A Reset Year

Can you believe it's been five years since COVID upended all of our lives?!  Crazy, isn't it?  Anyway, after all the COVID cancellations/postponements and the reshuffling of schedules that they caused, we're almost back to normal.  By the end of 2025, we will be there.  Which is why I'm calling this year a "reset year."  Come 2026, the sports calendar will finally be back on its pre-COVID schedule.

It's true that the Olympics and Euro got back on schedule in 2024 after the 2020 editions of those events were delayed.  However, they were on an abbreviated three-year cycle instead of the typical four.  Now they're at the beginning of a new four-year cycle.  Not five.  Not three.  Like I said, it's a reset to what the schedule is supposed to be like.  Not jammed into three years without the off year in the cycle.

In most Olympic sports, there's a World Championships every other year in the odd years.  Since the 2020 Olympics were delayed a year, so were all of the 2021 World Championships.  Then they 2023 World Championships were held as scheduled prior to the 2024 Olympics.  Which means this year is five years in a row with a major global competition.

Then there are the quadrennial events that were scheduled for 2021 that also had to be moved back a year.  This year, it's their turn to have the abbreviated three-year cycle before their four-year clock resets.  This applies mainly to European women's soccer players.  Between Women's Euro 2021-22, the 2023 Women's World Cup, last year's Olympics and now the 2025 Women's Euro, it'll be four years in a row for them.

The World Indoor Championships in track & field typically take place in even years.  The 2020 edition, scheduled to take place in Nanjing, China, was one of the first events postponed because of COVID.  They were originally rescheduled for 2021 before being postponed again.  There have been two regularly-scheduled World Indoor Championships since then.  Finally, Nanjing will host World Indoors this March, five years later than planned.  There will be another edition next year, as well, but after three straight years with World Indoors, the meet won't be held in 2027 and they'll finally be fully back on schedule.

Swimming's World Championships also get back on schedule this year after the chaos created by COVID.  This will actually be the fourth straight year with a Swimming World Championships!  For reasons I still don't quite understand, there was a World Championships last February in Doha, just eight months after the 2023 World Championships and only five months before the Paris Olympics.  This year, they head to Singapore before finally taking a World Championships break in 2026.

Perhaps the most important thing for Olympic sports, though, is that they can finally reset their budgets.  Some of the smaller international federations rely on the funds they receive from the IOC to pay their expenses, and their balance sheets were heavily impacted by having to wait an extra year.  Now they're back to being able to budget and plan over a four-year period from 2025-28.

We'll also see a new event debut this year.  For the first time, FIFA has expanded the Club World Cup to a 32-team tournament that will serve as a test event for the following year's World Cup.  There's been plenty of criticism of the expanded Club World Cup and reasonable questioning of whether it's even actually a good idea.  FIFA wants to do it regardless, though, so it's happening.  It'll be in June and July in many of the NFL stadiums that'll be used at the 2026 World Cup.

Another event makes its debut this year in preparation for the NHL's Olympic return in 2026.  Instead of an All*Star Game, the NHL will hold the Four Nations Face-Off, featuring NHL players from the United States, Canada, Finland and Sweden representing their home countries.  The tournament is set for February in Montreal and Boston, with the NHL carving out a break in its schedule, just as it will next year when NHL players will participate in the Olympics for the first time since 2014.

Also set for 2026 is the next edition of the World Baseball Classic.  COVID really screwed up the schedule with that tournament, causing a six-year wait from 2017-23 before a three-year wait ahead of the 2026 tournament (when the cycle will presumably become four years).  So, with the full tournament being played in 2026, that means we'll get qualifying during Spring Training this year.

Women's basketball was one of the hottest sports out there in 2024, and 2025 will be another big year for the sport.  The WNBA added an expansion team, the Golden State Valkyries, and extended the regular season to 44 games.  The WNBA Finals have also finally been made a best-of-seven series.  That's not all, though.  The stars of the WNBA have banded together to create a new three-on-three league, Unrivaled, that will debut in a few weeks and play during the WNBA offseason.

NFL international games are a permanent part of the schedule now.  Next season, the number of international games increases to as many as eight.  In addition to the traditional slate in London, Berlin and Madrid will host NFL games for the first time.  The MLB season will start in Tokyo with two games between the Dodgers and Cubs, and there's a game between the Braves and Reds set for Bristol Motor Speedway in August.

Meanwhile, hockey isn't the only sport gearing up for the 2026 Olympics.  It's only 13 months until the Opening Ceremony in Milan, and Olympic qualification in winter sports has already gotten underway in earnest.  The 2024-25 winter sports season ends early in the year, and some spots should be awarded at the various World Championships.  Then, come November-December, it'll really heat up, and we should know most, if not all of the U.S. team headed to Italy before the calendar flips to 2026.

Those are just some of the highlights.  There's plenty to look forward to on the 2025 sports calendar.  Some of these events are annual.  Some are getting back on their normal cycle after having their schedule knocked out of whack by COVID.  Which is why 2025 will be a year to reset.

NFL 2024-25 (Week 18)

When the NFL went to an all-division-games schedule in the final week of the season, this is what they had in mind.  Game 272 is the first regular season game between two 14-win teams in league history!  And the craziest part about that is either the Vikings or Lions will be a 14-win wild card team!  The winner is the 1-seed, the loser has to go on the road in the playoffs.  Everything's at stake.  This is exactly what NFL fans want to see!

While NFC's 1-seed is yet to be clinched, there are plenty of playoff spots already locked in, which will definitely have an impact on this week's games...and the playoff races.  It's disappointing that Saquon Barkley won't go for the rushing record, but I get why the Eagles are sitting him.  We also know that Kansas City's sitting starters and the Bills likely will, too.  I'm curious to see what the other playoff teams will do, though.

Browns (3-13) at Ravens (11-5): Baltimore-During that three-games-in-11-days stretch, Baltimore went 3-0 and Pittsburgh went 0-3.  As a result, it's now the Ravens who are in control of the AFC North.  They clinch the division and 3-seed with a win in their finale, and they drew the Browns at home, the far more beatable of the two Ohio opponents.  And, yes, I say this knowing full well that Cleveland won the first meeting between the two this season (the Browns also beat the Steelers this year).  All the more reason why I think Lamar & Co. get themselves another home game next week.

Bengals (8-8) at Steelers (10-6): Pittsburgh-This is where it gets interesting.  If the Ravens win, the Steelers are locked into a wild card.  But I think they play to win anyway for two reasons.  For one, they've lost three straight and don't want to go into the playoffs on a four-game losing streak.  More importantly, if they lose, they're guaranteed to play the Ravens in Baltimore next week.  They'd much rather go to Houston.  Eliminating the Bengals would be an added bonus.

Panthers (4-12) at Falcons (8-8): Atlanta-Atlanta was a popular preseason pick to win the NFC South.  Even in the middle of the season, you would've liked the Falcons' chances.  Instead, they're looking up at Tampa Bay and know they only get in with a win and a Bucs loss.  They'll do their part against a Carolina team that had actually been playing some pretty good football before last week's shellacking in Tampa.

Commanders (11-5) at Cowboys (7-9): Washington-What a difference this season has been in Washington!  Jayden Daniels wrapped up Offensive Rookie of the Year last week, as the Commanders clinched their first playoff berth since 2020.  The fact that they did it with a week to go and don't need to rely on winning in Dallas was huge, too.  Now the pressure's off.  Although, if they win, they avoid playing the Eagles again.  That and beating the Cowboys should be enough motivation for playoff-bound Washington.

Bears (4-12) at Packers (11-5): Green Bay-Green Bay is 0-5 against the Lions, Vikings and Eagles (combined record: 41-7) and 11-0 against the rest of the NFL.  And all it will get them is either the 6- or 7-seed in the NFC playoffs.  And, if Washington beats Dallas, who will they end up playing?  Philadelphia!  There's nothing the Packers can do about that.  But you know that finishing the regular season by beating the archrival Bears at Lambeau will be a good way to head into the postseason.

Jaguars (4-12) at Colts (7-9): Indianapolis-Indianapolis had perhaps the easiest path to the playoffs of the four teams still in contention for the last AFC wild card after last week.  Beat the Giants and beat the Jaguars.  So, of course, they not only lose to the Giants, they get 45 points dropped on them!  Which makes this game totally meaningless.  I'm not sure the degree to which the Colts will care, so a Jaguars win wouldn't shock me.  I'll stick with Indianapolis, though.

Bills (13-3) at Patriots (3-13): Buffalo-Both the Ravens and Bengals need to win this week.  Which means Lamar Jackson and Joe Burrow will both play the whole game and boost their stats.  Josh Allen likely won't.  The Bills can do whatever they want, and the decision to sit (or at least limit) him this week makes complete sense.  I just hope it doesn't negatively impact his MVP chances (personally, I think he should be the runaway favorite).  As for the team, a win doesn't change anything, but a franchise record for victories and an undefeated record in the division are nice things to play for.

Giants (3-13) at Eagles (13-3): Philadelphia-Entering last week, the Giants had the inside track at the No. 1 overall pick in the draft.  After beating the Colts, their chances at getting it are significantly slimmer.  Although, I don't necessarily think that's a terrible thing since there won't be a franchise quarterback available.  And, knowing the Giants, they'll go into Philadelphia for a meaningless game and upset the Eagles.  Seeing Saquon setting the rushing record against the team that decided they don't want him anymore would've been some sort of poetic irony, but, alas, he won't play.  He'll just have to settle for the satisfaction of seeing the Giants finish with the worst record in the league.

Saints (5-11) at Buccaneers (9-7): Tampa Bay-With a win or a Falcons loss, Tampa Bay is back in the playoffs once again.  They actually have a chance of moving up to the No. 3 seed, too, which means hosting the Commanders or Packers instead of the 14-win Vikings or Lions.  (Although, Tampa Bay has beaten Detroit this season.)  Baker Mayfield has been proving his doubters wrong ever since he came to Tampa and took over for Tom Brady.  That won't change against a Saints team that's been mailing it in under the interim coach.  The Bucs return to the playoffs.

Texans (9-7) at Titans (3-13): Houston-That embarrassment on Christmas locked the Texans into the No. 4 seed, but also left Houston knowing it had a lot of work to do.  They played two teams they'll potentially meet again in the playoffs and, after holding their own in Kansas City, were outclassed in every facet by Baltimore.  So, even though nothing will change for them seeding-wise against the Titans, Houston may want to use this one to work on getting things right before the games that really matter next week.

49ers (6-10) at Cardinals (7-9): Arizona-It really is remarkable the streak that San Francisco is on.  The 49ers either make the NFC Championship Game or miss the playoffs entirely.  This season, they went with Option B.  Too many injuries and too many close losses to overcome.  The Cardinals, meanwhile, have put together a nice season.  Sure, they're gonna end up below .500 and out of the playoffs, but there have really been some encouraging signs.  And 8-9 looks a whole lot better than 7-10!

Chiefs (15-1) at Broncos (9-7): Denver-The Dolphins and Bengals can't be too happy about Kansas City's decision to sit its starters.  Because they need a Broncos loss to have any hope at getting into the playoffs.  But with the Chiefs' starters sitting, the likelihood of Denver getting that win it needs have gone up exponentially.  After all, the Broncos would've beaten them in Kansas City if not for that blocked kick at the end of the game.  Of course, they'd already be in if they hadn't lost their last two games.  But that's the benefit of having a cushion.  The Broncos clinch the 7-seed and head to Buffalo.

Chargers (10-6) at Raiders (4-12): Chargers-I know I'm stating the obvious here, but Jim Harbaugh is a pretty good coach.  After missing the playoffs last season, the Chargers clinched a wild card with one week to go by dominating the Patriots last week.  This after their comeback win to beat the Broncos on Thursday night in Week 16.  Now they can put a bow on the regular season by beating the Raiders in Las Vegas.

Seahawks (9-7) at Rams (10-6): Rams-Thanks to the strength of victory tiebreaker, the Rams have already clinched the NFC West.  Which is a bit of a shame since it deprived us of this one being for the division title.  Either way, the Rams would've been my pick.  I just wish we still had that drama.  It's been quite a turnaround after that 1-4 start.  And they clinch the 3-seed with a win, which means avoiding the NFC North teams in both the wild card and divisional rounds.  Don't think that's an unimportant detail.

Dolphins (8-8) at Jets (4-12): Miami-Aaron Rodgers "accepts" that this might be the final game of his career.  Either way, it's his last game as a Jet.  That two-year experiment sure didn't work out, and his voluntary benching last week in Buffalo spoke volumes.  (Note to the Jets, don't sign anymore old, disgruntled future Hall of Fame Packers quarterbacks!)  Anyway, all the Dolphins can do is win and hope the Chiefs care enough to beat the Broncos.  Otherwise, great job to finish above .500.  But that 2-6 start was a season killer.

Vikings (14-2) at Lions (14-2): Detroit-As soon as the Vikings beat the Packers, we all knew this would be Game 272.  Yet the NFL made us wait until the end of last week's SNF game to announce it (which I get, but was still annoying).  The Vikings have turned winning close games into an art.  The Lions have made an art of winning in so many different ways.  Detroit might be the best, most complete team in the NFL.  They need the 1-seed, but not because it'll give them home field advantage.  They need the bye.  They haven't been off since Week 5!

Last Week: 12-4
Overall: 167-89