Hours after making their franchise quarterback the highest-paid player in NFL history, the Dallas Cowboys opened defence of their NFC East title with an impressive 33-17 road win over the Cleveland Browns on Sunday. 

Dak Prescott threw for 179 yards and a touchdown in his first game since signing a record four-year, $240 million contract extension earlier in the day, and Dallas also got strong contributions on defence and special teams to easily handle a Browns team that won 11 games and reached the playoffs last season.

The Cowboys intercepted Deshaun Watson, Cleveland's highly paid quarterback, twice while limiting the Browns to 230 total yards. Dallas' return game was in top form as well, with KaVontae Turpin taking a punt back 60 yards for a touchdown early in the second half.

Watson managed just 169 yards and a touchown on 24-of-45 passing in his first appearance since undergoing season-ending shoulder surgery in November.

Prescott showed his value on Dallas' second possession of the season, as he completed a 34-yard pass to star wide receiver CeeDee Lamb to put the Cowboys deep into Cleveland territory and later capped the drive with a 21-yard touchdown strike to Brandin Cooks for a 7-3 Dallas lead with 6:55 left in the first quarter.

The Browns had gone ahead early on Dustin Hopkins' 51-yard field goal that concluded their opening drive.

It was all Cowboys from that point on, though. 

Dallas increased its advantage to 14-3 with 5:15 left in the second quarter via an 11-play, 78-yard drive culminating in Ezekiel Elliott's 3-yard touchdown run, his first score since rejoining the Cowboys following a one-year stint with the New England Patriots.

The Cowboys then closed out the first half with field goals of 57 and 40 yards from Brandon Aubrey to build a 20-3 half-time lead.

Turpin's dazzling return touchdown just over two minutes into the second half put the Browns in a bigger hole, though Cleveland did respond with its best drive of the day.

Watson completed 6 of 9 passes on a 12-play, 75-yard march that he ended with a six-yard touchdown toss to Jerry Jeudy that got the Browns within 27-10 midway through the third quarter.

The offence turned it over on downs on its next two series, however, which led to two more Aubrey field goals that pushed Dallas' lead to 33-10 early in the fourth quarter.

Cleveland did get a late touchdown, a 2-yard run from Jerome Ford with 29 seconds left in the game that completed a 15-play drive.

Lions ruin Stafford's return again, edge Rams in overtime

David Montgomery capped the game's only overtime drive with a 1-yard touchdown run that gave the Detroit Lions a hard-fought 26-20 victory over the Los Angeles Rams in a rematch between teams that met in last season's NFC playoffs.

The Lions squeaked out a 24-23 win over Los Angeles in a post-season clash in January, the first game for Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford in Detroit since being traded by the Lions to Los Angeles in March 2021 in a deal that sent fellow signal-caller Jared Goff to the Motor City.

Detroit had to dig deep once again in this meeting, as it blew a 17-3 third-quarter lead before rallying to force overtime on Jake Bates' 32-yard field goal with 17 seconds left in regulation.

Stafford never had the chance to exact revenge in extra time, as the Lions never gave the ball back to the Rams by marching 70 yards to the end zone in nine plays.

Montgomery did much of the heavy lifting, as he churned out 45 yards on five carries during the possession and capped it by powering across the goal line to end the game.

The running back amassed 91 of the Lions' 163 rushing yards as one of Detroit's offensive stars along with wide receiver Jameson Williams, who caught a 52-yard touchdown pass from Goff in the third quarter and finished with a career-high 121 yards on five receptions.

Goff threw for 217 yards with one touchdown and one interception while completing 18 of 28 passes.

Stafford, who spent his first 12 seasons with Detroit, finished with 317 yards and a touchdown on 34-of-49 passing, but also threw a costly interception in the end zone late in the first half with the Rams in scoring range.

Cooper Kupp was on the other end of a slew of Stafford's throws, as he tied a career high with 14 catches totalling 110 yards with a touchdown. The Rams' other standout receiver, Puka Nacua, was forced out of the contest early in the second half with a knee injury.

Both teams managed just one field goal each for the majority of the first half until the Lions got untracked with a 10-play, 77-yard drive late in the second quarter.

Williams had a 36-yard catch and a 13-yard run on the series, which Jahmyr Gibbs capped with a 1-yard touchdown run that gave Detroit a 10-3 lead just past the two-minute warning.

The Rams got to Detroit's 8-yard line on the ensuing possession, but came away empty when Stafford's pass into traffic was picked off by Kerby Joseph in the end zone.

Goff found Willams open down the left sideline for a 52-yard touchdown that put Detroit up 17-3 early in the third quarter, but the Rams responded with 17 straight points to move ahead.

Los Angeles answered Williams' score with a 14-play, 61-yard drive ending in Kyren Williams' 2-yard touchdown run late in the third quarter. A 63-yard pass from Stafford to Tyler Johnson on the Rams' next possession led to Joshua Karty's 26-yard field goal that trimmed the lead to 17-13 with 12:32 to go in regulation.

Goff was then intercepted on Detroit's next series, and Stafford went 8 for 8 the next time Los Angeles had the ball. The veteran hit Kupp for a 9-yard touchdown to give the Rams a 20-17 edge with 4:30 left in the fourth quarter.

Following an exchange of punts, the Lions got the ball back with 2:11 to go and moved within range for Bates' game-tying field goal in the final stages of regulation.

Fields steps in, Boswell boots six field goals to help Steelers get past Falcons

Justin Fields filled in for an injured Russell Wilson and won his Pittsburgh Steelers debut - with a little help from kicker Chris Boswell and his new team's rugged defence.

Boswell accounted for all of Pittsburgh's points with six field goals, while the Steelers intercepted Kirk Cousins twice in a season-opening 18-10 road victory over the Atlanta Falcons.

The game had been billed as a clash of veteran quarterbacks playing their first game with new teams, and remained so with a twist as Wilson was ruled inactive due to a calf injury he aggravated in practise during the week.

Fields, acquired from the Chicago Bears in the offseason, stepped in to complete 17 of 23 passes for 156 yards while adding 57 yards on 14 rush attempts.

Cousins' first outing since bolting the Minnesota Vikings in March to sign a four-year, $180 million contract with the Falcons didn't go as smoothly. The four-time Pro Bowler did throw a touchdown pass to Kyle Pitts, but managed just 155 yards on 16-of-26 passing while under constant pressure throughout.

Atlanta's new-look offence was held scoreless over the final two quarters and committed two second-half turnovers, the first a botched shotgun exchange that resulted in a fumble recovered by Pittsburgh's T.J. Watt early in the third quarter. The miscue led to Boswell's fourth field goal of the day, a 56-yard kick that gave the Steelers a 12-10 lead.

Boswell converted again on Pittsburgh's next possession, with his 40-yard field goal with 29 seconds left in the third quarter set up by a 40-yard completion from Fields to George Pickens.

The Steelers' defence continued to dominate in the fourth, and any Atlanta comeback hopes were dashed when Donte Jackson picked off Cousins with 2:34 remaining and returned the interception 47 yards to the Falcons' 18.

After Boswell ended the drive with a 25-yard field goal with 31 seconds left to extend the lead to 18-10, Watt sealed the win by sacking Cousins as time expired.

Cousins' first interception, a throw into traffic that was snared by Steelers' safety DeShon Elliott, came after both teams capped their opening drives with field goals. The turnover was turned into Boswell's 51-yard field goal that gave Pittsburgh a 6-3 edge early in the second quarter.

Cousins was sharp on a nine-play, 90-yard drive that he concluded with a 12-yard touchdown pass to Pitts that put Atlanta up 10-6 with 32 seconds left in the first half. Fields quickly answered, however, by connecting with Pickens on a 33-yard pass that set up Boswell's 44-yard field goal that brought the Steelers within a point at half-time.

No. 1 pick Williams struggles but wins Bears debut

Caleb Williams' NFL debut was one to remember, even if his final stat line was something to forget.

The 2024 No. 1 overall pick mustered just 93 passing yards in his first career game, but Williams' Chicago Bears teammates picked up the rookie by scoring touchdowns on defence and special teams in a 24-17 win over the Tennessee Titans.

Tyrique Stevenson put the Bears ahead for good with a 43-yard interception return for a touchdown with 7:43 left to play, and Chicago also received a 21-yard touchdown return from Jonathan Owens on a blocked punt in the third quarter to overcome a 17-0 first-half deficit.

Cairo Santos made all three of his field goal attempts to also help offset Williams' struggles. The former Heisman Trophy winner completed just 14 of his 29 passes.

Will Levis also had a rough day for Tennessee, however, as the second-year quarterback threw for just 127 yards and a touchdown on 19-of-32 passing and was intercepted twice in the fourth quarter.

The first of those picks was an ill-advised throw under pressure that Stevenson snared out of the air and raced untouched down the sideline to give Chicago a 22-17 lead. Williams then successfully converted the ensuing two-point try with a pass to DeAndre Swift that increased the margin to seven points.

Levis got the Titans to near midfield in the final minutes, but was intercepted by Jaylon Johnson with 1:05 left before the Bears ran out the clock.

Chicago mustered a mere 50 yards of offence in the first half and trailed 17-3 at intermission, but got the spark it needed from its special teams early in the third quarter.

Daniel Hardy blocked Tennessee punter Ryan Stonehouse's attempt, with Owens promptly scooping up the loose ball and running into the end zone to score the Bears' first touchdown of the season and change the game's momentum with 9:07 remaining in the third.

Chicago's defence then forced the Titans to go three-and-out on their next two possessions, and Williams led an 11-play, 44-yard drive capped by Santos' 50-yard field goal that cut the lead to 17-13 early in the fourth quarter.

The Bears' defence came up big again on Tennessee's next drive, as Levis was sacked by Darrell Taylor to force a fumble recovered by Chicago linebacker T.J. Edwards. The turnover set up Santos' 48-yard field goal that made it a one-point game with 9:52 left.

Tennessee scored on three consecutive drives in the first half to build an early 17-0 advantage, with Tony Pollard opening the scoring with a 26-yard touchdown run late in the first quarter.

The Bears then fumbled the ball away on the ensuing kickoff, leading to Nick Folk's 40-yard field goal 54 seconds into the second quarter.

Tennessee extended the margin with a massive 14-play, 73-yard drive culminating in Levis' 17-yard touchdown pass to Chig Okonkwo with 3:44 left in the first half. Chicago's DeAndre Carter returned the following kickoff 67 yards into Titans' territory, however, before Santos booted home a 24-yard field goal just before halftime.

Pollard rushed for 82 yards on 16 carries in his Titans' debut. The Memphis native signed with Tennessee in March following a five-year stint with the Dallas Cowboys. 

Chargers pull away from Raiders, win Harbaugh's NFL return

J.K. Dobbins' 135 rushing yards and a touchdown helped make Jim Harbaugh's return to the NFL coaching ranks a winning one as the Los Angeles Chargers pulled away for a 22-10 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders.

Justin Herbert added a late touchdown pass to rookie Ladd McConkey in Harbaugh's first game on an NFL sideline since leaving the San Francisco 49ers following the 2014 season for the University of Michigan, where he led his alma mater to a 2023 national championship before resurfacing with the Chargers.

Los Angeles stalled on offence for the first three quarters in Harbaugh's comeback game, but got untracked in the fourth with a pair of touchdown drives to extend a slim 9-7 lead entering the final period.

Dobbins made a triumphant return as well while playing his first game since rupturing his Achilles tendon in the 2023 season opener while then a member of the Baltimore Ravens. The running back ripped off a 46-yard run in the third quarter that set up Cameron Dicker's third field goal of the game, a 24-yard kick that put Los Angeles up 9-7 near the midway mark of the period.

The Chargers later increased the margin with a six-play, 61-yard drive that Dobbins ended with a 12-yard touchdown run on the first play of the fourth quarter.

A 33-yard pass from Gardner Minshew to Jakobi Meyers got the Raiders in range for Daniel Carlson's 32-yard field goal that trimmed the lead to 16-10 with 10:30 left. Las Vegas went three-and-out on its next possession, however, and Dobbins broke loose for a 61-yard run shortly afterward to put the Chargers deep into Raiders' territory.

Three plays later, McConkey caught a short pass from Herbert and side-stepped a defender for a 10-yard touchdown which helped seal the outcome with 3:40 remaining.

Minshew completed 25 of 33 passes with one interception in his first game since signing with Las Vegas as a free agent in the offseason. The veteran quarterback also threw a 31-yard touchdown pass to Alexander Mattison late in the first quarter that gave the Raiders a 7-3 advantage.

Los Angeles had scored the game's first points on Dicker's 53-yard field goal with 4:22 left in the opening quarter.

Minshew also had a costly fumble late in the first half that was scooped up by the Chargers' Khalil Mack and returned 22 yards to Las Vegas' 12-yard line. The turnover led to Dicker's 25-yard field goal that pulled the Chargers within 7-6.

Dolphins rally to top Jaguars on Sanders' 52-yard field goal

The Miami Dolphins escaped to beat the visiting Jacksonville Jaguars 20-17 on Jason Sanders’ 52-yard field goal as time expired.

Sanders connected on a pair of late field goals for the Dolphins, who rallied from a 17-7 half-time deficit to win a fourth consecutive season opener.

Tua Tagovailoa threw for 338 yards, and his 80-yard touchdown pass to Tyreek Hill with just over two minutes remaining in the third quarter started the comeback and brought Miami within three points.

The Dolphins tied the score on Sanders’ 37-yard field goal with 4:22 to play in the fourth quarter. Miami’s defence then forced a three-and-out, sacking Trevor Lawrence on both second and third down.

The offence got the ball back at its own 35-yard line with just over two minutes remaining and Tagovailoa drove the Dolphins 31 yards to set up the winning kick.

Hill finished with seven receptions for 130 yards in an eventful day, which began with him being handcuffed and placed facedown on a street by police officers after being stopped for a traffic violation near the Dolphins’ stadium.

The Miami-Dade police department opened an investigation into the events that led to Hill being handcuffed, with one of the officers involved in the incident put on administrative leave.

Miami also got 109 yards on five receptions from Jaylen Waddle, while Devon Achane had a rushing touchdown while compiling 100 yards from scrimmage.

Lawrence threw a 14-yard touchdown pass to rookie Brian Thomas that gave the Jaguars a 14-0 lead in the second quarter, but got little going after half-time as Jacksonville was held scoreless over the final two quarters. The former No. 1 overall pick finished with 162 yards while completing 12 of 21 attempts. 

Russell Wilson's injured calf will keep him out of Sunday's season opener against the Atlanta Falcons, making Justin Fields the starting quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The Steelers had named Wilson the team's starting quarterback but the 12-year NFL veteran aggravated a calf injury this past week that had side-lined him earlier in training camp.

He had tried to warmup up before Pittsburgh's game at Atlanta before the team ultimately decided to make him the emergency quarterback.

As the emergency QB, he can only take the field if Fields and backup Kyle Allen both get injured.

The Steelers acquired Fields from the Chicago Bears in March for a conditional draft pick. 

The pick will be a sixth-rounder unless Fields plays 51 percent of the snaps this season for Pittsburgh, then it will become a fourth-rounder.

Fields made 38 starts and appeared in 40 games for Chicago since he was selected with the 11th overall pick in the 2021 draft. He completed 60.3 percent of his passes with 40 touchdowns and 30 interceptions and added 14 rushing scores.

The 35-year-old Wilson, a Super Bowl XLVIII champion with the Seattle Seahawks, joined the Steelers a week before they made the trade for Fields after two disappointing seasons with the Denver Broncos.

Dak Prescott is set to sign a record-breaking, $240million contract with the Dallas Cowboys, according to reports.

Prescott's future has been up in the air but, just hours out from their season opener against the Cleveland Browns on Sunday, it appears the Cowboys have struck a deal with their quarterback.

The deal includes a guaranteed $231m and an $80m signing bonus.

With an annual salary of $60m, Prescott will become the highest-paid quarterback in NFL history.

This is the second extension the 31-year-old has penned with Dallas, where he will remain through the 2028 season.

Prescott led the NFL for completions (410) and touchdowns (36) last season.

Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love has been diagnosed with an MCL sprain, multiple media outlets reported Saturday, and he is expected to return this season.

NFL Network reported that the Packers’ initial timetable for Love’s return is three to six weeks.

The team will reportedly seek a second opinion to be sure.

The only other active quarterback on Green Bay’s roster is Malik Willis, who was acquired via trade from the Tennessee Titans less than two weeks ago. Former fifth-round draft pick Sean Clifford is on the practice squad.

Love was injured on the penultimate play of the Packers’ 34-29 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles on Friday.

Love was 17 of 34 for 260 yards and two touchdowns with one interception in the Packers’ season opener in São Paulo.

Green Bay hosts the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday, Sept. 15, followed by games at Tennessee and against the Minnesota Vikings.

Entering his second season as the Packers’ starter, Love signed a four-year, $220million contract extension this summer.

Filling the shoes of the departed Aaron Rodgers, Love threw for 4,159 yards with 32 touchdowns and 11 interceptions last season, leading the Packers to a 9-8 regular season and a play-off win over the Dallas Cowboys.

Philadelphia Eagles coach Nick Sirianni is excited to see what comes next from Saquon Barkley after he scored three touchdowns on a memorable debut for the team on Friday.

Barkley shone as the Eagles started the season with a 34-29 victory over the Green Bay Packers in the NFL's first international game to take place in Sao Paulo.

The former New York Giants back rushed for two touchdowns and caught a Jalen Hurts pass for another, becoming the first player to score three touchdowns on his Eagles debut since Terrell Owens in 2004.

Barkley finished with 109 rushing yards and 23 receiving off two catches, including a terrific 18-yard reception for his first score – the first touchdown to be scored in South America.

Sirianni hailed the two-time Pro Bowler's influence after the win, saying: "We are so excited to have him. He made some huge, huge plays throughout this entire game.

"He made it in the pass game. He made plays in the run game. He made some huge plays in critical moments and scored a bunch of touchdowns.

"To have him on our football team means a lot. [General manager] Howie [Roseman] did a great job of putting this team together. 

"He's a playmaker and he's a great leader and a great person. People feed off his energy and so you could feel all of that, not only in the plays he was making but the energy he had."

Barkley, meanwhile, was delighted to make NFL history as he became the first player to score a touchdown on three different continents, having previously done so in London with the Giants in 2022.

"I'm the first person to ever score in South America!" Barkley said. "That's cool. I'm definitely trying to get the game ball and that's something to hang up and put in my house.

"The O-line played great. That's a big reason why I wanted to come to Philly when I had the opportunity and why it was a no-brainer for me. 

"We still have a lot to improve on, including myself. So, it meant a lot to come out here and take advantage of the opportunity to be the first team to play in South America. Not only just play, but to take care of business and get the W too."

The Green Bay Packers are waiting to discover the severity of an injury suffered by quarterback Jordan Love in the closing stages of their Week 1 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.

The Packers were beaten 34-29 by Philadelphia in the NFL's first international game in Sao Paulo, letting a halftime lead slip as debutant Saquon Barkley inspired the Eagles to victory.

Running back Barkley rushed for 109 yards and two touchdowns as well as catching two Jalen Hurts passes for 23 yards and another score, becoming the first player with three touchdowns on their Eagles debut since Terrell Owens in 2004.

Things got worse for the Packers on the final drive of the game, as Love dropped back to pass and was caught between Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter and outside linebacker Josh Sweat.

Love appeared to twist his lower left leg and had to be helped from the field, with Malik Willis coming in to take the final two snaps as Green Bay failed to fight back.

Love's injury came in his first game since he was handed a new four-year, $220million contract that made him the league's joint-highest paid player, leaving the Packers nervous about his condition.

"That's the franchise right there," defensive lineman Kenny Clark said. "Hopefully, he can be back next week and he can be all right."

Head coach Matt LaFleur was twice asked about Love's condition in his post-game press conference, simply responding: "I don't know".

Love completed 17 of his 34 passing attempts in Friday's game for 260 yards, two touchdowns and one pick.

The Packers are next in action versus the Indianapolis Colts at Lambeau Field on September 15, before visiting the Tennessee Titans for their first road game one week later.

Ja'Marr Chase has committed to giving his all for the Cincinnati Bengals this season despite failing to agree a contract extension with the franchise.

Chase, who caught seven touchdown passes and tallied 1,216 receiving yards last season, described his current situation as "aggravating" to reporters.

The Bengals kickstart their 2024 season this weekend against the New England Patriots, and Chase suited up for practice on Friday after skipping a workout earlier this week.

"It's my decision," said Chase, whom the Bengals listed as questionable to play.

Chase compiled 3,717 receiving yards and 29 touchdowns in his first three NFL seasons with the Bengals. 

In 2023, he caught a career-high 100 passes, tying for second-most in a season in Bengals history.

He is also one of only eight players in NFL history who have reached 1,000 receiving yards in each of their first three seasons in the league.

The Bengals are keen to keep one of their prized assets, with Chase indicating talks are continuing as their Week 1 assignment draws closer. 

"It's a small chance, but who knows what'll happen in these next couple hours?" Chase said.

Chase still has two years remaining on his rookie deal as he had his fifth-year option picked up, which will see him earn $9.8million this season and $21.8m in 2025.

This offseason, though, has seen several receivers get big-money deals, including A.J. Brown of the Philadelphia Eagles (three years, $96m), CeeDee Lamb of the Dallas Cowboys (four years, $136 m), and Chase's former LSU team-mate Justin Jefferson of the Minnesota Vikings (four years, $140m). 

Asked about a report that suggested he wanted to top Jefferson's $140m deal by one cent, Chase said: "If I want to beat Justin, I'm gonna beat the s*** out of Justin. 

"Not by a penny, brother."

Jalen Ramsey is once again the NFL's highest-paid defensive back, as multiple outlets reported Friday that the Miami Dolphins star has agreed to a three-year, $72.3 million contract extension through the 2028 season.

The $24.1 million average annual value of Ramsey's new deal slightly exceeds the $24 million per year the Denver Broncos will pay cornerback Patrick Surtain, who signed a four-year, $96 million extension earlier this week.

Ramsey previously held the title of the league's top-earning defensive back after signing a five-year, $105 million extension in 2020, while then a member of the Los Angeles Rams. That contract was surpassed earlier this offseason, when the Tampa Bay Buccaneers gave safety Antoine Winfield a new four-year deal that will pay him $21.025 million per season.

The Dolphins acquired Ramsey from the Rams during the 2023 offseason. The seven-time Pro Bowler didn't debut with his new team until Week 8 while recovering from surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee, but re-established himself as one of the league's top cover men during his first season in Miami.

Opposing quarterbacks produced just a 44.5 passer rating on attempts thrown in Ramsey's direction over his 10 regular-season starts in 2023. The 29-year-old had five passes defenced and three interceptions, and is one of only four players with at least three interceptions in each of the past three seasons.

Ramsey has received All-Pro honours three times over his eight-year career, which began with the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2016. He was traded to the Rams midway through the 2019 season and played a key role in Los Angeles' Super Bowl win over the Cincinnati Bengals to conclude the 2021 campaign.

In 118 career regular-season games, Ramsey has compiled 474 tackles, 22 interceptions and 97 passes defenced.

Ramsey's extension continues an active summer for the Dolphins, who previously got starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa under contract through 2028 with a new four-year, $212 million deal. Miami also extended head coach Mike McDaniel's contract for three years last week. 

Dak Prescott does not see the Dallas Cowboys' 2024 season opener versus the Cleveland Browns on Sunday as a deadline for the team to make him an acceptable contract offer.

Prescott is set to enter the final season of the four-year, $160million contract he penned in 2021, and talks over a new deal have been ongoing for several weeks.

The ninth-year quarterback is set to hit free agency in 2025, though he has repeatedly expressed confidence his agent Todd France will reach a deal with the team.

The Cowboys begin the new campaign with a potentially tricky visit to Cleveland, but Prescott says his approach to the season will not change if his new contract is not signed before then. 

"I'd say they're working. I don't know if that's necessarily the timeline," Prescott told reporters when asked if a new deal could be announced before the game.

"I can't say, 'I'll put a timeline to Todd and [Dallas executive] Stephen [Jones] if we don't get this done, this or that'. I know they're working.

"I'm going to still be working. That's the only thing that matters to me."

Prescott's 410 completions and passer rating of 105.9 in 2023 were career-best figures, while he also played all 17 regular-season games for the first time since being drafted in the fourth round in 2016.

However, the Cowboys collapsed to a stunning 48-32 defeat to the Green Bay Packers in the wild-card round of the NFL Playoffs, ensuring their wait for a record-equalling sixth Super Bowl crown will reach at least 20 years.

Roger Staubach (in 1971 and 1977) and Troy Aikman (1992, 1993 and 1995) remain the only quarterbacks to lead Dallas to Super Bowl glory, and Prescott maintains that winning it all with the Cowboys would mean more than doing so elsewhere.

"I don't think winning it any other place would be the same as winning it here," Prescott said. "That is a number one reason in wanting to be here, to be honest with you."

Star wide receiver CeeDee Lamb held out on the Cowboys' training camp to force through his own new contract during the offseason, but Prescott's team-mate expects him to show nothing but full commitment while he waits on an agreement. 

"Obviously, Dak is doing a great job of not really bringing it into the workspace, but I know personally that it can take a toll on you," Lamb said. 

"He's doing a great job of leading us in the right direction. He knows that we're rooting for him. Me, the most, for sure. 

"We need to hurry up and get this done, so we can just put this all behind us and go win more ballgames."

Patrick Mahomes has praised rookie wide receiver Xavier Worthy for "opening stuff up" in the Kansas City Chiefs' win over the Baltimore Ravens.

The Chiefs began their first steps towards an unprecedented three-peat with a 27-20 win over Baltimore on Thursday but had to hang on as the Ravens had a late touchdown overturned.

Worthy scored a touchdown the first time he got the ball in an NFL game with a 21-yard rush, before getting his second in the fourth quarter, a 35-yard catch from Mahomes.

The quarterback lauded Worthy's ability after the game, noting that his touchdowns were not his biggest contributions to the team during the win.

"Just having him out there, it just opens up stuff," Mahomes said. "You saw when he's out there, they're playing shell coverages.

"It's getting guys like [Travis Kelce] and it's getting guys like [Rashee Rice] open underneath, and that's what's so great about this offense is we're able to do all of that, and that's when we're at our best.

"He's so cool, calm and collected all the time. You never even see the excitement on him, but he goes out there and makes plays.

"Obviously, we want to continue to use him more and more, but I thought he had a great day today, making big plays and big moments."

Meanwhile, the Ravens were left frustrated by a late call from the officials as Isaiah Likely was denied a touchdown on the final play of the game.

He caught Lamar Jackson's pass, but it was ruled out by the slightest of margins after initially being given onfield, with replays showing his toe was just outside the line.

"You have to live with that call," Likely said, via the team's website.

"That's on me. I just have to get both feet in. I harp on myself to catch everything and make sure everybody puts us in the best possibility, so I take responsibility. Next time, I'm going to get my feet down."

Jackson, however, was not convinced by the final call.

"I thought it was a touchdown," Jackson said. "I still think it's a touchdown."

The two-time defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs opened the 2024 NFL season with an exhilarating 27-20 win over the Baltimore Ravens on Thursday.

The Chiefs' first step toward an unprecedented three-peat came down to a toe.

On the game's final play, Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson threw a 10-yard pass to Isaiah Likely in the back of the end zone that was initially ruled a touchdown to make the score 27-26 and bring the Ravens within a point.

The touchdown was reviewed, and it was determined Likely's toe was out of bounds, making it an incomplete pass and ending the game.

The Chiefs took a 27-17 lead on Patrick Mahomes' 35-yard touchdown pass to rookie Xavier Worthy in the early minutes of the fourth quarter.

The Ravens then pulled within seven points on Justin Tucker's 32-yard field goal with 4:54 to go and Baltimore later got the ball back at its own 13-yard line with 1:50 remaining.

Jackson drove the Ravens down to the Kansas City 10-yard line in the closing seconds, but after missing open receivers on first and second down, it appeared the reigning league MVP connected with Likely to make it a one-point game. Replay then clearly showed Likely's toe crossing the endline.

Jackson finished with 273 passing yards and another 122 yards rushing. He had 49-yard TD pass to Likely, who finished with 111 receiving yards.

Derrick Henry rushed for 46 yards in his Baltimore debut and scored the first touchdown of the season on the Ravens' first drive.

Worthy had Kansas City's first TD, scoring on a 21-yard run in the first quarter, and Isiah Pacheco later scored on a one-yard TD run.

Mahomes finished with 291 yards passing, while Rashee Rice led the Chiefs with seven receptions for 103 yards, with Travis Kelce adding three catches for 34 yards.

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson was a limited participant in Thursday's practice session, just three days out from his potential debut with the team.

Wilson joined the Steelers after cutting short a largely unsuccessful two-season spell with the Denver Broncos in March.

Wilson, a Super Bowl XLVIII champion with the Seattle Seahawks, played 30 games through his two seasons in Denver but only managed 11 victories as the team twice missed out on the playoffs.

Having joined the Steelers on a one-year deal on the veteran's minimum salary of $1.2million for 2024, Wilson beat out fellow new arrival Justin Fields for the starting job during preseason.

However, coach Mike Tomlin confirmed on Thursday the 35-year-old had self-reported tightness in his right calf and would undergo further examination.

The Steelers open their 2024 campaign against the Atlanta Falcons, who also have two new quarterbacks on their roster in Kirk Cousins and Michael Penix Jr., on Sunday. 

Deshaun Watson makes his long-awaited return from injury for the Cleveland Browns this weekend, having reaffirmed his belief he is still an 'elite' passer in the NFL. 

Watson, who underwent season-ending shoulder surgery last November, has played just 12 times for Cleveland since making his debut in 2022. 

Before his injury, he threw for seven touchdowns and four interceptions in six appearances in 2023, leading his team to a 5-1 record.

The 28-year-old has not featured during preseason but is relishing being labelled with the underdog tag ahead of Sunday's Week 1 clash with the Dallas Cowboys.

"It's fine with us. It's perfect," Watson said of the lower expectations on Wednesday. "We're just going to go under the radar and work. That's all we can do."

When asked whether he still considers himself one of the league's elite quarterbacks, Watson answered, "Of course. No doubt."

Watson's last start for Cleveland came in a comeback 33-31 triumph over the Baltimore Ravens last November, completing 58.8% of his 34 passing attempts for 213 yards and a touchdown. 

And while he enjoyed a successful start to last season, Watson is not looking to dwell on the past as he prepares for an exciting future with Cleveland.

"Honestly, man, I don't even look at those six starts. It's a new year, it's a new season," Watson said.

"You've got to focus on Week 1. In this system and this league, if you're focusing on last year, you're going to get left behind."

While Watson will return to the lineup, he could be without his starting left tackle this week. 

Jedrick Wills Jr. returned to practice this week for the first time since a season-ending knee injury last November, but told reporters he is not in contention to face the Cowboys.

Jack Conklin, who is also returning from a season-ending knee injury he sustained in Week 1 last year, could start in his place. 

Kansas City Chiefs tackle Mike Pennel is out to prove the Opta supercomputer wrong after it estimated the team's chances of a Super Bowl three-peat at just 11.6%.

The Chiefs are looking to make history in the 2024 campaign, which they open on Thursday with a mouthwatering tussle with the Baltimore Ravens, who they beat in last season's AFC Championship game.

Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce, Andy Reid and company are out to make the Chiefs the first franchise in NFL history to win three straight Super Bowls.

Eight teams have previously won back-to-back Super Bowls, only to fail to make the showpiece game in the subsequent season, most recently the New England Patriots in 2004 and 2005.

Ahead of the new campaign, the Opta supercomputer's predictive model, which takes into account a team's quarterback and EVE (efficiency vs expected) performance, rated Kansas City's chances of winning Super Bowl LIX at 11.6%.

They are more favoured than AFC rivals Baltimore (10.8%), but the San Francisco 49ers – who the Chiefs beat at Super Bowl LVIII and Super Bowl LIV – are favourites with a 23.9% likelihood of winning it all.

Pennel is desperate to prove the model wrong, telling Stats Perform: "Give me the opportunity to fight against the machines! I don't think we were favoured in any playoff game this year. You know what I mean? 

"I'm pretty sure they're doing it off numbers, but we played them twice in the Super Bowl. We beat them twice. I guess we'll just have to get to it. 

"I think we may see them again. But the NFC, they've got some tough teams out there right now. They got some teams that are ascending, Green Bay was looking good and are another dark horse. 

"We'll see what Dallas is doing, how their contract situation works out. The Eagles look very, very, very solid. So we'll see how it shakes out. Remember, you've got to remain healthy to make it to the game. That's out of both teams' hands. 

"We'll see what happens, but 23% to 11%? I can't agree with that. I would flip-flop that, but maybe it's calculating in the three-peat. Maybe that's what it is."

The Chiefs have made six consecutive AFC Championship games since Mahomes became their starting quarterback in 2018, winning four of those and going on to claim three Super Bowl rings.

Asked where their main competition might come from in the AFC, Pennel highlighted the Houston Texans – in their second year with C.J. Stroud leading the offense – as a major threat.

"I love the direction that Houston is going in. They're going to be formidable in the AFC. Cleveland with a healthy Deshaun Watson, we're interested to see how that looks," he said.

"Even in our division, you know, the Chargers with Jim Harbaugh, they've got a franchise quarterback in Justin Herbert. We know he'll be running the ball, but we'll see how that shakes out. 

"The AFC is just getting better, man. There'll be a couple dark horses in there, but those are the two or three that I really think are going to take a leap and be competitive."

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase participated in practice after a hold-in ahead of their season opener against the New England Patriots.

Chase returned for the Bengals' first official practice of game week, having missed their training camp and sparingly worked out during team practices as he tries to work on a contract negotiation.

He has two years remaining on his current deal but has hopes of becoming one of the highest-paid receivers in the league.

Chase was only listed as a limited participant in his first practice, working with fellow receiver Tee Higgins.

However, his status for week one still remains a doubt, with Cincinnati unsure if they will be able to call upon him for their opener against the Patriots.

Quarterback Joe Burrow said the Bengals would be ready either way and praised Chase's attitude towards the team.

"We'll see if that ends up happening but whatever happens, we'll be prepared for it," Burrow said.

"He looks as fast and strong like he always does.

"He's always been a team-first, win-first kind of guy. That's the kind of guy Ja'Marr is, and you want to reward those guys."