The number of NFL games held outside the United States will double in 2025 after owners voted to increase the league’s international offering at the December League Meeting in Dallas.

A first regular-season game to be held in South America was also approved and is set to be played in Brazil in 2024 at the home of Corinthians, taking the NFL to its fifth continent for a pre- or regular-season contest.

Wednesday’s vote ensures the NFL will have the right to schedule up to eight regular-season games per season internationally in 2025, up from four currently, with London once again set to host three next season with a third trip to Munich rounding out the global fixtures.

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said: “Becoming a global sport is a major strategic priority for the league and 32 teams.

“Increasing international game inventory allows us to grow our global presence and share our game with exciting new markets to connect with more fans around the world.”

Manchester United executive co-chairman Joel Glazer, who also owns the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and chairs the NFL’s International Committee, added: “International games have been a huge success, and we are excited for the opportunity to share the sport of American football with more fans from around the world in the future.”

As part of the updated resolution approved by NFL ownership, no club would be required to play more than one regular-season game outside of North America in the same season unless they specifically choose to.

Each team designated to play in an international regular-season game will be permitted to select two of their regular-season opponents that will not be eligible to be scheduled as their opponent in an international game, and international games may not be scheduled after Week 14 of the NFL season.

An NFL release stated that “new markets and host cities/stadiums for future seasons will be announced at later dates.”

The Los Angeles Chargers will play the rest of the NFL season without their franchise quarterback.

Justin Herbert will have surgery on Tuesday to repair a fracture to his right index finger, the team announced.

Herbert met with hand specialists on Monday, a day after he injured the index finger on his throwing hand in the Chargers' 24-7 loss to the Denver Broncos in Week 14.

With the team sitting at 5-8 and highly unlikely to make the playoffs, the team decided season-ending surgery was the best option for Herbert to fully recover.

The injury occurred in the second quarter on Sunday, when he was hit by Broncos defensive end Zach Allen after completing an 11-yard pass to Donald Parham. He finished off the series, which lasted four more plays, completing 1-of-3 passes for 14 yards.

He was replaced by Easton Stick, who was 13-of-24 passing for 179 yards in his first meaningful NFL action. He is slated to make his first career start Thursday on the road against the Las Vegas Raiders.

Since the Chargers drafted Herbert sixth overall in the 2020 NFL draft, he had started 62 of the team's 63 games, playing through a broken finger on his non-throwing hand earlier this season and fractured rib cartilage in 2022.

On the first day of training camp this summer, he signed a $252.5million, five-year extension that made him the highest paid quarterback in the league by average salary per year and total money.

Herbert finishes this season with a 93.2 QB rating - the exact same rating he registered in 2022 - but his average passing yards per game dropped from 278.8 - third best in the NFL last season - to 241.1 - 13th in the NFL. He threw 20 touchdown passes, but had just one TD throw in the last three games, as the Chargers totalled 23 points in those contests.

The Tennessee Titans scored two late touchdowns as they shocked the AFC East-leading Miami Dolphins 28-27.

Rookie quarterback Will Levis found DeAndre Hopkins from three yards and, after a two-point conversion, steered his team into position for Derrick Henry to tie the game with a six-yard run – Nick Folk adding the decisive extra point.

Henry had grabbed the Titans’ opening touchdown in the second quarter, responding to Zach Sieler’s interception return as the Titans largely shut down the Miami offence.

A pair of touchdown runs from Raheem Mostert put the Dolphins 27-13 up inside the final five minutes before Levis, who threw for a career-high 327 yards, led the Titans rally.

The Dolphins remain two games clear of the Buffalo Bills in the AFC East and one game behind the Baltimore Ravens for the best record in the conference.

A 37-yard field goal as time ran out from Randy Bullock earned the New York Giants a 24-22 win over the Green Bay Packers.

The Packers had taken the lead with just 93 seconds remaining when Jordan Love found Malik Heath in the end zone from six yards, but they failed with the two-point conversion and Tommy DeVito’s 32-yard pass to Wan’Dale Robinson gave Bullock the chance to win the game.

The defeat leaves the Packers 6-7 alongside four other teams in the race for the third wildcard spot in the NFC.

Justin Jefferson was hospitalised after taking a hard hit Sunday, but the Minnesota Vikings are hopeful the star wide receiver will be ready for their next game.

Vikings coach Kevin O'Connell told reporters on Monday that Jefferson is considered day to day with a chest injury.

He also added he had "a good chance" to play in Saturday's road game against the Cincinnati Bengals.

Jefferson's injury occurred in the second quarter of the Vikings' 3-0 win over the Las Vegas Raiders when he was blasted by safety Marcus Epps while hauling in a 15-yard catch. He was taken to a hospital, where X-rays confirmed there was no internal damage and he was able to travel home with the team from Las Vegas.

The 2022 AP NFL Offensive Player of the Year appeared in just 13 plays against the Raiders in his first game since October 8 after he missed the previous seven contests with a hamstring injury.

He had just two receptions for 27 yards before exiting, and has 38 catches for 598 yards with three touchdowns in six games this season.

In 2022, he put together one of the best seasons by a receiver in NFL history, finishing with league highs of 128 catches and 1,809 receiving yards, along with eight TD receptions.

A first-round draft pick in 2020, Jefferson is a three-time Pro Bowler and had never missed a game in his career prior to Week 6 of this season.

While Jefferson might be back on the field this weekend, it's uncertain who will be throwing him passes.

O'Connell said the team is still deciding on the quarterback position and will make an announcement later this week.

Joshua Dobbs was benched against the Raiders after completing 10-of-23 passes for 63 yards while being sacked five times. Backup Nick Mullens then was 9-of-13 passing for 83 yards and led the Vikings to their only points.

Minnesota managed just 231 yards of offence but improved to 7-6 and is in control of the No. 6 seed in the NFC play-off picture.

The Dallas Cowboys drew even with the Philadelphia Eagles at the top of the NFC East as they beat their divisional rivals 33-13.

Dak Prescott threw for two touchdowns as the Cowboys won for a fifth successive game and the Eagles lost consecutive matches for the first time in more than two years.

Brandon Aubrey kicked four field goals for the Cowboys, extending his NFL record at the start of his career to 30 successful kicks.

The Eagles failed to muster an offensive touchdown, Jalen Carter claiming their only six-pointer after Fletcher Cox sacked Prescott.

The San Francisco 49ers moved to the brink of back-to-back NFC West titles as they beat the Seattle Seahawks 28-16 for their fifth straight win.

Deebo Samuel caught a touchdown pass and ran for another score as the 49ers moved to 10-3, four games clear of the Seahawks and Los Angeles Rams with four games remaining.

The stumbling Kansas City Chiefs lost for the fourth time in six games as they went down 20-17 at home to the Buffalo Bills.

Josh Allen threw for 233 yards and a touchdown, running for another before the Bills secured victory with a Tyler Bass field with just under two minutes remaining.

The Super Bowl champions thought they had regained the lead when a throw from tight end Travis Kelce sent Kadarius Toney in from 49 yards, but an offside flag ruled out the score.

The Denver Broncos are the Chiefs’ unlikely challengers for the AFC West crown, moving to within one game with a 24-7 win over the Los Angeles Chargers.

Russell Wilson threw for two touchdowns as the Broncos made it six wins in their last seven games.

His opposite number Justin Herbert left with a finger injury after being sacked four times.

The Minnesota Vikings and Las Vegas Raiders came within two minutes of the first scoreless game in regulation time for 80 years.

Greg Joseph’s field goal with one minute 57 left on the clock gave the Vikings a 3-0 win, the lowest-scoring match for 16 years.

Tylan Wallace returned an overtime punt for a touchdown to secure the Baltimore Ravens a stunning 37-31 win against the Los Angeles Rams.

The Ravens became the first AFC team to 10 wins as Wallace returned the punt 76 yards for the game-winning score.

Baltimore had retaken the lead in a roller-coaster clash with one minute 16 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter through Lamar Jackson’s third touchdown pass of the game.

The Rams forced overtime with a Lucas Havrisik field goal, but Baltimore prevailed to move above the Miami Dolphins, who play on Monday night, in the race for the top seed in the play-offs.

The Jacksonville Jaguars suffered a second successive defeat as Joe Flacco led the Cleveland Browns to a 31-27 home win.

Veteran Flacco, the Super Bowl MVP in 2013 with the Ravens, threw for 311 yards and three touchdowns on his second appearance for the Browns.

Cleveland remained two games behind Baltimore in the AFC North while the Cincinnati Bengals are just a game further back after quarterback Jake Browning shone in a 34-14 success against the Indianapolis Colts.

Back-up Browning, who has stepped in for the injured Joe Burrow, threw for 275 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for another score to earn his side a second successive victory.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers went top of the NFC South with a 29-25 victory over the Atlanta Falcons.

Baker Mayfield led a 12-play, 75-yard drive, which ended with him finding Cade Otton in the end zone for a game-winning touchdown with 31 seconds left.

Both teams sit on 6-7 in the division, as do the third-placed New Orleans Saints after they ended a three-match losing run by beating the struggling Carolina Panthers 28-6.

The New York Jets ended a five-match losing run by beating the Houston Texans 30-6.

Much-maligned Jets quarterback Zach Wilson threw for 301 yards and two touchdowns, while rookie of the year frontrunner CJ Stroud completed just 10 throws for 91 yards for the play-off chasing Texans before leaving the game with a head injury.

DJ Moore had both a receiving and a rushing touchdown – the first of his career – as the Chicago Bears stunned NFC North leaders the Detroit Lions 28-13.

The Dallas Cowboys drew even with the Philadelphia Eagles at the top of the NFC East as they beat their divisional rivals 33-13.

Dak Prescott threw for two touchdowns as the Cowboys won for a fifth successive game and the Eagles lost consecutive matches for the first time in more than two years.

Brandon Aubrey kicked four field goals for the Cowboys, extending his NFL record at the start of his career to 30 successful kicks.

The Eagles failed to muster an offensive touchdown, Jalen Carter claiming their only six-pointer after Fletcher Cox sacked Prescott.

The San Francisco 49ers moved to the brink of back-to-back NFC West titles as they beat the Seattle Seahawks 28-16 for their fifth straight win.

Deebo Samuel caught a touchdown pass and ran for another score as the 49ers moved to 10-3, four games clear of the Seahawks and Los Angeles Rams with four games remaining.

The stumbling Kansas City Chiefs lost for the fourth time in six games as they went down 20-17 at home to the Buffalo Bills.

Josh Allen threw for 233 yards and a touchdown, running for another before the Bills secured victory with a Tyler Bass field with just under two minutes remaining.

The Super Bowl champions thought they had regained the lead when a throw from tight end Travis Kelce sent Kadarius Toney in from 49 yards, but an offside flag ruled out the score.

The Denver Broncos are the Chiefs’ unlikely challengers for the AFC West crown, moving to within one game with a 24-7 win over the Los Angeles Chargers.

Russell Wilson threw for two touchdowns as the Broncos made it six wins in their last seven games.

His opposite number Justin Herbert left with a finger injury after being sacked four times.

The Minnesota Vikings and Las Vegas Raiders came within two minutes of the first scoreless game in regulation time for 80 years.

Greg Joseph’s field goal with one minute 57 left on the clock gave the Vikings a 3-0 win, the lowest-scoring match for 16 years.

Tylan Wallace returned an overtime punt for a touchdown to secure the Baltimore Ravens a stunning 37-31 win against the Los Angeles Rams.

The Ravens became the first AFC team to 10 wins as Wallace returned the punt 76 yards for the game-winning score.

Baltimore had retaken the lead in a roller-coaster clash with one minute 16 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter through Lamar Jackson’s third touchdown pass of the game.

The Rams forced overtime with a Lucas Havrisik field goal, but Baltimore prevailed to move above the Miami Dolphins, who play on Monday night, in the race for the top seed in the play-offs.

The Jacksonville Jaguars suffered a second successive defeat as Joe Flacco led the Cleveland Browns to a 31-27 home win.

Veteran Flacco, the Super Bowl MVP in 2013 with the Ravens, threw for 311 yards and three touchdowns on his second appearance for the Browns.

Cleveland remained two games behind Baltimore in the AFC North while the Cincinnati Bengals are just a game further back after quarterback Jake Browning shone in a 34-14 success against the Indianapolis Colts.

Back-up Browning, who has stepped in for the injured Joe Burrow, threw for 275 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for another score to earn his side a second successive victory.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers went top of the NFC South with a 29-25 victory over the Atlanta Falcons.

Baker Mayfield led a 12-play, 75-yard drive, which ended with him finding Cade Otton in the end zone for a game-winning touchdown with 31 seconds left.

Both teams sit on 6-7 in the division, as do the third-placed New Orleans Saints after they ended a three-match losing run by beating the struggling Carolina Panthers 28-6.

The New York Jets ended a five-match losing run by beating the Houston Texans 30-6.

Much-maligned Jets quarterback Zach Wilson threw for 301 yards and two touchdowns, while rookie of the year frontrunner CJ Stroud completed just 10 throws for 91 yards for the play-off chasing Texans before leaving the game with a head injury.

DJ Moore had both a receiving and a rushing touchdown – the first of his career – as the Chicago Bears stunned NFC North leaders the Detroit Lions 28-13.

The Houston Texans' 30-6 loss to the New York Jets on Sunday came at a cost, as C.J. Stroud left with a concussion.

The rookie quarterback exited with 6:30 remaining in the fourth quarter when he was hit by Quinnen Williams and his head slammed to the turf hard.

Stroud has entered the NFL's concussion protocol and his status for Houston's game against the Tennessee Titans next Sunday is uncertain.

"We'll see how he progresses throughout the week," Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said.

Stroud, the No. 2 pick of this year's draft, came into Week 14 leading the league in passing yards with 3,540 but struggled mightily against a stingy Jets defense. He completed 10-of-23 passes for a season-low 91 yards while being sacked four times.

The Texans finished with a season-worst 135 total yards and converted just 1 of 12 third-down attempts in losing for the second time in three weeks following a three-game winning streak.

Davis Mills replaced Stroud and would likely get the start against the Titans if Stroud isn't cleared.

Tylan Wallace returned an overtime punt for a touchdown to secure the Baltimore Ravens a stunning 37-31 win against the Los Angeles Rams in the NFL.

The Ravens went top of the AFC standings with their 10th win of the season after Wallace returned the punt 76 yards for the game-winning score.

Baltimore had retaken the lead in a roller-coaster clash with one minute 16 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter through Lamar Jackson’s third touchdown pass of the game.

The Rams forced overtime with a Lucas Havrisik field goal, but Baltimore prevailed to move above the Miami Dolphins, who play on Monday night.

The Jacksonville Jaguars suffered a second successive defeat as Joe Flacco led Cleveland Browns to a 31-27 home win.

Veteran Flacco, the Super Bowl MVP in 2013 with the Ravens, threw for 311 yards and three touchdowns on his second appearance for the Browns.

Cleveland remained two games behind Baltimore in the AFC North, while the Cincinnati Bengals are just a game further back after quarterback Jake Browning shone in a 34-14 success against the Indianapolis Colts.

Back-up Browning, who has stepped in for the injured Joe Burrow, threw for 275 yards and two touchdowns and rushed in for another score to earn his side a second successive victory.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers went top of the NFC South with a 29-25 victory over the Atlanta Falcons.

Baker Mayfield led a 12-play, 75-yard drive which ended with him finding Cade Otton in the end zone for a game-winning touchdown with 31 seconds left.

Both teams sit on a record of 6-7 in the NFC South, as do the third-placed New Orleans Saints after they ended a three-match losing run by beating the struggling Carolina Panthers 28-6.

The New York Jets ended a five-match losing run by beating the Houston Texans 30-6.

Much-maligned Jets quarterback Zach Wilson threw for 301 yards and two touchdowns, while rookie of the year frontrunner CJ Stroud completed just 10 throws for 91 yards for the play-off chasing Texans before leaving the game with a head injury.

DJ Moore had both a receiving and a rushing touchdown – the first of his career – as the Chicago Bears stunned NFC North leaders the Detroit Lions 28-13.

Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt was placed in concussion protocol after the 2021 Defensive Player of the Year reported symptoms on Friday.

Watt played 51 of Pittsburgh’s 57 defensive snaps in Thursday’s 21-18 loss to the New England Patriots.

The five-time Pro Bowler inadvertently had his facemask collide with Patriot running back Ezekiel Elliott’s knee in the first quarter, and Watt was evaluated briefly on the sideline before returning.

Watt’s 14 sacks this season trail only Khalil Mack of the Los Angeles Chargers, who has 15.

Alex Highsmith, who emerged as a standout edge-rushing complement to Watt with 14.5 sacks last season, missed most of Thursday’s game after going into concussion protocol in the first half.

Inside linebackers Kwon Alexander and Cole Holcomb are already out for the year.

Veteran Markus Golden and rookie Nick Herbig are projected to be the starting edge-rushing combination in next Saturday’s game against the Indianapolis Colts if Watt and Highsmith remain in protocol.

Watt is a three-time All-Pro selection with 91.5 sacks and 189 quarterback hits in 100 career games.

The Las Vegas Raiders made the right decision when they fired head coach Josh McDaniels last month and have got their "swagger" back under interim coach Antonio Pierce.

That is the view of three-time Super Bowl-winning safety Duron Harmon, who hopes Pierce gets a shot at leading the team on a full-time basis next season.

The Raiders parted company with coach McDaniels and general manager David Ziegler in early November, having made a 3-5 start to McDaniels' second season with the franchise.

Pierce has overseen something of an upturn since taking the reins, with the Raiders overcoming the New York Giants – with whom Pierce won Super Bowl XLII during his playing career – and the New York Jets before losing difficult games against the Miami Dolphins and the Kansas City Chiefs.

Harmon, who was with the Raiders last year, believes the team are already seeing their decision pay off, telling Stats Perform: "I think [the owner] Mark Davis did the best thing. 

"I have a lot of respect for Josh McDaniels and Dave Ziegler. They allowed me to go out there and play and I enjoyed my time there. But you could just tell the team wasn't responding to the coach. 

"So they did the right thing by letting him go and hiring somebody on an interim basis, like Antonio Pierce, another man who's a great leader, a leader of men who could just kind of get the juices going back throughout the locker room.

"I think they've done that. They played the Dolphins tough. They beat the Jets, they beat the Giants, I believe. 

"Then they ran into the Chiefs [last week], which is a tough test for everybody. Amik [Robertson] and Devante [Adams] came out and said that basically, they beat themselves. When you watch the tape, you could probably agree with them. 

"The idea that they have this type of confidence now, it shows that they have a head coach that is giving them that swagger that they need."

The 5-7 Raiders are outside the playoff picture in the AFC with five games to play, but Harmon does not think the prospect of a postseason run is completely unrealistic. 

"Hopefully, they can maybe get on a little run and maybe sneak into playoffs," he added.

"I have a lot of great relationships over there, and I still talk to a lot of guys over there and they can't talk highly enough about the energy shift that has been since Antonio has taken over. 

"So, I wish those guys the best of luck. I think if all goes well, hopefully, they give AP a good hard look to make him not only the interim but the head coach for the future."

Cleveland Browns safety Duron Harmon says the team cannot dwell on injuries to key players Nick Chubb and Deshaun Watson, saying they must find a way to "win at all costs".

The Browns have lost several key players this season, starting with star running back Chubb as he suffered a gruesome knee injury in Week 2, which has required two separate surgeries. 

That injury put even greater responsibility on quarterback Watson, but he was forced to undergo season-ending surgery after sustaining a fracture in his throwing shoulder last month.

Despite their absences, the Browns approach their Week 14 matchup with the Jacksonville Jaguars with a 7-5 record and are one of three teams from the AFC North currently in a playoff position.

Speaking exclusively to Stats Perform, Harmon – who signed to Cleveland's practice squad in November – said they cannot afford to dwell on those injuries, remaining bullish about their Super Bowl hopes.

Asked what the Browns' mentality would be for the rest of the season, Harmon said: "Find a way to win. it's not about making excuses. 

"It's not about talking about who could be there, who's not going to be there, who might be there. It's about just finding a way to win. 

"We're at the point of the season where everybody has, or is dealing with, some type of injuries on their team.

"The teams who just find a way are the teams that are going to be there in the end competing for that Lombardi. So we've just got to find a way to win at all costs."

The Browns had another injury scare last week as defensive end Myles Garrett was seen with his arm in a sling following the team's 29-12 loss to the Denver Broncos, though he was able to suit up for their road game against the Los Angeles Rams in Week 13 – a 36-19 defeat.

Harmon believes Garrett, who ranks fifth in the NFL for sacks this year with 13, is the standout athlete in the league.

Asked what makes the star edge rusher special, Harmon said: "I think just his motor, his get-off, his athletic ability. Myles Garrett is truly one-of-one. 

"I was talking to a team-mate yesterday and I was like, 'Myles Garrett might be the best athlete in the NFL'. 

"Just as a pure athlete, and he looked at me and said, 'There's no might about it, he is'. Just watching how he practices, watching how he goes about his day, how he treats his profession, how he works on his craft daily. It's no surprise he is where he is. 

"It's no surprise he's going to continue to get better and terrorise quarterbacks. He takes the right approach every day. The success coming his way is because he works for it and he's earned it."

The New England Patriots ended a five-game losing streak with a 21-18 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers.

A week after failing to reach the end zone against the Los Angeles Chargers, New England’s offence finally found some form behind quarterback Bailey Zappe.

He threw for 240 yards and three touchdowns, while Pittsburgh’s Mitch Trubisky was held to just one passing touchdown and 190 yards in the air.

The Steelers were under pressure almost immediately when Zappe found Ezekiel Elliott in the end zone within the first minute.

Pittsburgh were able to steady the ship slightly through kicker Chris Boswell’s 56-yard field goal, but back-to-back Hunter Henry touchdowns to open up the second quarter saw New England stretch their lead to 18.

Trubisky was eventually able to reduce that deficit to 11 before the end of the first half, but it took until the fourth quarter for the scoreboard to tick over again.

A one-yard run from Trubisky at the start of the quarter kept the game alive for Pittsburgh, but the New England defence was ultimately able to hold on for the Patriots to pick up just their third win of the year.

The Detroit Lions are strong contenders as they close in on the NFL playoffs and Duron Harmon believes his former side are succeeding due to the understanding and relatability of head coach Dan Campbell.

Campbell's Lions lead the NFC North after going 9-3, inspired by an energetic running game and experienced quarterback Jared Goff, who made Super Bowl LII with the defeated Los Angeles Rams.

Only C.J. Stroud (3,540), Sam Howell (3,466) and Tua Tagovailoa (3,457) have passed for more yards than Goff's 3,288, while the Lions' 1,648 rushing yards can only be bettered by the Chicago Bears, the Miami Dolphins and the Baltimore Ravens.

Enjoying a fine season to date, Harmon – a Lion for a season in 2020 – lauded the qualities his former Detroit side have to offer in their quest for a first playoff berth since 2016.

"What I've seen is a team that has taken the approach and the mindset of their head coach," Harmon, now of the Cleveland Browns, told Stats Perform.

"A gritty team, a tough team, a team that will not quit, a team that will fight for all 60 minutes, and a team that is continually going to be on the rise this year and for years to come.

"They have a great thing cooking in Detroit.

"I was privileged enough to sit down with coach Campbell when he got hired. Right then and there, I knew they hired the right guy.

"He said it was going to be a year-to-year thing, it wasn't what happened overnight. He understood that he understood the process that it was going to be."

As the Lions continue in their search for a first Super Bowl triumph, Harmon lauded Campbell for restoring pride among a devoted Detroit faithful.

He added: "I'm happy for what he has done for the city of Detroit because they have one of the most loyal fan bases in sports, not just in the NFL.

"All they've ever wanted was a team to compete and a team that they can be proud of and Dan Campbell has given that to them – so hats off to him.

"We still have a long season, but what they've been able to accomplish this year up to this point, and just over the last two years, it shows that they're heading in the right direction to compete for years to come."

Touching further on Campbell's qualities, Harmon believes more NFL teams should follow suit in appointing former players looking to get into coaching.

Former tight end Campbell played for the New York Giants, the Dallas Cowboys and the New Orleans Saints – as well as a spell with the Lions – in a playing career that ended in 2009.

"It was a brief, probably 20-25 minute conversation, and the energy he gave off to me was, a lot of coaches say, I'll do any and everything for you, but you can just tell he meant it," Harmon continued.

"Not only did he mean it because, obviously it was his chance to be a head coach, but because he could relate. He was in the player's shoes.

"That's one thing that I think the NFL and these owners should start doing more is looking to hire former NFL players because they can relate.

"They understand the grind, not only physically, but mentally. They understand what it means to be an NFL player.

"What better way to have a head coach, who not only can motivate the players, but also relate? So they hired the right guy and we all see it. I wish him nothing but luck."

Trevor Lawrence sustained a right high-ankle sprain in Monday's night's 34-31 overtime loss to the Cincinnati Bengals.

Jaguars coach Doug Person revealed the diagnosis while talking to reporters Tuesday.

"Everything is stable," Pederson said. "Everything looks good and we'll see where he is in a couple of days."

Jacksonville visits the Cleveland Browns on Sunday, and Pederson didn't rule out Lawrence from playing.

"I'm not going to put that timetable on Trevor, not going to put him in a box like that," Pederson said.

Lawrence was injured with about five minutes remaining in the fourth quarter when his his right leg bent awkwardly after being stepped on by teammate Walker Little as he was sacked. He went to the ground in obvious pain and needed to be helped off the field. X-rays taken at Jacksonville's stadium were negative.

"The one last night looked worse than what it really was - very fortunate there," Pederson said. "But he seems to have a little bit of a knack (for avoiding serious injury)."

If he can't play, it would be the first game the durable Lawrence would miss since the Jaguars selected him No. 1 overall in the 2021 NFL draft. 

Backup C.J. Beathard would then make his 13th career start - and first since Week 17 of the 2020 season for the San Francisco 49ers. He is 2-10 as a starter in the NFL.

Replacing Lawrence on Monday, Beathard completed 9-of-10 passes for 63 yards.

"It's good to get C.J. a full week of preparation," Pederson said. "Trevor will stay mentally sharp and obviously see where he's at."

Lawrence was enjoying another showing before the injury, completing 22-of-29 passes for 258 yards with a pair of touchdowns.

In 12 games this season, he has 3,004 passing yards with 14 passing touchdowns and seven interceptions.

While Lawrence's status is uncertain, Pederson announced that top wide receiver Christian Kirk will be sidelined for "some time" due to a core muscle injury that will likely require surgery.

Kirk, who was injured on the first play from scrimmage against the Bengals, leads Jacksonville with 787 receiving yards on 57 receptions with three touchdown catches.

With Monday's loss, the Jaguars dropped to 8-4 and their lead atop the AFC South shrunk to one game over the Indianapolis Colts and Houston Texans.

The Cincinnati Bengals stunned the Jacksonville Jaguars 34-31 on the back of kicker Evan McPherson’s overtime field goal.

In just his second career start, Bengals quarterback Jake Browning threw for 354 yards and a touchdown while his counterpart Trevor Lawrence left the field late in the fourth quarter with an ankle injury.

The Jaguars opened the scoring in the first quarter through running back Travis Etienne Jr before Cincinnati equalised at the start of the second with a six-yard touchdown run from Joe Mixon.

A touchdown to Jacksonville’s Evan Engram and Mixon finding the end zone for his second saw the half-time score even at 14-14.

Momentum continued to shift after the break, Cincinatti briefly taking the lead before the Jaguars entered the fourth quarter with a seven-point advantage.

The Bengals levelled again through a one-yard touchdown run from Browning and took the lead on a 54-yard field goal with just two minutes and 28 seconds on the clock.

The Cincinnati defence was almost able to wrap things up in regulation, but Jaguars kicker Brandon McManus was forced overtime in the final 30 seconds.

With Lawrence out of the game, the Bengals were ultimately able to claim their sixth win of the season through McPherson’s 48-yard conversion.