Every week for the duration of the 2025 regular season, USA TODAY Sports will provide timely updates to the NFL’s ever-evolving playoff picture − typically starting Sunday afternoon and then moving forward for the remainder of the week (through Monday’s and Thursday’s games or Saturday’s, if applicable. And, when the holidays roll around, we’ll be watching then, too).

What just happened? What does it mean? What are the pertinent factors (and, perhaps, tiebreakers) prominently in play as each conference’s seven-team bracket begins to crystallize? All will be explained and analyzed up to the point when the postseason field is finalized on Sunday, Jan. 4.

Here’s where things stand with Week 15 nearly complete:

NFC playoff picture

x − 1. Los Angeles Rams (11-3), NFC West leaders: They became the first team to clinch a playoff spot, barely evading the Lions on Sunday. LA has the inside track for home-field advantage and a first-round bye, largely because the Rams’ Week 11 defeat of Seattle currently remains pivotal. But the rematch comes Thursday night. Remaining schedule: at Seahawks, at Falcons, vs. Cardinals

2. Chicago Bears (10-4), NFC North leaders: How tightly packed is the NFC? One narrow Week 14 loss dropped the Bears from first place in the conference to seventh. Sunday’s win, in conjunction with Green Bay’s loss, put Da Bears back up to second overall. Remaining schedule: vs. Packers, at 49ers, vs. Lions

3. Philadelphia Eagles (9-5), NFC East leaders: Get-right win vs. Raiders gives them some needed breathing room. Win Saturday at Washington, and the division title remains in Philly another year. Remaining schedule: at Commanders, at Bills, vs. Commanders

4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-7), NFC South leaders: Hopefully coach Todd Bowles’ charges care (expletive) enough this week. A fifth loss in their past six games dropped them to .500 on Thursday night, but Carolina’s loss Sunday put the Bucs back in first place. The Bucs’ one-game advantage in the common-games tiebreaker is currently the difference with the Panthers. Beat Carolina twice, and the Bucs will still win the NFC South. Remaining schedule: at Panthers, at Dolphins, vs. Panthers

5. Seattle Seahawks (11-3), wild card No. 1: They barely escaped Colts QB Philip Rivers’ return to the NFL after five years but notched a two-point win. All three of the ‘Hawks’ losses are against NFC opponents, including two in the division − defeats that don’t serve them well in tiebreaker scenarios. But splitting their season series with the Rams on Thursday would actually vault Seattle to top of NFC heap. Remaining schedule: vs. Rams, at Panthers, at 49ers

6. San Francisco 49ers (10-4), wild card No. 2: They’re just behind the Rams and Seahawks for the NFC West lead, yet only a half-game out of the seventh seed. Remaining schedule: at Colts, vs. Bears, vs. Seahawks

7. Green Bay Packers (9-4-1), wild card No. 3: DE Micah Parsons got hurt Sunday, and so did the Pack’s positioning − down from the No. 2 seed to seventh due to their loss at Denver. Remaining schedule: at Bears, vs. Ravens, at Vikings

8. Detroit Lions (8-6), in the hunt: Tough loss to the Rams drops them 1½ games behind the projected playoff field. Yet Detroit remains within striking range of a wild-card berth and maybe the NFC North crown. Remaining schedule: vs. Steelers, at Vikings, at Bears

9. Carolina Panthers (7-7), in the hunt: Had they beaten the Saints on Sunday, they simply would have needed one win over Tampa Bay to win the NFC South. But the Panthers came up light in New Orleans. Carolina and the Buccaneers will decide this on the field with two meetings between Weeks 16 and 18. Remaining schedule: vs. Buccaneers, vs. Seahawks, at Buccaneers

10. Dallas Cowboys (6-7-1), in the hunt: Sunday night’s crushing loss to the Vikings all but eliminated them − Dallas needing to win all its games and hoping the Eagles lose all theirs if ‘America’s Team’ is to win NFC East. Remaining schedule: vs. Chargers, at Commanders, at Giants

AFC playoff picture

x − 1. Denver Broncos (12-2), AFC West leaders: Quite a Sunday, the first team in the league to 12 wins and first AFC squad to clinch a playoff berth. New England’s loss also boosts the Broncos’ odds of winding up with the No. 1 seed. Remaining schedule: vs. Jaguars, at Chiefs, vs. Chargers

2. New England Patriots (11-3), AFC East leaders: Their 10-game heater snapped, they failed to clinch the division Sunday and lost valuable ground in their bid for the No.1 seed. But the Pats are still in driver’s seat to win AFC East. Remaining schedule: at Ravens, at Jets, vs. Dolphins

3. Jacksonville Jaguars (10-4), AFC South leaders: Win keeps them ahead of surging Houston. Remaining schedule: at Broncos, vs. Colts, at Titans

4. Pittsburgh Steelers (7-6), AFC North leaders: They jumped up five spots, from out of the field back into the division lead by winning at Baltimore in Week 14. Sweep the Ravens and notch one other win, and Pittsburgh secures the division. Remaining schedule: vs. Dolphins, at Lions, at Browns, vs. Ravens

5. Los Angeles Chargers (10-4), wild card No. 1: They completed a season sweep of the Chiefs on Sunday, officially eliminating the three-time-defending AFC champions from playoff consideration. The Bolts have now won six of seven. A one-win advantage in AFC games (8-2) keeps them ahead of Buffalo. Remaining schedule: at Chiefs, at Cowboys, vs. Texans, at Broncos

6. Buffalo Bills (10-4), wild card No. 1: Still alive to win their sixth straight AFC East crown following Sunday’s win at Foxborough. Remaining schedule: at Browns, vs. Eagles, vs. Jets

7. Houston Texans (9-5), wild card No. 3: They’ve won seven of eight, including six in a row. Remaining schedule: vs. Raiders, at Chargers, vs. Colts

8. Indianapolis Colts (8-6), in the hunt: Now in the hands of 44-year-old Rivers, they face a steep climb back to relevance − their 7-1 start already starting to seem like ancient history. Rivers gave a valiant effort Sunday in his first NFL action in nearly five years but came up just short. And the Colts’ schedule doesn’t let up the rest of the way. Remaining schedule: vs. 49ers, vs. Jaguars, at Texans

9. Baltimore Ravens (7-7), in the hunt: Sunday’s shutout at Cincinnati could be key in race for AFC North. Remaining schedule: vs. Patriots, at Packers, at Steelers

10. Miami Dolphins (6-7), in the hunt: They probably need to win the remainder of their games to even have a shot at postseason qualification. Remaining schedule: at Steelers, vs. Bengals, vs. Buccaneers, at Patriots

NFL playoff-clinching scenarios for Week 16 (incomplete)

New England clinches playoff berth with:

Win

Philadelphia clinches NFC East title with:

1. Win or
2. Dallas loss

NFL teams eliminated from playoff contention in 2025

x – clinched playoff berth

y – clinched division

z – clinched home-field advantage, first-round bye

Green Bay Packers defensive end Micah Parsons appeared to suffer a serious knee injury Sunday afternoon during his team’s game against the Broncos in Denver.

Shortly before the third quarter expired, with the Pack leading 23-21, Parsons was in pursuit of Broncos quarterback Bo Nix on a pass play. But as he changed direction to give further chase, Parsons’ left knee appeared to buckle before he collapsed to the ground and grabbed at the joint.

Parsons was able to leave the field under his own power but immediately headed into the locker room. He did not return to the game.

“It doesn’t look good, I’ll leave it at that,’ Green Bay coach Matt LaFleur said afterward as speculation about a torn ACL grew.

A four-time Pro Bowler acquired from the Dallas Cowboys rights before the season − for two first-round draft picks and defensive lineman Kenny Clark − Parsons has lived up to his billing with 12½ sacks so far in 2025 for the Packers.

But Green Bay succumbed to the Broncos following Parsons’ unfortunate exit and fell into the NFC’s seventh projected playoff spot.

Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia has changed his tune in the hours following his post directed toward the Heisman Trophy voters on Saturday night.

Pavia shared a photo on his Instagram story after the Heisman Trophy ceremony with a message that read “(Expletive)-ALL THE VOTERS, BUT…..FAMILY FOR LIFE.”

Pavia had issued an apology on Sunday, stating, “being a part of the Heisman ceremony last night as a finalist was such an honor. As a competitor, just like in everything I do, I wanted to win. ”

Pavia was one of four finalists for college football’s most prestigious individual award. He finished second in the voting behind Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza.

Mendoza finished with 2,362 points and 643 first-place votes while Pavia was second with 1,435 points and 189 first-place votes.

The award has 930 voters, including 870 media members, 59 living Heisman winners and one overall fan vote.

Diego Pavia stats

Pavia completed 242 of 340 pass attempts for 3,192 yards, 27 touchdowns and eight interceptions in 12 games played. He also rushed for 826 yards and nine touchdowns on 152 carries.

When is Diego Pavia’s next game?

Pavia and Vanderbilt will take on the Iowa Hawkeyes in the ReliaQuest Bowl on Dec. 31.

We are entering the holiday break for college hockey and many teams have already gone idle. But if you’re an NCAA fan, there will be games of intrigue right around the corner as the World Junior Championship comes to Minnesota. Many of the best young players in college will be playing for their national teams and it won’t just be Canadians and Americans: Wilson Bjorck of Colorado College will suit up for Sweden, while UMass’ Vaclav Nestrasil will be playing for the Czechs, just to name two.

The most important thing for college teams is that their prized players don’t get hurt at the tournament, but on a more optimistic tip, coaches and fans can hope that these teens can bank serious big-game experience while playing in the vaunted international tourney. In the meantime, let’s see what the NCAA hockey world looks like heading into the break, spotlighting the teams and players you need to know right now.

1. Michigan Wolverines (16-4-0)

While there’s no guarantee that Canada and the U.S. will meet at the world juniors, a medal-round bout would be electric. It would also be conflicting for Wolverines fans, since Will Horcoff (PIT) would be facing Canadian pals Michael Hage (MTL) and Jack Ivankovic (NSH).

2. Michigan State Spartans (12-4-0)

The Spartans will also be well represented at the world juniors, with sublime freshman Porter Martone (PHI) returning for Canada with revenge on his mind for last year’s quarterfinal exit. Meanwhile, Shane Vansaghi (PHI) will be looking to help Team USA make it three golds in a row.

3. North Dakota Fighting Hawks (14-4-0)

With only one loss since Halloween, the Fighting Hawks have really turned it on and look like a legit threat out of the NCHC. North Dakota’s most recent business was a tidy sweep over Omaha and their next series, not until early January, is against winless Mercyhurst.

4. Wisconsin Badgers (12-2-2)

 The Badgers are one to watch because they’re not getting the same headlines as some of their flashier Big Ten rivals – but Wisconsin’s record doesn’t lie. Coach Mike Hastings’ team is 3-1 against Michigan and Michigan State so far and seven Badgers have hit double-digit points already.

5. Denver Pioneers (12-6-1)

Thanks to their championship pedigree and coach David Carle, the Pioneers are going to get the benefit of the doubt this season: They’re not dead until they’re officially out of the Frozen Four. Denver has hit some adversity of late, but a non-conference series against Maine in the new year will be a tasty one.

6. Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs (14-6-0)

Max Plante (DET) reclaimed the outright pole position in the NCAA scoring race over the weekend and now stands at 30 points through 20 games. He’ll be another one to watch for Team USA at the world juniors, where the offense will need players to step up after some big names (Ryan Leonard, Gabe Perreault) aged out of the tourney.

7.  Dartmouth Big Green (11-1-0)

And then there were none. Dartmouth lost to New Hampshire on Sunday, meaning there are no more undefeated teams in D1. It was a great run for the Big Green, whose next challenge comes at the end of the month with another non-conference opponent, Arizona State. Two tilts with the Sun Devils could be revealing.

8. Harvard Crimson (7-3-1)

Two of Harvard’s losses came to Michigan, which doesn’t look so bad now. Otherwise, the Crimson have largely taken care of business. They haven’t played Dartmouth or Quinnipiac yet and both of those match-ups will truly inform who the top dogs are in the ECAC. Mick Thompson leads Harvard in scoring with 15 points in 11 games.

9. Boston College Eagles (10-5-1)

There’s some nice uniformity in Boston right now, as the Eagles’ top threats also happen to be Bruins draft picks. James Hagens, of course, was expected to be a driver, but big Dean Letourneau has exploded as a sophomore, putting up the type of points expected of a first-rounder. And success has followed for the team.

10. Penn State Nittany Lions (11-5-0)

 It’s kinda funny that Penn State makes the list after not playing for a couple weeks, but their NPI is right up there and the record is still pretty solid. Gavin McKenna, the 2026 NHL draft prospect, will get a chance to really cut loose at the world juniors for Team Canada and silence the haters.

INGLEWOOD, CA — The Detroit Lions offense was sizzling like a hot Motown record during the first half. In the second half, they moonwalked back into the playoff bubble.

“The third quarter was rough on us,” Lions coach Dan Campbell said postgame. “They got a jump on us that we couldn’t overcome.”

The Lions surrendered 24 points in the second half — including 17 unanswered points during the third quarter — in a 41-34 loss to the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday, Dec. 14.

Things were going good for Detroit in the first half. Lions quarterback Jared Goff passed for 221 yards and three touchdowns. Most of Goff’s targets went to wide receivers Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams. The pair combined for 13 catches, 218 yards and three touchdowns in the first half. However, the Lions unraveled after halftime.

The Lions offense had just five total yards and no first downs in a miserable third quarter. While the defense gave up 24 points and 272 yards in the second half.  

Goff and the Lions had previously won their past two games, including the playoffs, against the Rams. Sunday was a game the Lions needed to keep their slim playoff hopes alive.

The Chicago Bears (10-4), Green Bay Packers (9-4-1) are both in front of the Lions (8-6) in the NFC North. The Lions are eighth in the NFC playoff race and were already swept by Green Bay this year. According to Next Gen Stats, Detroit only has a 41% chance to make the postseason. The Lions host the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 16, and have road games versus the Minnesota Vikings and Bears to close the season. The Lions almost certainly have to win out — which is a tall task considering they haven’t won back-to-back games since Weeks 4 and 5.

“It starts with the guys in the locker room,” Lions linebacker Jack Campbell said. “Got the right guys, and it’s just how we respond, how we push forward, how we lean on each other.”

Detroit has won the NFC North for two consecutive seasons, but now there’s very little margin for error as the Lions are on the brink of being eliminated from postseason contention.

“8-6, still in it. Got three games left … like to win all three of them,” Goff said. “We got to win the first one.”

Follow USA TODAY Sports’ Tyler Dragon on X @TheTylerDragon.

No. 1 seed Pitt defeated No. 3 seed Purdue in the NCAA volleyball tournament on Saturday, Dec. 13 to punch its ticket to the Final Four in Kansas City.

Pitt’s had sweeps against UMBC, Michigan and Minnesota to advance. Things were a little tighter against Purdue, which pushed the match to four sets before Pitt prevailed, 25-22, 25-21, 22-25, 25-17.

Senior setter Brooke Mosher, who transferred from Illinois, has 47 assists, seven digs, four block assists and three service aces to lead Pitt. The Panthers advance to the Final Four for the fifth consecutive season. Pitt will be looking for its first national championship.

‘This is incredible,’ Mosher said on the court after the match. ‘I could not ask for a better last year. Making the Final Four, it’s been my dream since I was little.’

Olivia Babcock had 23 kills and a hitting percentage of .333. Teammate Marina Pezelj added 14 kills and 12 digs.

Pitt will face the winner of Nebraska-Texas A&M (3 p.m. ET, Sunday on ABC) in the national semifinals in Kansas City on Thursday, Dec. 18.

SCORE: Pitt 3, Purdue 1

Set 4 final: Pitt 25, Purdue 17

Pitt advances to the Final Four for the fifth consecutive season.

Set 4: Pitt first to 15

The Panthers are back on track, hitting .500 in the fourth set and 10 points away from the Final Four.

Set 3 final: Purdue 25, Pitt 22

The Boilermakers push Pitt to a fourth set. Pitt hit an abysmal .167 in the third set compared to .226 for Purdue. Akasha Anderson is up to 17 kills and Kenna Wollard has added 12 kills. Ryan McAleer has 13 digs.

Set 3: Purdue first to 15 as it fights back

Akasha Anderson is up to 14 kills and Kenna Wollard has added 10 kills as the Boilermakers are working to steal a set.

Set 2 final: Pitt 25, Purdue 21

Pitt setter Brooke Mosher has 26 assists leading to 29 kills.

‘Brooke Mosher is setting one of the great matches of her career,’ Pitt coach Dan Fisher said.

Set 2: Pitt first to 15, Purdue is keeping it interesting

Olivia Babcock is dominating with 13 kills on .462 hitting. Brooke Mosher is up to 23 assists and Marina Pezelj has eight digs.

Akasha Anderson is leading the Boilermakers with 10 kills and hitting .350.

Set 1 final: Pitt 25, Purdue 22

Reigning player of the year Olivia Babcock had nine kills on .563 hitting. Pitt hit .441 for the match and Purdue .390.

Set 1: Pitt is the first to 15

The Panthers are on a 9-3 run as Purdue is rolling up the errors.

We are underway in Pittsburgh

Purdue has an early lead, looking for its first trip to the Final Four.

Purdue starters

Pitt starters

Purdue arrives in the snow

What time is Purdue vs Pitt volleyball?

The Purdue Boilermakers play the Pitt Panthers in the Elite Eight of the NCAA volleyball tournament on Saturday, Dec. 13 at 7:30 p.m. ET at the Petersen Events Center in Pittsburgh.

Purdue vs Pitt volleyball TV channel, streaming

• Date: Saturday, Dec. 13
• Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
• Location: Petersen Events Center (Pittsburgh)
• TV: ESPN2
• Stream: Fubo, ESPN Unlimited

Purdue volleyball roster

Pitt volleyball roster

The disturbing fallout between former Michigan football coach Sherrone Moore and the program after ‘credible evidence’ surfaced he was involved in an ‘inappropriate relationship’ with a staffer is the latest in a long line of black marks for Michigan’s athletic department.

The most recent in a lengthy list of scandals has prompted a common refrain throughout the past week: Why and how does athletic director Warde Manuel still have a job? The answer is complicated and lengthy, but the version is this: He just does … for now.

A person with knowledge of the situation told the Detroit Free Press, part of USA TODAY Co., this week the Board of Regents met with Manuel on Thursday, Dec. 11, to discuss the latest scandal enveloping the biggest program he oversees.

Moore, Michigan’s football coach for two seasons and an assistant for six before that, was fired Wednesday when a relationship between him and a staffer was uncovered.

What does this have to do with Manuel? Other than it happened in the most important program he oversees? Because it’s still not entirely clear what he knew, and when.

That’s where the law firm of Jenner & Block comes in. U-M brought in the firm after its internal probe did not discover any evidence, but questions didn’t feel fully answered. Now, the firm has extended its investigation to the athletic department at large.

According to a source, the firm is looking into everything — including Manuel — to find out if there was a coverup.

Not only are there questions about the timing of U-M’s investigation — rumors swirled, but didn’t crescendo until after a loss to Ohio State, with the relationship not established until after an incoming recruiting class had mostly committed during the early national signing period — but about how such a long-term relationship within the department could have gone unnoticed by so many.

The first hint of impropriety came from an anonymous tip earlier this year, through a university hotline, stating Moore and the staffer were involved. The university brought both parties in for questioning and searched their phones, per the source, but no impermissible relationship was discovered.

That all changed this past week. Moore was fired after the staffer came forward and admitted there was a relationship.

That’s according to Kati Rezmierski, the Washtenaw County first assistant prosecutor who spoke Friday in Moore’s arraignment for third-degree felony home invasion, misdemeanor stalking and misdemeanor breaking and entering.

Moore has since admitted to police the two had been in a two-year relationship, the Free Press learned from recently obtained court records.

(While other court records redacted the name of the executive assistant, the transcript from the closed Friday hearing did not. The Free Press generally does not identify people described as domestic crime victims without their consent.)

A source told the Free Press “it’s fair” to say Manuel’s future is largely tied to the findings of the investigation. As of Thursday, he was “not on the hot seat in any imminent way,” but depending on the findings, that could change as quickly as Moore’s life has seemingly unraveled.

Of course, Manuel’s future isn’t that simple, either. He reports directly to the president’s office, which then reports to the board of regents. Currently, U-M is led by Domenico Grasso, an interim president brought in from U-M Dearborn after Santa Ono left Michigan for a potential job at the University of Florida.

A source told the Free Press that even though he’s serving on an interim basis, Grasso does have the go-ahead to make the call on Manuel’s future once Jenner & Block presents its findings.

Of course, this all comes while U-M searching for a permanent president. Grasso has indicated to those around him his plan is to finish the academic year, until May, according to a person with knowledge of his expected timeline.

The Free Press has learned the candidate list for president has been narrowed down; a decision could come early in 2026, though said hire would likely not take over until May 2026 — especially if they’re currently overseeing a university of their own.

The Jenner & Block investigation “would almost certainly be over’ by that point, according to the Free Press’ source. That would put the decision on Grasso, with the backing of the board to make the decision.

So, as Michigan looks for a new football coach and a new president, it also is looking into its athletic director.

Moore, who has been placed on a GPS tether since his release, is next due in court for a hearing on Jan. 22.

WASHINGTON, DC — The time is up.

After a legendary 23-year run, John Cena ended his WWE career with his final match on Dec. 13 at Saturday Night’s Main Event.

It was an emotional send-off as the night was dedicated to the 17-time WWE Champion, with several stars of the past and present paying respect after all of the accomplishments and memories from his storied career. It was a thrilling and electric final match, but it didn’t end in victory as “The Ring General” Gunther defeated Cena to silence the crowd.

The result was shocking and upsetting for the WWE universe, but Cena got the chance to say goodbye for good. It capped off a fun night that included young NXT talent getting a chance against some of the best of the main roster.

Watch: Saturday Night’s Main Event postshow

John Cena says goodbye

A video plays inside the arena and on the broadcast honoring Cena. Afterward, Cena salutes the crowd and leaves his armbands and sneakers in the ring. He then walks back to the ramp and salutes the audience one final time. He says ‘it’s been an honor’ before he walks backstage, capping off his career.

WWE roster says goodbye to John Cena

After the match, nearly the entire WWE roster comes out, with Cody Rhodes and CM Punk placing their championships on Cena’s shoulders.

John Cena vs. Gunther

After an incredible introduction, the crowd shows full hostility to Gunther as he takes early control of the match, throwing Cena around and taunting the audience in the process. Gunther goes for a signature chop, only for Cena to catch it.

He then tees off in vintage form and gets the hand up with the entire crowd. He lets out the ‘You Can’t See Me’ and landed the Five-Knuckle Shuffle. He sets up for the Attitude Adjustment but Gunther gets out of it. Cena stays on the attack and gets a hold of the STF on Gunther as the crowd gets on their feet.

Gunther gets out of the submission and his offense picks back up, delivering consecutive running Clotheslines to Cena. The taunting continues, but again Cena finds life again. He delivered another Five-Knuckle Shuffle and gets the AA right afterward, but Gunther kicks out. He tries another AA, and Gunther gets out and locks the Sleeper Hold on Cena. However, Cena reverses it with his own Sleeper Hold, which gets broken up by Gunther getting his leg on the rope.

The action moves outside of the ring where Gunther throws Cena into the steel steps. He moves the other set of stairs near the announcer’s table and gloats to the booing crowd. Gunther tries to land a vicious powerbomb on the announcer’s table, but Cena reverses it and lands the AA instead as both stars lay on the ground.

Back in the ring, Cena climbs the turnbuckle and lands the flying leg drop but the pin attempt is no good. He goes for a third Five-Knuckle Shuffle and Gunther lands the big boot. He follows it with a powerbomb and a pin attempt that Cena kicks out of. Gunther and Cena meet at the top rope and Cena lands the flying AA, and again Gunther kicks out.

Punches are traded when the two stars get to their feet, and it’s Gunther that breaks it with a powerbomb. He follows it with a Frog Splash and Cena avoids the loss, but Gunther doesn’t stop with another Sleeper Hold. Cena gets up several times but Gunther continues to drag him back down. Just when Cena breaks out of it, Gunther locks it back in.

Cena gets out one more time to land the AA but the pin doesn’t work and is immediately followed up with another submission hold. The crowd chants ‘don’t give up’ as Cena starts to fade. The referee checks Cena’s hand and he’s able to keep it up before the three-count.

But Gunther keeps the hold on. Cena finally taps out and Gunther wins, ending Cena’s career with a loss.

Analysis: Gunther is inevitable. ‘The Ring General’ said he would make Cena tap out and he delivers on his promise to get the victory.

The match was by far one of the most electric in recent memory as the crowd was really into the match and pulling for Cena to win. He showed he was going to leave it all out in the ring and delivered another epic clash to end it.

The result isn’t popular at all and there was plenty of booing and NSFW chants for it, but this is how it usually goes in retirement matches. There was hope Cena could end his with another signature victory, but instead Gunther gets the honor of sending someone away with a loss. Devastating for the WWE fans that rooted for Cena for so long, but it doesn’t represent what was an unbelievable career.

Watch: John Cena’s final introduction

Lilian Garcia with the final introduction for the 17-time WWE Champion.

Watch: John Cena’s final entrance

‘Stew, let’s go to work one last time.’

Cena enters to a thunderous ovation for his final WWE match.

The Miz appears, R-Truth interrupts

The Miz interrupts the broadcast to tell the crowd he should have been part of the John Cena farewell tour. As he goes on a tirade, R-Truth comes out and tells him he has an opponent.

Joe Hendry surprises

The Miz says his name and he appears.

Joe Hendry emerges and confronts The Miz and sends him down on the mat. Then he and R-Truth give The Miz a Five-Knuckle Shuffle before Hendry finishes it off with a Standing Ovation to ‘win’ the unofficial match.

AJ Styles and Dragon Lee vs. Je’Von Evans and Leon Slater

The NXT and TNA stars waste no time getting things going as they deliver synchronized super kicks and each go flying out of the ring to stun the World Tag Team Champions. Thanks to the blazing start, Evans and Slater take the early control against Lee.

A powerbomb helps Lee slow down the other team and gives him time to tag in Styles, who shows he can absolutely hang with the young talent. After a brief moment of chaos outside of the ring with everyone, Evans and Slater get rolling again, this time against Styles.

Lee helped Styles recover, but he had a botch when he tried a Phenomenal Forearm. It didn’t slow him down as he soon afterward got the Styles Clash on Slater. It was the final blow to get the champions the win.

Analysis: It wasn’t a lot of time, but the tag teams did more than enough with it to deliver an entertaining match. Slater and Evans showed off their high-flying skills perfectly, while Styles again shows Father Time still hasn’t caught up to him. The botch hurt the overall finish, but still was a fun performance with the limited time in the ring.

Bayley vs. Sol Ruca

Each star had help in their corner with Lyra Valkyria on Bayley’s side and Zaria still supporting Ruca, and early on Ruca was a step ahead of the veteran, using her stellar acrobatic skill set to her advantage. A mistimed backflip from Ruca momentarily gave Bayley some offense, but the NXT star was back in front quickly; she executed a tumbling leap out of the ring for the first big moment of the match.

Bayley had another opportunity to gain momentum, but Ruca was relentless and didn’t stay down long enough to get in a hole. When Ruca tried another leap, Bayley caught it for a Belly-to-Bayley that resulted in both stars down on the mat.

Bayley tried a Rose Plant but Ruca avoided it with a cartwheel, and Ruca tried the Sol Snatcher but Bayley tripped her up before it could be executed. Bayley went for the pin that was unsuccessful because Ruca’s legs got on the ropes.

Afterward, Ruca finally landed the Sol Snatcher, but Bayley rolled out. Ruca desperately dragged her back in the ring and Bayley tried to roll her opponent up. Ruca got out of it and executed her own pin and she got the count to three for the victory. The two stars then shake hands.

Analysis: The Sol continues to rise.

Ruca dazzles every time she’s in the ring, and it was no different on one of the biggest stages of her young career. She controlled the majority of the match, a clear indicator she has what it takes to be a problem on the main roster. Credit Bayley for being the great veteran to put Ruca over, and there’s no limit to what she can achieve after another great outing.

Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes vs. NXT Champion Oba Femi

The night starts with a massive showdown between the top star on the main roster vs. the top guy in NXT. The electricity is palpable after big pops on the entrances, and Femi shows early he’s not just a young star. He counters Rhodes’ punch with a powerful slam to the WWE Champion. From there, Femi takes the early advantage, throwing Rhodes around the ring with ease.

After taking some significant blows, Rhodes is able to slow Femi down and get him on the ground. That’s when Rhodes tees up the Cody Cutter and lands it to perfection. Rhodes had an unsuccessful leap outside of the ring, but a second time works to get Femi down.

It doesn’t have much impact with Femi recovering quickly in the ring for a Spinebuster. Rhodes went outside of the ring and Femi got a running start to launch himself into his opponent and over the table. Rhodes had a bloody mouth, yet it didn’t stop him from countering with a magnificent Cody Cutter.

The two stars were down when Drew McIntyre emerged and attacked Rhodes, ending the match in disqualification. Femi was upset and approached McIntyre, and that gave Rhodes enough time to give the ‘Scottish Warrior’ a Cody Cutter, followed by a slam from Femi. The two opponents then raise their titles together.

Analysis: The night gets off to a great start with the two champions putting on a high-quality match. Rhodes is established, but Femi got to formally introduce himself on the main roster. The crowd loved the NXT Champion and were fully invested in his entrance. He dazzled in the opportunity and did a exceptional job looking like a powerhouse.

People wanted to see a true winner in this fight, and a disqualification unfortunately hurts it a bit, and the crowd wanted to see the match continue. However, the result was certainly the safe way to go to protect WWE’s top guy and the one that will be in the position soon.

Watch: Oba Femi makes electric entrance

Watch: Cody Rhodes kicks night off

WWE icons in attendance

The stars are out to see Cena’s finale, including wrestling icons such as Shawn Michaels, Kurt Angle, Trish Stratus and Mark Henry.

When is John Cena’s last match at Saturday Night’s Main Event?

John Cena’s last match takes place at Saturday Night’s Main Event on Saturday, Dec 13.

Stream WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event on Peacock

John Cena’s last match, WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event start time

Saturday Night’s Main Event begins at 8 p.m. ET, with Cena’s final match as the main event.

How to watch John Cena’s last match at WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event

Saturday Night’s Main Event will stream on Peacock, but you must have their premium or premium-plus subscription to watch. Internationally, it will be available on YouTube in most markets.

Where is John Cena’s last match at WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event?

Cena’s final match at Saturday Night’s Main Event will take place at Capital One Arena in Washington, DC.

John Cena’s last match, WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event preshow

The preshow for Saturday Night’s Main Event begins at 6 p.m. ET. It will be streamed on Peacock and WWE’s social channels, including YouTube.

John Cena’s last match, Saturday Night’s Main Event match card

Matches not in order

• John Cena vs. Gunther
• Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes vs. NXT Champion Oba Femi
• Bayley vs. Sol Ruca
• AJ Styles and Dragon Lee vs. Je’Von Evans and Leon Slater

Watch: Saturday Night’s Main Event cold open

WWE chief content officer Paul ‘Triple H’ Levesque narrates the opening of Cena’s final match.

John Cena farewell tour reaches end

The farewell tour is now complete. In his last year of in-ring competition, Cena won the Elimination Chamber and the Undisputed WWE Championship, becoming the first 17-time title holder in WWE history. He also took the Intercontinental Championship, making him a Grand Slam champion.

Saturday Night’s Main Event stage

The view inside Capital One Arena. WWE opts for a generic stage.

John Cena final match prediction 

Retirement matches usually mean ending a career with a loss, but that’s for most wrestlers. It’s completely different with Cena. It’s going to be an emotional thriller, with so many close calls and callbacks to the past 23 years of Cena’s tenure. Gunther will look like he made Cena tap out and it will end in a loss.

That’s until hustle, loyalty and respect power through. Cena finds just enough in the tank for a big finish, and he gets the pin to end it all with a win. – Jordan Mendoza

John Cena ends wrestling career as the greatest of all time

Did you really see John Cena?

Yes, we all know we’ve spent his entire career “looking” for him. The man behind “You Can’t See Me” got taken too literally to the point of invisibility. But maybe there is a deeper meaning to it. 

What exactly were you looking for? A hero? A villain? A reason to smile? A reason to boo?

For 23 years, WWE fans searched endlessly, wondering if they’d ever find the answer. But as he enters the final match of his storied career, it’s all clear. Finally, we do see Cena.

What do we see? That John Cena has cemented himself as the greatest wrestler in history – and there will never be another like him.

Turns out, it’s just basic thuganomics. 

Read why there will never be another Cenahere.

A love letter to John Cena and professional wrestling

I wasn’t a John Cena fan. Not back then. Not even a little bit.

As a kid, I was in the minority. I recognize that. Watch back any Cena entrance from 2007-15 and you’ll find the same crowd reaction: every adult in attendance booing mercilessly while every child simultaneously screams in glee. 

This was the John Cena experience. No matter how you felt about him, you gave him a reaction. And as any pro wrestler will tell you, that’s the job, brother.

Love him or hate him, Cena represented everything great about this weird, niche genre of entertainment. He embraced its quirks with determination, its grueling schedule with endless effort and its spoils with grace.

You didn’t have to be a fan of Cena to recognize his mastery.

Read why wrestling will miss Cenahere.

John Cena’s top moments of his career

There’s no debating Cena is one of the greatest wrestlers of all time − evident by several signature moments that defined a generation of wrestling.

While there are undoubtedly hundreds of those unforgettable performances, which ones stand out above the rest?

See the full list of top 17 momentshere.

John Cena’s top entrances 

A key element in wrestling is the entrance, and Cena knew how to make them grand.

One of the several things that made Cena a WWE legend was his iconic entrance music. He started off with ‘Basic Thuganomics,’ which became a classic with some clever lines, but he introduced ‘My Time is Now’ in 2005, and it has become a song that has transcended wrestling, becoming a recognizable tune and sending crowds into a frenzy the moment the first note hits.

With that signature song, Cena has made some epic entrances that left the audience wowed. He’s entered arenas and stadiums thousands of times, but some of those entrances stand out more than others and have become iconic moments in Cena’s lasting legacy.

See the full list of best entranceshere.

John Cena’s 10 best feuds 

More than 23 years is enough time to develop heated rivals in wrestling, and Cena had plenty of them in WWE.

As the face of WWE for decades, Cena got to the top of the wrestling world thanks to the epic showdowns he had with other big-time stars. Whether it was the promos, matches or the stakes, some feuds stood out above the rest. They often helped raise the legacy of both Cena and his rival as they each brought the best out of each other, and those heated rivalries helped produce some of wrestling’s top moments in recent memory.

Of course, not all of them were top-tier quality, but there were rivalries that transcended the sport and helped shape what wrestling is today.

See the full list of Cena’s best rivalrieshere.

WWE stars pay tribute to John Cena

Get the tissues ready.

Cena not only impacted wrestling fans, but stars themselves. Several of them honor him, including some big names like Roman Reigns, in this emotional video.

Oba Femi has ‘huge opportunity’ vs. Cody Rhodes

With NXT stars getting to challenge main roster talent, no one gets a bigger shot than Oba Femi; the NXT Champion will face Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes.

“It’s huge for me,” Femi told USA TODAY Sports. “That’s just a huge favor he’s done for us up-and-coming NXT superstars to showcase us on his final day, which speaks to his selflessness and humility.”

“The Ruler” has become a major hit in NXT, with his signature strut starting what is often dominance in the ring. It will be his biggest match yet, but Femi is ready for the challenge.

“At the end of the match, people realize that there is a new crop of talent, and they are here, and they mean business,” Femi said. “While I’m out there, I’m going to enjoy every moment I’m in there with Cody. It’s the best now versus the projected future, the biggest prospect from NXT. It’s a huge match. It’s a huge opportunity, and the fans get to enjoy it. 

“But I think when everything is said and done, Oba Femi will be victorious,” he added.

John Cena WWE career accolades

It’s been a career full of achievements as Cena has done about everything a wrestler can do in WWE. Here are all of his achievements: 

• WWE Champion: 17 times (record)
• United States Champion: five times
• WWE Tag Team Champion: four times
• Intercontinental Champion: one time
• Grand Slam Champion
• Triple Crown Champion
• 2012 Money in the Bank winner
• 2008 and 2013 Royal Rumble winner