Aaron Rodgers isn’t sure what’s next for him in the NFL, but after the Steelers got trounced by the Texans in the playoffs, he made it clear he’s standing by Mike Tomlin.

After the Steelers’ ugly 30-6 loss in Pittsburgh, Rodgers talked about Tomlin during his postgame press conference. Reporters wanted to know if Tomlin was on the hot seat, since the Steelers have now lost seven straight playoff games. Rodgers didn’t hold back.

“When I came into the league, nobody even thought about putting guys like that on the hot seat,” Rodgers said. “But now, with the way people cover football, the snap judgments, and how everyone on Twitter or TV acts like they know everything—it’s a joke. To think guys like Tomlin or LaFleur are really in trouble says a lot about where we’re at right now. Matt’s done a ton in Green Bay, and I’ve been part of a lot of that success.”

The numbers from Monday’s game were rough for Pittsburgh. Houston outgained them 408 to 175 in total yards. The Steelers only managed 63 rushing yards, way below their already weak average. The Texans’ defence dominated—four sacks, two forced turnovers, and two defensive touchdowns.

C.J. Stroud threw for 250 yards and a touchdown (plus an interception) for Houston. Woody Marks ran for 112 yards and a score. Christian Kirk caught eight passes for 144 yards and a touchdown.

Rodgers didn’t have his best day either. He completed just 17 of 33 passes for 146 yards, with an interception and a lost fumble. Sheldon Rankins scooped up that fumble and ran it back 33 yards for a touchdown. Calen Bullock returned Rodgers’ pick 50 yards to the end zone.

Honestly, it’s kind of wild that the Steelers even made the playoffs. They won the AFC North, sure, but their offence ranked near the bottom of the league, and their defence wasn’t much better. Still, under Tomlin, they finished their 19th straight season without a losing record. But the playoff story stayed the same: another quick exit.

Tomlin’s track record is solid—he won a Super Bowl in his second year and started 8-5 in the postseason. Bill Cowher, the guy before him, went 12-9 in the playoffs over 15 years and nabbed a Super Bowl, too.

“Mike T. has had more success than just about anyone in the league in the last 20 years,” Rodgers said. “And when you’ve got the right guy and the culture’s strong, you don’t think about making a change. But outside noise puts pressure on teams, and sometimes that sways decisions. Honestly, that’s not how I’d do things, and it’s not how the league used to work.”

Tomlin said he feels “optimistic” about the future when asked, but he wasn’t ready to talk big picture or address his own job security. He’s under contract through 2026, with a team option after that.

“I’m not even thinking about that right now,” Tomlin said. “I’m thinking about what just happened out there—what we did and what we didn’t do. Not looking at the big picture yet.”

As for Rodgers, he’s heading into free agency and stayed quiet about whether he’d return in 2026. He’s already hinted that 2025 might be his last year, but when asked about playing for Pittsburgh if he keeps going, he didn’t want to get into it.

“I’m not making any emotional decisions right now,” Rodgers said. “It’s been a fun year, a lot of adversity, but a lot of good times, too. This team’s been a big part of that for me. So yeah, it stings to be sitting here with the season over.”

Now the Texans, sitting at 13-5, move on to face the top-seeded Patriots in Foxborough on Sunday.

Luke Littler isn’t the youngest player on the PDC Pro Tour anymore. He held that title for two years, but now Yorick Hofkens, another 18-year-old, has taken it from him. Technically, they’re both 18 right now, but Hofkens is five months younger, so he edges ahead.

Hofkens grabbed a two-year Tour Card just last week, which officially makes him the youngest pro on the tour. He won’t turn 19 until June, while Littler’s birthday comes up sooner, on January 21. So for now, these two are the only teenagers playing on the PDC’s professional circuit.

Russ Bray has made his thoughts clear—he doesn’t see Littler breaking Phil Taylor’s record anytime soon.

Littler has been the youngest face on the PDC Tour since the start of 2024. He first earned his Tour Card through the Development Tour, then got everyone’s attention by reaching the final on his debut at the PDC World Darts Championship. Since then, he’s won back-to-back titles at Alexandra Palace, making history as the sport’s youngest world champion and reaching world No. 1.

So, who is Yorick Hofkens? He locked in his pro status at EU Q-School by making it all the way to the final at Saturday’s event. On the third day in Kalkar, he picked up six wins, including a solid one over former Tour Card holder Brian Raman. He also beat Pascal Rupprecht and WDF world champ Jimmy van Schie, who both earned tour cards as well. Hofkens now has his Pro Tour status locked in until at least the end of 2027. To keep it after that, he’ll need to be in the top 64.

He’s not completely new, though. Hofkens made his pro debut at last year’s Baltic Sea Darts Open. He lost a tough first-round match to Cameron Menzies, who edged him out in a last-leg decider. Now, he’s about to make his first appearance since earning his Tour Card at the World Masters later this month.

Littler isn’t taking much of a break after his second Ally Pally win. He’s heading to the Bahrain Darts Masters this Thursday and Friday as one of eight PDC players. That kicks off the 2026 World Series of Darts, with the Saudi Arabia Darts Masters coming up just three days later. Littler actually won in Bahrain on his World Series debut two years ago, and he’s picked up three more event wins and the 2024 Finals since then.