The Green Bay Packers are set to appoint Tom Clements, who Aaron Rodgers has credited for his development during his early part of his career, as their new quarterbacks coach, according to reports.

Rodgers is expected to make a decision soon on his Packers future after winning his fourth NFL MVP award and second in a row.

He seemed set to leave the Packers as the reigning MVP last year as he pushed for a move, and that scenario could yet play out after the quarterback won again for 2021.

However, the 38-year-old does not intend for another saga to follow this offseason, and bringing Clements out of retirement will inevitably be seen as an effort from Green Bay to convince Rodgers to return.

According to ESPN, Clements verbally accepted the job on Thursday, though his contract is yet to be signed.

The 68-year-old was previously with the Packers from 2006 to 2016. His most recent job was with the Arizona Cardinals, before his retirement in 2020.

Clements was QB coach for Rodgers in the Super Bowl season of 2010 and his first MVP season of 2011, before becoming offensive coordinator in 2012.

Rodgers often refers to Clements as an inspiration, and mentioned him after throwing to Davante Adams in the Week 17 victory against the Minnesota Vikings.

"I learned from Tom Clements, we always had three mortal sins [as] the quarterback: Don't throw late down the middle, don't make any blind throws and no premeditated decisions," Rodgers said after the 37-10 win last month.

"And so with all apologies to Tom and his excellent training over the years, I kind of had a premeditated decision to throw it to Davante on that play."

Regarding his future, Rodgers recently said: "I'll make a decision in due time and not a ton of time. I'll give the team plenty of time to do what they got to do.

"And I think that time is coming. There will be a decision in the near future. And I'm not going to keep a lot of people waiting."

The Cincinnati Bengals will look at ways to improve their team and help superstar quarterback Joe Burrow after an outstanding season ended in defeat at Super Bowl LVI.

The Bengals, who had not previously won a playoff game in 31 years, came within minutes of their first Super Bowl victory.

But a drive led by Matthew Stafford and Cooper Kupp put the Los Angeles Rams into a 23-20 lead, which three-time Defensive Player of the Year winner Aaron Donald protected when the Bengals attempted to come back down the field.

Donald finished with 10 pressures – a total only topped in a Super Bowl once since 2006 (Nick Bosa, 12, in Super Bowl LIV) – of the 23 Burrow faced.

In that same recent period, there have been six examples of a quarterback being pressured 20 or more times in the Super Bowl and only one (Patrick Mahomes, 28, also in Super Bowl LIV) has won.

Burrow's seven sacks tied the Super Bowl record (Roger Staubach in Super Bowl X) and followed his league-leading 51 in the regular season.

It is no secret that the Bengals' issues are on the offensive line, although that much was clear last year, too, when Burrow tore his ACL and MCL in his left knee after being hit by two Washington defenders.

Rather than address the problem with the fifth overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, the Bengals selected wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase, who had played with Burrow at LSU.

The Bengals were rewarded as Chase had 81 catches for 1,455 yards and 13 touchdowns in the regular season, earning Offensive Rookie of the Year honours, but their inability to protect Burrow proved costly in the closing seconds of the season.

Can they now belatedly find a fix? That certainly appears to be the plan.

"Joe is a smart player and that shines through," Bengals owner Mike Brown said. "He's accurate, he's tough as nails. We want to do some things to help him."

Brown added: "I think we have the core of a top team, we'll add to it and I think we can make it better."

If the Bengals can just keep Burrow clean a little more often, they have every chance of returning to the big game during the quarterback's tenure.

"We're a young team," Burrow said immediately after Sunday's defeat, "so you'd like to think we'll be back in this situation multiple times over the course of the next few years.

"We take this and let it fuel us for the rest of our careers."

Addressing the team's fans, Brown said: "My one regret is I'm not carrying a new trophy. The Bengals are real. The future is bright. You, our coaches and our players are going to have some trip."

Jim Harbaugh has signed a new five-year contract with the University of Michigan after failing to secure a return to the NFL.

Harbaugh is now committed to Michigan through the 2026 season, despite interviewing with the Minnesota Vikings.

After leading the Wolverines to the 2021 Big Ten Championship, Harbaugh entered the running for the Vikings job.

However, the Vikings instead turned to Los Angeles Rams offensive coordinator Kevin O'Connell – whose appointment was confirmed on Wednesday – and Harbaugh headed back to Michigan.

The school for whom Harbaugh played quarterback in the 1980s remain delighted to have him, though.

And the coach said as new terms were announced on Wednesday: "My enthusiasm for tomorrow, the day after and every day following is as high as ever, and we are ready to get on the practice field and start preparations for the 2022 season."

Harbaugh's only head coaching job in the NFL to date was with the San Francisco 49ers between 2011 and 2014.

The 58-year-old had a 44-19-1 regular season record with the 49ers, reaching the NFC Championship Game in three of his four seasons and advancing in his second year to Super Bowl XLVII, where the team lost to the Baltimore Ravens.

Aaron Donald appeared to hint at a 2022 return during the Los Angeles Rams' Super Bowl LVI victory parade on Wednesday.

Ahead of Sunday's game against the Cincinnati Bengals at SoFi Stadium, it was suggested Donald could quit the NFL if he finally won a championship to go with his individual achievements.

And the three-time Defensive Player of the Year could scarcely have been more influential in a 23-20 Rams win.

Donald held up Joe Burrow and the Bengals on third and one and then fourth and one on their final drive, finishing with two sacks and three quarterback hits – tying the best marks of his playoff career.

The emotional defensive tackle refused to be drawn into comment on his future immediately after the game, instead saying he was "just going to live in the moment".

But Wednesday's parade provided a rather different setting, as head coach Sean McVay – whose 2022 status had also been the subject of speculation – chanted "run it back" before handing the microphone to Donald.

"We built a super team," Donald responded. "If we can bring the super team back, why not run it back? We could be world champs again!"

Joe Burrow will not require surgery on the right knee injury he sustained in the Cincinnati Bengals' Super Bowl LVI defeat to the Los Angeles Rams.

Burrow endured a punishing second half behind the Bengals' below-par offensive line in Sunday's 23-20 defeat to the Rams at SoFi Stadium.

The Bengals quarterback finished with seven sacks, tying Roger Staubach's Super Bowl X record.

One hit saw Burrow hobble away, appearing to be in real pain with his knee.

Although Burrow later said the issue "feels good", head coach Zac Taylor – speaking on Wednesday as his Bengals contract was extended – recommended a period of rest for the former first overall pick.

It was an MCL sprain but not a new issue, Taylor revealed, with Burrow having merely aggravated an injury sustained against the Los Angeles Chargers in the regular season.

"Joe had the sprained MCL and that's really an aggravation of something he did in late December," Taylor said. "Rest is the best thing for him."

Burrow also injured his finger in December, with Taylor quizzed on the possibility of surgery for that ailment, too.

"Not to my understanding, no," the coach said.

Burrow was ruled out in Week 11 of the 2020 season, his rookie year, due to ACL and MCL tears in his left knee.

The Minnesota Vikings have confirmed Kevin O'Connell as their new head coach.

An announcement was delayed due to O'Connell's involvement in the Los Angeles Rams' postseason as their offensive coordinator, which ended with them winning Super Bowl LVI on Sunday.

O'Connell joined the Rams in 2020 from Washington and helped lead Matthew Stafford, Cooper Kupp and Odell Beckham Jr. to the championship this year.

Under the 36-year-old's guidance, the Rams offense finished ninth in the league, averaging 372.1 yards per game in 2021, while ranking second in plays of 50-plus yards (10), fourth in yards per play (5.98) and eighth in offensive touchdowns (51).

O'Connell also played a role in helping Kupp – who was named MVP for the Super Bowl – have a standout season, leading the NFL in receptions (145), receiving yards (1,947) and receiving touchdowns (16).

Vikings co-owner and president Mark Wilf was effusive in his praise for O'Connell after his appointment was confirmed, saying: "We are ecstatic to add Kevin as our head coach. He is a strong leader, an innovative coach and an excellent communicator.

"Kevin played the game at all levels, which gives him a unique connection to players, and he is highly respected throughout the league. Vikings fans should be excited for the future of this team under Kevin's direction."

Wilf's co-owner and brother Zygi, who is also the chairman, added: "Kevin is an impressive and respected leader who has been a part of some explosive offensive schemes. He has a tremendous football IQ and is passionate about preparing, developing and communicating with his players.

"Beyond the Xs and Os, everyone we spoke with throughout this search process spoke highly of Kevin's ability to motivate players, coaches and staff."

The Vikings also recently appointed a new general manager in Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, whose first job was hiring a new head coach, and he also gave his thoughts on O'Connell and why he was chosen.

"As I spent time with Kevin during the interview process, it became immediately clear he will be a great partner in building this football team for long-term success," Adofo-Mensah said.

"He understands what is critical to leading a team that wins at the highest level, and he has an ability to simplify the complex, which will help us in problem-solving in all football areas. He is a genuinely positive person who will help create a high-energy internal environment."

The Minnesota Vikings have confirmed Kevin O'Connell as their new head coach.

An announcement was delayed due to O'Connell's involvement in the Los Angeles Rams' postseason as their offensive coordinator, which ended with them winning Super Bowl LVI on Sunday.

O'Connell joined the Rams in 2020 from Washington and helped lead Matthew Stafford, Cooper Kupp and Odell Beckham Jr. to the championship this year.

Under the 36-year-old's guidance, the Rams offense finished ninth in the league, averaging 372.1 yards per game in 2021, while ranking second in plays of 50-plus yards (10), fourth in yards per play (5.98) and eighth in offensive touchdowns (51).

O'Connell also played a role in helping Kupp – who was named MVP for the Super Bowl – have a standout season, leading the NFL in receptions (145), receiving yards (1,947) and receiving touchdowns (16).

Vikings co-owner and president Mark Wilf was effusive in his praise for O'Connell after his appointment was confirmed, saying: "We are ecstatic to add Kevin as our head coach. He is a strong leader, an innovative coach and an excellent communicator.

"Kevin played the game at all levels, which gives him a unique connection to players, and he is highly respected throughout the league. Vikings fans should be excited for the future of this team under Kevin's direction."

Wilf's co-owner and brother Zygi, who is also the chairman, added: "Kevin is an impressive and respected leader who has been a part of some explosive offensive schemes. He has a tremendous football IQ and is passionate about preparing, developing and communicating with his players.

"Beyond the Xs and Os, everyone we spoke with throughout this search process spoke highly of Kevin's ability to motivate players, coaches and staff."

The Vikings also recently appointed a new general manager in Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, whose first job was hiring a new head coach, and he also gave his thoughts on O'Connell and why he was chosen.

"As I spent time with Kevin during the interview process, it became immediately clear he will be a great partner in building this football team for long-term success," Adofo-Mensah said.

"He understands what is critical to leading a team that wins at the highest level, and he has an ability to simplify the complex, which will help us in problem-solving in all football areas. He is a genuinely positive person who will help create a high-energy internal environment."

The Cincinnati Bengals have confirmed head coach Zac Taylor has been rewarded for their run to the Super Bowl with a new contract.

Taylor, 38, guided the Bengals to their first Super Bowl appearance in 33 years during what was a momentous season.

While Cincinnati were ultimately beaten 23-20 by the Los Angeles Rams – Taylor's previous employers – in Super Bowl LVI on Sunday in Inglewood, rumours quickly began to circulate that he was to be handed a new deal.

The franchise confirmed the news on Wednesday, with Taylor signing through 2026, and Bengals president Mike Brown was keen to show his and the city's gratitude to the coach.

"He's a good young coach," Brown wrote. "Zac has come into the league and worked to develop the foundations for a winning program that can be successful over time.

"The fruits of Zac's efforts were seen this year, and Zac is well-regarded by our players and coaches. I know the effort and passion Zac brings to the building and to our team, and I am pleased by his approach.

"And I think the city of Cincinnati sees him the way the players and I do. He's brought excitement to the town and deserves credit and recognition for that."

Not only did Taylor end the Bengals' long wait for a crack at the Super Bowl, but their 26-19 Wild Card win over the Las Vegas Raiders in January was their first playoff victory in 31 years.

The Bengals scored 444 points over the 16 games that the starters played, just four short of the franchise record set in 1988.

The output and run of the 2021 vintage was, according to Brown, largely down to Taylor and his coaching.

"In this league, if you want to get to where you wish, getting to the Super Bowl, you need a lot of things," Brown added.

"All of those are important, but certain people, and I would be one, would say the most important part is being able to score.

"These days 30 points is at a level you're able to win week in and week out. It's something we're shooting for in the future.

"We have the ability to do it if we're going right. Zac is the reason we can do that. It's his system. He teaches it effectively and our guys have bought into it."

Odell Beckham Jr. will undergo surgery on his left knee this week after again tearing his anterior cruciate ligament, NFL Network has reported.

Beckham left the first half of Sunday's Super Bowl LVI after appearing to land awkwardly on his knee.

The superstar receiver had scored the opening touchdown of the game for the Los Angeles Rams but was downgraded to out in the second half and restricted to the role of spectator as the Cincinnati Bengals were beaten 23-20.

Beckham sustained an ACL tear to the same knee in 2020 – also against the Bengals – and Monday brought widespread reports he had suffered the same injury again.

"Thank you all for the love and support," he wrote on his Twitter page. "God always got me. He's always had a plan. He made me a world champion! I'm so grateful!"

On Tuesday, NFL Network said Beckham would soon have surgery in order to recover as quickly as possible as he enters free agency.

The Rams have limited room for manoeuvre within the salary cap – set to come in at $10million over the 2022 cap as things stand.

But Beckham has suggested he would take a pay cut to return, having been a huge success after joining midseason from the Cleveland Browns.

Assuming a full recovery from his latest serious injury, the Rams could again look to pair Beckham with triple crown wide receiver and Super Bowl MVP Cooper Kupp.

Across the regular season and playoffs, Beckham caught seven TD passes in 12 games for the Rams – as many as in 29 games in two and a half years with the Browns.

Meanwhile, Kupp followed up his league-leading regular season performance of 145 receptions, 1,947 receiving yards and 16 receiving touchdowns by again leading all three categories in the postseason (33 catches, 478 yards and six TDs).

Beckham joined the Rams less than two weeks before Robert Woods tore his ACL, giving the new signing a more prominent role.

Woods, who comforted Beckham on Sunday, had caught four TDs and rushed for another in nine games in 2021 before his injury.

The Minnesota Vikings will belatedly confirm Los Angeles Rams offensive coordinator Kevin O'Connell as their new head coach this week, according to an ESPN report.

An announcement has been delayed to this point due to the O'Connell's involvement in the postseason with his current team.

But after the Rams' playoff run ended with victory over the Cincinnati Bengals in Super Bowl LVI at their SoFi Stadium home on Sunday, the Vikings have been cleared to name their man.

O'Connell will be introduced on Thursday, following the Rams' team meetings and exit interviews on Tuesday and victory parade in LA on Wednesday.

He joined the Rams in 2020 from Washington and helped lead Matthew Stafford, Cooper Kupp and Odell Beckham Jr. to the championship this year.

Although Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris was said to be among the interviewees who missed out on the Vikings job, O'Connell's departure means Sean McVay will have to bring in a key member of coaching staff for the second time in two years; Brandon Staley, Morris' predecessor as DC, went to the Los Angeles Chargers last year.

Rams tight ends coach and passing game coordinator Wes Phillips will also have a role on O'Connell's staff, the ESPN report said.

The next Rams OC will not immediately get the opportunity to work with Beckham, regardless of any agreement with the team as he enters free agency.

Beckham, a midseason arrival from the Cleveland Browns, sustained a knee injury in the first half of the Super Bowl, which is now said to be his second ACL tear in the same knee in two seasons.

The wide receiver, who has said he would be willing to accept a pay cut to stay with the Rams, again faces a lengthy rehabilitation process.

The make-up of the rest of the team is far from certain, too, with superstar defensive tackle Aaron Donald delaying any decision on his future after finally winning a ring.

McVay, the youngest ever Super Bowl-winning head coach, has been similarly non-committal.

Gymnastics star Simone Biles is engaged to Houston Texans safety Jonathan Owens.

The couple, who met shortly before the coronavirus pandemic, announced the news via their social media pages on Tuesday.

"Woke up a fiance," Biles tweeted. "I can't wait to spend forever and ever with you, you're everything I dreamed of and more!"

In January last year, Owens said the enforced shutdown of sport caused by COVID-19 allowed him and Biles to spend time getting to know one another.

"It was one of the few times in her life where everything was just shut off and she couldn't do anything," he told Texas Monthly. "So we used it to get to know each other - really get to know each other. It created our bond and made it stronger. Now I'm so thankful."

Biles, 24, is a four-time Olympic gold medallist and is regarded as one of the greatest gymnasts in the history of the sport.

She holds a record 25 world championship medals, 19 of which are gold, and is the only female gymnast with five world all-around titles.

At the Tokyo Olympics last year, Biles withdrew from four individual events for which she had qualified after pulling out of the women's team competition after just one rotation.

The United States star cited the need to focus on her mental health as she chose not to contest the individual all-round, vault, uneven bars and floor exercise finals.

Biles returned for the balance beam final, winning bronze, after which she described her pride in bringing greater attention to mental health concerns.

Owens, 26, was signed by the Texans after spending a year with the Arizona Cardinals. He played seven times in the NFL last season.

The immediate futures of head coach Sean McVay and veteran defensive lineman Aaron Donald will not be determined for a month according to Los Angeles Rams chief operating officer Kevin Demoff.

McVay guided the Rams to Sunday's 23-20 Super Bowl LVI triumph over the Cincinnati Bengals at SoFi Stadium, making him the youngest head coach to win a Super Bowl in NFL history at 36-years-old.

Donald made a series of key plays to clinch victory for the Rams but speculation has been rife about the 30-year-old's playing future, although he declined to discuss it in the aftermath of victory.

“I think all of these guys are wiped,” Demoff told reporters on Monday. “When you get to this point, the gas tank is empty and you’re sitting there holding a trophy.

"I think that’s daunting to some degree when you wake up this morning and realize you’ve got to go do it all over again, and you don’t have the energy so I think the talk is actually natural.

“I would agree. I don’t think Sean’s current pace is sustainable in terms of how much work he puts in if you want to have a family. But I think the one thing, these guys all love football.

"They love being around each other… These are all natural questions that are hard to answer in the moment. A month away, two months away from everybody, and I think things will feel a lot better.”

McVay added that good things happens when you get great players pulling in the same direction, as the Rams claimed their first Super Bowl victory since 1999, when they were based in St Louis.

The Rams invested heavily in success ahead of this season, bringing in quarterback Matthew Stafford, wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr and outside line backer Von Miller in the past 12 months.

"When you get around great players and great coaches who are all committed and pulling in the same direction, pulling that rope in the same direction, good things can happen," McVay told reporters on Monday.

"Each team is a new team every single year but when you have the right foundational pieces like Cooper [Kupp], [Andrew] Whitworth, Stafford, Aaron Donald, the list goes on, you just feel grateful to be a part of it.

"Because of their success other people get a chance to grow."

"I think defense is going to win this game. Somebody has to step up and stop these superstar quarterbacks, that team is going to win this game. I just think the defense has to score the knockout."

Michael Buffer has made his name as the voice of professional boxing, but he clearly knows his football, as his Super Bowl prediction proved remarkably prescient.

It was indeed a defensive player who delivered the knockout blow of Super Bowl LVI, as the Los Angeles Rams fought back to beat the Cincinnati Bengals 23-20.

The league's premier defensive star, Aaron Donald, was the source of that telling strike, and it may well prove the final one of his career.

On a must-have fourth-down attempt for the Bengals following Cooper Kupp's go-ahead touchdown, Donald sliced through the interior of the Bengals' offensive line and corralled a hobbled Joe Burrow, who flung a desperation pass that proved too short for Samaje Perine.

Donald finally climbing the mountain with the Rams after years of defensive dominance will only heighten talk of retirement that emerged pre-game.

The three-time Defensive Player of the Year was non-committal on his future speaking after the game, choosing to focus on a moment in which he vindicated head coach Sean McVay's faith in him.

McVay told Donald he would make the decisive play, delivering a show of confidence in a player whose consistent brilliance has merited such belief.

"He told me that when I got to the sideline. You have to be relentless. You want something bad enough, you go get it," Donald told a media conference. 

"It was right in front of us. We had the lead. It was put on the defense's shoulders to make the big stop to make us world champions. You wouldn't want it another way.

"All offseason you work, you train, you got camp, you got a long season just for this one game to be the last team standing. You have to give it everything you've got.

"It's about being relentless, showing up when you need to. Big-time players make big-time plays in big-time games. It's truly a blessing, the opportunity to play this game, but not just play this game, play with great team-mates, great coaches, great organisation.

"Been here eight years, lot of ups-and-downs, so to see it come full circle and be a world champion, all that hard work you put into this game, that's what it's for. Finally mission complete, so it feels great."

Describing the final play, he said: "We had made a third-down stop. Fourth down, I thought they would run, but they dropped back to pass. Found a way to get the chop-club and bend the edge and found a way to get to the quarterback and make him throw an errant pass.

"I actually tried to get the ball out, but he threw it up so I was a little nervous at first. It was a huge play. It was a great few stops for the defense that we made leading up to that. I think we started taking over the game up front when we needed to. We're world champs."

Zac Taylor refused to blame the officials after a controversial defensive holding call went against the Cincinnati Bengals in the fourth quarter of their Super Bowl LVI defeat to the Los Angeles Rams.

The Bengals led 20-16 going into the final minutes at SoFi Stadium, but the Rams produced the longest go-ahead fourth-quarter drive in Super Bowl history to claim a dramatic 23-20 victory thanks to Matthew Stafford's touchdown throw to Cooper Kupp.

Three plays before that touchdown on a back-shoulder fade, the Bengals appeared to have the Rams stopped on the Cincinnati eight-yard line when Logan Wilson batted down a third-down pass to Kupp.

However, Wilson was flagged for holding despite there appearing to be minimal contact between the Bengals linebacker and Kupp, giving the Rams a new set of downs.

A touchdown throw to Kupp was then nullified by offsetting penalties before the wideout drew a pass interference flag on Eli Apple and Stafford failed on a quarterback sneak prior to making the crucial connection with the Super Bowl MVP.

Asked about Wilson's defensive stop being taken away by penalty, Taylor told a post-game media conference: "It's tough, I thought it was a really well-officiated game to be quite honest with you and sometimes it comes down to moments like those, I didn't have a great look at it but I thought the officials did a nice job."

Wilson appeared slightly more willing to criticise, hinting that Kupp may have been guilty of offensive pass interference through a push-off.

"Yeah, I mean, Cooper came up to me and tried to push off of me and I thought I made a good play on the ball and the refs saw otherwise so, it's a tough call," said Wilson.

Joe Burrow was sacked a Super Bowl-record seven times as a much-maligned offensive line fell apart in the second half, the Bengals quarterback left hobbled after appearing to injure his knee.

Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald clinched victory by powering past Quinton Spain to force a desperation heave from Burrow on a do-or-die fourth down on the final drive that came up short of Samaje Perine's clutches.

On the severity of Burrow's injury, Taylor said: "It's hard to know, he was able to play and I'm just calling the plays at that point, we'll find out more. 

"I thought in the first half of this game the protection was tremendous, then in the second half we called some passes and it got difficult.

"We'll have to see how they all played out, everyone's gonna say it's the offensive line, we've gotta see exactly how that played out. We don't ever want our quarterback to get hit but that's life in the NFL sometimes.

"It's hard to lose really on the last play of the game, we were moving the ball we feel like to win the game, not tie it, we were gonna try to go win it, been working for the last six months, play 21 games to lose the Super Bowl, it's not a lot of fun."