Manuel Neuer has confirmed his retirement from international football with Germany following a 15-year career with Die Mannschaft. 

Neuer, who made 124 appearances for his country, follows Toni Kroos, Thomas Muller and Ilkay Gundogan in hanging up their boots on the international stage. 

The Bayern Munich captain played 39 times across eight major tournaments, with his final outing for his country coming in a 2-1 defeat to eventual winners Spain in the quarter-finals of Euro 2024. 

Neuer was also part of Joachim Low's World Cup winning squad in 2014, keeping four clean sheets and scooping the tournament's Golden Glove award. 

Across his 124 appearances, Neuer managed 51 shutouts and conceded 118 times, playing 11,100 minutes for his nation and winning 81 of those matches. 

Neuer finishes his international career as Germany's fifth-highest appearance maker, with only Lukas Podolski (130), Muller (131), Miroslav Klose (137) and Lothar Matthaus (150) managing more caps for their country. 

"Looking back today, I am filled with pride and gratitude! Not least because we met on 13th July 2014, we were able to fulfil our big dream and together became world champions in Brazil," Neuer wrote.

"For a total of 7 years and 61 games, I was allowed - up to my injury - to lead the German national team as captain on the field. An honour that I appreciate every time.

"This year's home European Championship was another highlight, even if it unfortunately wasn't enough for the title. Because, in every second, I felt a very special euphoria and cohesion all over the country. Let's keep that in mind!

"Many thanks to all the staff, supervisors, coaches and also fellow players who have supported me since my debut in the national team on 02. Joined June 2009!

"And I especially want to thank you, dear fans, for supporting me all these years! I loved wearing the national team jersey."

His retirement clears the way for long-time back-up Marc Andre ter Stegen of Barcelona, who is expected to take over from the Bayern captain as Germany's number one.

Emiliano Martinez has signed a contract extension with Aston Villa to keep him at the club until 2029.

His current contract was set to run out in 2027, but he has now signed a new deal which will keep him at Villa Park for five more years.

The World Cup winner joined Villa in September 2020 for a fee of £17million from Arsenal and has made 160 appearances for them in all competitions.

In his debut campaign, he kept 15 clean sheets, equalling a club record for a single season, and has gone on to keep 54 shutouts in all competitions since.

Martinez's penalty shoot-out heroics in the Europa Conference League last season helped the club to the semi-finals, while he was also a key figure as they secured Champions League football by finishing fourth in the Premier League.

The Argentinian has missed just eight Premier League games since his debut, with the team losing six of those and conceding an average of 2.5 goals per game without him, compared to just 1.3 with him between the sticks.

Martinez's form at Villa caught the eye of Argentina boss Lionel Scaloni, as he was given his debut for the national team, and has since won the Copa America twice and the World Cup.

Jeremy Owen, Technical Director of Jamaica’s powerlifting team, believes their recent 15-medal haul at the 21st North American Regional Powerlifting Championships is a testament to the growth and development of athletes and, by extension, the sport locally.

In fact, Owen pointed to the mere fact that the country was able to field 13 athletes to the championships in Scottsdale, Arizona, as a massive achievement for the National Powerlifting Association of Jamaica (NPAJ) and one that augurs well for the future of the sport on the island.

Among the standout performances for the Jamaica Spartans at the event were Anna-Kay Brown, who won four bronze medals in the women's 84kg junior class, and three-time NAPF champion Sami DePass, who continued to assert her dominance in the women’s 76kg weight class, where she won four gold medals.

On the male side, Bruce Higgins was Jamaica’s first ever competitor in the male 120-plus kg class, and he too copped four medals—one silver and three bronze medals—while Scott Jennings, a former 83kg champion in 2022, moved up a class to 93kg and won two medals from his three lifts. Jennings holds the honour of being Jamaica's first powerlifter to secure a gold medal on the international platform.

Mikhail Russell, Cheyenne Campbell, Shrona Scott, Alexander Carrington, Nathan Dawkins, Ayana Duhaney, Tzari Saunders, Staffon Commock, and Algreg Sappleton, were the members of the team.

Reigning female champion Sami DePass.

“Jamaica did exceptionally well; for the first time in three years, we had more than three or four athletes. We had 13. Initially, there was going to be 14, but unfortunately, one athlete had to drop out at the last minute due to challenges with delays and cancellations of flights. We had four athletes who medalled, but we also had other athletes who came 5th, 6th, and 7th,” Owen told SportsMax.Tv.

“For us to have a delegation this large, it speaks to the resilience and hard work of the entire management, administration, and coaching team, all led by the president, Michael Blair, and it shows that there has been growth in the sport in Jamaica. So, going forward, we will continue to have a large delegation, which aids in the number of places that persons can aspire to in terms of the national program and, of course, in the never-ending quest to secure sponsorship,” he added.

Despite the highs of the medal tally and a large delegation, which included a doctor and physiotherapist, Shanice Bell, who was instrumental in ensuring that the athletes were in prime condition throughout, Owen said their charge towards success was not without its challenges.

“Number one would be the lack of support from the government in terms of sponsorship and also from the private sector. It's not for a lack of effort that we did not get sponsorship. The president has been steadfast in engaging the government and the Sports Development Foundation for sponsorship for the team, and many letters, conversations, and emails were had with various entities in the private sector, all to no avail,” Owen shared.

“Also, there was a significant challenge with weather systems. A group of us got stuck at Miami International Airport overnight for hours and then the next day, and this was a challenge. We also had another athlete who was supposed to travel three days prior to when she reached. Unfortunately, she arrived the night before she competed in the early morning, and this, I believe, affected her performance,” he noted.

Though the hunt to secure sponsors remains a headache, Owen believes the organization continues to push above its weight to foster and develop talent.

“The overall support for powerlifting within the fitness community in Jamaica has been good. We had our national meets, our national qualifiers, or what we call the series, and it has been well supported, and it continues to grow year-on-year. However, we are still not at a place where powerlifting is viewed as a major sport, despite the fact that powerlifting moves are at the core of all major sports. But it's growing, and we are pleased in terms of the rapid growth over the past few years,” Owen declared.

Technical Director Jeremy Owen (left) and President Michael Blair flanks athletes.

He continued: “We're going to use the opportunity, based on the success of the team, to continue to meet with and reach out to various entities and organizations in both the private and public sectors and see if we can get that support that we so desperately need to really grow the sport and maximize its potential. Also, we're looking forward to various inter-Caribbean competitions.

“We have been speaking to various bodies across the Caribbean to see if we can have our own championship and cup to help develop the sport, not only in Jamaica but in the Caribbean, so that we can really mount a challenge to the bigger countries, such as the US, Canada, and even the European countries, so we can get closer to that level. They have decades before us, but that is not stopping us from setting high targets that we intend to reach.”

That said, Owen expressed optimism that their achievements in Scottsdale will serve as a cornerstone for future success on the international stage.

“Our goal is to be a dominant force in the world of powerlifting. In order for us to do that, some time, effort, and resources now have to be invested in starting a sub-junior and junior program, as well as a master's program. So we have been doing what you call focusing on the open class. But in order for us to really have a solid foundation, we need the youngsters, and we need those that are of a mature age to really have an overall solid team, a solid base, where iron sharpens iron, as we like to say,” he ended.

Alexis Mac Allister insisted that the principles instilled during Jurgen Klopp's tenure at Liverpool remain the same under the stewardship of Arne Slot. 

Liverpool overcame a lacklustre first half display to beat Ipswich Town on the opening day of the season courtesy of goals from Diogo Jota and Mohamed Salah. 

For large parts of the opening period, the Reds struggled to find their attacking fluidity that had come so natural during Klopp's time in the Anfield dugout. 

Liverpool managed just three shots in the first half, none of which were on target compared to their opponents' two, while also conceding 13 fouls, their most in the opening 45 minutes of a Premier League game since 2009 against Chelsea (also 13). 

Despite their slow start, Mac Allister is confident the subtle tweaks introduced by the new head coach can lead to a successful campaign for the Reds. 

"I think this manager asks more to stay in the position, and that's maybe like a different structure," Mac Allister told Liverpool's official website. 

"But the principles are the same. We know that defensively we have to run, we have to give our 100 per cent, the last two steps are so important and that can make the difference.

"There is a couple of changes, not much, but I think Arne can help us to be a better team."

Slot's side improved after the interval, producing an expected goals (xG) tally of 2.56 compared to just 0.09 in the first half, registering 15 shots, five of which were on target. 

Mac Allister's influence also grew on proceedings, with his 18 passes into the final third only being bettered by Trent Alexander-Arnold (19) and Luis Diaz (21). 

Slot put the Reds' improvement in the second period down to the winning of more duels and better exploiting of the space in behind Ipswich's back line, something which the Argentine agreed with. 

"I think it was more about the last step when we were pressing," Mac Allister analysed.

"Maybe [in the] first half we were not at 100 per cent but in the second half we showed the team we can be and we are really happy with our second-half performance.

"It was good to start with a win – it's always important. We know that we came to a tough place.

"You could see how excited they [Ipswich] were to play football, to play in the Premier League again. It was a nice game for both. I think they showed good things as well.

"But the important thing is that we got the three points."

Ajax have signed former Italy international Daniele Rugani on a season-long loan from Juventus.

The 30-year-old defender won seven caps for Italy between 2016 and 2018 but has fallen down the pecking order at Juventus and was not a regular starter.

He made just 17 appearances in Serie A last season, helping to keep four clean sheets. He won 39 of his 81 duels and won possession 44 times. 

"His arrival means a boost in experience for our relatively young defence," technical director Alex Kroes said. "This way the team will be better balanced."

Rugani is the second new recruit for Ajax following Bertrand Traore's move from Villarreal.

Ajax endured one of their worst seasons last time out, sitting bottom of the standings before rallying to finish fifth, though they conceded 61 goals in the Eredivisie. 

Their new head coach Francesco Farioli saw his side lose at promoted NAC Breda on Sunday after edging past Panathinaikos of Greece on penalties in the Europa League third qualifying round.

Erik ten Hag wants Manchester United to be difficult to beat, as they aim to build on their opening-day win over Fulham against Brighton on Saturday. 

Joshua Zirkzee made a mark on his United debut, scoring a late winner in a 1-0 win over the Cottagers to snatch three points.

It followed an up-and-down pre-season which finished with a penalty shootout defeat to Manchester City in the Community Shield.

Ten Hag has laid out high ambitions for the season and, with a team they have struggled against in recent years next up, he is keen to get United's style of play nailed down early on to set the tone for the campaign.

"The project is about building, working and constructing," Ten Hag told SuperSport.

"We talk also about what we want to achieve, and we are so highly ambitious, we want to go for the highest and do it in a certain way, playing football, so we're hard to beat, dynamic, proactive and aggressive. They are the words we want to hear after our performances."

Meanwhile, Brighton are the early leaders at the top of the Premier League after a resounding 3-0 win over Everton in their first game of the season.

It means they have now won each of their last five games including their impressive pre-season run, and despite being proud of his first game in charge, Fabian Hurzeler is not resting on his laurels.

"I'm very happy, it's a good start but nothing more, and it's important to stay humble after it," Hurzeler said.

"It's a very good feeling, but I don't want to talk about myself, the players deserved it.

"It was a good result, very intense. In the end, the clean sheet was important, and we showed attitude and character."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Brighton – Danny Welbeck

Danny Welbeck scored and assisted against Everton on the opening weekend, netting in a 15th consecutive Premier League campaign (16th overall).

He has also scored four Premier League goals against former side United, making him the highest-scoring player against the Red Devils to have previously played for them in the competition.

Manchester United – Joshua Zirkzee

Against Fulham, Joshua Zirkzee became the second player to come off the bench and score the winning goal on his Premier League debut for United, after Federico Macheda in April 2009.

The last player to score in his first two league appearances for the Red Devils was Antony in October 2022.

MATCH PREDICTION: DRAW

Brighton have won four of their last five Premier League games against United, though did lose the most recent meeting 2-0 at home on the final day of 2023-24.

The Seagulls have actually lost four of their last five Premier League games at home (winning the other), more than they had in their previous 25 at the Amex Stadium (won 14, drawn eight, lost three).

Brighton have won 10 of their 22 Premier League games in August (drawn three, lost nine). It is their highest win rate in a specific month in the competition (45%), while in no month have they won more games (also 10 in December).

United have struggled against Brighton in the Premier League, having lost 43% of their meetings with them (6/14), their highest loss rate against a single opponent in the competition's history.

Having beaten Fulham 1-0 in their opening match, United are looking to win both of their first two games in a Premier League campaign for the first time since 2017-18.

None of the 14 Premier League meetings between these sides have been drawn, with the Seagulls winning six to the Red Devils' eight. Only Manchester United against Wigan (16) has been played more often in the competition without ever finishing level.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Brighton – 38.8%

Draw – 24.6%

Manchester United – 36.6%

Chelsea have announced the signing of Joao Felix from Atletico Madrid on a permanent deal.

The winger, who played for Chelsea on loan for the second half of the 2022-23 season, has signed a six-year contract, with the option for a further year, for a fee in the region of £45million.

In his six-month spell with Chelsea in 2023, Joao Felix played 16 Premier League games, scoring four goals, finishing the season as the club's third-highest scorer in the competition.

The 24-year-old joined Atletico in 2019 from Benfica, scoring 34 goals in 131 matches in all competitions, but spent last season on loan at Barcelona.

He netted seven times for the Blaugrana in LaLiga, slightly underperforming his expected goals of 8.76, and provided three assists in the competition.

"I'm really happy to be back at Chelsea and I can't wait to get started," Joao Felix told Chelsea's website. "I can see some familiar faces from the last time I was here, which is always nice.

"I loved my time here before, and I told my friends and family that I'd love to return to the Premier League one day. To do that with Chelsea is a great feeling, and I'm excited to be back."

Chelsea opened talks with Atletico over Joao Felix following the collapse of their deal to sign Samu Omorodion. This opened the door for Conor Gallagher to go the other way, with that move also confirmed on Wednesday.

Joao Felix is the 10th signing for Chelsea in this transfer window, after Tosin Adarabioyo, Omari Kellyman, Filip Jorgensen, Marc Guiu, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Renato Veiga, Caleb Wiley, Aaron Anselmino and Pedro Neto. 

Alex Albon believes James Vowles is the right man to lead Williams back to the front of the grid and is adamant that the team is making progress this season. 

Albon, who sits 18th in the Drivers' Championship, is in his second season with the British team, who have found themselves as consistent backmarkers in recent years.

But since Vowles took over as team principal in January 2023, the future has looked brighter, helped by the arrival of Carlos Sainz from Ferrari for the 2025 campaign. 

Despite sitting ninth in the Constructors' Championship, four points ahead of Sauber, Albon is confident Vowles can lead the team back to the success they had in the 1990s. 

“James [Vowles] has brought me into it,” Albon told Autosport. “He’s very straight. He doesn’t tell you things are better than they actually are, and I like that.

"I feel like whenever something's not come to plan he tells me the areas that the team needs to work on. He tells me if there's anything I can do to help.

"He is the right man for the job and I believe in him and feel like we've got the right people."

Ahead of the Dutch Grand Prix, the 28-year-old has contested 95 races in Formula 1, all without a single win, pole position and fastest lap. 

Should he repeat that at Circuit Zandvoort this weekend, he will surpass Ukyo Katayama (also 95) and be the ninth-highest driver without achieving any of those in a Grand Prix.

Vowles' short tenure with the team, however, has set strong foundations for the future, with almost 300 new members of staff recruited, including former Alpine technical director Matt Harman. 

Williams are also primarily focusing on 2026 and beyond, when an overhaul of aerodynamic and power unit regulations could reset the grid and give current underperforming teams the chance to rapidly progress up the order.

However, that does mean sacrificing their current results for the bigger picture, something which Albon acknowledged when asked how far away the team were away from challenging for a world title. 

"If I am being totally honest, I don't see us being in position to fight for wins and titles for a while, but to do steps where we start nipping in and getting podiums and whatnot," Albon said. 

"I believe that 2026 would be difficult, but winning in '27 would be much more realistic. We've got great investment, and we're recruiting very aggressively.

"But we don't need any encouragement. With the last couple of years, especially seeing that growth that we've had – of course we're going through a tougher time of it now – but that drive and that motivation in the team, it is really enjoyable to be part of that."

Dallas Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones said there are "promising talks" happening with CeeDee Lamb regarding his contract extension.

Lamb is currently in the middle of a training camp holdout in a bid to earn a blockbuster new contract which has lasted nearly a month.

The wide receiver has so far skipped the Cowboys' mandatory minicamp in June, training camp, and preseason games against the Los Angeles Rams and the Las Vegas Raiders, totalling over $1million in fines.

On his current contract, Lamb is set to make just under $18million in 2024 but is seeking a deal that will put him among the NFL's highest-paid WRs.

According to reports, Dallas had made an offer to make him the second-highest paid behind Minnesota Vikings' Justin Jefferson, but it has not closed the gap.

Asked if he was optimistic that the two parties could agree on a deal, Jones said: "Well, I think I am and when I say that it doesn't sound too promising.

"The facts are that I believe we'll come together. I don't want to speak for him. That's what I'm trying not to do. But we wouldn't have offered him what we've offered him if we didn't want him to be here."

Lamb had 135 receptions from 181 targets through the 2023 season, which ended with the Cowboys suffering a stunning wild-card defeat to the Green Bay Packers.

Both of those figures were league highs, while only the Miami Dolphins' Tyreek Hill (1,799 yards, 13 touchdowns) bettered his 1,749 regular season receiving yards and 12 TDs.

Although Dallas narrowly lost their first preseason game against the Rams, they beat the Raiders on Sunday, with Jones admitting he was not concerned about the amount of time Lamb had missed.

"I don't mean that to be insensitive to our fans or to CeeDee, but we're in good shape there, and we are having promising talks," Jones added.

"You say, 'Well, why do you keep talking? Why don't you do something?' Again, as in anything, it takes both of you there at the same time.

"But I believe it's got the proper amount of everything - emphasis, importance - for everybody involved here, and we'll see how it goes."

The Cowboys will begin their NFL season against the Cleveland Browns on September 8.

Cole Palmer scooped the PFA's Young Player of the Year on Tuesday but emphasised that helping Chelsea win trophies is more important than individual accolades. 

Palmer, who scored 22 goals in 34 Premier League appearances in his debut season at Stamford Bridge, beat off competition from Bukayo Saka and Kobbie Mainoo to claim the award. 

The 22-year-old is the third Chelsea player to win the award after Scott Parker and Eden Hazard, signing a contract extension last month that will keep him at the club until 2023.

Palmer recorded the most goal contributions in the league last season (33), while also converting all nine of his penalties for the Blues. 

And despite missing out on the PFA Player of the Year crown to former team-mate Phil Foden, Palmer was happy to be acknowledged by his fellow professionals. 

"It is really special [to win the award] and I just want to say thank you to all of the players for recognising me," Palmer said.

"I have never really done anything like that before but it is a special award and it was a reminder to keep going no matter what. It was something I wanted to win."

Palmer was involved in Gareth Southgate's England team that reached the final of Euro 2024 last month, scoring the equaliser against Spain in the showpiece match. 

He returned to Cobham later than many of his Chelsea team-mates and played 45 minutes in their final pre-season encounter against Inter before being thrust into the starting line-up in their 2-0 defeat to Manchester City on the opening day of the new season. 

Palmer said he set the Players' Player of the Year trophy as his telephone wallpaper last season as motivation but emphasised that his focus is on team success.

"The (last) whole season was a great season for me personally and hopefully, we can kick on this season," Palmer told Sky Sports.

"I want to win trophies with Chelsea, that is the main thing, and then the individual awards are nice. It's on me to produce for Chelsea and that's what I plan to do.

"[The picture] was on my phone as a reminder every day of something to work towards so to win this award is nice."

Brian Flores says he has grown as a coach and wished Tua Tagovailoa well one day after the Miami Dolphins quarterback called out his coaching style. 

Flores, who is now the Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator, expressed his regret about how he handled their relationship when he was the head coach of the Dolphins. 

In an interview with The Dan LeBatard Show on Monday, Tagovailoa described Flores as a "terrible person" during the time they spent together between 2019 and 2022. 

Tagovailoa posted career-best figures for passes attempted (560), completed (388), passing yards (4,624) and touchdown passes (29) in 2023 and was handed a franchise-record four-year, $212.4million extension off the back of an impressive fourth season with the team.

On Tuesday, Flores addressed the situation during a session with reporters, saying: "I'm genuinely, genuinely happy for the success that Tua has had and I really wish him nothing but the best. 

Flores said he's done a lot of reflecting since hearing the comments and admitted he had some faults in Miami, although he did not say anything said by Tagovailoa was untrue.

"I think part of coaching is correcting," Flores said. "I'm always going to correct. I'm always going to have a high standard.

"And I think, look, I've done a lot of reflecting on the situation, reflecting on the situation and communication."

"I think there's things that I could do better for sure, and I've grown in that way, and I've tried to apply the things that I could do better and the things that I've learned over the last two, three years.

"But I would say over the long haul, I've had a lot of great relationships over my 21-year career here in the league. Players, coaches, personnel, equipment, people in the kitchen.

"I mean really across the board, I've had a lot of great relationships. I'm going to continue to do that, but I'm also always looking to get better and involved."

Lewis Hamilton is hopeful Mercedes can continue their strong form heading into the second half of the Formula 1 season but played down the possibility of challenging for the Drivers' Championship. 

Hamilton, who has scored the most points in the last five races (95), currently sits sixth in the standings, 127 points behind leader Max Verstappen. 

After a slow start to the season, Mercedes have seen a rapid turnaround in fortunes, picking up more points than any team since the Monaco Grand Prix in May. 

The 39-year-old earned victories at Silverstone and Spa, while team-mate George Russell also won at the Austrian Grand Prix to close the gap to Ferrari in the Constructors' Championship. 

With the Dutch Grand Prix this weekend, Hamilton has the chance to record four consecutive podiums for the first time since 2022 between Canada and Hungary (five) but acknowledged the difficulty of potentially challenging for an eighth world title. 

“No. It would be high hopes,” Hamilton said. “But, I mean, if we can continue this kind of performance as we've had the last few races, which has been fantastic.

"I think if we can start our weekends off a little bit better, hopefully we can continue.

“I think, obviously, the McLaren was very strong [in Belgium], we were just a bit further ahead early on [in the race], but yeah, we’ve just got to keep pushing.”

The final 10 races of the season will mark Hamilton's last as a Mercedes driver before his switch to Ferrari to link up with Charles Leclerc for the 2025 campaign. 

For Russell, he is yet to find out who will be lining up on the grid with him next season, with Prema Racing's Kimi Antonelli the frontrunner to replace Hamilton. 

The 26-year-old finds himself eighth in the Drivers' Championship, missing out on victory in Belgium after being disqualified when his car was found to be underweight.

However, the Silver Arrows' recent form has given Russell confidence about their chances of a consistent title push in 2025. 

“I think for all of us, it's been a difficult couple of years getting the car into a place where we can consistently fight for victories," Russell said. 

"But I'm so motivated, so excited for the second half of the season, which is ultimately building up towards 2025.

“And when you look at the competition now, there's no reason why we can't fight.

If the season started in Montreal, the championship standings would be looking very, very different, so, it's going to be great.

“I think there's so much motivation from all the other teams to get back to the front, from McLaren, from Ferrari, from ourselves.

"So for sure, it's not going to be easy, and hopefully we see a good fight on our hands into next year.”

Villarreal have signed Brazilian goalkeeper Luiz Junior from Portuguese club Famalicao, the LaLiga side announced on Tuesday.

Junior, who kept eight clean sheets in 33 Liga Portugal appearances last season, has signed a six-year deal for a reported £10.2m transfer fee. 

The 23-year-old made 111 saves last year, a total only bettered by Boavista's Joao Goncalves (112) and Farense's Ricardo Velho (140). 

He conceded 39 times in the league, averaging a save percentage of 73.47%, the second highest of any goalkeeper to make over 30 appearances last year.

Junior made 140 appearances for Famalicao, keeping 42 clean sheets and conceding 178 goals across his four-year stint with the club. 

The Brazilian will replace Filip Jorgensen at Villarreal, who joined Chelsea last month in a £20.7m deal on a seven-year contract. 

Villarreal return to LaLiga action on Friday following their opening day draw with Atletico Madrid at the Estadio de la Ceramica, travelling to take on Sevilla. 

Aaron Rodgers said he feels ready for the new NFL season with the New York Jets after enduring "one of the hardest training camps in the last eight years" of his career. 

Quarterback Rodgers, who is returning from an Achilles injury that forced him to miss much of 2023, was told by head coach Robert Saleh to expect a tough preseason. 

And speaking to reporters after practice on Tuesday, the 40-year-old insisted that Saleh had lived up to his word. 

"I would say the camp is much harder this year and maybe the hardest in the last seven or eight of my career," Rodgers said. 

According to Saleh, the Jets have completed 300 more practice reps than they had at this point last season as they look to end their longest ever playoff drought. 

The 45-year-old is under increasing pressure to deliver this time around after totalling a record of 18-33 in his first three seasons in charge. 

While Rodgers said there are different philosophies on the benefits and risks of a rigorous training camp, the four-time MVP said he personally enjoyed the experience.

"Some of the older players are enjoying the - to steal a coaching word - the 'callus' part of training camp, where you're grinding," Rodgers said.

"Some people believe that, although it puts more strain on you in training camp, it actually gets you more ready to play when the season starts.

"And some people believe the opposite. You know how it goes. Whatever teams are having success, people kind of look at their schedule and go, 'Let's do that.'"

The Jets conclude their preseason against the New York Giants, having won their previous such fixtures against the Washington Commanders and Carolina Panthers.

Rodgers has not featured during the preseason, and it is expected he will also miss out against the Giants, although Saleh has yet to confirm his plans for the 40-year-old. 

They open the new season against the San Francisco 49ers, and Rodgers said he feels ready for the new campaign after putting in extra work during the training camp. 

"I feel good about where I am with my body and what I've put together," he said.

"I feel like I've done different things throughout camp as far as the rollouts, roll out and pulling up, getting out of the pocket and making plays, going back across my body, pump-faking and extending plays and getting some yards. I feel like I've done a lot."

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