Girlfriends + Football Is Back: Wild Card Sips, Coach Chaos, and the 10 Wildest NFL Moments of 2025
Girlfriends + Football is officially back from a “short break that somehow felt like forever,” and while our fearless leader Dezi is still under the weather, Beth and Laura held it down like pros. Dezi is on injured reserve for one more week (rest up, Coach), because we had business to handle before the playoffs hit.
This episode had a little bit of everything: holiday check-ins, final regular-season vibes, a “Black Friday fire sale” on head coaches, a wildcard-themed cocktail and mocktail, our totally unscientific Top 10 wildest moments of the 2025 NFL season, the final regular-season Rate the Fit, and the start of our Wild Card Weekend picks.
Holiday recap: low-key, but make it intentional
Beth kicked things off with a holiday recap that sounded exactly like what everyone needed: quiet, cozy, and simple. New Year’s came with a tradition we love, burning intentions into a toast and “drinking your intentions” into the new year. The kids participated too, just with sparkling juice and a little more side-eye.
Laura’s holiday highlight included a Christmas movie and the very sad Lions game on Christmas Day. Not ideal, but it set the stage for what came next: the final regular season recap and a whole lot of playoff energy.
Final regular season notes: Bills roll, Lions fight, playoffs get weird
Beth’s Bills had a great sendoff into the postseason. They started Josh Allen to keep his streak alive, gave James Cook enough touches to chase the rushing title, then let the second and third stringers take over and still crush the Jets. Mitch Trubisky looked solid, and the whole thing felt like a confident exhale before the playoffs.
There was also a bittersweet moment: the final regular season game at the Ralph, with fans hanging around afterward to soak it in.
Meanwhile, Laura’s Lions did not make the playoffs, and it still stings because it was literally one play away. Still, the Lions ended with a winning record, swept the Bears even though the Bears won the division, and ended the season looking like a team whose window is not closed. If anything, the consolation prize is a weaker strength of schedule next year.
And as we head into Wild Card Weekend, we’re also acknowledging something that became a theme this season: parity. No single team felt like the unstoppable machine we’ve seen in past years, and that makes the playoff picture extra spicy.
Cocktail and mocktail of the week: Wild Card energy in a glass
Because it’s Wild Card Week, Beth brought out a themed pairing:
Cocktail: The Wildcard Martini
Dry gin
Dry vermouth
Lemon juice
Maraschino cherry liqueur (Luxardo if you want that clear, classic martini look)
Garnish: maraschino cherry (because who has lemons on demand, honestly)
Mocktail: The Mild Card Martini
Beth’s mocktail philosophy is elite: if it’s alcohol-free, it should still have a bite.
Sparkling water (or cold water)
Lemon juice
Tart cherry juice
Almond extract
Simple syrup
Angostura bitters (tiny alcohol content, so you can omit if you want fully alcohol-free)
Bonus moment: the Angostura pronunciation coaching. We have all been there.
Also, a reminder we fully support: use recipes as guides, not rules. Laura proved the point by making her version with rose botanical gin, sweet vermouth, and bourbon cherry juice. Different vibe, still delicious.
Coaching carousel: the NFL’s “fire sale” season
Before getting into the wildest moments list, the girlfriends talked about the head coach shake-ups happening across the league. Some were expected, some felt wild, and some left us staring at the screen like, “Wait… really?”
The most shocking name in the discussion: John Harbaugh, after eighteen seasons. Eighteen. That is long enough to raise a whole child through high school. It’s a reminder that in the NFL, stability is a myth and nobody is truly safe.
Top 10 wildest moments of the 2025 season
This list was proudly unscientific and based entirely on vibes, chaos, and “did that really happen” energy:
The Dart and Scataboo bromance
Aaron Rodgers’ mystery “wife” Brittani (ring present, public records absent)
Philip Rivers returning at 44 and not embarrassing himself
Younghoe Koo’s infamous turf-kick (Peanuts-level comedy)
The Cleveland Browns quarterback room (everyone gets a start!)
DK Metcalf vs. a Detroit fan (and apparently a tangled past)
T.J. Watt’s collapsed lung after dry needling (a sentence we never expected to say)
Detroit’s two touchdowns called back for OPI in the game that became the difference
Joe Burrow’s turf toe saga and emotional whiplash comeback
The Mark Sanchez story from start to finish: stabbing, arrest, and the fastest “victim to perpetrator” plot twist we’ve ever seen
Shout-out to the live chat for also reminding everyone that this was the same weekend Mac Jones saw a dead body and then lit up the Rams, which somehow did not make the official Top 10 only because the Sanchez story overshadowed literally everything.
Rate the Fit: regular season finale edition
Honorable mentions went to:
Chase Young’s pink knit coat (fashion-forward, wearable, deserved applause)
Matt Stafford (from baby-faced draft pick to “he’s aged nicely,” respectfully)
But the winner was Ray Davis, bringing pure millennial nostalgia with a starter jacket moment. He owned it, and we respect the commitment.
Wild Card Weekend picks: Saturday is messy
Laura prefaced her Saturday picks with honesty: she could not pick Saturday games cleanly for emotional reasons.
Rams vs. Panthers:
Laura picked the Panthers for hometown, North Carolina energy (neighbor Julie is a big fan, and it’s been a while). But she fully admitted she’d be shocked if Carolina actually pulls it off. Also, she genuinely likes Stafford, so either outcome will hurt a little.
Packers vs. Bears:
Laura picked the Packers, while Beth and Dezi went Bears. The Bears have been sneaky tricky this season, plus home field advantage matters. Laura also admitted something that is very on brand: sometimes her picks are less “who will win” and more “who do I want to win.” In this case, she wants both teams to lose, which is deeply Lions-coded.
Your turn
We want to hear your wildest moments from the season. What did we miss? What game, headline, meltdown, or miracle still lives rent-free in your brain?
Drop your picks, your chaos moments, and your playoff predictions in the comments. And if you want the full episode energy, catch the show on YouTube and make sure you like, subscribe, and hang with us through the playoffs.
