The Tennessee Titans will make their first appearance in the playoffs since 2008.The Titans secured a wild-card spot via Sunday's 15-10 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars in the final week of the season.Tennessee's win also eliminated the Los Angeles Chargers from playoff contention.The Titans needed only to win to get in. Their victory in the season finale snapped a three-game losing streak and may have helped secure the future employment of head coach Mike Mularkey. He was reportedly in danger of losing his job if Tennessee lost in Week 17.The Chargers needed both a win and a Titans loss to reach the postseason. Los Angeles accomplished the first part by blowing out the Oakland Raiders 30-10, but was eliminated by virtue of the Titans' stronger conference record.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Buffalo Bills running back LeSean McCoy was carted to the locker room during Sunday's game against the Miami Dolphins with an ankle injury.The Bills reportedly believe McCoy suffered a sprained ankle after X-rays came back negative, a source told NFL Network's Mike Garafolo.McCoy was ruled out of the game, however, after initially being deemed questionable.The six-time Pro Bowler rushed for 10 yards on 11 carries before exiting, adding two receptions for 22 yards.Marcus Murphy and Mike Tolbert will likely see increased carries in McCoy's absence.With the Bills vying for a spot in the playoffs, it would be a devastating loss for the team if McCoy missed any time. If Buffalo wins and the Baltimore Ravens lose, or Buffalo wins and both the Los Angeles Chargers and Tennessee Titans lose, the Bills would punch their first playoff ticket of the 21st century.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

(Warning: Video contains graphic content)San Francisco 49ers receiver Marquise Goodwin has been ruled out for the remainder of Sunday's game after taking a blow to the head.Goodwin reached for a reception and was almost immediately hit in the helmet by Los Angeles Rams safety Blake Countess.

Rob Gronkowski did something Sunday that he had never done before in his career: finished a season with 69 catches, his favorite number.The New England Patriots tight end was thrilled to share his season result.

The Indianapolis Colts fired head coach Chuck Pagano on Sunday after six seasons in charge, the team announced.Pagano won 11 games in each of his first three seasons in Indy and won three playoff games. However, the Colts haven't made the postseason since 2014, and with franchise quarterback Andrew Luck out for the entire 2017 campaign, the team only managed four victories."Chuck Pagano provided Colts fans with many exciting wins and memories as head coach of the Colts," said Colts owner Jim Irsay. "Throughout his tenure in Indianapolis, he impacted the lives of the players he coached, those who he worked with in the organization and Colts fans across the globe."Chuck's first season was one of the more inspirational stories in NFL history as he courageously battled and overcame leukemia. As a result, his CHUCKSTRONG Foundation has raised millions for cancer research. We are thankful for Chuck's contributions to our franchise and community and we wish him, Tina, and the entire Pagano family nothing but the best moving forward."Pagano won his final game against the Houston Texans on Sunday, and the head coach's exit was apparently emotional.

Despite the fact the Cleveland Browns are just the second team in history to go 0-16, Hue Jackson will return as head coach in 2018.After the Browns lost their season finale to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday, team owner Jimmy Haslam reiterated to Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com that Jackson will return.Jackson took over prior to the 2016 season and has led the team to a 1-31 record, the worst two-season mark in NFL history. Following Sunday's game, the 52-year-old highlighted just how difficult his tenure has been."I don't think anyone else could've done this job for the past two years," Jackson said, according to Cabot. He added: "I don't think we're as far away as many people think we are."The Browns are full of young talent, but very few moments in the 2017 season seem to indicate a quick turnaround is ahead. Regardless, Jackson will be tasked with leading that turnaround in 2018.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Houston Texans general manager Rick Smith is taking a leave of absence to take care of his wife, who was recently diagnosed with breast cancer, he confirmed with a statement via ESPN's Adam Schefter:

The New England Patriots clinched the top seed in the AFC with a 26-6 win over the New York Jets on Sunday, securing home-field advantage throughout the AFC playoff with a 13-3 record.The Pittsburgh Steelers, who claimed a first-round bye last week, finished as the second seed in the AFC also at 13-3, losing a tiebreaker to the Patriots via head-to-head record. The Steelers made the Cleveland Browns the second team to ever finish 0-16 with their 28-24 win on Sunday.The controversial Patriots win over the Steelers in Week 15 - that saw Pittsburgh's Jesse James have a potential game-winning touchdown disallowed - ended up being the deciding factor between the two clubs.This is the eighth straight year the Patriots have finished the regular season with a bye through the first round of the playoffs. The Steelers had not clinched one of the AFC's top two seeds since 2010, when they lost Super Bowl XLV to the Green Bay Packers.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) Minnesota's defense turned in another dominant performance and Latavius Murray rushed for 111 yards and two touchdowns, helping the Vikings secure a first-round bye for the playoffs with a 23-10 victory over the Chicago Bears on Sunday.Stefon Diggs caught six passes for 65 yards and a touchdown for the Vikings (13-3), who reached 13 wins for only the second time in the history of the 57-year-old franchise after holding a second straight opponent without an offensive touchdown.Mitchell Trubisky finished his rookie season with a turnover-free game, completing 20 of 36 passes for 178 yards. He failed, however, to guide the Bears (5-11) across the goal line despite 11 plays from the 10-yard line or closer in the fourth quarter.Trubisky also took a safety in the second quarter on an intentional grounding call when Danielle Hunter and Linval Joseph closed in on a sack in the end zone and he side-armed a throw between the two pass rushers.In what could have been the final game for coach John Fox, who's 14-34 in three seasons, the Bears didn't cross midfield until the fourth quarter and totaled only 30 yards rushing. They were penalized 10 times for 116 yards and went 1 for 14 on third- and fourth-down conversions.The Bears are 1-5 against each of their three NFC North foes under Fox.After a 31-24 loss at Carolina on Dec. 10, the Vikings took advantage of teams playing out the string in the last three games to get set for the playoffs.Murray has rather quietly been one of their most productive players down the stretch, helping the Vikings move the chains and work the clock while the defense holds the lead.Over the past two years, only Ezekiel Elliott (22, for Dallas) has more rushing touchdowns in the NFL than Murray (20, including 12 for Oakland last season).SNEAKY SPECIAL TEAMSThe Bears stopped a streak of 90 minutes and 32 seconds by the Vikings without allowing a score when Bryce Callahan returned a punt 59 yards for a touchdown with 5:50 left in the second quarter. Callahan knelt near the sideline while Tarik Cohen lined up on the opposite side as the expected returner, before sprinting for a sliding catch of the kick that hung over the middle of the field. He leaped to his feet and veered left past the confused Vikings and untouched for the score.The Bears pulled a pair of fast ones on the Vikings in their matchup earlier this season, when Benny Cunningham caught a pass from Pat O'Donnell on a fake punt for a 38-yard touchdown and Trubisky scored on a 2-point conversion play when the ball changed hands four times.VIKINGS RECORD-BOOK LOOKThe Vikings finished 12-2 four times with a 14-game schedule (1969, 1970, 1973, and 1975), but the only other time they've topped 12 victories was their 15-1 record in 1998. ... Diggs became the fastest player in Vikings history to reach 200 receptions, in 40 games. ... Adam Thielen had six catches for 61 yards and finished with 91 receptions for 1,276 yards for the season, finishing seventh and ninth in team history. Randy Moss and Cris Carter are the only ones ahead on either list.LINE SHUFFLEVikings quarterback Case Keenum took his share of hits and never quite found the rhythm in the passing attack he was able to establish in most of his starts this season, behind an offensive line that has shown some wear down the stretch as the injury list has increased.Joe Berger, who switched from right guard to center with Pat Elflein shelved for a shoulder injury for the second time in four weeks, was the only original starter to play in all 16 games. Mike Remmers moved from right tackle into Berger's spot. Jeremiah Sirles started at left guard for Nick Easton, who will miss the playoffs because of a broken ankle.INJURY REPORTBears: Two starting offensive linemen, LT Bobby Massie and RG Josh Sitton, did not suit up.Vikings: FB C.J. Ham hurt his neck and was ruled out early in the third quarter.UP NEXTThe Vikings enter the NFC playoffs with a bye for only the fourth time since the current format began in 1990. They'll host one of the wild-card round winners on Jan. 13 or 14.---For more NFL coverage: http://www.pro32.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP-NFLCopyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The 2008 Detroit Lions have company.The Cleveland Browns sealed the second 0-16 regular-season finish in NFL history with a 28-24 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday.The Browns had a chance to avoid a winless season, but wide receiver Corey Coleman dropped a pass on fourth down in the final minutes to end those hopes.

Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster continued his remarkable rookie campaign with another excellent performance in the final game of the regular season. The 21-year-old became the youngest player in NFL history to reach 1,000-plus all-purpose yards in a season, the league announced Sunday.Smith-Schuster finished with nine receptions for 143 yards and a score in Sunday's win over the Cleveland Browns. He also scored a 96-yard kick return touchdown and boasts 239 all-purpose yards.With the performance, Smith-Schuster leads all rookie wideouts in receiving yards with 917 and touchdowns with seven. He also has 179 kick-return yards on the season.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Frank Gore added another notch to his brilliant career Sunday as the Indianapolis Colts running back became the fifth player in NFL history to rush for 14,000 yards.The 13-year veteran entered Sunday's game against the Houston Texans 74 yards shy of the mark, but surpassed the milestone with a rush in the fourth quarter that took him to 77 yards on the day.Gore passed LaDainian Tomlinson earlier this season for fifth on the all-time rushing leaders list, and sits just under 100 yards behind Curtis Martin for fourth all-time.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Jonathan Stewart has been ruled inactive with a back injury for the Carolina Panthers season finale against the Atlanta Falcons Sunday.According to the team website, Stewart's back tightened up on Sunday morning and the decision was made to keep him out of action after pregame warmups.Stewart has played in every game this season, rushing for 680 yards and six touchdowns. With the veteran on the sidelines, expect an increased workload for Christian McCaffrey and Cameron Artis-Payne.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll took to Twitter on Sunday to refute a report he may retire at the end of the season:

The Oakland Raiders are expected to move on from wide receiver Michael Crabtree during the offseason following his worst statistical campaign since joining the club, Michael Gehlken of the Las Vegas Review-Journal reports.The Raiders can save $7.75 million by releasing the 30-year-old and wouldn't incur any dead money by doing so, according to spotrac.com.Sources told Gehlken that the Raiders no longer believe Crabtree is worth the "baggage" he brings. The 30-year-old has 56 catches for 601 yards and eight touchdowns in 13 contests.Crabtree was suspended for one game because of his latest altercation with Denver Broncos cornerback Aqib Talib.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Denver Broncos might not be committed to another season with Vance Joseph at the helm after all as the first-year head coach is "facing increasingly longer odds" at being retained, league sources informed ESPN's Adam Schefter.Just over two weeks ago, the Broncos were reportedly leaning towards giving Joseph another chance, contingent on the team ending the season strong. The Broncos, however, enter Week 17 on the back of a heloss to the Washington Redskins.If Joseph were to be let go, it would be a surprising move considering general manager John Elway interviewed the defensive-minded coach in 2015 prior to giving the job to Gary Kubiak, only to replace him with Joseph in the offseason, signing him to a four-year contract.In his first year, Joseph has guided the Broncos to a 5-10 record while helping maintain one of the league's best defenses. The team has struggled on offense, however, scoring 17.7 points-per-game, tied for fifth-worst in the league.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Houston Texans star wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins will officially miss the first game of his career Sunday against the Indianapolis Colts, being ruled inactive due to a calf injury that was expected to be a game-time decision.Despite missing Week 17, Hopkins is likely to lead the league in receiving touchdowns (13) and has already reached his second-best career mark in yards (1,378).The 4-11 Texans will likely start Braxton Miller in place of Hopkins alongside Will Fuller. Chris Thompson and Cobi Hamilton should also be in line for expanded roles.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Pittsburgh Steelers will sit stars Ben Roethlisberger and Le'Veon Bell for Sunday's regular-season finale against the Cleveland Browns, the team announced.Landry Jones will start in place of Roethlisberger.Pittsburgh will also rest top offensive linemen Maurkice Pouncey and David DeCastro, along with standout defensive end Cameron Heyward.The Steelers have already secured a first-round bye, but could still earn home-field advantage throughout the playoffs with a win over Cleveland and a New England Patriots loss to the New York Jets.Pittsburgh is already without two of its key contributors in Ryan Shazier and Antonio Brown, so it appears Mike Tomlin will be cautious with his remaining stars. Shazier is done for the season, while Brown is reportedly expected to a return from a calf injury for the divisional round.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

A coaching change in Tennessee could be on the horizon, regardless if head coach Mike Mularkey guides his team to the playoffs for the first time in nine years, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com.It would appear Mularkey's job would only be safe if the Titans, who enter Sunday's must-win game losers of three straight, were to advance past the first round.Frustration has mounted over the lack of development with quarterback Marcus Mariota, who has performed to a 78.6 passer rating with a career-high 15 interceptions in 2017.Mularkey's offensive scheme has been criticized throughout the season as the veteran head coach has refused to give 23-year-old Derrick Henry (4.7 YPC) an extended look, keeping the less effective DeMarco Murray (3.6 YPC) as the lead running back. Entering Sunday, the Titans place 16th in the league with 114.5 rushing yards per game.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Covers.com is the biggest and best source for sports betting information, providing unrivaled and original content sports bettors cannot live without.It may be the most wonderful time of the year as it relates to holidays, but it’s not so great for bookmakers and bettors trying to figure out the volatility of NFL Week 17. All 16 games on the final-week docket roll out today, and Covers has you covered on all the action and line movement, with insights from Will Bernanke, lead analyst with CG Analytics in Las Vegas, and Mike Jerome, lines manager for offshore sportsbook TopBet.eu.

The Dallas Cowboys are expected to retain longtime head coach Jason Garrett for the 2018 season, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported Sunday on "Gameday Morning."However, changes could still be coming in Dallas. Offensive coordinator Scott Linehan and defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli are both in danger of losing their jobs, added Rapoport.Cowboys owner Jerry Jones gave Garrett his vote of confidence Tuesday despite the team dropping out of playoff contention, saying that firing the head coach wouldn't be in Dallas' best interest.Garrett has served as the Cowboys' head coach since taking over on an interim basis in 2010. He boasts a regular-season record of 66-53, but has only won one of three playoff games.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Houston Texans head coach Bill O'Brien is likely to be retained for the 2018 season, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter.Earlier reports stated that the relationship between O'Brien and general manager Rick Smith had turned "toxic and dysfunctional," according to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle, citing sources.O'Brien gained a strong vote of confidence from quarterback Deshaun Watson earlier in December, leading some to believe it may have saved his job. Watson took the NFL by storm during his rookie year before tearing his ACL in a non-contact play during a Nov. 2 practice.The Texans have slumped to a 4-11 record and close out the season Sunday against the 3-12 Indianapolis Colts.O'Brien has a 31-32 record in four seasons with the Texans, leading the team to the AFC South title in 2015 and 2016.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Philadelphia Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz is a favorite to become the next head coach of the New York Giants, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter.Schwartz is likely to emerge as a hot candidate for head-coaching jobs around the league this offseason. He's spent the last two seasons building up the Eagles' defense into one of the NFL's best.Schwartz served as the head coach of the Detroit Lions from 2009-13. He compiled a 29-51 record, though he inherited the team following an 0-16 campaign in 2008. He led the Lions to the playoffs in 2011.The Giants own a 2-13 record heading into the final week of the regular season, and could pick as high as No. 2 overall in the upcoming NFL draft.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Arizona Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians is likely to retire from football following Sunday's game against the Seattle Seahawks, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter.Arians previously refuted the notion that he'd be stepping down from football on Dec. 26, telling USA TODAY's Jarrett Bell that nothing had been decided.The 65-year-old has faced several health concerns during his coaching career but hasn't missed a game since taking over the Cardinals in 2013.Arians won NFL Coach of the Year in 2012 and 2014 and has posted a cumulative 48-30-1 record during his five seasons with the Cardinals.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Green Bay Packers defensive coordinator Dom Capers is not expected to return for the 2018 season, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter.Capers has served as the Packers' defensive coordinator since January 2009, helping the team win Super Bowl XLV in 2010.The 67-year-old has previously served as the head coach of the Carolina Panthers (1995-98) and Houston Texans (2002-05), posting a cumulative 48-80 record.Green Bay has allowed 23.3 points per game in 2017, the 21st-best total in the league as the club will miss the playoffs for the first time since 2008.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator Dean Pees plans to retire at the end of the season, league sources told Adam Schefter of ESPN.The 68-year-old has been a part of the Ravens' staff since 2010, and has coordinated their defense since 2012. He came to Baltimore after a four-year stint as the defensive coordinator for the New England Patriots.The Ravens can extend Pees' stay with a win Sunday over the Cincinnati Bengals that will clinch a playoff spot for the NFC North club.Baltimore owns the league's fourth-best scoring defense heading into Week 17.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Each week during the NFL season, theScore's Dane Belbeck will handicap every matchup and offer up a three-pack of selected picks.Week 16 record (includes TNF): 10-5-1

The Oakland Raiders currently have a head coach, but they're making preparations to pursue ESPN analyst and former coach Jon Gruden, ESPN's Adam Schefter and Chris Mortensen report.Their pitch could also include an ownership stake in the team, Schefter and Mortensen report, citing league sources.Gruden will not make a decision until the Raiders' season wraps up on Sunday against the Los Angeles Chargers.Current coach Jack Del Rio signed a contract extension after ending the team's 13-year playoff drought last season. The team has disappointed this season, slipping to a 6-9 record.Any offer to Gruden that includes an ownership stake in the team would be subject to approval by the league's 32 owners. His power could also include say in the structure of the front office.Gruden coached the Raiders for four seasons from 1998-2001 and compiled a record of 38-26. He was then traded to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and won a Super Bowl against the Raiders the following season.Gruden is currently the lead color analyst on ESPN's Monday Night Football where he is believed to command a salary of $6.5 million.Both Gruden and Davis were asked directly by other reporters about the rumored offer.

Chuck Pagano is expected to coach his final game with the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday. The team will begin its search for a new head coach upon the conclusion of the 2017 season, NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reports, citing sources.Team owner Jim Irsay has already made calls to prepare, Rapoport adds.Chris Ballard's first season as the Colts' general manager has resulted in a 3-12 campaign. It's expected he will instead opt to hand pick the next coach.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Marvin Lewis' tenure as head coach of the Cincinnati Bengals will come to an end after Sunday's season finale. After 15 years as the Bengals' head man, Lewis is expected to either transition to a front-office role - or even a position at the league office - or pursue a coaching job with another team, NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reports.The Bengals have followed up a disappointing 6-9-1 campaign in 2016 with another dud in 2017. They currently stand at 6-9 entering their Week 17 game with the Baltimore Ravens.Though Lewis has been credited with turning around a once woebegone franchise, he owns a career 0-7 playoff record.As a result, the team and coach are expected to mutually agree to part ways, though Lewis could move into a front-office role with the team. There remains a chance he could work for the league office, Rapoport reports.However, should he choose to remain in the coaching ranks, he would emerge as a leading candidate for any upcoming coaching vacancies.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Detroit Lions are expected to fire head coach Jim Caldwell at some point after their season concludes, NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reports, citing sources.The Lions are already eliminated from postseason contention and will finish with a record of either 9-7 or 8-8 depending on the result of Sunday's game against the Green Bay Packers.In his four seasons in Detroit, Caldwell has twice taken the team to the playoffs but has yet to register a postseason win. After a 9-7 campaign that ended in the wild-card round last year, the Lions were taken out of the playoff picture with their upset loss to the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 16.Caldwell enters Sunday's game with a 35-28 record with Detroit.New England Patriots defensive coordinator Matt Patricia has been rumored to be Caldwell's replacement.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Chicago Bears are expected to fire head coach John Fox following Sunday's season finale versus the Minnesota Vikings, sources told Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.General manager Ryan Pace is reportedly set to lead the search for a new coach, despite prolonged speculation that he, too, could be on the hot seat in Chicago.The Bears are set to take a 5-10 record into Minnesota to close out the campaign. Fox has failed to win more than six games in any of his three seasons in the Windy City.Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio will likely be a candidate for the job Fox currently holds, but the Bears may ultimately look for an offensive-minded coach to speed up the development of rookie quarterback Mitchell Trubisky.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

A changing of the guard may be forthcoming in Seattle, and it may be coming sooner than anticipated.The Seahawks are preparing to play in a must-win Week 17 game hoping to garner the last playoff spot in the NFC, but defensive end Michael Bennett spent some time on the day before the big game sharing an article suggesting his time in Seattle could be up.The article suggested that several notable Seahawks could be playing their final game with the team on Sunday.In the article, Bennett is quoted as saying, "I think things are going to be different. That's a part of the NFL. The NFL is a transitional sport and transitional teams."Every year, there's a new transition and new guys and new coaches and new staffs. It's about who can win and how fast they can win, and it's about 'Can we get a guy cheaper than the guy in front of him?' This is bound to happen and everything has a shelf life, and us as players, we have shelf lives and our team together has a shelf life."Bennett signed a three-year extension in 2016 and is currently scheduled to become a free agent in 2021.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Dave Gettleman got right to work.Two days after being named the new general manager of the New York Giants, Gettleman began cleaning house. He first axed Giants vice president of player evaluation Marc Ross on Saturday morning and waived starting right tackle Bobby Hart shortly thereafter.Ross had been with the organization since 2007 and saw the team win two Super Bowls during that span. He also interviewed for the job given to Gettleman."I worked with Marc when I was with the organization before. I have great respect for him and high regard for his work," Gettleman said. "Clearly, we're going in a different direction, but that doesn't make these kind of decisions any easier."Since being drafted in 2015, Hart had started 21 of the 33 games he played in.After news of his release was made public, he got into a Twitter spat with former linemate Geoff Schwartz.

For Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster, the toughest part of his transition to the NFL has been ensuring he gets a good night's rest."Being young, you're just up all night, just having fun," the rookie said Thursday, according to Bill Brink of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. "I think that sleep has been more challenging for me just because I like to be up, play video games, do what young people do, social media, and then go to bed at 2 a.m. I'm still trying to balance that out."Smith-Schuster is an avid gamer. Rather than going out to a bar to celebrate his 21st birthday last month, he stayed home playing video games and eating toast.

Tom Brady is likely to win the third MVP award of his career, but the New England Patriots' star quarterback has made some uncharacteristic errors of late.Brady has thrown six interceptions in his last five games after tossing just two over the first 11 weeks of the campaign. Asked what he could do to correct the trend as the playoffs approach, Brady said Friday he needs to do a better job of deciding when to be aggressive."I think it's just making smart decisions," Brady said, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. "Whenever they get their hands on it, it's not a good thing for the offense. Putting it in places where only we can touch it or we can catch it is important, especially understanding the situations in the games."We've been able to overcome a few of those but, obviously, like at Miami, we didn't overcome them and ball possession is going to be extremely important in this game (against the Jets). We always try to do no turnovers. That's a good goal for us. That's what we should have every week. I can certainly do a better job than I've done protecting it and it’s going to be really important."The Patriots have already locked up a first-round bye, so Brady should have time to rediscover his turnover-free form from earlier in the year before attempting to make it to his eighth Super Bowl.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The "NFL Honors" presentation has directed more recognition to players and coaches who would have otherwise flown under the radar. The implementation of top assistant coach and best offensive line award has helped achieve that.However, the league still has several glaring holes in its selection of yearly accolades. Here are five the league should introduce and the players who would've taken them home this season:Breakout player of the yearIn a similar vein to the NBA's Most Improved Player, the NFL should create an award for the player that conjured the biggest step forward in their development.2017 winner: Carson WentzWentz was well on his way to winning MVP in just his second season before tearing his ACL on Dec. 11. While Tom Brady will likely now take home the league's most prestigious honor, the Philadelphia Eagles' franchise quarterback deserves huge credit for his transformation this season.The young pivot was maddeningly inconsistent in his rookie campaign, but posted elite numbers in 2017, creating magnificent plays on the fly and running the Eagles' scheme to perfection. Unbelievably, he still has a chance at leading the NFL in passing touchdowns despite missing three games.Honorable mentions: Chris Thompson, Adam Thielen, Demarcus LawrenceMost exciting player of the yearThe criteria for this selection is simple - something NFL awards often lacks (looking at you, MVP). Which player demanded attention? Which player made consistent eye-popping plays?Unlike other NFL awards, health and production is a secondary factor, which means players who saw their excellent seasons cut short could still garner some deserved plaudits.2017 winner: Deshaun WatsonWatson's rookie season lasted six starts, but boy, did the Houston Texans quarterback exceed expectations. No. 4 played the kind of aggressive, exciting brand of football that made him a star in college.The rookie threw 19 touchdowns and ran for another two in his six starts (seven appearances), transforming the usual boring Texans offense into the NFL's top-scoring unit over his time as the starter. He routinely made splash plays to DeAndre Hopkins and Will Fuller, used his legs to great effect, and was routinely involved in edge-of-your-seat shootouts.The NFL was ravaged by injuries this year, but losing Watson may have been the biggest blow.Honorable mentions: Alvin Kamara, DeAndre Hopkins, Todd Gurley, Russell WilsonFree-agent signing of the yearNFL free agency often gets a bad rap. High-profile busts are common, sure, but so are slam dunk signings, and the latter deserves more recognition.This award would celebrate both the player and the front office. Players who were unrestricted free agents but were re-signed by their original teams wouldn't be eligible.2017 winner: Calais CampbellThe Jaguars' best season since 2007 was fueled by a multitude of reasons: Leonard Fournette's impressive rookie year, Blake Bortles' progression, and an elite pass defense.However, the star of Jacksonville's show was the pass-rush, and at its center, Campbell. Usually, giving a 31-year-old a deal worth $14 million a year is just asking the free agency gods to punish you - especially when the player is switching from a 3-4 defense to a 4-3 - but the Jaguars' front office clearly knew Campbell had a lot more left in his tank.The veteran defensive end's 14.5 sacks through 15 games blow away his previous career high of nine, and his four-sack day in Week 1 was one of the season's best single-game performances.Honorable mentions: A.J. Bouye, Robert Woods, Micah Hyde, Alshon Jeffery, Andrew WhitworthCelebration of the yearThe NFL actually listened to its fans and reinstated group celebrations for 2017 - the players didn't let us down.Every week produced another highlight-worthy celebration, and the NFL would be wise to continue the goodwill and stoke the competitiveness among players by honoring the best of the best.2017 winner: Steelers play hide-and-seek

The NFC's top team is set to receive a significant defensive reinforcement.Philadelphia Eagles rookie cornerback Sidney Jones is expected to make his season and NFL debut Sunday against the Dallas Cowboys after being activated to the 53-man roster Saturday, the team announced.The second-round pick was projected to be a be selected high in the first round, but tore his Achilles tendon during his pro day in March and slipped to the Eagles.Jones is likely to be eased back into action, but the Eagles' 20th-ranked pass defense is in need of a boost, so he could have an expanded role in the playoffs.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

For more than a decade, NFL fans have known which names to expect among the league's top passers year in and year out.Tom Brady, Drew Brees, Eli Manning, Ben Roethlisberger, and Philip Rivers have been not only staples of NFL Sundays, but have immortalized themselves in league record books.QBPassing yards rankPassing TDs rankBrees3rd3rdBrady4th4thManning6th8thRoethlisberger8th9thRivers9th7thAll five quarterbacks got their first career starts between 2001 and 2004 and proceeded to become household names, regularly leading their teams to the postseason and racking up Pro Bowl and All-Pro honors.While Peyton Manning may have started the era and Aaron Rodgers will likely continue to dominate into his late-30s, these five passers defined the "Golden Age" of NFL passers. Football spent decades collecting the likes of Brett Favre, Dan Marino, John Elway, Fran Tarkenton, and Joe Montana to eventually achieve accomplishments that these five modern passers did simultaneously in just 15 years.This year began to show not just cracks in the armor of these veterans, and that their dominance in the NFL is coming to an end as the next generation introduces itself to the football world.Manning saw his consecutive start streak end at 210 games, as he was unable to prevent his team from its worst record in franchise history. Brees is likely to put up his lowest passing yardage total of a 16-game season since 2005, while the Saints have shifted to a run-first attack. Rivers is still putting up close to normal statistics for himself, but his team is in danger of missing the playoffs for the seventh time in eight years and is expected to look for its next franchise passer at the draft.Brady and Roethlisberger remain first and second, respectively, in league passing yards this season. While Brady has gone to every length of the earth to find out how to continually fend off Father Time, Roethlisberger has teased retirement each of the past three seasons, citing injuries and long-term health concerns.Had it not been for some key injuries, however, the future Hall of Famers could have been watching as the league's next crop of generational passers overtook them.Deshaun Watson was leading the NFL in passing touchdowns and had already set three rookie records through the first seven games of his career before an ACL tear derailed his first season. Carson Wentz hasn't played since Week 14 and still leads the league in passing scores; an ACL tear also ended his season, which was lining up for him to win MVP.Those two quarterbacks, along with Jared Goff, Jimmy Garoppolo, and Dak Prescott, represent the changing of the guard among NFL passers. Whatever you want to call them, these are the men who represent the NFL's new age.It doesn't take long to recognize these five young passers aren't carbon copies of their predecessors, as all but Goff have shown an affinity for being much more mobile than their seniors. But personality wise, it isn't hard to draw parallels between the young and the old.Brady literally spent three-and-a-half years transferring knowledge and mentoring Garoppolo, who has been the talk of the league since winning four straight with the 49ers - a team that had just one victory before he took over. Garoppolo's character has been infectious in San Francisco, and his good looks and calm demeanor have everyone convinced he's a star.Related - Film breakdown: Jimmy Garoppolo has all the makings of a starIt's still early in Goff's career, but he has already started building a portfolio of lackadaisical faces worthy of comparisons to Manning and his infamous "Eli face." On top of that, the two players are both former first overall picks with laid-back leadership styles who like to stay in the pocket.Watson's ability to take command of the entire Texans organization and convincingly show them he's their franchise quarterback. Brees took a few years and had to jump franchises, but once he landed in New Orleans, he was in full command of the organization. No teammate ever speaks a bad word about Brees, and no one should expect Watson's teammates to do so either.Rivers and Prescott are the ultimate "blame it all on me" guys for their teams. Rivers has been loyal to a fault with the Chargers, grinding through injuries every season and keeping his team in virtually every game they play. Prescott tried so hard to shoulder the blame for a dropped pass last weekend he accidentally threw Dez Bryant under the bus. Both quarterbacks have also benefited from playing with All-Pro running backs - LaDainian Tomlinson and Ezekiel Elliott - early in their careers.The comparison between Wentz and Roethlisberger may be the strongest. Both were drafted out of smaller schools and now play for teams in Pennsylvania. Both stand 6-foot-5 and weigh between 237 and 240 pounds. Both play with reckless abandon, which has come back to bite them with ill-timed injuries.It would be no surprise to see all five veteran quarterbacks return for the 2018 season, but it seems clear the days of expecting them to dominate defenses, headlines, and league statistics without competition are over. Time to embrace the next generation and applaud the golden age.(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The New England Patriots don't make many wrong moves, but one former member of the organization believes they erred when they traded quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo to the San Francisco 49ers.With Tom Brady firmly entrenched as the Patriots' starting quarterback and Garoppolo set to become a free agent after the season, the Patriots traded their heir apparent to the West Coast at the trade deadline. All Garoppolo has done since is lead the 49ers to four straight victories."I think that was a mistake trading Jimmy because Jimmy's an unbelievable quarterback," Ninkovich said Friday on WEEI, according to Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle."He's a guy that you can build a franchise around. Obviously, he's going to be the franchise guy in San Francisco."Garoppolo only started two games during the three seasons he shared with Ninkovich in New England. The former linebacker has been watching his former teammate from afar, however."I'm not a GM. I don't know the perfect answer here, but it's hard when I see a guy that's really talented," Ninkovich said. "He's accurate. He can move in the pocket. He's smart. He understands how to manage a game and that's what you want in your quarterback is a game manager. He understands the right thing to do in different situations."Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

San Francisco 49ers safety Eric Reid, one of many NFL players who protested racial inequality and a close friend and former teammate of quarterback Colin Kaepernick, says he's prepared for teams to shun him in free agency."I would say I understand that's a possibility," Reid told ESPN's Nick Wagoner. "And I'm completely fine with it. The things that I've done, I stand by, and I've done that for my own personal beliefs. Like I said, I'm fine with whatever outcome happens because of that."Reid added that while he's anticipating some disinterest, he's holding out hope he'll be able to play somewhere next season."It's a possibility," he said of teams refusing to negotiate with him. "There are probably teams that won't want to talk to me because of it. I'm hopeful that I will be on a team next year, but if not, again, that's OK with me."The 26-year-old became the first player to kneel alongside Kaepernick prior to a preseason game last year, and continued for the entirety of 2016. Leading up to the 2017 season, he planned on standing, but in light of the events in Charlottesville, went back to kneeling in the 49ers' third preseason game onward.The 2013 first-round draft pick has played his entire five-year career with the 49ers, earning a Pro Bowl selection in his rookie year.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

James Harrison's departure from the Pittsburgh Steelers has ruffled quite a few feathers, particularly among his former teammates.During an appearance on NFL Network's "Good Morning Football" on Friday, Steelers defensive end Cameron Heyward likened Harrison signing with the New England Patriots to Hulk Hogan turning heel in 1996 and joining the New World Order."It was definitely a heel-turn move," Heyward said. "It's almost like Hulk Hogan when he went to the NWO, nobody's happy about that. But it's his decision. It just means he won't be in the ring with us."Related - Steelers' Pouncey, teammates blast Harrison: 'He erased his own legacy'Harrison revealed Wednesday that he asked for his release from the Steelers on three separate occasions before he was eventually let go. He's expected to make his Patriots debut Sunday against the New York Jets.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Green Bay Packers signed wideout Davante Adams to a contract extension Friday that will total $58 million over four years, a source told NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.The 25-year-old leads the team in receptions (74), yards (885), and touchdowns (10), and was scheduled to become a free agent after the season.Earlier this month, quarterback Aaron Rodgers pushed for the Packers to retain one of his top targets."He's making a lot of money this year. Hopefully, we pay him sooner rather than later," Rodgers said, according to Packers News' Ryan Wood.

A Kansas City Chiefs fan left an early welcome gift for the Oakland Raiders at their future home in Las Vegas.Chris Scherzer posted a photo Wednesday on Facebook of himself holding a "Chiefs Kingdom" flag, which he claims to have buried in the dirt beneath what will eventually be the Raiders' new stadium.Clark County commission chairman Steve Sisolak tweeted last month that construction on the $1.9-billion, 65,000-seat stadium is expected to be completed by July 31, 2020.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Despite their 4-11 record, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers informed head coach Dirk Koetter on Friday that he'll be back in 2018, according to Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times.Reports of Koetter's return come on the heels of rampant speculation that the organization would reunite with former head coach and fan favorite Jon Gruden.Koetter would be the first Buccaneers coach since Raheem Morris (2009-2012) to return as head coach for a third season.After replacing Lovie Smith in 2016, he helped guide the team to a respectable 9-7 record. Tampa Bay was considered a potential playoff team heading into 2017, but defensive struggles and a below-average run game have hampered the Bucs, who will miss the playoffs for the 10th straight season.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Indiana lawmaker Rep. Milo Smith, R-Columbus, is pushing a bill that would force the Indianapolis Colts to offer refunds to any ticket purchasers who are offended by a member of the team kneeling during the national anthem, according to Justin L. Mack and Kaitlin L. Lange of The Indianapolis Star.Smith says fans who feel disrespected by the kneeling should be able to ask for a refund during the first quarter of any game."To me when they take a knee during the national anthem, it’s not respecting the national anthem or our country," Smith said. "Our government isn’t perfect, but it's still the best country in the world and I think we need to be respectful of it."Smith's bill wouldn't require the Colts to issue refunds if it's the visiting team enacting the protest.Vice President Mike Pence walked out of a game in October when the visiting San Francisco 49ers took part in a team demonstration with 23 players kneeling during the anthem.The executive director of ACLU Indiana, Jane Henegar, said Smith's bill could be a constitutional violation."In effect by passing the law, government would be weighing in ... and fining political speech by the Indianapolis Colts," Henegar said. "It seems like the worst thing that could happen is government weighing in and trying to control in any direction the political speech of private actors."Smith responded by noting his bill doesn't prohibit players from taking a knee.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Chris Long's good deeds earned him high praise from a former President of the United States.Barack Obama retweeted a story about the Philadelphia Eagles defensive end donating his entire 2017 salary to charity Friday as one of several examples of "what's best about America."

Despite working together for the past four seasons, the relationship between Houston Texans head coach Bill O'Brien and general manager Rick Smith has slowly turned "toxic and dysfunctional," multiple sources told Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle.The report adds that while O'Brien and Smith could move forward and cooperate, it would be an "uneasy alliance" and create a "difficult working environment," which could force owner Bob McNair to fire one of the two.O'Brien, who was hired by Smith in 2014, is under contract through the 2018 season and has maintained interest in returning with or without an extension. Smith, meanwhile, has been with the organization since 2006, which, at the time, made him the youngest general manager in the NFL (36 years old). The front-office executive is under contract until 2020 after signing an extension in 2016.The Texans started the season 3-4, but injuries have since decimated the team, none more impactful than J.J. Watt and Deshaun Watson, who were both lost for the season. As result, they enter Sunday as losers of seven of their last eight games, bringing their record to 4-11 on the year.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Washington Redskins head coach Jay Gruden and his staff appear to be safe from the annual exodus of coaches on the Monday following Week 17.NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported that the Redskins have no plans for major changes to the coaching staff this offseason. Rapoport added that the Redskins believe the staff kept the team together and playing hard despite injuries throughout the campaign.The Redskins sit at 7-8 and third in the NFC East.A total of 18 Washington players have been placed on injured reserve since the start of the season, though kicker Dustin Hopkins was activated ahead of Week 15.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.