Antonio Brown

The Cowboys led 29-28 with seven seconds on the clock at Raymond Jones Stadium – the home of the Buccaneers and the scene of their Super Bowl LV triumph in February.

But after Brady led an 11-play, 57-yard drive, Ryan Succop stepped up to convert the last-gasp field goal as the Buccaneers opened the 2021 season with a win.

It was another memorable outing for seven-time Super Bowl champion Brady (43), who passed Drew Brees for most career passing touchdowns in season openers in NFL history.

Brady completed 32 of 50 passes for 379 yards, four touchdowns and two interceptions as the 44-year-old quarterback fuelled the Buccaneers.

Cowboys counterpart Dak Prescott – back on the field for the first time since his season-ending ankle injury in Week 5 of the 2020 season – was 42-for-58 passing, with 403 yards, three TDs and one interception.

Prescott has had 400-plus yards in four games since the start of last season – the most by any player in the NFL.

The Buccaneers and Cowboys traded touchdowns in the opening quarter – Brady finding Chris Godwin before Prescott's 22-yard pass was caught by CeeDee Lamb inside the final two minutes.

Brady and Rob Gronkowski connected for a touchdown as the Buccaneers reclaimed the lead and while Prescott's TD pass to Amari Cooper and a Greg Zuerlein field goal put Dallas ahead, Tampa Bay had the last say before half-time – Antonio Brown on the end of a 47-yard throw.

There was history made in the third quarter as Brady and Gronkowski combined for their 100th touchdown, the star pair joining Hall of Famers Peyton Manning and Marvin Harrison (114) in the 100 club.

With his 22nd career game with multiple receiving TDs, Gronkowski broke a tie with Antonio Gates for most games by a tight end in the Super Bowl era and moved into a tie for sixth in any position.

Dallas only trailed 28-26 entering the final period thanks to Cooper's second TD and the visitors took the lead with just over a minute remaining via another Zuerlein field goal, but Succop and the Buccaneers were not to be denied.

Freed from the rainy confines of Foxborough and away from the defensive scheming of his old boss Bill Belichick, Tom Brady and the Buccaneers routed a Miami Dolphins team whose rebuild appears poised to come crashing down 45-17 to improve to 4-1 on the season.

Back in the Florida sunshine, it was very much a return to business as usual for the Bucs, but, for Tampa Bay, business as usual is looking steadily more remarkable.

Speaking after Sunday's game, running back Leonard Fournette said: "Prior to the third quarter Rich [Richard Sherman] came up to me and said, 'Man, I've never been part of a team with so much talent.'

"And I'm telling him like, and excuse my language, but this s*** is different."

It is tough to disagree with Fournette's assessment of the Super Bowl champions. When performing at their peak, the Bucs appear to be on a different level to almost every team in the NFL.

They were several leagues above their in-state neighbours at the weekend, with the gulf in class illustrated by a rapport between Brady and arguably the NFL's premier group of wide receivers that appears to be growing ever stronger.

Brady heading for more history

Brady finished with 411 yards passing and five touchdowns against the Dolphins for a 144.4 passer rating, tying Peyton Manning with his ninth career game with at least five touchdown passes. Only Drew Brees (11) has more in NFL history.

It was his 36th game with at least four touchdown passes, taking him past Manning (35) and one shy of Brees. Brees (16), Manning (14) and Dan Marino (13) are the only players with more 400 passing-yard games than Brady's 12.

A 62-yard touchdown pass to Antonio Brown marked Brady's 45th of 50 or more yards, moving him level with Brees and John Hadl for the third most in league history. Johnny Unitas (51) and Manning (46) stand ahead of him in that regard.

Leading the league in passing yards (1,767) and second in passing touchdowns (15) and plays of 25 yards or more (16), Brady will be a strong bet to keep moving up those lists, provided he and his wideouts continue operating at a level that left a Dolphins defense known for producing momentum-stopping takeaways powerless to stem the tide.

Pressure? What pressure?

Brady delivered an accurate well-thrown ball on 81.6 per cent of his pass attempts against Miami. The average for the week heading into Monday was 81.7, but Brady was close to that mark while also averaging 10.53 air yards per attempt.

Only two quarterbacks who averaged more air yards had a better well-thrown percentage. Russell Wilson was accurate on 93.3 per cent with 12.00 air yards per attempt before his injury, and Josh Allen was on target 87.5 per cent of the time with an average of 12.46 air yards.

It was under pressure where Brady stood out in Week 5, as his first of two touchdown hookups with Brown saw him stand in against the interior rush and deliver a perfectly timed ball to the former Pittsburgh Steeler on a crossing route despite falling away from the throw.

Brown was able to collect the pass in stride, racing into open space to find the endzone and give the Bucs a 17-10 lead they never looked like relinquishing.

Arguably as impressive was Brady's 34-yard bomb to Mike Evans. The first of two touchdown catches for Evans, Brady dropped a downfield shot into the bucket despite dealing with late-arriving pressure from the backside and Byron Jones being in phase in good trail position covering the receiver.

Brady was accurate on four of his five attempts under pressure, on which he averaged 9.80 air yards, with his release time of 2.41 seconds on those passes the second-fastest in the NFL.

In a league increasingly dominated by quarterbacks who can escape pressure with their legs, Brady is a 44-year-old statue winning through his mind and his arm operating at a faster speed than everyone else on the field while continuing to demonstrate remarkable placement on throws that seemed beyond him as recently as 2019.

Part of the credit for his success, though, must be attributed to a receiving corps firmly living up to its reputation.

Business booming for AB and Co.

Evans, Brown and Chris Godwin can each be considered elite options at the wideout position, and their status in that regard was further solidified in a game where the Bucs shredded the opposing defense despite Brady being without a tight end in Rob Gronkowski who is averaging a big play on 57.0 per cent of his targets.

Brown finished with seven receptions for 124 yards and his two scores, becoming the fastest player to reach 900 catches as he took his tally to 906 in 143 career games, breaking the record set by Marvin Harrison (149 games).

He also became the fifth player in league history to reach 12,000 receiving yards in fewer than 150 games and, while Brown may never reach the levels he demonstrated during his time in Pittsburgh, he is undoubtedly worthy of Brady's increasing faith in him.

Producing a burn – when a receiver wins his matchup with a defender on a play where he is targeted – 69.0 per cent of the time, Brown is tied-third among receivers with at least 20 targets with his 5.3 burn yards per route.

Evans, meanwhile, is seventh on the list of receivers who meet that same threshold with a big play on 41.7 per cent of his targets, and Godwin – the quietest of the trio versus Miami with seven catches for 70 yards – is fifth in burn percentage for receivers with a 20-target minimum, winning his matchup on 74.4 per cent of targets.

Godwin's average depth of target of 8.3 yards speaks to a receiver who is working more as an underneath option while Evans (14.2) and Brown (13.9) are being relied on to produce the more explosive plays downfield.

Yet when performing at the standard they showcased on Sunday, the nature of their deployment is almost immaterial. With three receivers who could be number one targets on most teams in the NFL and a quarterback whose arm and ability to process are seemingly unaffected by the passage of time, a Bucs offense that is clicking is a near-impossible one to stop.

Any notion of a short stay in Tampa being akin to a Florida retirement home for Brady has long since been dispelled. With an embarrassment of riches at receiver, he is continually polishing a legacy that glistens more than any other in league history. With more offensive performances like his 400-yard blitz of the Dolphins, he may end the year buffing up an eighth Lombardi Trophy.

Brown's agent confirmed to NFL Network that the deal is done, with the 32-year-old to be fully guaranteed $3.1m.

After winning the Super Bowl in their first season with Tom Brady as quarterback, the Bucs had already impressively found a way to bring back all 22 of their starters in the offseason.

That included free agents Shaquil Barrett, Rob Gronkowski and Ndamukong Suh, along with Chris Godwin, who was handed the franchise tag.

Brown – who had 45 catches for 483 yards and four touchdowns in eight regular season games last year – was the most significant remaining player yet to agree terms.

Both sides had indicated a willingness to prolong their partnership and financial negotiations have now been concluded one day before the NFL Draft, where the Bucs appear to have the luxury of going into the process without a major need on their roster. 

Mike Evans, Godwin and Brown make up three elite receiving options for Brady, with second-year pro Tyler Johnson a candidate to make a step forward in 2021 and Scotty Miller also in the rotation.

Gronkowski, O.J. Howard and Cameron Brate also make up a star-studded tight end room, as Brady – who will turn 44 before the new season begins – looks to win an eighth Super Bowl with a stellar supporting cast.

Brown spent the first nine years of his career with the Pittsburgh Steelers and was a five-time All-Pro selection – four of those in the first team – and a seven-time Pro Bowler.

As he battled legal problems, brief and turbulent spells with the New England Patriots and Las Vegas Raiders followed before reuniting with Brady in Tampa provided him with the chance to resurrect his NFL career, a process which began with a first Super Bowl crown in February.

Brown had five catches for 22 yards and a TD in the Bucs' surprisingly convincing 31-9 triumph over Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs.

Brown has missed Tampa Bay's last two games due to an ankle injury, while Gronkowski is battling to overcome back spasms that flared up in the loss to the New Orleans Saints on October 31.

Super Bowl champions the Buccaneers are coming off the bye and practiced on Monday, though neither Brown nor Gronkowski were involved.

"I think you still have to worry a little bit about Gronk and I don't know if AB is going to be back," Arians told reporters.

"And Carlton [Davis III] will stay on IR [injured reserve]. We'll see if those other two guys are game-ready.

"It's one thing to practice, it's another thing to throw them out there in a game."

Gronkowski had four touchdown receptions in the season's first two games and 16 grabs overall prior to suffering his initial rib injury in Week 3 before missing four games.

Brown's average of 83.6 receiving yards per game is highest among all Buccaneers pass-catchers.

The Buccaneers (6-2) lead the NFL in points scored per game (32.5) and passing yards per game (327.5).

The Bucs duo were banned without pay for three games each for violating the NFL's COVID-19 protocols after misrepresenting their vaccination statuses, along with free agent John Franklin III.

Arians had said when Brown joined the franchise in October last year that if he "screws up one time, he's gone" after a dotted off-field history.

However, the Bucs have not made any decisions on his future following his latest misdemeanour.

“It pisses me off,” Arians said, via JoeBucsFan.com.

When speaking at a Friday news conference, Arians added: "Obviously we have two guys suspended. The league did their due diligence and we move on.

"I will not address those guys for the next three weeks. They'll just be working out and we'll address their future at that time. Other than that, there's really nothing to say."

Brown's former personal chef claimed last month that the wide receiver had obtained a fake COVID-19 vaccination card during the offseason.

When pressed further on Brown and Edwards' futures, Arians said: "Nothing's been decided, no."

Wide receiver Brown had been expected to miss Tampa Bay's next two games due to an ankle injury that has kept him out since Week 7. Brown has 29 receptions for 418 yards and four touchdowns in five games this NFL season.

A story from the Tampa Bay Times featured the allegation that wide receiver Brown was willing to pay his former live-in chef Steven Ruiz $500 if he could obtain a vaccine card for the NFL star.

The report says Ruiz was unable to secure cards but claimed he was later shown fake documentation by Brown.

NFL spokesperson Brian McCarthy said in a statement: "We are aware of the report and have been in contact with the club. We will review the matter."

While players in the NFL do not have to be vaccinated in order to play, those who are not jabbed face stricter restrictions under the league's protocols put in place to limit the spread of the coronavirus.

Brown's attorney, Sean Burstyn, was quoted by NFL Network reporter Ian Rapoport as saying "be like Antonio Brown and get the vaccine", and insisted his client is indeed vaccinated against COVID-19.

Defending Super Bowl champions the Bucs have now also reacted to the claims.

A team statement read: "After an extensive educational process conducted throughout our organisation this past offseason highlighting the benefit of COVID-19 vaccines, we received completed vaccination cards from all Tampa Bay Buccaneers players and submitted the required information to the NFL through the established process in accordance with league policy.

"All vaccination cards were reviewed by Buccaneers personnel and no irregularities were observed."

Brown missed the Bucs' week three game against the Los Angeles Rams after testing positive for COVID-19. He featured in the team's following three games before being sidelined by an ankle injury.

Brown reunites with Tom Brady in Tampa Bay after the All-Pro wide receiver was released by the New England Patriots in September last year. 

The seven-time Pro Bowler has been banned for eight games due to "multiple violations of the NFL's personal conduct policy", meaning the 32-year-old will not be eligible to return until Week 9. 

Brown only made one appearance for the Patriots, having been previously released by the Las Vegas Raiders, recording 56 yards and a touchdown as he briefly teamed up with Brady. 

Legendary quarterback and six-time Super Bowl champion Brady has since joined the Buccaneers – who he has guided to a 5-2 record this season.

Having entered the league with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Brown has amassed 11,263 receiving yards and caught 75 touchdowns in his career from 103 starts in 131 games. 

Brown ranks second in the NFL since debuting in 2010 for receptions and receiving yards and third in touchdown catches – first among wideouts. 

The only players with more touchdown catches since 2010 are tight ends Rob Gronkowski – who now plays for the Buccaneers – and Jimmy Graham. 

Brown has made 10 postseason appearances, tallying 51 catches for 837 yards and four TDs, while his last four playoff clashes saw him record 441 receiving yards and four touchdowns. 

Meanwhile, Buccaneers wideout Chris Godwin is set to miss the Week 8 showdown with the struggling New York Giants after reportedly undergoing surgery on a fractured left index finger. 

Godwin has already missed games this season due to concussion and a hamstring injury.

Having apologised over issues that have kept him out of the NFL since September, Brown asked if he should fight Paul.

A YouTuber, Paul lost to KSI in a bout which attracted plenty of interest in Los Angeles in November last year.

On Saturday, Brown tweeted: "Should I fight @LoganPaul for 4.1m with possibly 8.2m raise?! I'll donate proceeds to charity...he keep coming at me about this non-stop."

Paul responded: "If you do, I'll match your donation."

Brown apologised to the NFL following a series of alleged off-field incidents as he played just one game in the league in 2019.

Wide receiver Brown has been without a team since he was cut by the New England Patriots after just 11 days in September amid allegations of sexual assault and rape, which he strenuously denies.

The seven-time Pro Bowler played just one game for the Patriots, who he joined from the Oakland Raiders after leaving the Pittsburgh Steelers in March last year.

An arrest warrant was issued for the 31-year-old last week on charges of burglary with battery and criminal mischief, with a judge freeing Brown from house arrest on Tuesday.

Brown, 32, was released by the New England Patriots in September last year amid sexual assault allegations he has denied.

Jackson worked out with Brown in April, and remains hopeful the Ravens will sign the seven-time Pro Bowler.

"I was hoping we would get him. I'm still hoping – a little bit," the Ravens quarterback told reporters on Wednesday.

"Around us, he was a great guy. You don't really see anything going on at all. He's a cool, down-to-earth guy and he's passionate about the sport of football.

"When he was working, you could tell, this man, he's going to go 24/7. And after the workout, he still went and lifted. He already – prior to the workout – he lifted.

"We go out there and go to throwing routes, after that, guys went and lifted some more. I'm like, 'Man, this guy, there's no quitting with him.' That's the type of guy we need in our locker room. And I feel like the locker room here is different from any other locker room. It's like a brotherhood going on. It's none of that outside noise; it's strictly inside.

"We worry about each other; we worry about what we have going on. We want to win, and I can just tell in him that he wants to win. He wants to play ball."

The Ravens are scheduled to begin their NFL season against the Cleveland Browns on September 13.

Paul called out Brown last month and the seven-time Pro Bowler appeared keen on the idea of a fight as he replied telling the YouTuber to "square up" while revealing he intended to enlist the help of former five-weight world champion Floyd Mayweather Jr.

While current free agent Brown has yet to swap the gridiron for a boxing ring, Paul has donned the gloves already for two fights against fellow vlogger KSI, who won their rematch in November after the first contest ended in a draw.

Asked by TMZ whether he genuinely wanted to return to the ring to fight Brown, Paul replied: "I'm f***ing serious, bro. You know how serious I take fighting.

"I love talking smack; I also love backing it up."

Brown has not played an NFL snap since the middle of September and experienced a tumultuous 2019.

The former Pittsburgh Steelers wide-out was traded to the Oakland Raiders in March but never played a down for them as he was released following a series of controversies.

He then wound up in New England but was cut after just one Patriots game amid allegations of sexual assault and rape.

Paul believes fighting him would give the out-of-work Brown a renewed focus.

"I think we might be closer than anyone expected, than even we expected," Paul added.

"In my mind, this whole thing seems...They say if it's too good to be true it probably is. In my mind, I'm getting that feeling because I genuinely do not know how serious AB is.

"Coming from a person who was in a s*** position after Tokyo [when Paul was criticised for posting a video showing the body of an apparent suicide victim], and in many ways the KSI fight gave me a purpose, I think this would do that for Antonio Brown, give him a nice payday, give him a chance to redeem himself.

"It would be one of the greatest events of 2020."

Tampa improved to 6-2 on the season with a hard-fought 25-23 win over the New York Giants on Monday, pushing them a game ahead of the New Orleans Saints at the top of the NFC South.

Next up is a clash between the division's top two on Sunday - and Tampa are set to be boosted by having Brown available.

The 32-year-old, a seven-time Pro Bowler, has not played since Week 2 of the 2019 season when he was briefly with the New England Patriots. He has been serving an eight-game ban at the start of this campaign, which has now been completed.

Evans is hopeful Brown can make an immediate impact for his new team - and also help make his job a little easier out on the field too.

Asked about the addition during his post-game interview with ESPN, Evans said: "Perfect. Perfect. He's an unbelievable receiver, one of the best of all-time, and he's going to help us a lot.

"Hopefully, he can take some double teams off me and make some plays, just like he always has."

The Bucs had appeared in danger of being on the wrong end of a shock result when they trailed the Giants 14-6 at half-time, but hit back to win for a second successive week on the road.

Evans caught an eight-yard pass from quarterback Tom Brady to put the visitors 22-17 ahead in New York, continuing the pair's strong connection when it comes to scoring touchdowns.

"Whenever we get a one-on-one opportunity in the red zone, he [Brady] likes to try and find me. He threw a great ball [for the touchdown]," Evans, who now has six TD catches for the season, said.

"When you come to work every day and work hard, you want the results to be 'Ws' [wins]. It's finally paying off and we just have to keep stacking them."

With fellow wideout Chris Godwin sidelined, Evans finished as the leading receiver for Tampa Bay. He had five catches for 55 yards, including that pivotal fourth-quarter touchdown.

Still, the Bucs had to repel a two-point conversion attempt from the Giants, who are now 1-7, in the closing seconds that would have levelled the scores.

"We got hit in the mouth - and credit to [Giants head coach] Joe Judge, as he had his team ready and they played their tails off - but we made enough plays to win the game," Tampa head coach Bruce Arians told the media after the game.

"You should never apologise for winning. I thought we were slow to start offensively. Defensively, I don't like to see people run the ball on us, but we made the plays that counted."

The 34-year-old former Tampa Bay Buccaneers, New England Patriots, Oakland Raiders and Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver had been involved in an incident on November 29 involving a woman.

Brown had been accused of throwing a shoe at the woman and trying to evict her from the home by locking her out, leading to an arrest warrant being issued.

The prosecutors, however, have decided against pursuing the case after reviewing the charges contained in the affidavit and notice to appear, after new investigation from the woman who recanted her previous allegations.

Brown has not been on an NFL roster since being released by the Bucs in early January after he jogged off the field mid-game against the New York Jets. He removed his jersey and pads and left the field, jumping in the endzone and waving to fans before running down the tunnel and subsequently leaving the stadium in an Uber.

Brown – a free agent – will serve an eight-game suspension after breaching the NFL's personal conduct policy following a January incident in Florida.

The 32-year-old wide receiver is looking for a new home after being cut by the New England Patriots, who axed Brown after just 11 days and one game in September.

Seattle have emerged as a possible destination and Carroll addressed the Seahawks' rumoured interest in Brown on Monday.

"What I'd say to you is what we always say because it's what we always do and who we are," Carroll said.

"[General manager] John [Schneider] is competing at every turn. There's never been a process, unless we just missed it, that we weren't involved with to understand what the chances were of helping our club.

"He's all over it. He understands what's going on right now, as much as you can. It's a very complex situation.

"We just need to see where it fits somewhere down the road. That's all I got for you."

Having entered the league with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2010, Brown has amassed 11,263 receiving yards and caught 75 touchdowns in his career.

Carroll, meanwhile, said the Seahawks are "very open" to reuniting with star wide receiver Josh Gordon.

Gordon was banned indefinitely in December for violations of the NFL's policies on performance-enhancing substances and substances of abuse.

A Pro Bowler, Gordon – who would become an unrestricted free agent if and when he is reinstated – made five appearances for the Seahawks last season after he was released by the Patriots in November.

"It's not in our hands," Carroll said. "Josh did a really good job with us last year. He fit in really well. He was part of this team by the way we opened and embraced his coming to us but also by the way he adapted.

"So we are very open to that thought and we'll see what happens. I don't know. I can't tell you what's going to happen on that."

The Seahawks have been linked with All-Pro wide receiver Brown, who was released by the New England Patriots in September last year amid sexual assault allegations he has denied.

Brown – a seven-time Pro Bowler – has been banned for eight games due to "multiple violations of the NFL's personal conduct policy".

Wilson was asked about Brown and he told reporters on Thursday: "Most of the conversations I've had with most his former team-mates and stuff like that said that he worked hard every day.

"He came ready and I think he had a bad year or two there that didn't go the way you want it to.

"I think that with our culture and how our culture is, with coach [Pete] Carroll, with the teammates that we have, the men that we have and the growth, I think, if he does play football, I think this is a great place. If he does play again, I think this is a place that he'll grow a lot as a man as well."

"I think Antonio definitely has taken those steps [in the right direction] and like I said, nobody's perfect," Wilson said. "From the conversations I've had with him, he's really been remorseful and just he's been humbled along the way. Like I said, I pray that he can continue to grow, just like anybody."

Having entered the league with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2010, Brown has amassed 11,263 receiving yards and caught 75 touchdowns in his career.

Brown only made one appearance for the Patriots, having been previously released by the Las Vegas Raiders, recording 56 yards and a touchdown.

Wilson, whose Seahawks are first in the NFC West with a perfect 5-0 record, added: "I think the reality about Antonio is he is one of the best players to play this game obviously.

"I think that he has always been a special player in terms of [on] the field. The reality with Antonio is, he's had some tough moments in his life, especially as of late. I think he's gone through a lot of things he wishes he could take back and do, and just not say, whatever it might be.

"But I think he is a special player, for sure. I don't know what's going to happen with him or not. I don't know how serious it is us getting him or not. But I do know that obviously he can play some football. I think that's the thing.

"I've developed a personal relationship with him, and not everybody is perfect. And I think that's the reality, none of us are. So hopefully he gets to play football again."

"I think we've been great all year," Wilson continued. "I think you're always trying to look to see how can we get better, how can we get better in every way."

The defeat for the Ravens, who were without quarterback Lamar Jackson for the third straight game, leaves them perilously close to slipping out of the Wild Card hunt after their fifth consecutive loss.

Justin Tucker's field goal had put the Ravens up 19-14 with 4:33 left but Stafford launched a game-winning 75-yard drive to overhaul the deficit.

Stafford completed a 15-yard pass to Tyler Higbee and a 24-yarder to Cooper Kupp, before finding Odell Beckham Jr twice in a row, with the latter being the decisive TD.

The Rams QB finished with 26 of 35 passes for two touchdowns but also two interceptions, including a Chuck Clark first-quarter pick six, as well as a sack.

Clark's TD was the Ravens' only for the game, as QB Tyler Huntley completed 20 of 32 passes for 197 yards.

Rams running back Sony Michel had 19 carries for 74 yards including a TD along with wide receiver Kupp with six receptions for 95 yards and one touchdown.

Over a month ago the Ravens had been 8-3 and looking good for the AFC top seed but now they are scrapping for a playoffs spot after a series of narrow defeats and desperate for Jackson's return.

Carlson field goal gives Raiders edge in Wild Card race

The Las Vegas Raiders claimed a crucial last-gasp win from Daniel Carlson's 33-yard field goal in the AFC Wild Card race with a 23-20 victory over the Indianapolis Colts.

Colts quarterback Carson Wentz cleared protocols for the game but completed 16 of 27 passes for 148 yards and one touchdown, while running back Jonathan Taylor had one TD from 20 carries for 108 yards, with the defeat marking the first this season when he has rushed more than 100 yards.

The Raiders pipped the Colts in the final quarter, trailing 17-13 at the final break with QB Derek Carr hitting Hunter Renfrow on a fourth-down play for a TD, before Michael Badgley squared the game with a 41-yard field goal, only for Carlson to win it with one from 33 yards as time expired. The Raiders improve to 9-7, pulling ahead of the 9-7 Colts in the AFC Wild Card race.

Bengals clinch maiden AFC North title

The Cincinnati Bengals clinched their first-ever AFC North title as Evan McPherson kicked a late 20-yard field goal to secure a 34-31 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs.

Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase set an NFL rookie record and franchise record with 266 yards and three touchdowns on 11 catches, while QB Joe Burrow threw 30 of 39 passes for 446 yards and four touchdowns.

Burrow got the better of opposing QB Patrick Mahomes who completed 26 of 35 passes for 259 yards and two touchdowns as the Chiefs, who have already won the AFC West title, moved to 11-5.

Brady cool after Brown meltdown

Tom Brady was cool in a crisis after Antonio Brown stormed off the field as the NFC South-winning Tampa Bay Buccaneers rallied to win 28-24 over the New York Jets.

Brady completed 34 of 50 attempts for 410 yards and three touchdowns, including leading them on a 93-yard drive in the final minutes to clinch the victory.

The game was marred after Brown's meltdown, storming off the field in the third quarter with the Bucs 24-10 down, with head coach Bruce Arians confirming "he is no longer a Buc" after the game.

The defeat for the Ravens, who were without quarterback Lamar Jackson for the third straight game, leaves them perilously close to slipping out of the Wild Card hunt after their fifth consecutive loss.

Justin Tucker's field goal had put the Ravens up 19-14 with 4:33 left but Stafford launched a game-winning 75-yard drive to overhaul the deficit.

Stafford completed a 15-yard pass to Tyler Higbee and a 24-yarder to Cooper Kupp, before finding Odell Beckham Jr twice in a row, with the latter being the decisive TD.

The Rams QB finished with 26 of 35 passes for two touchdowns but also two interceptions, including a Chuck Clark first-quarter pick six, as well as a sack.

Clark's TD was the Ravens' only for the game, as QB Tyler Huntley completed 20 of 32 passes for 197 yards.

Rams running back Sony Michel had 19 carries for 74 yards including a TD along with wide receiver Kupp with six receptions for 95 yards and one touchdown.

Over a month ago the Ravens had been 8-3 and looking good for the AFC top seed but now they are scrapping for a playoffs spot after a series of narrow defeats and desperate for Jackson's return.

Carlson field goal gives Raiders edge in Wild Card race

The Las Vegas Raiders claimed a crucial last-gasp win from Daniel Carlson's 33-yard field goal in the AFC Wild Card race with a 23-20 victory over the Indianapolis Colts.

Colts quarterback Carson Wentz cleared protocols for the game but completed 16 of 27 passes for 148 yards and one touchdown, while running back Jonathan Taylor had one TD from 20 carries for 108 yards, with the defeat marking the first this season when he has rushed more than 100 yards.

The Raiders pipped the Colts in the final quarter, trailing 17-13 at the final break with QB Derek Carr hitting Hunter Renfrow on a fourth-down play for a TD, before Michael Badgley squared the game with a 41-yard field goal, only for Carlson to win it with one from 33 yards as time expired. The Raiders improve to 9-7, pulling ahead of the 9-7 Colts in the AFC Wild Card race.

Bengals clinch maiden AFC North title

The Cincinnati Bengals clinched their first-ever AFC North title as Evan McPherson kicked a late 20-yard field goal to secure a 34-31 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs.

Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase set an NFL rookie record and franchise record with 266 yards and three touchdowns on 11 catches, while QB Joe Burrow threw 30 of 39 passes for 446 yards and four touchdowns.

Burrow got the better of opposing QB Patrick Mahomes who completed 26 of 35 passes for 259 yards and two touchdowns as the Chiefs, who have already won the AFC West title, moved to 11-5.

Brady cool after Brown meltdown

Tom Brady was cool in a crisis after Antonio Brown stormed off the field as the NFC South-winning Tampa Bay Buccaneers rallied to win 28-24 over the New York Jets.

Brady completed 34 of 50 attempts for 410 yards and three touchdowns, including leading them on a 93-yard drive in the final minutes to clinch the victory.

The game was marred after Brown's meltdown, storming off the field in the third quarter with the Bucs 24-10 down, with head coach Bruce Arians confirming "he is no longer a Buc" after the game.

Seven-time Pro Bowler Brown has not played a down in the NFL since September, when he was cut by the New England Patriots after just 11 days amid allegations of sexual assault and rape.

The NFL launched an investigation into those accusations and suggested Brown, who had a try-out with the New Orleans Saints in December, would be placed on the commissioner's exempt list - barring him from playing until the probe was concluded - should he sign for another team.

Last week an arrest warrant was issued for the 31-year-old on charges of burglary with battery and criminal mischief, with a judge freeing Brown from house arrest on Tuesday.

Goodell was asked for an update on the NFL's investigation into Brown on Wednesday at his annual pre-Super Bowl address, and he was keen to stress the player's mental state is of paramount importance.

"I think [with] Antonio's situation, I think the first thing, for all of us, is to talk about the well-being of Antonio, to understand what Antonio is going through," Goodell said.

"We don't talk about the wellness of our players publicly but I would tell you that you can be sure that the NFL and NFLPA have a tremendous amount of resources that are available to all players. They are going to be made available to Antonio.

"We want to help get him on the right track and get him in a position where he is in a zone where he thinks he can be successful in life.

"We are confident that can happen. We want to work to do that. From our standpoint, that's the first step - making sure we're doing everything to help Antonio."

In a blockbuster showdown pitting 43-year-old great Brady against reigning Super Bowl MVP Mahomes – the face of NFL's new generation – it was the veteran quarterback who came out on top in a masterclass on Sunday.

Brady – already the record-holder with six previous Super Bowl victories – threw three touchdown passes, including two to trusted team-mate Rob Gronkowski, after completing 21 of 29 throws for 201 yards and no interceptions as the Buccaneers claimed their first Lombardi Trophy since the 2002 campaign.

With the memorable victory in his first season with the Buccaneers, Brady joined MLB first baseman Johnny Mize (1950s New York Yankees) and NHL goaltender Johnny Bower (1960s Toronto Maple Leafs) as the only players to win four championships aged 37 or older. 

Brady also followed in the footsteps of Hall of Famer Peyton Manning as the only players in NFL history to win Super Bowls with two different teams.

It was a night to forget for Mahomes and the Chiefs after the Kansas City signal-caller finished 26-of-49 passing for 270 yards, no touchdowns, two interceptions and three sacks, Tampa Bay's defense stifling Andy Reid's men.

There were plenty of storylines in Tampa – Brady featuring in his fifth Super Bowl since turning 37, tying the most appearances in a championship game/series by any player in any major North American sport, alongside NBA Hall of Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and MLB great Roger Clemens, while he is only one of three athletes in North American sport to make three championship appearances aged 40 or older.

Led by Mahomes, the Chiefs were looking to become the first team to win back-to-back Super Bowls since Brady and the New England Patriots in the 2003 and 2004 seasons.

Sarah Thomas also made history as the NFL's first female Super Bowl official at Raymond James Stadium, where the Buccaneers became the first home team to stage a showpiece and Brady overcame an early sack in the first quarter.

Mahomes came close to throwing a touchdown pass to Tyreek Hill, instead a field goal getting the Chiefs on the board before Brady and the Buccaneers took control.

Brady led an impressive eight-play, 75-yard drive that resulted in a TD pass to a familiar face – Gronkowski – with 37 seconds remaining in the opening quarter as the pair surpassed Joe Montana and Jerry Rice (12) for the most touchdowns by any quarterback-receiver combo in postseason history with their 13th.

It also marked the first time in 10 Super Bowl appearances that Brady's team scored a touchdown in the opening period.

Brady and the Buccaneers – leading 7-3 after one quarter – were purring against a defensively poor Chiefs – the veteran QB thought he had another touchdown pass, but a desperate Anthony Hitchens made a TD-saving play on Joe Haeg in the endzone early in the second period.

Kansas City's defense came up big to thwart the red-hot Buccaneers, stopping Tampa Bay just short of the endzone on fourth down, but Mahomes lacked support offensively as Travis Kelce also dropped a catch.

As the penalties piled up for the Chiefs, the Buccaneers capitalised – Brady delivering a laser pass to Gronkowski in the endzone before Antonio Brown benefited from another throw to extend Tampa Bay's lead to 21-6 on the stroke of half-time.

Shell-shocked, the Chiefs needed a response in the second half but they did not get it to begin the third quarter after they were exposed defensively again – Leonard Fournette's defensive-splitting 27-yard run making it 28-9 in favour of the hosts.

After four successful extra-point conversions, Ryan Succop nailed a 52-yard field goal to move the Buccaneers further clear late in the third quarter as Mahomes' Chiefs tried unsuccessfully to rally to victory.

With the Buccaneers down 24-10 and just over three minutes left in the third quarter, Brown appeared to be talking to team-mate Mike Evans on the sidelines before removing his jersey and shoulder pads, taking off his under-shirt and throwing it into the crowd, and then waving as he jogged towards the tunnel.

The 33-year-old wide receiver had taken three receptions for 26 yards before leaving the game.

Brown had played in just six games this season prior to Sunday, managing 39 receptions for 519 yards and four touchdowns, and had been a doubt for the trip to the Jets with an ankle injury, but was able to play until he decided to leave of his own accord.

Tampa Bay had already clinched the NFC South Division title but were still hoping to add to their 11-4 record heading into this weekend as they seek to secure home advantage for the playoffs.

The Bucs signed Brown in October 2020 after a short stint at the New England Patriots in 2019, followed by two claims of retirement from the game before changing his mind.

With the Buccaneers down 24-10 and just over three minutes left in the third quarter, Brown appeared to be talking to team-mate Mike Evans on the sidelines before removing his jersey and shoulder pads, taking off his under-shirt and throwing it into the crowd, and then waving as he jogged towards the tunnel.

The 33-year-old had taken three receptions for 26 yards before leaving the game, which the Bucs went on to win 28-24 and move to a 12-4 record in the NFC.

Speaking after the comeback victory, Arians told reporters: "He is no longer a Buc. That's the end of the story. Let's talk about the guys that went out there and won the game."

The Bucs signed Brown in October 2020 after a short stint at the New England Patriots in 2019.

Arians had initially called Brown a "diva" and said "there's no room" for him at the Bucs.

But despite an eight-game suspension for violating the league's personal conduct policy after punching a delivery truck driver, they did eventually sign him. 

He served another three-game ban this season after an NFL investigation found that he had produced a fake COVID-19 vaccine card.

Arians is happy with his decision to sign Brown, however, and hopes this latest incident can act as a turning point for the 33-year-old. 

"I have no regrets [over signing him]. I just hope the best for him," he told a media conference.

"It was very hard. I wish him well. If he needs help, I hope he gets some. It's very hard because I do care about him; I care about him a bunch. I hope that he's OK."

Asked if Brown told him he was injured, Arians said: "No. It's pretty obvious what happened. He left the field and that was it. We had a conversation, and he left the field."

Brown had played in just six games this season prior to Sunday, managing 39 receptions for 519 yards and four touchdowns.