AI-assisted summary
• The current College Football Playoff format creates excessive travel demands for teams and their fans.
• Coaches suggest moving the playoff schedule to December and holding more games on campus sites.
• Playing playoff games at neutral sites has led to low ticket sales and a lack of atmosphere.

MIAMI GARDENS, FL – This is common sense stuff, everyone. If we can see it, they can, too.

Those who have built the College Football Playoff can surely understand they’ve asked Oregon fans to travel cross-country to Miami for the Orange Bowl quarterfinal, fly back to Oregon, and a week later fly cross-country again for the CFP semifinal in Atlanta if the Ducks advance. 

Then fly back to Oregon, and 10 days later, fly back to Miami for the national championship game in Atlanta. Or approximately 15,000 miles over three weeks.

Or that No. 1 Indiana’s road is Los Angeles/Atlanta/Miami. Or No. 2 Ohio State’s road is Dallas/Phoenix/Miami.

What in blue blazes is going on here?

“It’s the craziest thing,” Oregon coach Dan Lanning said. “There’s a better way to do all of this. We’re not inventing the wheel here.”

It’s not that difficult, everyone. Strengthen the standalone December playoff product, and avoid the NFL playoffs a month later.

This brings us all the way back to common sense, and that we’ve been obsessing over the wrong problem all along. It’s not just who earns the right to play in the CFP, it’s the sequencing of it all.

Here’s how Lanning, and Texas Tech coach Joey McGuire — whose teams play Thursday in the Orange Bowl CFP semifinal — think it should all play out. 

(A quick addendum: Lanning and McGuire are just meathead football coaches, like many other coaches who see this the same way. What do they know about running a billion-dollar postseason tournament? Leave that to the brilliant university presidents and conference commissioners — who haven’t screwed up a single thing over the past four years of paradigm change.)

The playoff, coaches say, should begin the first weekend of December where Championship Week currently resides. That doesn’t mean eliminating conference championship games (and millions in revenue), it means beginning the season one week early. 

A novel concept, I know. 

The quarterfinals are then played a week later, or the second Friday and Saturday of December. The semifinals are played a week after that on the third Friday and Saturday of December, and the championship game on New Year’s Day — the holiest of college football days. 

Here’s the key: the first three rounds of the tournament are played on campus, thereby maximizing the impact of the regular season — no matter how many teams (12 or 16) you throw into the playoff bracket.

The more you win in the regular season, the greater your opportunity to host playoff games and gain a significant competitive advantage. 

And bonus: the convoluted and dysfunctional college football calendar — and the unwieldly player procurement process of national signing day and the opening and closing of the transfer portal — ends. Everything begins after Jan. 1.  

“The idea should be to make everything easier for all involved,” McGuire said. “We’re the furthest thing from that right now.”

This isn’t the men’s basketball tournament, a made-for-television neutral site event that emphasizes the underdog. Because the underdog chucking 3-pointers possession after possession can do the unthinkable. 

The underdog chucking deep balls play after play in the CFP loses by 30.

It’s a completely different sport and tournament, and absurd to even compare the two. Almost as absurd as Oregon playing Texas Tech in an NFL stadium in the second round of the CFP —  instead of Texas Tech rewarded for the greatest season in school history by hosting in the game day asylum that is Lubbock.

“I can’t even imagine what it would be like to have a home playoff game,” said Texas Tech quarterback Behren Morton. “Our fans are wild in the regular season. What would a playoff game look like?”      

Like it did in the first round at Norman, Eugene, College Station and Oxford. Wild, never before seen environments. 

Or you can have the current quarterfinal landscape, where ticket brokers have scooped up thousands of tickets — and now can’t sell them. The get-in price for the Orange Bowl is $49, and $32 for a Cotton Bowl featuring two of the biggest television properties (Ohio State, Miami) in the sport. 

Something, everyone, isn’t working. 

It’s bad enough that CFP leaders force the highest-ranked Group of 5 champion on its marquee event, despite the drastic difference in schedule difficulty. They then compounded the problem this year, when the selection committee added a Group of 5 at-large selection.

It’s worse that quarterfinal games — when the tournament truly begins — are struggling to fill stadiums and lacking juice because they’re not on campus. The college football regular season, the greatest television event in sports this side of the NFL, is an ever-growing monster because of rare campus environments. 

It makes no sense to take the most important show of the season — the tournament to decide the champion of the sport — and let it play out at neutral sites. It’s not the 1980s and 90s anymore, the golden ring is no longer a major bowl game.

Its now a home playoff game, and all the pomp and parade that goes with it — including Fiddy showing up in Norman, of all places, singing ‘Many Men’ at the end of the third quarter.

I’m tryin’ to be what I’m destined to be… I’m a diamond in the dirt that ain’t been found.

The CFP can no longer avoid tournament change, no longer run from its destiny. Everything else in the sport has drastically changed, why cling to the old postseason? 

The bowl season won’t go anywhere, and will be as strong as ever — merely 41(!!) games strong. The Rose Bowl is still the grandaddy of them all, the annual home of the national championship game. 

Once the sequencing is figured out, once the idea of emphasizing what makes college football unique and bulletproof is embraced, the thought of adding meaningless Group of 5 charity games to the process becomes utter blasphemy.

Then the real fun begins. Campus games take over, and funnel into the New Year’s Day spectacle of the Rose Bowl. 

The college football holy ground. 

The 2026 World Cup kicks off with the opening match between Mexico and South Africa on June 11 in Mexico City, with the final taking place on July 19 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

Here is a look at all the World Cup matches this summer and where those will be taking place:

World Cup 2026 host stadiums and cities for every game

(All times Eastern)

Arrowhead Stadium

• Location: Kansas City, Missouri
• Primary tenant: Kansas City Chiefs (NFL)

World Cup 2026 schedule:

• June 16 – Argentina vs. Algeria, 9 p.m.
• June 20 – Ecuador vs. Curaçao, 8 p.m.
• June 25 – Tunisia vs. Netherlands, 7 p.m.
• June 27 – Algeria vs. Austria, 10 p.m.
• July 3 – Round of 32
• July 11 – Quarterfinal

AT&T Stadium

• Location: Arlington, Texas
• Primary tenant: Dallas Cowboys (NFL)

World Cup 2026 schedule:

• June 14 – Netherlands vs. Japan, 7 p.m.
• June 17 – England vs. Croatia, 4 p.m.
• June 22 – Argentina vs. Austria, 1 p.m.
• June 25 – Japan vs. UEFA playoff B, 7 p.m.
• June 27 – Jordan vs. Argentina, 10 p.m.
• June 30 – Round of 32
• July 3 – Round of 32
• July 6 – Round of 16
• July 14 – Semifinal

BBVA Stadium

• Location: Monterrey, Mexico
• Primary tenant: C.F. Monterrey (Liga MX)

World Cup 2026 schedule:

• June 14 – UEFA playoff B vs. Tunisia, 10 p.m.
• June 20 – Tunisia vs. Japan, 12 a.m. (11 p.m. local)
• June 24 – South Korea vs. South Africa, 9 p.m.
• June 29 – Round of 32

BC Place

• Location: Vancouver, British Columbia
• Primary tenants: Vancouver Whitecaps (MLS), BC Lions (CFL)

World Cup 2026 schedule:

• June 13 – Australia vs. UEFA playoff C, 6 p.m.
• June 18 – Canada vs. Qatar, 6 p.m.
• June 21 – New Zealand vs. Egypt, 9 p.m.
• June 24 – Canada vs. Switzerland, 3 p.m.
• June 26 – New Zealand vs. Belgium, 8 p.m.
• July 2 – Round of 32
• July 7 – Round of 16

BMO Field

• Location: Toronto, Ontario
• Primary tenants: Toronto FC (MLS), Toronto Argonauts (CFL)

World Cup 2026 schedule:

• June 12 – Canada vs. UEFA playoff A, 3 p.m.
• June 17 – Ghana vs. Panama, 7 p.m.
• June 20 – Germany vs. Ivory Coast, 4 p.m.
• June 23 – Panama vs. Croatia, 7 p.m.
• June 26 – Senegal vs. FIFA playoff 2, 3 p.m.
• July 2 – Round of 32

Estadio Akron

• Location: Guadalajara, Mexico
• Primary tenant: C.D. Guadalajara (Liga MX)

World Cup 2026 schedule:

• June 11 – South Korea vs. UEFA playoff D, 10 p.m.
• June 18 – Mexico vs. South Korea, 9 p.m.
• June 23 – Colombia vs. FIFA playoff 1, 10 p.m.
• June 26 – Uruguay vs. Spain, 11 p.m.

Estadio Azteca

• Location: Mexico City
• Primary tenants: Club América and Cruz Azul (Liga MX), Mexico national soccer team

World Cup 2026 schedule:

• June 11 – Mexico vs. South Africa, 3 p.m.
• June 17 – Uzbekistan vs. Colombia, 10 p.m.
• June 24 – Mexico vs. UEFA playoff D, 9 p.m.
• June 30 – Round of 32
• July 5 – Round of 16

Gillette Stadium

• Location: Foxborough, Massachusetts
• Primary tenants: New England Patriots (NFL), New England Revolution (MLS)

World Cup 2026 schedule:

• June 13 – Haiti vs. Scotland, 9 p.m.
• June 16 – FIFA playoff 2 vs. Norway, 6 p.m.
• June 19 – Scotland vs. Morocco, 6 p.m.
• June 23 – England vs. Ghana, 4 p.m.
• June 26 – Norway vs. France, 3 p.m.
• June 29 – Round of 32
• July 9 – Quarterfinal

Hard Rock Stadium

• Location: Miami Gardens, Florida
• Primary tenant: Miami Dolphins (NFL)

World Cup 2026 schedule:

• June 15 – Saudi Arabia vs. Uruguay, 6 p.m.
• June 21 – Uruguay vs. Cape Verde, 6 p.m.
• June 24 – Scotland vs. Brazil, 6 p.m.
• June 27 – Colombia vs. Portugal, 7:30 p.m.
• July 3 – Round of 32
• July 11 – Quarterfinal
• July 18 – Third-place match

Levi’s Stadium

• Location: Santa Clara, California
• Primary tenant: San Francisco 49ers (NFL)

World Cup 2026 schedule:

• June 13 – Qatar vs. Switzerland, 12 a.m. (9 p.m. local)
• June 16 – Austria vs. Jordan, 12 a.m. (9 p.m. local)
• June 19 – UEFA playoff C vs. Paraguay, 12 a.m. (9 p.m. local)
• June 22 – Jordan vs. Algeria, 11 p.m.
• June 25 – Paraguay vs. Australia, 10 p.m.
• July 1 – Round of 32

Lincoln Financial Field

• Location: Philadelphia
• Primary tenants: Philadelphia Eagles (NFL), Temple Owls (college football)

World Cup 2026 schedule:

• June 14 – Ivory Coast vs. Ecuador, 4 p.m.
• June 19 – Brazil vs. Haiti, 9 p.m.
• June 22 – France vs. FIFA playoff 2, 5 p.m.
• June 25 – Curaçao vs. Ivory Coast, 4 p.m.
• June 27 – Croatia vs. Ghana, 5 p.m.
• July 4 – Round of 16

Lumen Field

• Location: Seattle
• Primary tenants: Seattle Seahawks (NFL), Seattle Sounders (MLS)

World Cup 2026 schedule:

• June 15 – Belgium vs. Egypt, 3 p.m.
• June 19 – USA vs. Australia, 3 p.m.
• June 24 – UEFA playoff A vs. Qatar, 3 p.m.
• June 26 – Egypt vs. Iran, 8 p.m.
• July 1 – Round of 32
• July 6 – Round of 16

Mercedes-Benz Stadium

• Location: Atlanta
• Primary tenants: Atlanta Falcons (NFL), Atlanta United (MLS)

World Cup 2026 schedule:

• June 15 – Spain vs. Cape Verde, 12 p.m.
• June 18 – UEFA playoff D vs. South Africa, 12 p.m.
• June 21 – Spain vs. Saudi Arabia, 12 p.m.
• June 24 – Morocco vs. Haiti, 6 p.m.
• June 27 – FIFA playoff 1 vs. Uzbekistan, 7:30 p.m.
• July 1 – Round of 32
• July 7 – Round of 16
• July 15 – Semifinal

MetLife Stadium

• Location: East Rutherford, New Jersey
• Primary tenants: New York Giants and New York Jets (NFL)

World Cup 2026 schedule:

• June 13 – Brazil vs. Morocco, 3 p.m.
• June 16 – France vs. Senegal, 3 p.m.
• June 22 – Norway vs. Senegal, 8 p.m.
• June 25 – Ecuador vs. Germany, 4 p.m.
• June 27 – Panama vs. England, 5 p.m.
• June 30 – Round of 32
• July 5 – Round of 16
• July 19 – Final

NRG Stadium

• Location: Houston
• Primary tenant: Houston Texans (NFL)

World Cup 2026 schedule:

• June 14 – Germany vs. Curaçao, 1 p.m.
• June 17 – Portugal vs. FIFA playoff 1, 1 p.m.
• June 20 – Netherlands vs. UEFA playoff B, 1 p.m.
• June 23 – Portugal vs. Uzbekistan, 1 p.m.
• June 26 – Cape Verde vs. Saudi Arabia, 1 p.m.
• June 29 – Round of 32
• July 4 – Round of 16

SoFi Stadium

• Location: Inglewood, California
• Primary tenants: Los Angeles Chargers and Los Angeles Rams (NFL)

World Cup 2026 schedule:

• June 12 – USA vs. Paraguay, 9 p.m.
• June 15 – Iran vs. New Zealand, 9 p.m.
• June 18 – Switzerland vs. UEFA playoff A, 3 p.m.
• June 21 – Belgium vs. Iran, 3 p.m.
• June 25 – USA vs. UEFA playoff C, 10 p.m.
• June 28 – Round of 32
• July 2 – Round of 32
• July 10 – Quarterfinal

Boxer Anthony Joshua was released from a hospital in Nigeria on Wednesday, Dec. 31 two days after surviving a fatal car accident that killed two of his close friends, according to the Associated Press.

Joshua, a former two-time world heavyweight champion whose parents are from Nigeria, had been recovering from minor injuries during the two-vehicle crash near Lagos, according to Matchroom Boxing, which promotes Joshua.

In a video posted on social media after the crash, Joshua looked to be in pain as he exited the vehicle. That vehicle, in which Joshua and his friends were traveling, hit a stationary truck on a major road near Lagos, according to the Associated Press.

Gbenga Omotoso, the Lagos state commissioner for information and strategy, issued a statement on X saying Joshua was discharged late Wednesday afternoon after being “deemed clinically fit to recuperate from home.”

“Anthony and his mother were at the funeral home in Lagos this afternoon to pay their final respects to his two departed friends as they were being prepared for repatriation scheduled for later this evening,” Omotoso also said.

Sina Ghami and Latif “Latz” Ayodele, who worked for Joshua and were close friends with the boxer, were killed in the crash.

Ghami was Joshua’s strength and conditioning coach while Ayodele was a trainer, according to the Associated Press. Hours before the accident, Joshua posted on social media video of his playing table tennis with Ayodele.

Ten days before the accident, Joshua knocked out Jake Paul in the sixth round of their highly anticipated heavyweight fight livestreamed by Netflix.

AI-assisted summary
• Week 18 of the NFL season brings speculation about which coaches might be fired on ‘Black Monday.’
• We rank eight coaches on the ‘hot seat,’ with Pete Carroll of the Raiders the most likely to be let go.
• Despite high expectations, several teams are facing uncertain futures.

At a time when a sizable number of NFL coaches are trying to plot a path past the regular season, many more are simply looking to hang on for another year.

The arrival of Week 18 also brings about plenty of speculation about Black Monday, the annual date on which teams that fall short of the postseason begin enacting staff changes. Upheaval is almost a certainty, with the New York Giants and Tennessee Titans having already dismissed their leaders.

But this year’s setup seems to entail a good bit more mystery than that of previous years. With few buzzy names in the assistant coaching ranks – at least among offensive play-callers – might teams exhibit a bit more patience in forging ahead with known entities? Mike Tomlin’s name has drawn the most attention among coaches facing an uncertain future, but reports have indicated an outright firing by the Pittsburgh Steelers isn’t expected as a potential resolution even if the two sides were to split. Meanwhile, while the New York Jets’ Aaron Glenn and Cincinnati Bengals’ Zac Taylor each fell well short of expectations in 2025, neither appears to be at imminent risk of being dismissed – though the coaching cycle routinely produces a surprise or two.

Ahead of Week 18, here’s our final NFL hot seat rankings, leading off with the figure most likely to be let go:

1. Pete Carroll, Las Vegas Raiders

If Carroll had one task to check off in his first season back in the NFL after his one-year absence, it was to establish a baseline level of competence for the Raiders. Maybe that seemed as though it would be aiming low for a coach selected for the NFL’s 2010s All-Decade Team, but that floor wasn’t something Las Vegas could count on in the previous three years. Still, Carroll’s charges have hardly embodied his ‘always compete’ mantra. In taking the pole position for the No. 1 draft pick, the Raiders have made a full-scale reset look inevitable, with almost no silver lining to be seen for the Silver and Black. Carroll was clearly counting on a rapid turnaround, and there’s little point in having the oldest coach in NFL history oversee a much more extensive build than anyone in the organization had prepared for. And with Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza serving as the potential prize for a year of pain, the franchise would serve itself well by instituting the kind of alignment that has long eluded it.

2. Raheem Morris, Atlanta Falcons

A three-game win streak could help build the case that Morris knows how to guide this group. But the late-season surge also underscores how badly Atlanta has underachieved on the whole. Things aren’t as simple as merely running it back for the Falcons, with quarterback Michael Penix Jr.’s trajectory even more uncertain following his third torn anterior cruciate ligament since the start of his college career. Atlanta has also been dogged by repeated special teams errors, a distinctly bad look for a franchise with minimal margin for error. Arthur Blank has rare patience in the NFL ownership class, but an eighth consecutive losing season – and a postseason drought only exceeded by that of the Jets – could test even the most even-tempered decision-maker.

3. Jonathan Gannon, Arizona Cardinals

It would be easy to cast misfortune as the running theme of this season for Arizona, which is 2-8 in one-score games and became the first team in NFL history to lose three consecutive contests on the final play. And with 22 players on injured reserve, the Cardinals certainly haven’t been able to show what they can do at full strength, particularly offensively. But five of the defeats in the ongoing eight-game losing streak have come by at least 20 points, undermining any sense that this group is on the verge of a breakthrough. Some form of major change feels necessary in the desert, especially given the gulf between expectations and reality for Year 3 of Gannon and general manager Monti Ossenfort’s reign. But Arizona could stop short of making a shift at the top and instead alter its outlook elsewhere on the coaching staff and at quarterback, where Kyler Murray’s tenure looks to have run its course.

4. Kevin Stefanski, Cleveland Browns

In a vacuum, a coach with a 7-26 record the last two seasons typically would find himself atop this list rather than placed in the middle. But context matters when evaluating Stefanski, who was hardly set up to succeed this year. That dynamic was particularly evident behind center, with the coach cycling a trio of starting options that constituted the league’s worst collection of passing talent. Still smarting from the ill-fated Deshaun Watson trade, Cleveland set itself up for a 2026 resurgence by dealing back to earn another first-round draft pick this upcoming spring. Stefanski aided that effort by bringing along one of the league’s most impressive rookie classes, giving a roster starved for young talent something resembling an actual foundation. Still, even though he ceded play-calling duties to offensive coordinator Tommy Rees, the two-time Coach of the Year is ultimately still responsible for an attack that ranks 31st in scoring. A reprieve would be entirely reasonable given the task facing Stefanski this season, but it can’t be guaranteed.

5. John Harbaugh, Baltimore Ravens

An unceremonious end to the season isn’t all that will await the loser of Sunday’s regular-season capper for the AFC North title, as either Tomlin or Harbaugh will surely face a barrage of questions about the future after falling short of the playoffs. Ending the second-longest tenure of any active coach is no trivial matter, as Harbaugh has a Lombardi Trophy to his résumé and is just one year removed from coming up short in the AFC championship game. Still, the Ravens were often responsible for their own undoing throughout this season, and Harbaugh did himself no favors with Derrick Henry’s late usage – or lack thereof – in a Week 16 loss to the New England Patriots. Baltimore is at risk of squandering the Kansas City Chiefs’ downfall this season, and the organization needs to pounce on a potential reset for the longtime AFC heavyweight. And two-time NFL MVP Lamar Jackson might benefit from a fresh direction as he prepares to turn 29 and enter a distinct new chapter of his career. Still, extending the season by a week or two likely extinguishes the matter.

6. Todd Bowles, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Having lost seven of their last eight games and now needing help to secure a fifth consecutive NFC South title, the Buccaneers are in full tailspin mode. How much of that falls on Bowles depends on your perspective. Incessant injuries have prevented the offense from ever reaching full strength, and Baker Mayfield’s struggles have been so pervasive that the coach himself declared Tampa Bay has ‘got to be better at the quarterback position.’ But Bowles’ defense has also weighed the team down, ranking 26th in yards allowed per play while sporting a troubling overall trend line since the Week 9 bye. Perhaps the organization opts not to pursue drastic action amid the meltdown and Bowles receives a fifth season at the helm. Regardless, the Buccaneers will have to come to terms with the significant step back the franchise has taken in a year in which it had designs on making up ground on the NFC’s elite.

7. Matt LaFleur, Green Bay Packers

With the Packers locked into the No. 7 seed in the NFC playoff field, LaFleur certainly won’t have to fear his Black Monday fate. Of the coaches to make the postseason, however, he might be on he shakiest ground. The Packers’ positioning is unquestionably a disappointment for a franchise that backed an all-in approach with its early-season performance, and LaFleur has had to answer for several costly flops in critical spots. The coach’s standing had already become a point of interest over the summer when new Packers president and CEO Ed Policy did not offer him or general manager Brian Gutekunst an extension. Still, LaFleur has Green Bay in the playoffs for the sixth time in seven years, and season-ending injuries to Micah Parsons, Tucker Kraft and Devonte Wyatt played significant roles in the team’s late woes. Flaming out in the wild-card round might mean Green Bay at least has something to think about.

8. Mike McDaniel, Miami Dolphins

In following the biggest opening-week embarrassment with Tua Tagovailoa airing out his frustrations with teammates and subsequently apologizing for the finger-pointing, Miami managed to frontload many of its most persistent problems this season. That’s overall a credit to McDaniel, who at least steadied a ship that looked liable to capsize around midseason. Since parting ways with general manager Chris Grier and trading away one of its best players in Jaelan Phillips, the Dolphins have gone 5-2. McDaniel arrived at this point by already laying the groundwork for a post-Tagovailoa transition year in 2026 with a robust run game. Owner Stephen Ross could opt for a fresh start, but McDaniel has made the most of his opportunity to see out the season.

If I didn’t know any better, it would be easy to assume the Buffalo Sabres are allergic to the playoffs. Without going into the sordid, grotesque details of what their non-playoff spell has encompassed, there is hope emanating from the Queen City. 

The Sabres have won 10 consecutive games for the first time since assembling a 10-game win streak in November 2018. The streak has pushed them into the second wild-card spot. But will they be able to sustain their playoff-like pace through the new year and into spring? 

Everyone associated with the Sabres has their collective fingers crossed as we explore which other NHL teams have become unfamiliar with playoff action.

Longest active Stanley Cup playoff droughts

5. Utah/Arizona, Columbus, Chicago, Philadelphia (2020)

These four teams haven’t made the postseason since the 2019-20 season. Of the quartet, the Philadelphia Flyers were the only ones to make it to the second round, where they lost a seven-game thriller to the New York Islanders. 

Speaking of the Flyers, they currently have the best shot in the 2025-26 season to end their playoff drought.

4. San Jose Sharks (2019)

While still in the early stage of his career, Celebrini is showcasing all the telltale signs of being a generational talent. That only bodes well for a franchise still in search of its first Stanley Cup title. 

3. Anaheim Ducks (2018)

Like their aforementioned California counterparts, the Anaheim Ducks have more to look forward to than an Ivy League-educated prodigy. They are chock-full of promising young talent, led by 2023 second overall draft pick Leo Carlsson and 19-year-old Beckett Sennecke, the No. 3 pick from the 2024 NHL Draft. 

And just like the Sharks, they haven’t booked a ticket to the dance in a long time, almost eight years to be precise. But if the playoffs were to start today, the Ducks would end that extended dry patch. 

Ducks fans will be looking forward to what should be a quacking 2026. 

2. Detroit Red Wings (2016)

Steve Yzerman took over as executive vice president and GM in 2019, three years after the Red Wings’ last playoff visit. Their nine-year non-playoff streak feels even longer considering the Red Wings haven’t advanced past the first round since 2013. 

However, things are finally starting to look up in Hockeytown. While the adage ‘good things come to those who wait’ probably didn’t refer to a near-decade duration, Detroit appears, at least at the season’s midway mark, poised to re-enter the playoff fray. 

1. Buffalo Sabres (2011)

The Sabres haven’t competed in a playoff game since ‘Game of Thrones’ first hit the airwaves. The franchise’s 14 years, going on 15, of missing the playoffs is the second-longest across North American professional sports. 

The New York Jets, who last made the playoffs in 2010, are the only franchise enduring a longer playoff drought. Although in seasons, they were tied at 14 each going into 2025-26.