Weekend Wrap-Up: Lions Rule the North, Butler and Hill Want Out of Miami and More

KINGS OF THE NORTH 👑 pic.twitter.com/yjiHJrico6

— NFL (@NFL) January 6, 2025

Beating the Minnesota Vikings 31-9 and humbling Sam Darnold’s offense, if I were any other team in the conference with title aspirations still alive and kicking, I would be scared of Dan Campbell’s team.

Talking about football-playing cats, Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase’s stats could still not help the Cincinnati Bengals pull off a week 18 miracle and earn the last AFC playoff spot.

Yes, it was going to be very, very tough, but considering what Burrow and Chase were doing, it almost feels as if some teams in the league understood that having the Bengals in the playoffs would be trouble.

Now, I ain’t about to point the blame on anybody. But that doesn’t mean I can’t let RGIII do it for me.

Chiefs did everything they could to make sure the Bengals didn’t make the Playoffs. MY GAWD.
— Robert Griffin III (@RGIII) January 5, 2025

What? Another cat-related story to recap? Yes, as DJ Khaled would say, “another one.” The Carolina Panthers made sure the Atlanta Falcons got their playoff aspirations squashed, beating them 44-38 in Georgia with a performance from Bryce Young that can have Panthers fans purring on the prospect of Young working out for the team after all.

ICONIC pic.twitter.com/zMHYCY2se8

— Carolina Panthers (@Panthers) January 5, 2025

Lastly, in what could be the last time we see Aaron Rodgers suit up for the New York Jets, or in general, New York’s QB decided to put on a vintage performance against a reeling Miami Dolphins team, passing for 4 TDs and becoming the fifth QB to pass for over 500 regular season TDs joining the likes of Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Drew Brees, and Brett Favre.

5️⃣0️⃣0️⃣

A career milestone for the all-time great, @AaronRodgers12. pic.twitter.com/u1jryXoRpR

— New York Jets (@nyjets) January 5, 2025

The question now stands: was that Rodgers’ last performance as a pro football player? My vote is no, but we’ll just have to watch.

If Anybody Knows of a Job, Mayo and Pederson Are Looking

Leaving broken records and playoff news aside, two more coaches got the axe this weekend as the season bid farewell.

Over in New England, Jerod Mayo got his walking papers, thus leading to NFL rumors starting to boil over about Mike Vrabel, former Patriots player and head coaching candidate for various teams looking as the perfect man for the job come next season.

Patriots fired HC Jerod Mayo, league sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/rZUOOoKmVC

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 5, 2025

Also down in Florida, Doug Pederson saw his tenure end with the Jacksonville Jaguars following what can best be put as a half-assed lackluster season coaching a team that was deemed to be an NFL betting odds playoff dark horse at the beginning of the season.

Jaguars part ways with head coach Doug Pederson. pic.twitter.com/8nRW6Z8s3T

— NFL (@NFL) January 6, 2025

So yeah, if anybody knows of any job openings, hit Mayo and Pederson up.

Leaving the 305, Jimmy and Tyreek Want Out of MIA

Following Miami’s loss to New York, Tyreek Hill, aka Cheetah (damn, what is it with felines taking over this recap), left Dolphins fans gasping for air after making it rather apparent that his time in the 305 might be coming to an end.

Stating: “I’m out, bro. It was great playing here, but at the end of the day, I gotta do what’s best for my career. I’m too much of a competitor to be just out there.” Can you really blame Hill for wanting out?

“I’m out bro.”

Tyreek Hill on his future with Dolphins 😳

(via @OmarKelly, @MiamiHerald) pic.twitter.com/uupakWk7Vb

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) January 6, 2025

Now, with the Miami Heat on the brink of losing Jimmy Butler and now the Dolphins en route to seeing Hill walk, who will step up to take their places in Miami sports culture?

Anyways, who’s up for a laugh?

Tyreek Hill and Jimmy Butler racing to see who can get out of Miami first. pic.twitter.com/HRwwKbexWW

— IKB (@ikbdotgg) January 6, 2025

I don’t care what nobody says; Spider-man memes will never go out of style.

D-Rose ‘The People’s Champ’ to Get His Jersey Retired

Heading over to pro hoops, yes there were plenty of NBA games to start the new year, and that’s all great, but in the most important piece of news coming out of the courts this weekend, the Chicago Bulls announced that Derrick Rose, aka everybody’s favorite “what if” player will be getting his No.1 jersey retired next season.

The Bulls will retire Derrick Rose’s No. 1 jersey next season, per Shams.

🔸No. 1 overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft
🔸7 seasons with the Bulls
🔸406 games
🔸Rookie of the Year
🔸Youngest MVP in NBA history
🔸3x All-Star

No one will ever wear No. 1 for the Bulls again. 🌹 pic.twitter.com/6m5PxbfQmB

— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) January 4, 2025

Rose, the most important player to put on a Bulls uniform after Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen, will now have the honor of joining said Chicago titans, showing that if there’s one thing “truer than true,” as Dr. Seuss would say, is that Chicago will never forget one of their most beloved MVPs of all time.

DRose comes out to MVP chants in Chicago! 🌹🗣️ pic.twitter.com/VhvCR4BzAX

— NBA (@NBA) January 5, 2025

Joakim Noah, another former Bulls player, said it best this weekend when speaking of Rose stating: “You always put the city on your back and you carried that with you. You’re not only the MVP, you’re the people’s champ.”

“You’re not only the MVP… you’re the people’s CHAMP.”

– Joakim Noah to DRose 💯 pic.twitter.com/RNRYwDJJqZ

— NBA (@NBA) January 5, 2025

Yeah, so I’m going to be over here in a corner crying for a bit, be right back.

First 2025 Lap Around the Block

If you’re a fan of ground-and-pound action, get ready to get your fix as the UFC is coming back. With their event UFC Vegas 101 set to pop off this Saturday, who’s ready for some fights?

IT’S FINALLY FIGHT WEEK!!!!

2025 kicks off with #UFCVegas101 👊

[ Saturday on @ESPNPlus | 4pmET/1pmPT ] pic.twitter.com/ndhkdLWKcw

— UFC (@ufc) January 6, 2025

Speaking of fights, and don’t come at me with the whole “Wrestling’s fake” bull, the WWE is set to kick start its new era of programming on Netflix this Monday. In the first show of John Cena’s retirement tour, I’m hoping we can get at least one more dose of the “Doctor of Thuganomics.”

WWE’s Chief Content Officer @TripleH narrates the official Cold Open for the debut of #RawOnNetflix streaming live TONIGHT at 8PM ET nationwide!#WWERaw pic.twitter.com/35eCNT1Moa

— WWE (@WWE) January 6, 2025

Last but certainly not least, over in the Premier League, Manchester United decided to remind fans what functional red-devil soccer looks like by putting on a thriller of a match against Liverpool, ending in a 2-2 tie.

Relive Liverpool and Man Utd’s thrilling 2-2 draw 🍿pic.twitter.com/d4aIiWAuSK

— Premier League (@premierleague) January 6, 2025

With all this said, have a great 2025, and let’s get to kick some ass this year.