Are breakups always this messy?

The GIST: The 14-team playoff field is officially set, ownership of the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft is locked in, and there’s style points galore to dish out. Here’s what to know with the NFL regular season done and dusted.

Playoff field set ahead of Wild Card weekend: Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs showed up and showed out on Sunday Night Football, tallying four touchdowns in the Lions’ 31–9 win over the Minnesota Vikings. The dub clinched his squad the NFC North title and the conference’s No. 1 seed.

• Elsewhere, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers topped their division too, snagging the No. 3 seed with a 27–19 victory over the New Orleans Saints.

• In the AFC, the Cincinnati Bengals did everything they could, but the Denver Broncos boasted the tie-breaking edge and ride into next weekend’s Wild Card round as the AFC’s No. 7 seed after yesterday’s 38–0 W over the Kansas City Chiefs (who were admittedly resting their starters).

• Meanwhile, the Baltimore Ravens clinched the AFC North crown, topping the Cleveland Browns 35–10 on Saturday. QB Lamar Jackson shined, becoming the first player in league history to throw for 4K yards and run for 800 in a season. Icon, and possibly MVP, behavior.

Non-playoff team head coaches on the hot seat: The Monday after the regular season (aka today) is unofficially called Black Monday, when eliminated squads and their front offices grapple with what went wrong over the last 18 weeks…and often hand out pink slips to members of a team’s coaching staff.

• Black Monday came early this year though: The 4-13 New England Patriots axed first-year head coach Jerod Mayo immediately after yesterday’s 23–16 win over the Buffalo Bills while the 3-14 Browns fired offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey on Saturday. Oof.

The GIST: Six-time NBA All-Star Jimmy Butler might’ve played his last game with the Miami Heat after receiving a team-issued seven-game suspension for eyebrow-raising comments about his on-court unhappiness in the 305. So much for “no shenanigans.”

The context: Ever since he signed with Miami in 2019, Butler and Heat Culture seemed like a match made in hoops heaven. Gritty and brash, Butler was a natural fit for team president Pat Riley’s unapologetic franchise, leading the team to two NBA Finals appearances (2020, 2023) and cultivating an undeniable postseason persona in the process.

• So what went wrong? A few things. Playoff Jimmy didn’t negotiate an extension with the Heat in the offseason after a public back-and-forth with Riley regarding his repeated game absences.

• And if you think you’ve seen this film before, you’re right — Butler’s Minnesota Timberwolves tenure also ended in dramatic fashion in 2018.

The latest: While this tension has been simmering for months, it all boiled over in December. On the 26th, Riley issued a statement that the Heat are “not trading Jimmy Butler,” but when Butler was asked on the 31st if he wanted to play for Miami, he answered, “That’s a good question.” Yikes.

• Fast forward to January 3rd, the Heat suspended Butler for “conduct detrimental to the team” and said they were fielding trade offers. The suspension will cost Butler almost $2.4M in fines and the NBA Players Association intends to appeal on his behalf.

• But for now, with the February 6th trade deadline looming, Butler’s sidelined until another team scoops him up. Are breakups always this messy?

The GIST: Pass the buffalo wings because the pro football postseason is finally here. To celebrate some of the most exciting months on the sports calendar, we’re hosting a free bracket challenge (March Madness style) and inviting you to join in on the fun.

What’s at stake: In addition to clinching the ultimate bragging rights as The GIST’s top pro football fan, the top three brackets will win Fanatics gift cards: $300 for first, $200 for second, and $100 for third — perfect for upgrading your sports apparel game.

How to play: Sign up for free and we’ll remind you to lock in your picks before the playoffs officially begin. It’s that easy!