Mike McCarthy took over Green Bay in 2006, turning a shaky squad into contenders quickly. He backed Aaron Rodgers hard during the Brett Favre mess, trading the legend away and cementing their early bond. Super Bowl XLV glory followed in 2011, with McCarthy’s schemes lighting up Lambeau.
But cracks showed by mid-decade. Rodgers started tweaking plays on the fly, ignoring calls when he felt they fell short. Personnel folks noticed the chill; McCarthy stuck to his system too rigidly, even as talent thinned out.
Playoff heartbreaks piled on, like that infamous onside kick fumble in Seattle’s NFC title game. Rodgers stayed elite, but the unit around him sputtered. Reports painted locker room vibes sour, with receivers torn between coach routes and QB tweaks.
McCarthy got a one-year extension into 2018, but patience wore thin under new GM Brian Gutekunst. The front office saw a stale offense that once exploded but now limped, with Rodgers freelancing too much.
Cardinals Shock Triggers Instant Axe
Everything boiled over on December 2, 2018, after a stunning 20-17 home loss to the 2-9 Arizona Cardinals. The Packers sat at 4-7-1, expectations shattered for a team with MVP Rodgers. Hours later, CEO Mark Murphy announced the split, calling it a tough call on a guy who’d delivered big over 13 years.
McCarthy’s tally: 125-77-2 regular season, 10-8 playoffs, and nine postseason trips. Yet that Cardinals upset proved the final straw, the team fumbling chances despite Rodgers’ heroics.
Mike McCarthy (Credit: ESPN)
Murphy praised McCarthy’s leadership but stressed the season’s bombed standards. Rodgers kept quiet publicly, but insiders knew their frayed ties factored heavily.
Offensive coordinator Joe Philbin stepped in as interim, though the damage stuck. Green Bay chased Matt LaFleur next, rebooting around Rodgers fresh. McCarthy walked with his rep dented, but stats showed a solid run soured by the end.
Pittsburgh Homecoming Eight Years Later
Cut to January 2026: McCarthy lands the Steelers head gig, replacing Mike Tomlin after his shock exit post-playoff loss. Pittsburgh roots run deep; he grew up nearby and coached at Pitt early. A verbal deal was struck Saturday, his 185-123-2 ledger across stints shining.
The Packers beat the Steelers in that Super Bowl; now he gets a revenge shot with aging Aaron Rodgers possibly tagging along as a free agent.
The Steelers stewed in QB chaos, with six starters in six years. McCarthy’s offenses ranked top-10 in yards in 12 of 18 seasons, a perfect fix for their rut. Playoff woes linger at 6-9 since 2011, but his schemes could spark. Fans buzz about the icon trifecta: Packers, Cowboys, and now Steelers.
Backstory ties neatly; his Green Bay ouster freed him for Dallas highs, then this Steel City return. One bad home defeat ended an era, but McCarthy’s fire still burns hot.
For many regular Fox News viewers, mornings feel different without Janice Dean’s upbeat weather segments and easy banter on Fox & Friends. In November 2025, Dean announced she was taking an unspecified break from the network, saying she needed time to “rest and heal” amid “some health issues” and to be with her family.
Dean has been open for years about living with multiple sclerosis, an autoimmune disease that causes fatigue, nerve problems, and other invisible symptoms. She was first diagnosed in 2005, around the same time she joined Fox, and has since become a vocal advocate in the MS community.
In recent public posts, she emphasized that while she is “okay,” her condition periodically flares up and requires serious downtime, which she now says she is prioritizing.
Her decision to step back also extends to social media, where she previously shared daily glimpses into her life, work, and advocacy. Announcing she would be offline for a while, Dean thanked her audience for prayers and support, which many longtime fans interpreted as a sign she was enduring a particularly tough stretch.
Health, Work, and the Public Eye
Dean’s absence is not her first brush with illness‑related disappearance from the screen. In 2017, after a cosmetic dental procedure went wrong and affected the nerves in her face, she vanished from Fox & Friends for more than two months.
At the time, she struggled to speak clearly and smile normally, forcing her to stay off camera while she recovered, something viewers only learned about later.
Those episodes underscore how much Dean’s on‑camera presence matters to Fox’s brand of morning TV. Her role blends information and warmth, often smoothing out the more combative political segments with a lighter, familial tone.
Janice Dean (Credit: BBC)
When she disappears, even briefly, it alters the rhythm of the show and prompts speculation, especially on social media.
Her situation also highlights broader questions about how TV networks manage hosts with chronic conditions. Dean has repeatedly said she does not want to be “defined by MS,” but she also insists on being honest about it, in part to help others who live with the disease.
That tension between privacy, health, and public expectation has played out in real time as she’s moved from defender of her in‑laws’ nursing‑home deaths under New York’s pandemic policies to a more subdued advocate for rest and recovery.
What Her Break Means for Fox and Her Fans
Fox News has not framed Dean’s absence as a permanent departure, and colleagues have sent supportive messages acknowledging her long tenure and the toll of two decades of live TV work.
Insiders have noted that the network has become more flexible about scheduling for talent with health issues, but the pace of cable news still favors high visibility and constant presence.
For viewers, especially those who associate her with comforting routine and stability, Dean’s pause feels both personal and oddly symbolic. In an era when cable personalities are often scrutinized for politics or soundbites, her story is a reminder that many on-air figures face long-term health battles behind the scenes.
How long she stays away and whether she returns to her former level of visibility will likely depend on how her MS is managed and how Fox reshapes its morning lineup. For now, her break is a quiet but powerful moment: a rare admission that even America’s “sunshine weather girl” sometimes needs to step into the shade to heal.
Jurgen Klopp dropped the news back in January 2024, right when Liverpool sat top of the Premier League and chased four trophies. He looked buzzing on the touchline, fists pumping after a Carabao Cup final run, but privately admitted his tank sat near empty.
After nearly 25 years of grinding in management, the relentless cycle of planning seasons while living match to match drained him dry.
He first sensed it during talks about summer signings and camps, realizing he might not stick around. Last season’s slump, when Liverpool scraped fifth and exited Europe early, tested him hard, yet the owners backed him fully.
Klopp pushed through to rebuild the squad with sharp young talents and solid characters, only to confront his limits. No health scare or boardroom clash drove it; just a man knowing he could no longer deliver 100 percent every day.
Fans reeled at first, picturing endless fist pumps and “heavy metal football.” Yet Klopp framed it straight: he owed them truth after all they built together.
The Liverpool FC site captured his raw interview, where he stressed love for the club, city, and Kop roar made the call even tougher. Body language read later pegged him as worn out, with a voice low and tired, confirming months of quiet buildup.
Perfect Handover or Risky Leap?
The timing stunned everyone mid-season, but Klopp insisted on early notice for a smooth shift. He notified Fenway Sports Group in November 2023, giving them months to scout. Assistants like Pep Lijnders and Peter Krawietz also exited, eyeing their own paths.
Liverpool entered damage-control mode fast. They eyed Arne Slot from Feyenoord, a tactical whiz who fit the high-press mold without copying Klopp’s roar.
Jurgen Klopp (Credit: BBC)
Slot took over in summer 2024, inheriting a squad peaking with Salah, Van Dijk, and rising stars like Szoboszlai. Early wobbles passed; Slot racked up wins, breaking records with 10 victories in his first 12 league games.
By securing the Premier League title months early, Liverpool validated Klopp’s vision. Nearly two years later, in early 2026, Slot remains impressive despite a mid-season slump, boasting 50 wins in 80 games.
Klopp’s grace left no mess, unlike post-Fergie United chaos. Sky Sports noted his exit mirrored Alex Ferguson’s in handing over a rebuilt machine.
Life After the Dugout Glows Bright
Klopp vanished from benches for a year-long recharge, true to his word. No immediate return, though whispers in 2026 hint he eyes a Premier League comeback someday. Photos show him relaxed, hat off, enjoying family time minus the spotlight grind.
Liverpool evolved under Slot into a slicker unit, blending Klopp’s grit with calmer control. Salah’s goals keep flowing, and the backline stays ironclad, proving the foundation endures. ESPN reflected a year post-announcement on how the club coped seamlessly.
Burnout tales like this spotlight football’s toll. Klopp joined legends like Kenny Dalglish, who quit amid stress decades back. His choice sparks talks on manager welfare in a non-stop sport. As Anfield hums on, fans chant his name, grateful he left at the high note.
