The Cleveland Browns have announced they will interview former Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores for their vacant defensive coordinator position on Thursday.

Flores, who led the Dolphins for three seasons before being controversially fired following the 2021 campaign, spent this past season as a senior defensive assistant and linebackers coach for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The 41-year-old filed a class-action lawsuit against the NFL alleging racial discrimination in its hiring practices following his dismissal from Miami.

The Dolphins were also included in the complaint, which is still pending, as well as two other teams, the Denver Broncos and New York Giants.

Flores, who is black, alleged he spoke with the Broncos and Giants for open head coaching positions only to satisfy the NFL's Rooney Rule that requires teams to interview minority candidates for such vacancies.

Prior to taking over in Miami, Flores spent 11 seasons on Bill Belichick's staff with the New England Patriots, including the last three as linebackers coach.

He handled defensive play-calling duties in his final season with New England in 2018, helping the Pats to a 13-3 win over the Los Angeles Rams in Super Bowl LIII.

Flores compiled a 24-25 record with the Dolphins, with winning seasons in both 2020 and 2021, though Miami missed out on the playoffs both years.

The Browns fired defensive coordinator Joe Woods shortly after their season ended with Sunday's 28-14 loss to the Steelers.

Cleveland previously interviewed ex-Detroit Lions head coach Jim Schwartz, a former DC for the Tennessee Titans, Buffalo Bills and Philadelphia Eagles, for the opening on Wednesday.

Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy says his side are "not living in" last year's premature playoffs exit ahead of their Wild Card game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Monday.

The Cowboys crashed out of last year's postseason with a 23-17 Wild Card game loss to the San Francisco 49ers after topping the NFC East and finishing as the conference third seed.

McCarthy, who was assured of his job irrespective of Sunday's result earlier this week by owner Jerry Jones, is also seeking his first playoff win in three seasons with the Cowboys.

"We're not living in it, that's for sure," McCarthy told reporters when asked if last year's Wild Card exit had been discussed in the lead-up to Monday's game. "We've acknowledged it.

"The thing that we're really focused on is what we've done, who we are and making sure we have our plan as tight as possible going into this game to do what we need to do to win this game.

"We've had time for the theme speeches, they've been good triggers to talk about, as far as secret wound of losing a playoff game. We've definitely experienced that.

"We talked about the buffalos running through the storm and resiliency. That has served us well, all those experiences are the gold in our concierge. That's really who we are.

"The reality is we're not getting super philosophical, it's a ridiculously long answer here. The reality of it is we need to make sure our focus is tight and we're going into Tampa to win a game on the road against an outstanding football team."

The Cowboys finished the 2022 regular season with a 12-5 record, although they lost two of their final four games, including an uninspiring 26-6 defeat to the Washington Commanders last Sunday.

Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott has thrown an interception in each of the past seven games, including eight in their past five.

"Like how we function internally, we're evaluating everything we do," McCarthy said about Prescott. "Every walk-through, if there's a correction, every practice, you're always correcting to improve.

"That's part of your application and evaluation process. The things that haven’t gone well are the things you learn most from and that's life. That is our gold… We'll be ready to go."

The Baltimore Ravens appear increasingly likely to be without star quarterback Lamar Jackson for Sunday's AFC Wild Card game against the Cincinnati Bengals after he missed practice again.

Jackson has been absent for 16 straight practice sessions due to a sprained PCL in his left knee that has seen him not play since Week 13.

The 2019 NFL MVP has missed the Ravens' past five games, where they have gone 2-3 and scored 13 points per game, which is the second-worst record in the NFL.

Ravens head coach John Harbaugh has been reluctant to discuss Jackson's status over the past fortnight and simply replied "no updates at this time" when asked on Wednesday.

The situation is further complicated by top backup Tyler Huntley dealing with tendonitis in his right throwing shoulder. Huntley did not throw during the media portion at practice on Wednesday.

"He's doing a lot better," Harbaugh told reporters about Huntley. "He was out there in practice today and took a bunch of plays. I'd say he's on schedule, hopefully, and we'll see where it goes."

If Jackson and Huntley are both unavailable then undrafted rookie Anthony Brown, who has one career NFL start, would step in.

Ravens tight end Mark Andrews added: "You look at the two other guys [Huntley and Brown], there is so much trust in both of them.

"We know with whoever we put out there – Lamar, Snoop [Huntley] or AB – we'll be all right and ready to go."

Patrick Mahomes, Justin Jefferson and Travis Kelce are among those selected by the NFL Players Association (NFLPA) for the 2022 All-Pro team.

It is the first time a selection has been made exclusively by players, with the most recognised All-Pro team being the one generated by votes from NFL writers and broadcasters, organised by the Associated Press.

NFLPA president J.C. Tretter issued a statement on Tuesday outlining why he felt it was important for players to have their say.

"For the first time ever, NFL players are honouring the best in the game by naming our Players' All-Pro team," he said. "Every active NFL player had the opportunity to cast their vote to decide who is really the best at each position.

"We compete against each other all season long, watching hours and hours of film week after week after week, and yet we have never had an opportunity to truly use our expertise to select the best of us.

"We think it is important that players take the time to define ourselves, because so far, we have allowed everyone else to either pick or dilute our voices."

The team was unveiled on Wednesday, with selections including Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Mahomes, Las Vegas Raiders running back Josh Jacobs, and his team-mate Davante Adams and Minnesota Vikings' star Jefferson as wide receivers.

The Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers were the best represented teams, with four players each.

2022 Players' All-Pro Team – Quarterback: Patrick Mahomes (Kansas City Chiefs), Running back: Josh Jacobs (Las Vegas Raiders), Fullback: Kyle Juszczyk (San Francisco 49ers), Wide receivers: Justin Jefferson (Minnesota Vikings), Davante Adams (Las Vegas Raiders), Tight end: Travis Kelce (Kansas City Chiefs), Left tackle: Trent Williams (San Francisco 49ers), Left guard: Joel Bitonio (Cleveland Browns), Center: Jason Kelce (Philadelphia Eagles), Right guard: Zack Martin (Dallas Cowboys), Right tackle: Lane Johnson (Philadelphia Eagles), Edge rushers: Nick Bosa (San Francisco 49ers), Myles Garrett (Cleveland Browns), Interior defensive linemen: Chris Jones (Kansas City Chiefs), Aaron Donald (Los Angeles Rams), Nose tackle: Dexter Lawrence (New York Giants), Off-ball linebackers: Fred Warner (San Francisco 49ers), Roquan Smith (Baltimore Ravens), Cornerbacks: Pat Surtain II (Denver Broncos), Darius Slay (Philadelphia Eagles), Free safety: Minkah Fitzpatrick (Pittsburgh Steelers), Strong safety: Derwin James Jr (Los Angeles Chargers), Kick returner: Cordarrelle Patterson (Atlanta Falcons), Punt returner: KaVontae Turpin (Dallas Cowboys), Core teamers: Jeremy Reaves (Washington Commanders), Justin Hardee (New York Jets), Kicker: Jason Myers (Seattle Seahawks), Punter: Tommy Townsend (Kansas City Chiefs), Long snapper: Morgan Cox (Tennessee Titans).

Tua Tagovailoa has not been cleared to return ahead of the NFL playoffs, leaving Miami Dolphins rookie Skylar Thompson to start again at quarterback against the Buffalo Bills.

A promising season for Tagovailoa and the Dolphins has been rocked by repeated concussion concerns.

Tagovailoa hit his head against the ground twice in the same week in September, but only the second incident was logged as a concussion as he left a defeat to the Cincinnati Bengals. The first hit, against the Bills in Week 3, was described as a back issue.

The former Alabama QB missed two games then before returning, only to suffer another concussion against the Green Bay Packers on Christmas Day – one that was not identified until the following day.

Tagovailoa has not played since and will not line up against the Bills in this week's Wild Card round matchup.

Coach Mike McDaniel confirmed Tagovailoa was out, while the Dolphins are now preparing for Thompson to start as Teddy Bridgewater also remains sidelined after dislocating a finger.

Thompson's first NFL start was in Week 6, with Tagovailoa still out and backup Bridgewater also dealing with a concussion. The rookie left the game with a thumb injury.

He had to wait until Week 18 for both Tagovailoa and Bridgewater to be out again ahead of a crucial meeting with the New York Jets.

After five straight defeats, Thompson helped the Dolphins edge to a narrow 11-6 win that booked their place in the postseason, teeing up another meeting with AFC East rivals the Bills, against whom the seventh-round pick is again set to start.

Damar Hamlin has been discharged from hospital and allowed to return home to continue his rehabilitation.

Hamlin suffered a cardiac arrest during the Buffalo Bills' game against the Cincinnati Bengals on January 2 and had been in critical condition at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center.

In an update provided by his doctors in Cincinnati on Monday, it was confirmed Hamlin had not only been discharged and allowed to return to Buffalo after showing sufficient recovery, but was also doing physical therapy, walking and tolerating a regular diet.

Just two days later, the Bills confirmed the 24-year-old had also been discharged from hospital in Buffalo, where he was sent to continue his treatment after returning from Cincinnati.

"Damar Hamlin has been discharged from Buffalo General Medical Center/Gates Vascular Institute, a Kaleida Health facility in Buffalo, NY," a statement on Wednesday read.

"Hamlin was admitted on Monday and went through a comprehensive medical evaluation as well as a series of cardiac, neurological and vascular testing on Tuesday.

"Jamie Nadler, MD, critical care physician and Chief Quality Officer at Kaleida Health, and the care team lead for Hamlin said: 'We have completed a series of tests and evaluations, and in consultation with the team physicians, we are confident that Damar can be safely discharged to continue his rehabilitation at home and with the Bills.'"

Indianapolis Colts general manager Chris Ballard knows his team is in desperate need of a stable quarterback and admitted to reporters Tuesday that he "failed" in recent seasons.

Ballard added that the Colts are willing to be aggressive in trying to acquire a franchise quarterback this offseason, even if that means trading up from the fourth overall pick in April’s draft.

"I'll do whatever it takes," he said. "If we thought there's a player that we're driven to get that makes the franchise and the team better, that's what we would do.

"We understand the importance of the position. To get one that you can win with and to be right is the most important thing -- not if we take one or not. It's being right."

The franchise once fortunate enough to replace Peyton Manning with Andrew Luck under center has been searching for answers ever since Luck retired following the 2018 season.

Over the past four seasons, Ballard has brought in four different opening-day starters at quarterback – Jacoby Brissett, Philip Rivers, Carson Wentz and Matt Ryan – all with disappointing results.

"Looking back on it, when you're changing quarterbacks every year, it's tough," Ballard said. "It's tough on everybody. It's tough on the team. Not getting that position settled has a little something to do with [the team's record].

"I failed. I'm not going to sit up here and make excuses. I failed a lot of people."

The Colts find themselves behind only the Chicago Bears, Houston Texans and Arizona Cardinals in April's draft order, with only the Texans having a glaring need at quarterback.

If division rivals Houston and Indianapolis were to get into a bidding war for the top pick, however, the Texans would appear to have the advantage, holding three extra picks in the 2023 draft as a result of trading away embattled quarterback Deshaun Watson to the Cleveland Browns.

Detroit Lions general manager Brad Holmes told reporters on Tuesday he is confident in Jared Goff's ability to be the team's starting quarterback going forward.

Goff arrived in Detroit prior to the 2021 season as the Los Angeles Rams attached him to two first-round draft picks and a third-rounder to swap quarterbacks, bringing Matthew Stafford to the Rams where he guided them to a Super Bowl win in his first season.

The Rams were essentially dumping Goff – who has a Super Bowl appearance himself – but he has reinvigorated his career with a stunning bounceback campaign.

Starting all 17 games, Goff threw for 4,438 yards with 29 touchdowns and seven interceptions, setting new franchise-records for lowest interception rate (1.2 per cent) and highest touchdown-to-interception ratio (4.14).

League-wide, Goff finished fifth in QBR (61.2), fifth in touchdown passes, sixth in passing yards, tied for sixth in yards-per-completion, and 27th in sacks taken.

Speaking to the media on Tuesday, Holmes indicated the Lions will not look for a new starting quarterback in the offseason.

"I think it's a lot easier to get worse at quarterback than to get better in this league," he said. 

"So, I think what Jared has done this year, he captained the ship of a top-three offense, and he was top-10 statistically in most of the passing categories.

"Again, you know how we approach the draft, we're never going to turn down a good football player, so if it's a football player we love, we're going to make sure every stone is turned. But I do think that Jared has proven to everybody that he is the starting quarterback for us."

Lions head coach Dan Campbell provided similar commentary after defeating the Green Bay Packers in their season finale on Sunday.

"[Goff has] played great," he said. "He's really a perfect fit for what we do and what we ask.

"I think the true sign of a pro is somebody who can take the coaching. He can look at himself in the mirror, he knows where he needs to improve, he listens to what recommendations you have to get better, and he goes at it now. 

"He doesn't shy from it; he doesn't get sensitive. He just wants to be good. That's our quarterback."

On locker clean-out day Monday, Goff told reporters "I've loved my time here" and that while he has not been approached by the front office about his future with the franchise as he enters the final two years of his deal, he knows he is appreciated internally.

"It feels great, because I've been on the flip side of that," he said. "To be in a place where you are appreciated, it feels good. And again, these people here, it's just a special place and I'm proud to be a part of it."

The Washington Commanders have fired offensive coordinator Scott Turner.

Turner had been in the role since 2020, when Ron Rivera, whom he had worked under during two spells with the Carolina Panthers, was named head coach.

They helped Washington reach the playoffs in 2020, but did so with a losing record. The subsequent two seasons have also failed to produced winning records.

Washington went 8-8-1 in 2022, a season that could prove to be controversial owner Dan Snyder's last with the franchise. The Commanders announced in November that Dan and Tanya Snyder were exploring a sale of the team.

A potential change in ownership may buy Rivera more time for the sake of stability, but Turner has paid the price for a season in which Washington's offense struggled for efficiency.

The Commanders averaged 4.93 yards per play in 2022, putting them 28th in the NFL, as they were again hamstrung by a lack of a definitive answer at the quarterback position. Carson Wentz, Taylor Heinicke and Sam Howell all started at least one game under center for Washington.

"I met with Coach Turner today and informed him that we will be moving in another direction going forward with the offensive coordinator position," Rivera said in a statement.

"Unfortunately, we did not live up to the expectations and standard that I expected to see from our offensive unit.

"I felt it was best for a fresh start at the coordinator position heading into next year.

"I have a tremendous amount of respect for Scott and thanked him for his three years of service to our organisation. I wish Scott and his family all the best in the future."

Considering the Chicago Bears just wrapped up one of the worst years in franchise history, it is no surprise the team has plenty of needs it could fill with the number one pick in the draft.

Selecting a quarterback first overall, however, appears highly unlikely.

Bears general manager Ryan Poles supported Justin Fields as being Chicago's starting quarterback heading into the 2023 season and said a QB prospect would have to utterly amaze him for the Bears to draft him with the top pick.

"We're going to do the same as we've always done," Poles said on Tuesday. "We're going to evaluate the draft class, and I would say this: I would have to be absolutely blown away to make that type of decision."

Fields was one of the few bright spots on a Bears team that ended the 2022 season on a franchise-worst 10-game losing streak and secured the top pick by finishing 3-14.

The abysmal record was not a huge surprise, though, considering the team went through a midseason teardown by trading away defensive standouts Roquan Smith and Robert Quinn and lacked significant talent at the offensive skill positions while the o-line was deemed substandard.

Although Fields emerged as one of the most exciting players in the NFL, capable of springing off a highlight run on any given play, the second-year quarterback failed to make many game-changing plays with his arm.

There are also questions of how Poles evaluates his skillset given Fields was drafted by the previous regime.

With 1,143 rushing yards, Fields – the number 11 pick in the 2021 draft – averaged a league-leading 7.14 yards per rush and had an NFL-best four rushing touchdowns of 50-plus yards. He flirted with breaking the NFL single-season quarterback rushing record set by Baltimore's Lamar Jackson in his 2019 MVP season had he not missed Sunday's finale with a strained hip.

"I thought Justin did a good job," Poles said. "I thought we changed a lot, we adapted, we tried to put him in a position to be successful, he showed the ability to be a playmaker. Be impactful. He can change games quickly. Does he have room to grow? He does. He has to get better as a passer, and I'm excited to see him take those steps as we move forward."

Despite being one of the most dangerous runners in the league, Fields and the Bears had trouble moving the ball through the air.

Among the 32 quarterbacks with a minimum of 250 attempts, Fields ranked 25th in passer rating (85.2), 31st in completion percentage (60.4) and 32nd in yards per game (149.5).

An argument could be made he did not have enough support around him, and that is where owning the top pick works in the Bears’ favour.

Poles could decide to use the top pick to fill a need or trade down with a team looking to take a quarterback for more draft picks.

Alabama's Bryce Young, Kentucky's Will Levis and Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud are the three quarterbacks all projected to be drafted in the top 10, with some combination of them possibly going 1-2.

The Bears also have about $118million in salary cap room to restock the roster.

'"I think we have really good flexibility to help this team, regardless if it's making the pick there or moving back a little bit or moving back a lot," Poles said. "We'll be open to everything."

The Baltimore Ravens have agreed in principle an extension that will make Roquan Smith the highest-paid linebacker in the NFL.

Smith joined the Ravens in an October trade in exchange for a package that included a second-round and a fifth-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.

That trade followed an offseason stand-off between the Bears and Smith over a new contract.

According to reports, he will now receive the deal he has long since desired, with the Ravens set to pay him $100million over a five-year contract that includes $45m fully guaranteed and $60m in total guarantees.

Smith will become the first off-ball linebacker to earn an average annual salary of $20m.

In his nine games with the Ravens this season, he has racked up 86 total tackles, seven tackles for loss, two sacks, three pass breakups and an interception.

His efforts this season saw him selected to the Pro Bowl for the first time. Smith had been a second-team All-Pro with the Bears in 2020 and 2021.

Sunday will see Smith, a first-round pick of the Bears in 2018, play only his second playoff game as the Ravens visit the Cincinnati Bengals in the Wild Card round.

Jerry Jones has dismissed talk that Mike McCarthy's job is on the line when the Dallas Cowboys face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFL Wild Card round.

The Cowboys reached the postseason for a second successive year with a 12-5 record, setting up a Monday Night Football showdown with the Bucs at Raymond James Stadium.

Dallas were beaten by the San Francisco 49ers at the same stage last season and come into the clash with the Tom Brady's Tampa Bay on the back of a 26-6 loss to the Washington Commanders.

Cowboys owner and general manager Jones has given head coach McCarthy his backing ahead of the playoff encounter.

When asked if McCarthy could pay the price for a defeat to the Bucs, he told 105.3 The Fan in Dallas: "No. I don't even want to ... No. That's it.

"I don't need to go into all the pluses or minuses. I've got a lot more to evaluate Mike McCarthy on than this playoff game."

There are doubts about defensive coordinator Dan Quinn's future after he was approached by the Denver Broncos following the firing of Nathaniel Hackett.

Yet Jones is not contemplating the prospect of any members of his coaching staff moving on.

"I can't tell you how much confidence I've got in Mike and our coaching staff of being on top of where we are with this team right now," Jones said.

"They've got every nuance. They understand every frailty that we might have or we might have shown Sunday [against Washington].

"They've got everything in their grasp and in their understanding, and I have complete confidence in this coaching staff. It's outstanding. We've got a great chance to go down there and have success."

The Georgia Bulldogs are the first back-to-back National Champions in the College Football Playoff era (since 2014) after hammering the TCU Horned Frogs 65-7 on Monday.

There were ominous signs early as Georgia quickly forced a TCU punt on the opening possession, before marching down the field in five plays to open the scoring with a 21-yard touchdown run from quarterback Stetson Bennett.

TCU tried to make a game of it, scoring their only touchdown of the contest in the first quarter with a short-range quarterback run of their own from Max Duggan, but the Georgia defense went up a level and shut things down the rest of the way.

Bennett rushed for his second touchdown and threw two more to open up a commanding 38-7 lead at half-time, and they continued to pile on after the break, with two more touchdown passes.

In his second consecutive National Championship win, former walk-on Bennett completed 18 of his 25 passes for 304 yards, four touchdowns and no turnovers.

His top weapon was sophomore tight end and future first-round draft pick Brock Bowers, who reeled in seven catches for 152 yards and a score as he showed exactly why he is considered the best tight end in college football.

The Bulldogs have now won 26 games in a row with two championships across the past two seasons.

Interim Indianapolis Colts head coach Jeff Saturday declared he is gunning for the permanent role after getting a taste of coaching at the highest level.

Saturday made headlines when he was hired to take over following the firing of Frank Reich, having never been a head coach at any level previously.

After a stirring win during his first week in charge, the Colts went on to lose the next seven in a row to close the season, including a Week 18 failure against the Houston Texans, who came into the contest with the worst record in the league.

When speaking to reporters on Monday, he pushed back on the notion that the Colts' 1-7 record under his watch was an accurate representation of his ability to lead a successful team.

"When you say 'eight-game audition', it was an eight-game audition with half an offensive staff [and] boundaries," he said. 

"It's an eight-game audition with the hand you're dealt, right? How do you deal with that? Hopefully, I've shown my leadership.

"I wish we were better than 1-7. Everybody in that locker room and everybody here, it makes all our jobs a lot easier if you win, right? Unfortunately, that hasn't happened. I'm not dissuaded by that."

He said if he were to land the role for next season, he would take the franchise in "a different direction and a different vision that I'm carrying through – one that's my own that I can implement and move forward with".

When asked how far away he believes the Colts are from being a good football team, he said "Not nearly as far as y'all think".

"I've seen some articles here recently, so I can assure you [there have been] a lot of shots fired," he said. "I don't think we're nearly as far as you guys believe we are."

ESPN is reporting Colts owner Jim Irsay called Saturday "an outstanding candidate", while defensive leader Shaquille Leonard said he felt Saturday did "a phenomenal job" and earned the respect of the locker room.

The Colts have reportedly requested to interview Detroit Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn as well as their offensive coordinator Ben Johnson for the head coaching role, along with Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris.

Running back and free-agent-to-be Josh Jacobs would like to remain with the Las Vegas Raiders if the team is willing to offer him a contract he deems fair.

The Raiders drafted Jacobs late in the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft but declined to pick up the fifth-year option on his rookie contract last offseason.

Jacobs on Monday stated that he is not looking to leave the Raiders.

"For me, it's got to make sense, but this is obviously where I want to be," Jacobs said a day after securing the 2022 NFL rushing title, finishing the season with 1,653 yards on the ground.

"Coming in, I remember sitting down with [defensive end] Maxx [Crosby] and all these guys and talking about the Raiders organisation and the culture and wanting to be part of the change.

"I still feel that way so, hopefully, I'll be back."

While Crosby, a fourth-round pick in 2019, received a four-year, $99million extension last offseason, the Raiders’ new regime of general manager Dave Ziegler and head coach Josh McDaniels have attempted to distance themselves from the decisions made by Jon Gruden and Mike Mayock from 2018-21.

Jacobs responded, however, with a career-best year, tallying over 2,000 yards from scrimmage and 12 total touchdowns.

"I mean, I guess it feels good," Jacobs said of his individual accomplishments this season. "I don't really feel no different. Obviously, it's a testament to the team and the guys that helped me along the way. So that's definitely dope to be able to experience it with them. But for me, personally, it's just, whatever. For real."

McDaniels, meanwhile, recognised that Jacobs’ performance stood out during an otherwise disappointing year for the Silver and Black.

"Obviously J.J's performance was a huge bright spot for us,” McDaniels said. “I have a tremendous amount of respect and admiration for him as a person and as a player and he kind of embodies all the things that we want a Raider to be.

"Dave and I have talked about that; J.J. and I have had private conversations about those kinds of things. I think all that will play out in due time. But love him and would love to have him continue to be a Raider."

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