Aaron Rodgers believes his budding chemistry with Garrett Wilson can transpire into something "special" after he led the New York Jets to victory on Thursday.

After suffering a ruptured Achilles at the start of last season, Rodgers orchestrated a commanding 24-3 triumph over the New England Patriots in his first home start since the injury.

The 40-year-old ended the contest at MetLife Stadium with an impressive stat line of 27 completions on 35 attempts, yielding 281 yards and two touchdowns, one of which went to Wilson in the third quarter.

Rodgers' back-shoulder throw was perfectly delivered into the hands of Wilson, whose game had been subdued until then.

And speaking after the game, Rodgers was excited about what the future may bring for his improving relationship with the 24-year-old wide receiver, who has already racked up 15 catches this season.

"Once five (Wilson) and I get on that same page, it's going to be special," Rodgers said. 

Rodgers didn't miss the chance to address the loyal Jets fanbase either, acknowledging their long-suffering endurance after last season's disappointment. 

A 2023 campaign they entered with Super Bowl aspirations finished at 7-10 for the second consecutive season, and failed to improve on their record during 2022.

It was also the Jets' fourth consecutive season with at least 10 losses, but Rodgers spoke about his eagerness to transform their fortunes in New York after they improved to 2-1 this time around.

"It felt great to be able to play an entire game in front of our amazing fans. I feel like we started faster than we have and we were way more efficient," Rodgers said. 

"Had a lot of guys involved. A lot of guys made a lot of plays. Feel like the line did a nice job up front. We had to finish drives, and we did a good job of that.

"We're trying to change this whole attitude around here. We're trying to build something special around here, get these fans to believe in us.

"They've been tortured for a long time. Last year was obviously a tough year, but it's good to be back, good to be healthy.

"It's great to be a Jet, great to have nights like this, and even better to have a weekend off!"

Aaron Rodgers threw for 281 yards and two touchdowns in a stellar performance as the New York Jets rolled to a 24-3 rout of the New England Patriots in their home opener on Thursday night.

Rodgers started his first game at MetLife Stadium since leaving the field just over a year ago with a torn Achilles tendon in New York's opener. The 40-year-old quarterback showed no signs of the injury - or playing in his third game in 11 days - while scrambling several times and making off-balance throws all night, slicing through New England's defence with surgical precision.

Rodgers finished 27 of 35 for 281 yards with TD tosses to Garrett Wilson and Allen Lazard and heard chants of “Aa-ron! Rod-gers!” throughout as the Jets (2-1) ended an eight-game home losing streak against the Patriots (1-2).

New York, which stopped a 15-game skid against New England in Bill Belichick's final game as the Patriots' coach, sacked Jacoby Brissett five times. Drake Maye, the No. 3 overall pick in April, made his NFL debut when he replaced Brissett with 4:24 left in the game.

Breece Hall ran for a score for the Jets, who also snapped a six-game skid in Thursday night games.

In the first half, the Jets outgained the Patriots 252 yards to 40 and had 17 first downs to New England's four. It was the fewest first downs for the Patriots in any half since 2000.

New York made it 21-3 with 6:18 remaining in the third quarter when Rodgers zipped a pass to his right and found Garrett Wilson, who toe-tapped in the front corner of the end zone for a 2-yard touchdown.

It marked the third straight game the Jets had at least three touchdowns on offence.

Bill Belichick's failure to land another coaching role in the NFL after leaving the New England Patriots was unsurprising due to the level of control he demands, says his former tackle Mike Pennel.

Belichick is regarded as one of the greatest head coaches in NFL history, leading the Patriots to nine Super Bowls and winning six during 23 seasons in charge between 2000 and 2023.

His six Super Bowl titles as a head coach match the best returns of any franchise in NFL history, with the Patriots and the Pittsburgh Steelers both possessing six.

He is also within reach of Don Shula's record for the most victories as an NFL head coach, with his total of 333 (including postseason games) putting him 14 behind the Miami Dolphins legend (347).

If only regular-season games are counted, Belichick has 302 victories to Shula's 328.

However, Belichick parted company with the Patriots after they went 4-13 during a dismal 2023 season, and he was unable to land a new role despite being linked with several teams, including the Los Angeles Chargers and Dallas Cowboys.

Pennel, who spent six months with Belichick's Patriots in 2019, believes the level of control he demands over a franchise's direction proved off-putting. 

"Bill Belichick's one of the greatest coaches of all time, if not that. So it's going to look a lot different. He was coaching in the NFL before I was even alive," he told Stats Perform.

"I'm clearly just speculating because I'm not part of the New England Patriots franchise, but I just think the situation was, it was that time where they wanted to change.

"They wanted a fresh face and Bill wants things to run a certain way and I don't think franchises are willing to relinquish that much control to a new coach. 

"I just think he wants to take his time. I know he's a family man and just wants to enjoy the time with his family. He's already done everything."

Jerod Mayo has taken the reins in Foxborough following Belichick's departure, with quarterback Drake Maye being drafted third overall to lead the team into a new era.

Pennel, however, believes teething problems will be part of the process this year, saying: "It's hard. It takes some time. You know, there's a couple years of transition depending on how much time you have with the players and everything like that. 

"You're learning a whole new system. You're learning with all new players, you're learning with all new staff, so it's very hard. 

"I don't think it's ever happened like that, in the first year to go to a Super Bowl. It's hard to get to that successful level."

Jerod Mayo is yet to name the New England Patriots' starting quarterback for the season but says Drake Maye has closed the gap to Jacoby Brissett.

Rookie Maye has impressed in preseason so far, racking up 66 snaps and going 21-of-34 for 192 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions. He also added seven rushes for 32 yards and one touchdown.

Meanwhile, Brissett, who has struggled with a shoulder injury, started all three games, playing 27 snaps and finishing 5-of-14 for 36 yards with no touchdowns and one interception.

Despite losing two of their three games, including a defeat to the Washington Commanders in their final outing on Sunday, Mayo has been pleased with the form shown by his quarterbacks, especially Maye.

"I would say at this current point, Drake has outplayed Jacoby," Mayo said on Monday in his weekly appearance on WEEI's 'The Greg Hill Show'.

"Now in saying that, we have to take in the full body of work, going all the way back to the spring and beginning of training camp. And we'll see where we end up.

"It's Drake becoming more comfortable with the scheme and more comfortable with the players around him. I don't know how the story ends with Drake's rookie season, but all possibilities are open."

Mayo is set to tell the Patriots who will be playing as the quarterback on Tuesday in their season opener against the Cleveland Browns.

The coach has kept a close eye on his two options throughout the offseason, explaining how everything he has seen over the last few months has played a part in his decision.

"It starts in practice and also in the game, where Drake has played better," Mayo told reporters later on Monday.

"In saying that, everyone wants to know who the starter is going to be. There are multiple factors that have to go into this decision.

"One is the total body of work, whether we're talking about the spring or the entirety of training camp. And I would also say, oftentimes we forget about the overall experience that a guy like Jacoby has, which will also be weighted in the decision we have to make in the near future.

"I'm happy with the way those guys are battling it out. Hopefully, over the next couple days, we can name a starter and get the season rolling."

New England Patriots coach Jerod Mayo says the competition to be starting quarterback "isn't over" after Drake Maye's impressive performance against the Philadelphia Eagles.

Maye impressed in their 14-13 preseason loss on Thursday, playing four series as he finished 6-of-11 for 47 yards with a four-yard rushing touchdown.

So far, he has mainly been used as the backup option behind Jacoby Brissett during the Patriots' training camp.

The coach praised Maye's performance, though admitted the offense are yet to find their rhythm ahead of the new season.

"Stepping up into pressure, I thought he did a better job overall with using his legs and really extending plays," Mayo said on Friday.

"[The quarterbacks] have to maintain their composure and get the call to the huddle and get those guys out the huddle and be ready to go. [Maye]'s always been like that in my mind.

"I think the entire offense definitely needs to play and continue to jell, and that's what we're going to do."

The Patriots signed Brissett to a one-year contract in March, and immediately named him as a starter, with his experience proving invaluable.

He has struggled to hit his stride in preseason so far though, finishing 3-of-7 for 17 yards in three series on Thursday, including a costly end zone interception.

With only one preseason game still to play, against the Washington Commanders on August 25, Mayo plans to use both quarterbacks, giving them a chance to stake their claim on the position.

"We have three more days of training camp practices, and it's our job as coaches to evaluate, and the competition isn't over," Mayo added.

"They have to show not only themselves and the coaches [but] also their teammates.

"For me, we always talk about competition, and that's at all spots. Even if Drake beats out Jacoby, he earned that role.

"We don't really take that into consideration when he's ready to go. If he's better than Jacoby, then he'll play, and he'll start."

The New England Patriots will retire the number 12 shirt and build a statue in honour of iconic quarterback Tom Brady.

Brady was inducted into the Patriots' Hall of Fame on Wednesday, having led them to six Super Bowl titles during his 20-year stint with the franchise.

The three-time MVP is the all-time regular-season leader in pass attempts (12,050), completions (7,753), passing yards (89,214) and touchdown passes (649) in the NFL.

Patriots owner Robert Kraft said the statue would be placed outside the franchise's Hall of Fame to recognise Brady "not as the greatest in franchise history, but as the greatest in all of NFL history".

"I am eternally grateful. I am Tom Brady. And I am a Patriot," Brady said at the ceremony at the Gilette Stadium.

Former Patriots coach Bill Belichick added: "Thank you for all that you've done for us. Thank you for all you've done for me. And thank you for the example and motto you've been for all of us on a daily basis for 20 years."

Ezekiel Elliott is eyeing a Super Bowl run after rejoining the Dallas Cowboys, saying a return to the franchise where he started his NFL career had dominated his thoughts for the last year.

On Monday, the Cowboys struck a deal to bring Elliott back to Dallas after one season with the New England Patriots.

The Cowboys took Elliott fourth overall in the 2016 NFL Draft out of Ohio State, and he led the league for rushing yards both as a rookie (1,631 yards) and again in 2018 (1,434).

The three-time Pro Bowl running back was less impressive in his last three years with the franchise before being released, spending 2023 with the Patriots as they went 4-13 in Bill Belichick's final campaign at the helm. 

Dallas have moved to bring him back to AT&T Stadium after losing Tony Pollard to the Tennessee Titans in March, and he can't wait to get started again.

"It feels great to be home," Elliott said. "I definitely missed being here. 

"I missed this building. I missed the Cowboys nation. I'm definitely excited and ready to get this thing going."

Speaking to The Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Elliott said he was always keen on coming back, adding: "This was my priority, doing what I could do to get back here. 

"I have a lot left to accomplish here. I'm excited to get back with the fellas and chase that ring.

"From 2016, we've been working on building this franchise to get a chance to win the Super Bowl. That is obviously the priority. That's the bar."

Asked what he had learned in New England, Elliott said: "Just showing I can be a starter in this league. I can still play at a high level, not just when running with the ball but also protecting the quarterback and catching the ball out of the backfield.

"Being in this league for as long as I have been, and being comfortable with who I am, and having as many reps as I have, I can focus on bringing other guys along and help them find their way.

"There's a lot of skilled guys and guys with a lot of different talents in our RB room. It'll be exciting to work with them, to push each other and help each other become better football players." 

Elliott ran for 642 yards and three touchdowns in 17 games with New England last season. He ranks third in Dallas franchise history for rushing yards (8,262), behind Emmitt Smith (17,162) and Tony Dorsett (12,036). 

The New England Patriots hope they now have their franchise quarterback after selecting North Carolina’s Drake Maye with the third overall pick in Thursday's NFL draft. 

Maye was the third straight quarterback selected after the Chicago Bears took Caleb Williams at No. 1 and the Washington Commanders chose Jayden Daniels second.

Since Tom Brady departed New England following the 2019 season, the Patriots used Cam Newton as their primary quarterback the following season before drafting Mac Jones 15th overall in 2021.

Jones had a strong rookie season with 22 touchdowns and 13 interceptions but tailed off to 24 TDs and 23 picks combined the past two seasons and was traded to Jacksonville in March. 

Maye likely won’t be the Patriots’ starting quarterback at the start of the 2024 season after veteran signal caller Jacoby Brissett was signed to a one-year contract in March. Brissett has appeared in 79 NFL games with 48 starts and figures to serve as a mentor to Maye.

There is also the belief that Maye simply won’t be NFL ready in a few months and would be best served to sit a season, like what Patrick Mahomes did for the Chiefs in 2017.

Maye was the ACC Player of the Year in 2022 in his first season as a full-time starter at North Carolina, also being named the conference’s Offensive Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year. He broke Mitchell Trubisky’s school record and set an FBS freshman record with 4,321 passing yards and tied Sam Howell’s mark for passing touchdowns with 38 and threw just seven interceptions. He also displayed his mobility with nearly 700 yards rushing and seven scores. 

This past season wasn’t as productive for Maye, who before the season lost offensive coordinator Phil Longo and receivers Josh Downs and Antoine Green to the NFL. Maye was still named to the Second Team All-ACC team as he passed for 3,608 yards with 24 touchdowns and nine interceptions in 12 games.

Maye has all the physical tools to succeed in the NFL, namely excellent arm talent and good mobility for someone of his size (6-foot-4, 223 pounds). He made a host of impressive touch throws in college and understands where to deliver a ball for a receiver to make a play on it. 

There are some issues with Maye’s footwork and his tendency to trust his arm strength almost too much and force some throws. His weaknesses, though, seem like the kind that can be improved upon rather quickly and sitting for a full season - or at least most of one - would help greatly in this area. 

Maye has drawn comparisons to Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen and Justin Herbert of the Los Angeles Chargers. 

He isn’t quite the natural athlete that Allen is and probably doesn’t have Hebert’s arm strength, but it’s not far-fetched to think Maye could put up similar numbers to those two at the next level given the right coaching and situation. 

Former New England Patriots safety Duron Harmon has credited Bill Belichick with helping Tom Brady become the greatest player in NFL history, saying the legendary duo "needed each other".

Belichick and the Patriots parted ways last week, bringing an end to one of the most remarkable coaching tenures in league history.

The 71-year-old led the Patriots for 24 seasons, overseeing 18 playoff visits and taking the team to nine Super Bowls, winning six of those showpiece games with the most recent coming in 2019.

However, New England missed the playoffs in three of their last four seasons under Belichick, prompting team owner Robert Kraft to replace his long-serving coach with former linebackers coach Jerod Mayo.

Some have suggested Belichick's failure to win a Super Bowl without Brady diminishes his achievements somewhat, with the coach's overall NFL record without the quarterback standing at 85-102, but Harmon does not subscribe to that view.

"I think both those guys are motivated by one thing; being the best they can each and every day," Harmon – who played for Belichick's Patriots between 2013 and 2019 – told Stats Perform.

"Tom's job would be to be the best quarterback and rally his team. Bill's job was to be the best head coach and rally his team as well, and to make sure the coaches understand his vision so they can pass it to the players and put the best product on the field. 

"It's easy to try to put those two against each other, but I think at the end of the day, they needed each other. 

"They understand that they couldn't have accomplished what they accomplished in New England without each other.

"I think there's a great amount of respect that they have for each other. I'm still grateful and appreciative that I got to be around the greatest quarterback and the greatest head coach of all time."

Brady did manage to win one more title after he and Belichick parted ways in 2020, collecting his seventh ring by leading the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to glory at Super Bowl LV.

Harmon does not believe Brady was motivated by a desire to prove he could succeed without Belichick, saying: "I truly don't believe he needs any extra motivation. 

"This guy wanted to be the best player that he can be every day, whether it was with the Buccaneers, whether it was with the Patriots, he just wants to get the best out of himself every day. 

"I don't think it was, 'I want to prove I could do this without Bill', I think more so it was just him going to Tampa and doing what he does. 

"The thing that people don't realise, and I know Tom was always a great competitor, but the cultural style that came from Bill to him is what I believe gave him that extra motivation, that extra push to make Tom truly who he is. 

"As a young player, when he first took from Drew Bledsoe [in 2001], it was a very veteran-based team, so he wanted to gain the respect of not only the players, but also Bill Belichick. 

"Bill pushed him as best he could to be the best that he could be, and in the end, he became the best ever."

Having won three Super Bowls in six years in New England, Harmon is uniquely placed to offer an insight into the relationship between Belichick and Brady at the height of the Patriots' dominance.

"It was like yin and yang. It was Michael Jordan and Phil Jackson. Kobe Bryant, Phil Jackson," he recalled.

"I was fortunate enough to be captain one year with the Patriots and saw how they interacted in the captains' meeting and how they were always on the same page. 

"There were times when Bill got on Tom in front of everybody, and it wasn't to demean Tom, but it was to let everybody know that there is a standard in this organisation, it doesn't matter who you are, whether you're the best player or you're the last guy on the practice squad. 

"Seeing those guys work together allowed me to see what that head coach-quarterback partnership is supposed to look like at the highest level."

Duron Harmon's defining memory of playing for Bill Belichick is not one of their three Super Bowl triumphs together, but the coach using a jar of marshmallows to motivate him in preseason. 

Belichick's remarkable 24-year stint in charge of the New England Patriots came to an end last week after he oversaw a career-worst 4-13 season in 2023, with former linebackers coach Jerod Mayo taking charge.

The 71-year-old led New England to nine Super Bowls throughout his 24 seasons at the helm, winning six of those with the most recent coming against the Los Angeles Rams at Super Bowl LIII. 

Safety Harmon was present for that triumph, as well as wins at Super Bowls XLIX and LI, as a regular fixture in a dominant Patriots side led by legendary quarterback Tom Brady.

Harmon remembers his time under Belichick fondly, but it is the coach's personable side, rather than his tactical acumen, which stood out most prominently. 

Asked for his defining memory of Belichick while speaking to Stats Perform, Harmon said: "It's crazy. It's not even a football field memory. It was a training camp. I can't remember what year it was. It had to be 2016.

"We still had Logan [Ryan], it was me, Logan, Devin [McCourty], and I think at the time we were all maybe dealing with something, like little injuries. I don't think we were practicing. 

"Bill came up to us. Logan, Dev, and I were stretching. I look up and he says, 'you Rutgers guys, you know what? You guys are soft like marshmallows'.

"We're like, 'what are you talking about?' He was like, 'not even practicing'. He goes on his spiel. 

"The next day, when we go into the meeting room, there's three big jars of marshmallows at our seats. We just start dying, laughing, because a lot of people don't see that side of Bill, but for us, that's the side that we've seen all the time.

"Then that preseason game against the Panthers, all three of us got interceptions and he came up to us at the end of the game and said, 'maybe I need to put marshmallows by your seats weekly'. 

"His great coaching style that I really appreciated was one thing, but having memories like that, where we can have a personable connection, will always go a long way for me."

Harmon believes Belichick's incredible work ethic is the secret to his success, saying: "When we won the Super Bowls, he let himself loose a little bit. I will tell you that. That's when you see him really just take a step back and enjoy it.

"I've been very privileged to be in this league for 11 years, and I can honestly say I've never been around anybody who works as hard as him each day. 

"That is the reason why the Patriots organisation has been successful for as long as it has been. He believes that if you want to have a championship team, there has to be a standard of excellence no matter what you're doing."

The consistency Belichick instilled in the Patriots was perhaps his most impressive accomplishment, with the team enjoying 19 consecutive winning seasons from 2001 to 2019.

Harmon hailed his ability to motivate players to go again, saying: "When we came back after winning the Super Bowl, he'd let us know that it's over, we don't talk about previous years.

"There were even times when he wouldn't let us wear the Super Bowl gear that we got in the building anymore, because he wanted us to realise this is a new year. 

"He does a tremendous job of letting us know we've got to put that year to bed. Now it's time to get working on the new one. Everybody buys in, because we know what happens when we do."

Bill Belichick's exploits with the New England Patriots will never be replicated and mark him out as the best coach in NFL history, according to the team's former safety Duron Harmon.

Last week, team owner Robert Kraft announced the end of Belichick's remarkable 24-year stint in charge of the Patriots, who he led to six Super Bowl titles – the most of any coach in the league's history.  

Belichick led New England to 18 playoff trips after taking charge in 2000, but the team missed the postseason in three of his final four campaigns at the helm. 

Their 4-13 record throughout the 2023 season was their worst under Belichick, whose last playoff win came back in 2019 as the Patriots beat the Los Angeles Rams at Super Bowl LIII.

Despite a less-than-stellar end to his distinguished run in New England, Harmon – who won three Super Bowls throughout a six-year stint with the team between 2013 and 2019 – says Belichick's place in the history books is secure.

Asked what Belichick's Patriots legacy amounted to, Harmon told Stats Perform: "In my opinion, he's just the best coach who ever graced the NFL. 

"What he was able to accomplish over those 20-plus years as a Patriots coach, we've never seen it before. It will never be duplicated. 

"He set the standard extremely high for when people try to talk about dynasties. I'm just forever grateful that he chose me to be a part of his team and to be a part of his legacy."

While Belichick will turn 72 in April, it has been suggested that he may stay in the league as he chases down Don Shula's all-time record of 347 wins (regular season and playoffs), a tally he is currently 14 shy of.

The Los Angeles Chargers have been touted as a potential destination for Belichick, but Harmon cannot see the Patriots legend coaching elsewhere.

"I just can't see it," he said. "He and Tom Brady are the Patriots. They're what the Patriots stand for, to do your job, hard-nosed gritty football, those two together built the Patriots organisation. 

"So to see him go somewhere else... me personally, I can't see it, but the beauty about sports is you just never know. In due time, we will figure out whether he'll be somewhere else."

For the Patriots, attention quickly turned to the search for Belichick's successor, and 37-year-old former linebackers coach Jerod Mayo became the league's youngest head coach when his promotion was made official on Friday.

Having shared a locker room with Mayo throughout his first three seasons with the Patriots, Harmon believes he has all the attributes required to be a success. 

"My time there with him… he's a tremendous, tremendous leader. A leader of men, an intelligent person," Harmon said of Mayo.

"Most people say he's just a smart football player, but he's just an intelligent person. Straight out of retirement, he went and worked for a company, a big Fortune 500 company. 

"It shows who he is as a person and as a leader, that as soon as he gets done playing, somebody wants to hire him to lead this division of their company. 

"If I had to put my hat on or give my blessing to anybody, it would be Jerod Mayo."

Bill Belichick is still the right coach for the New England Patriots despite their struggles this season.

That is the view of Duron Harmon, who played for the Patriots between 2013 and 2019, winning three Super Bowl rings in that time.

All of those triumphs came under Belichick's guidance, with the 71-year-old having been head coach of the Patriots since 2000.

His 24th straight season in charge has proved a dismal one, with the Patriots sinking to a 2-10 record.

New England have lost their last five games including their 6-0 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 13.

Their displays have cast doubt over the future of veteran coach Belichick, but Harmon – who is on the practice roster at the Cleveland Browns – does not think making a change is the right solution.

"I just think it's timing," he told Stats Perform. "How many organisations do you know that are this successful for this long? That's life.

"You look at all the great organisations, the [Chicago] Bulls when they had their run, then eventually, you've got to go through [hard times]. 

"That's just a part of sports that happens because when you're at the top, everybody's gunning for you. Everybody's trying to figure out how to get better.

"They're taking from you, they're taking coaches from you. They're taking players from you. That's sports, it's life.

"We've come where it's time for the Patriots to be on the other side for a little bit. I think if there is one person that can reverse it and turn it the other way, it's the man that's right there, and that's Bill Belichick – he's done it before.

"If he has the, I don't want to say patience, but if he wants to go through that again, I think he's the man to do it."

Harmon also believes Belichick would choose to stay on with the Patriots, rather than end his tenure on a low ebb.

He added: "Besides Tom Brady, he's the most competitive person I know. People don't realise, Bill is a competitor. He loves to win, but he hates to lose even more. And you can kind of just see it in his demeanour.

"Losing is not a part of his nature and I can't see him just going out like this.

"I think this would be the motivation. He does everything there. He's the coach, he's the front office. It's all on him."

The New England Patriots preseason game against the Green Bay Packers was called off Saturday night after rookie Isaiah Bolden was carted off the field early in the fourth quarter.

Bolden, a seventh-round pick by New England out of Jackson State, appeared to collide with teammate Calvin Munson while attempting to make a hit on a pass completion to Malik Heath of the Packers.

Bolden lay motionless on the field as medical officials tended to him. He was eventually carted off the field and the Patriots said after the game that Bolden had feeling in all his extremities. Bolden will be held overnight at a hospital in Green Bay for observation.

The teams conferred and decided not to continue the game with the Patriots leading 21-17 with 10:29 left in the fourth quarter.

The incident came more than seven months after Buffalo’s Damar Hamlin went into cardiac arrest and was resuscitated on the field on what appeared to be a routine tackle against the Cincinnati Bengals on Jan. 2.

Hamlin has since returned to the Bills and played in his hometown of Pittsburgh earlier in the day and had three tackles in a loss to the Steelers.

Former New England Patriots linebacker D'Onta Hightower has retired from the NFL.

A first-round pick in the 2012 draft out of Alabama, Hightower spent his entire career with the Patriots, playing a pivotal role in three Super Bowl championships.

After helping the Patriots defeat the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl XLIX at the end of the 2014 season, bringing down Marshawn Lynch short of the endzone on the play prior to Malcolm Butler's game-winning interception, Hightower made a key contribution in their remarkable comeback against the Atlanta Falcons two years later.

His strip sack of Matt Ryan in the fourth quarter gave the Patriots the ball deep in Falcons' territory, allowing New England to cut it to a one-score game as they incredibly fought back from 28-3 down to prevail in Super Bowl LI.

Hightower also capped the 2018 season with a title, the Patriots' defense holding the Los Angeles Rams to a field goal in a 13-3 success in Super Bowl LIII having lost a thriller to the Philadelphia Eagles a year earlier.

A two-time Pro Bowler, Hightower did not play in the 2022 season after his contract expired.

Hightower wrote in an article for the Players' Tribune: "Today, I am officially retiring from the NFL. I know these announcements always feel bittersweet, but I can't think of a better story than the one I wrote in New England. A decade, three Super Bowls, two Pro Bowls, and the birth of my son — all playing for one franchise. How many guys have a story like that?

"So this is a happy day for me, and I just wanted to let you all know how much I appreciate you embracing a Southern kid from Lewisburg, Tennessee.

"I appreciate everyone who helped me make this dream come true. But I especially want to thank my mom. None of this happens without her. Now that I got my own 40-pound two-year-old running around the house like a little wrecking ball, I don’t know how you held it down for us all by yourself.

"I just want to say thank you for helping me live my dream.

"To you, to my beautiful wife, Morgan, to all my coaches, my team-mates, my mentors, my teachers, my friends, my entire family, and to all the fans at Bama and New England....

"Thank you. Just, thank you. I wouldn’t rewrite a single chapter of this story."

The New England Patriots have secured free agent tight end Mike Gesicki to a one-year deal.

A second-round selection by the Miami Dolphins in the 2018 NFL Draft, Gesicki will reunite with new Patriots offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien – who recruited him to Penn State in 2014.

Gesicki caught only 32 passes for 362 yards in the 2022 season, his lowest totals in both since his 2018 rookie season, and did not fit into Mike McDaniel's offensive scheme in Florida.

Prior to that, the 27-year-old caught 73 passes for 780 yards in 2021, both career highs, ranking fifth among tight ends that season for the most receptions.

According to ESPN, Gesicki's one-year deal is worth up to $9million with the Patriots.

In five seasons in the NFL, Gesicki has totalled 231 receptions for 2,617 total yards, scoring 18 touchdowns.

The Patriots have rejuvenated their offensive options in free agency, signing wide receiver Juju Smith-Schuster, running back James Robinson and offensive tackles Riley Reiff and Calvin Anderson.