Bears, Patriots, Jaguars clinch playoff berths in stunning first-year coaching turnarounds

Chicago, New England and Jacksonville were all battling for draft positioning at this time a year ago with the three teams finishing off seasons that left them at the bottom of the NFL standings.

The disappointing 2024 season led to coaching changes that have paid immediate dividends with the Bears, Patriots and Jaguars all clinching playoff berths this week in the first year of the new regimes.

The work done by Ben Johnson in Chicago, Mike Vrabel in New England and Liam Coen in Jacksonville is impressive but far from unprecedented as it marked the 20th straight season that at least one team made the playoffs with a coach in his first year on the job, according to Sportradar.

In that span, there has been an average of just more over two first-year coaches who have led their teams to the postseason each year with the three this season tied for the second most.

There were an NFL-record five first-year coaches who made the playoffs in 2022 when Minnesota's Kevin O'Connell, Miami's Mike McDaniel, the New York Giants' Brian Daboll, Tampa Bay's Todd Bowles and Jacksonville's Doug Pederson all did it.

Johnson, Vrabel and Coen will try to join some more elite company as eight coaches have made it to the Super Bowl in their first full season with a team. Four of those coaches won it all with Denver the last to do it in the 2015 season under Gary Kubiak. The others were Jon Gruden in 2002 with Tampa Bay, George Seifert in 1989 with San Francisco and Don McCafferty in 1970 with the Baltimore Colts.

Gruden and Kubiak had coached other teams, meaning Johnson and Coen will try to join McCafferty and Seifert as the only coaches to win a Super Bowl in their first year as an NFL head coach.

While Chicago, New England and Jacksonville are having noteworthy turnarounds, the two No. 1 seeds from a year ago have fallen flat and both could miss the playoffs.

Kansas City has already been eliminated and Detroit needs to win two games and hope Green Bay loses twice to get in.

The Lions and Chiefs both won 15 games last season. Only two of the previous seven teams to win at least that many games missed the playoffs the following season with Carolina doing it in 2016 after going 15-1 and New England in 2008 following a 16-0 regular season when Tom Brady injured his knee in the season opener.

The NFL's new overtime rules provided a first this past week with Seattle becoming the first team to win an overtime game with a walk-off 2-point conversion.

This is the first regular season where a team scoring a touchdown on the opening possession of OT doesn't end the game, as the NFL expanded a rule first put in place in 2022 for the playoffs that guaranteed both teams the opportunity for at least one possession.

That change proved important for the Seahawks, who responded to the touchdown drive by the Los Angeles Rams to open overtime with one of their own. That prompted coach Mike Macdonald to go for 2 and the win rather then extend the game as sudden death and Seattle converted for the 38-37 win.

It was the third time this season that a team went for 2 and the win after both teams scored touchdowns in overtime, with the Raiders failing in Week 9 against Jacksonville and Washington missing in Week 13 against Denver.

There have been 14 overtime games in all this season with only one lasting longer than two drives. Dallas and the New York Giants combined for five possessions in Week 2 before the Cowboys won 40-37 on a field goal.

Four were decided when the team that started with the ball scored first and the second team couldn't match and four others where the team that got the ball first failed to score and then allowed a game-winning score on the next drive.

There was also one tie in Week 4 when Dallas made a field goal on the opening possession and Green Bay used the rest of the 10-minute period on a drive that ended with a game-tying field goal.

The “showdown” between the NFL’s only two-win teams when Las Vegas hosts the New York Giants on Sunday will be a rarity — and an important game when it comes to draft order.

This will be just the fourth time since the merger, according to Sportradar, that the two teams with sole possession of the worst two records in the league meet in a game in the final two weeks.

The loser of the game Sunday in Las Vegas will “win” the right to pick first with another loss in Week 18 with a potential prize of Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Fernando Mendoza or the chance to trade down for a haul of picks.

The previous three late-season showdowns for the top pick didn’t provide a great prize to the team that ended up No. 1.

In 1981, New England lost the season finale to Baltimore and ended up with defensive lineman Kenneth Sims, who had 17 sacks in eight seasons and never made a Pro Bowl.

In 1980, the winless Saints beat the three-win Jets in Week 15 after already clinching the top pick in the draft. New Orleans picked running back George Rogers, who had a solid career, but wasn’t nearly as good as the three Hall of Fame defenders who went in the top eight of that draft: Lawrence Taylor, Kenny Easley and Ronnie Lott.

The first time it happened came in 1971 when Buffalo lost to Houston in Week 15 to clinch the top pick. The Bills took defensive lineman Walt Patulski, who lasted just five seasons.

New Orleans' jack-of-all-trades Taysom Hill reached an exclusive mark when he caught a 7-yard pass from Tyler Shough in the fourth quarter on Sunday against the Jets to give him 1,002 yards receiving in his career.

Hill had already topped the 1,000-yard mark as both a passer and runner and became the first player in the Super Bowl era with 1,000 yards in each. Hill capped his day by throwing a 38-yard touchdown pass to Chris Olave and now has 2,551 yards rushing and 2,426 yards passing to go with his receiving mark.

Three players reached the triple-1,000 club in the pre-Super Bowl era with Bob Hoernschemeyer, Charley Trippi and George Taliaferro all doing it in careers that ended in 1955.

But no one had come particularly close since the start of the Super Bowl era in 1966 with no other player recording at least 660 yards in each category. The closest any previous player came was Kordell Stewart, who easily surpassed the passing and rushing marks but finished with 658 yards receiving.

Terrelle Pryor had at least 1,500 yards passing and receiving but finished with only 646 as a runner.

Inside the Numbers dives into NFL statistics, streaks and trends each week. For more Inside the Numbers, head here.

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New Orleans Saints tight end Taysom Hill (7) holds on to the ball after a pass completion as New York Jets safety Dean Clark (35) defends during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 21, 2025, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

Seattle Seahawks tight end Eric Saubert, second from left, celebrates after making a two-point conversion during overtime in an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Rams, Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Liam Coen speaks during a news conference after an NFL football game against the Denver Broncos in Denver, Sunday, Dec. 21, 2025. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel, left, reacts toward down judge Patrick Turner (13) during the first half of an NFL football game against the Baltimore Ravens, Sunday, Dec. 21, 2025, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)

Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson watches during the first half of an NFL football game against the Green Bay Packers Saturday, Dec. 20, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Nam Huh)

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — The United States and Ukraine have reached a consensus on several critical issues aimed at bringing an end to the nearly four-year conflict, but sensitive issues around territorial control in Ukraine’s eastern industrial heartland, along with the management of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, remain unresolved, Ukraine’s president said.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy briefed journalists on each point of the plan on Tuesday. His comments were embargoed until Wednesday morning. The draft proposal, which reflects Ukraine’s wishes, intertwines political and commercial interests to safeguard security while boosting economic potential.

Asked about the plan, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said that Moscow would set out its position based on information received by Russian presidential envoy Kirill Dmitriev, who met with U.S. envoys in Florida over the weekend.

Peskov declined to share further details, saying that Moscow believed it was “highly inappropriate to conduct any kind of communication via the media.”

At the heart of the negotiations lies the contentious territorial dispute concerning the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, known as the Donbas. This is “the most difficult point,” Zelenskyy said. He said these matters will be discussed at the leaders level.

Russia continues to assert maximalist demands, insisting that Ukraine relinquish the remaining territory in Donbas that it has not captured — an ultimatum that Ukraine has rejected. Russia has captured most of Luhansk and about 70% of Donetsk.

In a bid to facilitate compromise, the United States has proposed transforming these areas into free economic zones. Ukraine insists that any arrangement must be contingent upon a referendum, allowing the Ukrainian people to determine their own fate. Ukraine is demanding the demilitarization of the area and the presence of an international force to ensure stability, Zelenskyy said.

How the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, the largest plant in Europe which is under Russian occupation, will be managed is another contentious issue. The U.S. is proposing a consortium with Ukraine and Russia, with each party having an equal stake in the enterprise.

But Zelenskyy countered with a joint venture proposal between the U.S. and Ukraine, in which the Americans are able to decide how to distribute their share, presuming it would go to Russia.

“We did not reach a consensus with the American side on the territory of the Donetsk region and on the ZNPP,” Zelenskyy said, referring to the power plant in Zaporizhzhia. “But we have significantly brought most of the positions closer together. In principle, all other consensus in this agreement has been found between us and them.”

Point 14, which covers territories that cut across the eastern front line, and Point 12, which discusses management of the Zaporizhzhia plant, will likely be major sticking points in the talks.

Zelenskyy said: “We are in a situation where the Russians want us to leave the Donetsk region, and the Americans are trying to find a way so that it is ‘not a way out’ — because we are against leaving — they want to find a demilitarized zone or a free economic zone in this, that is, a format that can provide for the views of both sides.”

The draft states that the contact line, which cuts across five Ukrainian regions, be frozen once the agreement is signed.

Ukraine’s stance is that any attempt to create a free economic zone must be ratified by a referendum, affirming that the Ukrainian people ultimately hold the decision-making power, Zelenskyy said. This process will require 60 days, he added, during which time hostilities should stop to allow the process to happen.

More difficult discussions would require hammering out how far troops would be required to move back, per Ukraine’s proposal, and where international forces would be stationed. Zelenskyy said ultimately “people can choose: this ending suits us or not,” he said.

The draft also proposes that Russian forces withdraw from Dnipropetrovsk, Mykolaiv, Sumy, Kharkiv regions, and that international forces be located along the contact line to monitor the implementation of the agreement.

“Since there is no faith in the Russians, and they have repeatedly broken their promises, today’s contact line is turning into a line of a de facto free economic zone, and international forces should be there to guarantee that no one will enter there under any guise — neither ‘little green men’ nor Russian military disguised as civilians,” Zelenskyy said.

Ukraine is also proposing that the occupied city of Enerhodar, which is connected to the Zaporizhzhia power plant, be a demilitarized free economic zone, Zelenskyy said. This point required 15 hours of discussions with the U.S., he said.

For now, the U.S. proposes that the plant be jointly operated by Ukraine, the U.S. and Russia, with each side receiving dividends from the enterprise.

“The USA is offering 33% for 33%f or 33%, and the Americans are the main manager of this joint venture,” he said. “It is clear that for Ukraine this sounds very unsuccessful and not entirely realistic. How can you have joint commerce with the Russians after everything?”

Ukraine offered an alternative proposal, that the plant be operated by a joint venture with the U.S. in which the Americans can determine independently how to distribute their 50% share.

Zelenskyy said billions in investments are needed to make the plant run again, including restoring the adjacent dam.

“There were about 15 hours of conversations about the plant. These are all very complex things.”

The document ensures that Ukraine will be provided with “strong” security guarantees that mirror NATO’s Article 5, which would obligate Ukraine’s partners to act in the event of renewed Russian aggression.

Zelenskyy said that a separate bilateral document with the U.S. will outline these guarantees. This agreement will detail the conditions under which security will be provided, particularly in the event of a renewed Russian assault, and will establish a mechanism to monitor the ceasefire.

This mechanism will utilize satellite technology and early warning systems to ensure effective oversight and rapid response capabilities.

“The mood of the United States of America is that this is an unprecedented step towards Ukraine on their part. They believe that they are giving strong security guarantees,” he said.

The draft contains other elements including keeping Ukraine’s army at 800,000 during peace time, and by nailing down a specific date for ascension to the European Union.

The document proposes accelerating a free trade agreement between Ukraine and the U.S. once the agreement is signed. The U.S. wants the same deal with Russia, said Zelenskyy.

Ukraine would like to receive short-term privileged access to the European market and a robust global development package, that will cover a wide-range of economic interests, including a development fund to invest in industries including technology, data centers and artificial intelligence, as well as gas.

Also included are funds for the reconstruction of territories destroyed in the war.

“Ukraine will have the opportunity to determine the priorities for distributing its share of funds in the territories under the control of Ukraine. And this is a very important point, on which we spent a lot of time,” Zelenskyy said.

The goal will be to attract $800 billion through equity, grants, loans and private sector contributions.

The draft proposal also requires Ukraine to hold elections after the signing of the agreement. “This is the partners’ vision,” Zelenskyy said.

Ukraine is also asking that all prisoners since 2014 be released at once, and that civilian detainees, political prisoners and children be returned to Ukraine.

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy speaks during a media conference at the EU Summit in Brussels, Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert)