2025 NFL Week 15 Buzz: High-Profile Team Interested in Marcus Freeman

Who’s starting, who’s hurt, and who’s on the move? 

NFL news is nonstop, and we’re breaking it all down week by week this season.

Here’s the latest on what’s happening around the league entering Week 15:

Giants interested in Marcus Freeman

New York wants to interview the Notre Dame coach, among others, for its head-coaching vacancy, according to The Athletic. Freeman has been the head coach of the Fighting Irish since the last game of the 2021 season, with Notre Dame a combined 43-12 under him, highlighted by three double-digit winning seasons and reaching the National Championship in the 2024 season.

The Giants fired head coach Brian Daboll after three-plus seasons following a 2-8 start, with offensive coordinator Mike Kafka promoted to interim coach. New York is 0-3 since firing Daboll.

Chicago is bullish that Odunze will play in its home matchup against the Cleveland Browns, per ESPN. Odzune, who’s listed as questionable for Week 15, missed Chicago’s Week 14 loss to the Green Bay Packers due to a foot injury. Through 12 games, the second-year receiver has totaled 44 receptions for 661 yards and six touchdowns.

Pittsburgh Steelers outside linebacker T.J. Watt underwent surgery to repair a partially collapsed lung sustained during a dry-needling session and will miss Monday’s visit to Miami. J.J. Watt, T.J. Watt’s older brother, posted on X that T.J. had the surgery on Thursday.

Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said after practice Friday that T.J. Watt was home resting comfortably but would be unavailable when Pittsburgh (7-6) hosts the surging Dolphins (6-7). Asked if Watt could be out for an extended period, Tomlin said he hadn’t looked beyond this week.

Watt was hospitalized on Wednesday after reporting what the club described as “discomfort” while being treated by Steelers medical staff at the team facility. J.J. Watt said T.J. was having a dry-needling session at the time.

Tomlin said he had “no idea” about the details of Watt’s dry-needling session but added he was not in a position to ‘dispute something said by someone close to him.”

A seven-time Pro Bowler and the 2021 NFL Defensive Player of the Year, the 30-year-old Watt has seven sacks this season for the Steelers, who hold a one-game lead over Baltimore for the AFC North lead with four weeks remaining.

Higgins (concussion) and Harrison (heel) will miss their respective team’s Week 15 matchups. Higgins has totaled 46 receptions for 667 yards and nine touchdowns through 12 games this season. Harrison has totaled 40 receptions for 594 yards and four touchdowns through 10 games.

Colts coy on naming QB1 after adding Philip Rivers to practice squad

The Indianapolis Colts bolstered their injury-depleted quarterback corps by bringing 44-year-old Rivers out of retirement. But, with Week 15 on the horizon, head coach Shane Steichen praised Rivers’ readiness but declined to name a starter.

“He’s got great command in the huddle. He was throwing it well,” Steichen said, per ESPN. “So we’re excited for it. He’s fired up for the challenge, getting back into it, getting back in the fold feeling the pass rush. Got some good work in that.”

The Colts have shown faith in Rivers since signing him to the practice squad on Wednesday. The move came less than 24 hours after Steichen confirmed starter, Daniel Jones, would miss the rest of this season after tearing his right Achilles tendon and backup quarterback Riley Leonard injured his right knee during the Week 14 loss to the Jaguars.

Despite his history with Steichen on the Chargers, it remains to be seen if Rivers is comfortable with Indianapolis’ playbook — or had enough time to work his way into game shape. The reeling Colts will try to snap a three-game losing streak and keep their playoff hopes alive on Sunday at the Seahawks.

Rivers hasn’t taken a snap since finishing his career with a playoff loss following the Colts’ 2020 season; that was the last time Indianapolis made the postseason. The eight-time Pro Bowler announced his retirement in January 2021 and has been coaching at St. Michael High School in Fairhope, Alabama, ever since.

Giants list Lawrence as questionable for Week 15

New York could be without star defensive lineman Dexter Lawrence after listing him as questionable with a hamstring injury following a limited practice on Friday.

Lawrence popping up on the injury report this late in the week could be a sign the three-time Pro Bowler could a growing list of unavailable players for Sunday’s home game against the Commanders.

Cook will start at quarterback for the Jets in their road matchup against the Jaguars, head coach Aaron Glenn announced on Dec. 12. Last week, Cook entered the game during the Jets’ Week 14 loss to the Dolphins when Tyrod Taylor suffered a groin injury. Cook totaled 163 passing yards, zero passing touchdowns, two interceptions and a 35.8 passer rating, while completing 46.7% of his passe. New York signed Cook as an undrafted free agent last offseason.

Dallas’ star wideout has cleared concussion protocol and will be active for the team’s home game against the Vikings, per NFL Media. Lamb left the Cowboys’ Week 14 loss to the Lions with a head injury. Lamb, a four-time Pro Bowler, missed three games earlier this season due to a high ankle sprain. In 10 games played, he has totaled 57 receptions for 865 yards and three touchdowns. Dallas is 6-6-1 and 2.5 games out of the third NFC wild-card seed.

Baltimore has signed Jones to a three-year, $40.5 million extension, per NFL Media. The deal includes $25 million guaranteed. This season, Jones has totaled one forced fumble, one fumble recovery, 1.5 sacks, two passes defended and 34 combined tackles through 12 games. The Ravens selected Jones in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft out of UConn, and he has started 27 games over the past two seasons for Baltimore.

Giants HC won’t comment on fired DL coach

Giants interim head coach Mike Kafka “again declined” to share details on the recent news that assistant defensive line coach Bryan Cox was let go during the team’s Week 14 bye. There was reported tension between Cox and the rest of the staff after ex-head coach Brian Daboll was fired earlier this season, and things boiled over last week. Daboll brought Cox onto his staff when he was first hired in 2022, and now their departure will happen, basically, in tandem. 

Smith did not practice Wednesday because a shoulder injury, placing his status for Sunday in question. Head coach Pete Carroll termed Smith’s status as day-to-day. Kenny Pickett, who was Jalen Hurts’ backup last season with the Eagles, took first-team snaps in practice. “I’ll just wait and see what (Smith) feels like,” Carroll said.

Smith injured his right (throwing) shoulder in the third quarter of Sunday’s 24-17 loss to the Broncos. He was not available for comment Wednesday. Pickett replaced Smith and completed 8 of 11 passes for 97 yards and a score.

Washington will be without quarterback Jayden Daniels for its road matchup against the Giants due to a left elbow injury, head coach Dan Quinn announced on Dec. 10. Daniels suffered the injury in Washington’s Week 14 loss to the Vikings, which was the quarterback’s first game back from a Week 9 elbow injury. Marcus Mariota will make his seventh start at quarterback for Washington, which is 3-10. 

Daniels, the 2024 Offensive Rookie of the Year, has seen his sophomore campaign be mired by knee and elbow injuries, with the quarterback boasting just an 88.1 passer rating (Daniels posted a 100.1 passer rating in 2024) and completing 60.6% of his passes (Daniels completed 69% of his passes in 2024) in the seven games that he has appeared in.

A brief hospital visit won’t keep Metcalf from playing next week against the Dolphins. Metcalf was hit hard in the abdomen during the team’s 27-22 victory against the Ravens on Sunday and stayed behind when the issue persisted after Metcalf was treated with over-the-counter remedies during the game, according to head coach Mike Tomlin.

“It [probably got] progressively worse after the game, and so I’m appreciative of our medical experts,” Tomlin said. “We just exercised an abundance of precaution. We didn’t want to get him in the air without having a complete understanding about what he was dealing with, and they did a good job of that.”

Metcalf finished with season highs in receptions (seven) and yards (148) as Pittsburgh regained control of the AFC North. The two-time Pro Bowler also filled in as a gunner on punt coverage late in the game after special teams ace Ben Skowronek exited with an injury, something Metcalf hadn’t done since high school. Tomlin stated that Metcalf is “moving in the right direction” and he doesn’t anticipate the issue jeopardizing Metcalf’s availability.

Kelly, who leads Las Vegas with three interceptions, was placed on IR on Dec. 9 with a season-ending tear in his patellar tendon. The team signed cornerback Chigozie Anusiem off Arizona’s practice squad in a corresponding move.

Kelly was injured in the Raiders’ 24-17 loss to the Broncos on Sunday. “It was just a freak accident,” head coach Pete Carroll said Monday. “You didn’t see it buckle or anything. He just planted — and sometimes that happens.”

Head coach Dan Quinn announced that Ertz would miss the rest of the season after the 13-year veteran tore his ACL in the Commanders’ 31-0 shutout loss to the Vikings on Sunday. Ertz, who was upended during an incomplete pass over the middle thrown by backup QB Marcus Mariota after starter Jayden Daniels was sidelined after reaggravating his elbow injury, left the team’s locker room on crutches. Ertz was unable to put any weight on his leg when he was helped off the field and was visibly upset as he reached the sideline before being transported inside on a cart. 

A second-round draft pick by Philadelphia and a Super Bowl champion with the Eagles, Ertz had 50 catches for 504 yards in 2025. In his second season with the Commanders, Ertz has the second-most receptions by a tight end (825) in the NFL since his debut in 2013, trailing only Travis Kelce (1,063 entering Sunday).

Browns name rookie QB Shedeur Sanders as starter for rest of season

Following a strong performance against the Titans on Sunday, Sanders has officially been named the Browns’ starter for the remainder of the season. He threw for a career-high 364 yards and three touchdowns — plus a fourth on the ground — in the narrow 31-29 loss. Sanders joins Cincinnati’s Joe Burrow as the only rookie quarterbacks with at least 350 passing yards, three touchdown passes and one rushing score in a game.

Head coach Kevin Stefanski is also convinced that Sanders can learn from his mistakes, such as the ill-fated third-quarter interception where he scrambled and threw a deep pass to the middle of the field — which was picked off by Tennessee’s Xavier Woods. The interception would later lead to the Titans scoring the go-ahead touchdown.

“I think he has constantly and consistently gotten better in each one of these games,” Stefanski said. “He’s been working very hard, so I feel good about where his development is heading. He knows there are always going to be plays that he can be better … but he’s very intentional about getting better each and every game he’s out there.”

Buccaneers welcome back two-time Super Bowl champion pass rusher

A familiar face has returned to Tampa Bay. The Bucs have signed defensive lineman Jason Pierre-Paul, 36, to the practice squad, setting him up for a chance to help his former team’s pass rush and playoff push with four games left in the regular season. 

A 2010 first-round pick by the New York Giants, Pierre-Paul previously played for Tampa Bay from 2018 to 2021 and was a member of the club’s Super Bowl LV-winning defense in 2021. Pierre-Paul has 94.5 sacks, 632 tackles and 21 forced fumbles in 180 career games, with his last action coming in 2023 when he played one game for the Saints and two for the Dolphins.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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