore Ravens
Place-kicker: Cameron Dicker*, Los Angeles Chargers
Return specialist: Chimere Dike*, Tennessee Titans
Special-teamer: Ben Skowronek*, Pittsburgh
NFC
Quarterback: Matthew Stafford*, Los Angeles Rams; Sam Darnold, Seattle Seahawks; Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys
Running back: Jahmyr Gibbs*, Detroit Lions; Christian McCaffrey, San Francisco 49ers; Bijan Robinson, Atlanta Falcons
Fullback: Kyle Juszczyk*, San Francisco 49ers
Wide receiver: Puka Nacua*, Los Angeles Rams; Jaxon Smith-Njigba*, Seattle Seahawks; George Pickens, Dallas Cowboys; Amon-Ra St. Brown, Detroit Lions
Tight end: Trey McBride*, Arizona Cardinals; George Kittle, San Francisco 49ers
Offensive tackle: Penei Sewell*, Detroit Lions; Tristan Wirfs* Tampa Bay Buccaneers; Trent Williams, San Francisco 49ers
Offensive guard: Tyler Smith*, Dallas Cowboys; Joe Thuney*, Chicago Bears; Chris Lindstrom, Atlanta Falcons
Center: Drew Dalman*, Chicago Bears; Cam Jurgens, Philadelphia Eagles
Defensive end: Aidan Hutchinson*, Detroit Lions; Micah Parsons*, Green Bay Packers; DeMarcus Lawrence, Seattle Seahawks
Interior linemen: Jalen Carter*, Philadelphia Eagles; Leonard Williams*, Seattle Seahawks, Quinnen Williams, Dallas Cowboys
Outside linebacker: Brian Burns*, New York Giants, Jared Verse*, Los Angeles Rams; Byron Young, Los Angeles Rams
Inside/middle linebacker: Jack Campbell*, Detroit Lions; Zack Baun, Philadelphia Eagles
Cornerback: Jaycee Horn*, Carolina Panthers; Devon Witherspoon, Seattle Seahawks
Free safety: Kevin Byard III*, Chicago Bears; Antoine Winfield Jr., Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Strong safety: Budda Baker*, Arizona Cardinals
Long-snapper: Jon Weeks*, San Francisco 49ers
Punter: Tress Way*, Washington Commanders
Placekicker: Brandon Aubrey*, Dallas Cowboys
Return specialist: Rashid Shaheed*, Seattle Seahawks
Special-teamer: Luke Gifford*, San Francisco 49ers
Bill Belichick is on the verge of hiring a new offensive coordinator at North Carolina.
Via Pete Nakos of On3.com, Belichick is finalizing a deal with Bobby Petrino to replace Freddie Kitchens as the man in charge of the UNC offense.
Petrino previously served as the head coach at Louisville and Arkansas. He also coached the Falcons in 2007, abruptly resigning in December of his first season to take the Arkansas job.
Petrino and Chip Kelly reportedly were the two coaches Belichick was eyeing the most closely.
The move, in our view, has no relevance to a potential return by Belichick to the NFL level, if an opportunity arises. The question is whether an opportunity will arise. For now, and despite reports seemingly aimed at breathing life into the possibility, it seems like a long shot.
The one place we’re watching the most closely isn’t any of the teams that have been mentioned elsewhere. We’re keeping an eye on Tampa Bay, for various reasons.
First, Todd Bowles wasn’t hired by a traditional source; he landed in the job by default after Bruce Arians resigned in late March. Second, the Buccaneers have imploded, going 1-6 after a 6-2 start. They’re now at risk of yielding their four-year hammerlock on the NFC South to the Panthers and missing the playoffs for the first time since 2019.
Third, the Bucs have a history of creative (to put it kindly) and/or unusual (to put it less kindly) coaching hires. Fourth, Belichick (we believe) has been eyeing that job.
Last year, his consigliere, Mike Lombardi, tried to start a rumor that Bowles would be retiring. It seemed to be an effort by Lombardi to speak an opening for Belichick into existence.
Regardless, that’s all to be determined. For now, Belichick has determined to hire Petrino.
Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles ripped his team’s performance in a Week 15 loss to the Falcons as inexcusable and said late in the week that he thought the team got the message about what needed to change heading into Sunday’s game against the Panthers.
The message may have been received, but the result wasn’t any better. The Bucs gave up a lead with seven seconds to play in the first half when Panthers quarterback Bryce Young beat a blitz by throwing to wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan, who had gotten behind cornerback Jamel Dean and into the end zone. The Bucs took the lead back in the third quarter, but Young evaded pass rushers to find tight end Ja’Tavion Sanders for another score and the Panthers wound up taking a 23-20 lead with 2:20 left to play.
The Bucs’ chances of coming back evaporated when quarterback Baker Mayfield and wide receiver Mike Evans failed to get on the same page on a pass that Panthers safety Lathan Ransom picked off to seal the win. The Bucs also committed eight penalties en route to their sixth loss in seven games, which fit with the theme of self-inflicted wounds that Bowles focused on after the game.
“The biggest thing is our confidence is good, camaraderie is good and that’s high but that’s not enough right now,” Bowles said, via the team’s website. “It’s the execution that we’re lacking and missing a few things here or there. We shot ourselves in the foot enough today to lose this ballgame by three. And we understand that . . . we definitely understand that. We’ve got to take it one day at a time and, again, I think the guys are accountable, the coaches are accountable. We’re going to load up, we’re going to come back Monday and hopefully in two weeks we get a chance to see them again and play for something.”
The Bucs face the Dolphins next week while the Panthers square off with the Seahawks, so the odds would favor the Bucs still having a chance to win the NFC South in the final game of the regular season. Outside confidence that they can do anything with that opportunity will likely be hard to come by given how many variations on Sunday’s postgame comments Bowles has made over the second half of the season, however.
