Tomlin intends to return for his 19th season in Pittsburgh and signed a contract extension prior to last season. He's the longest-tenured coach in the NFL and met with general manager Omar Khan and owner Art Rooney II on Monday.

"Save your time," Tomlin said Tuesday of his response to reports that teams are kicking the tires on acquiring him this offseason.

The Steelers' wild-card round loss at Baltimore last week was the fifth consecutive postseason appearance without a win.

"I understand the nature of what it is that we do, the attention and criticism that comes with it," he said. "As a matter of fact ... I embrace it, to be quite honest with you. I enjoy the urgency that comes with what I do and what we do. I don't make excuses for failure. I own it, but I also feel like I'm capable, and so as long as I'm afforded an opportunity to do that, I will continue, but I certainly understand their frustrations and probably more importantly than that, I share it because that's how I'm wired."

Tomlin said there are changes expected in the organization. Whether they involve another swing at the quarterback position isn't clear.

Quarterback Russell Wilson signed a one-year deal in 2024 after being released by the Denver Broncos. He said earlier this week "the plan" from his perspective is to find a way to stay in Pittsburgh. Backup Justin Fields, who went 4-2 while Wilson nursed a calf injury, is also a free agent at the start of the 2025 league year in March.

Tomlin said the Steelers aren't looking to point fingers at specific positions or areas of fault. He also said he wasn't in front of the microphone to "sell optimism, either."

"Particularly at this level in this business and game, there's football justice. You get what you deserve, and so we are here and we're here for really tangible reasons," Tomlin said. "We didn't involve in the right ways. We didn't strike the right chords at the right time, particularly down the stretch."

Let the offseason -- and the pressing questions -- begin.

O'Connell and general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah are entering the final year of their four-year deals with team president Mark Wilf opting to push extension talks to the end of the regular season.

Minnesota is 34-17 in the regular season over three seasons and 0-2 in the playoffs under O'Connell, who is the oddsmakers' pick for NFL Coach of the Year.

Wilf said he's "looking forward to a great future" with his current coach and GM after media reports suggested other teams would show interest in a potential trade for O'Connell.

For his part, O'Connell said Minnesota is "where I want to be. This is where I want to keep coaching and leading."

He and quarterbacks coach Josh McCown were lauded for the development of Sam Darnold, who stepped in on a one-year deal after Kirk Cousins signed with the Atlanta Falcons in free agency. Darnold, the No. 3 pick in the 2020 draft with the New York Jets, delivered career highs with 4,319 yards and 35 touchdowns playing with his fourth NFL team.

"What he was able to do this year, when not very many people thought he would be able to lead a team to 14 wins, which is rare. The way he came in, committed himself to just a daily process to be the best version of himself," O'Connell said of Darnold on Monday night. "It did not work out in the end. I think Sam would be the first one to tell you. Could he have played better tonight? I'm sure he would tell you he could have. Could I have coached better? I promise you I could have. Could our team have rallied around a play here and there to keep it close? For sure."

Darnold, 27, might not be the future in Minnesota, and not just because of his contract.

The Vikings drafted former Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy with the 10th pick in the 2024 draft, but he spent the season on injured reserve following knee surgery. He turns 22 on Monday.

O'Connell said in December the Vikings wanted Darnold to return. But after lopsided losses to the Detroit Lions in Week 18 and Monday night against the Rams, Darnold said he knows the focus will be on how the season ended.

On Monday, Darnold was 25-for-40 passing for 245 yards with one touchdown, one interception and a lost fumble. He was sacked nine times for 82 yards.

All-Pro wide receiver Justin Jefferson said Monday night he trusts Adofo-Mensah and O'Connell to find the right answer to the QB riddle again.

"I didn't know who my quarterback was going to be [after last season], and I really didn't care," Jefferson said. "At the end of the day, I'll always say that I'm confident in myself to perform the same way I've been performing. But it's not my job to say who is going to be the quarterback or who do I want to be the quarterback. At the end of the day, they're going to figure it out, and whoever they decide to go with, we can work with that."

The Browns' offense, hampered by rotating quarterbacks and another season-ending injury to running back Nick Chubb, mustered only an NFL-low 15.2 points per game.

Cleveland holds the second overall pick of the 2025 NFL Draft.

Dorsey replaced Alex Van Pelt, who was let go within days of the Browns getting routed 45-14 by the Houston Texans in the wild-card round of the playoffs on Jan. 13, 2024. The Van Pelt offense ranked 10th in the NFL in points per game (23.3).

Rees previously served as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Notre Dame from 2020-22 and the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Alabama under Nick Saban in 2023.

In another move, Houston placed rookie tight end Cade Stover on injured reserve.

The team visits the Kansas City Chiefs on Saturday afternoon in the AFC divisional round.

The Texans had claimed Johnson off waivers from the Baltimore Ravens on Dec. 23.

Johnson, 28, played for Houston in one regular-season game against the Tennessee Titans and in the AFC wild-card victory over the Los Angeles Chargers on Saturday. He made a total of three receptions for 24 yards on five targets.

With the Ravens, Johnson reeled in just one catch for 6 yards and received a one-game suspension for what the team said was refusing to enter a game against the Philadelphia Eagles on Dec. 1.

An unrestricted free agent after this season, Johnson was traded from the Pittsburgh Steelers to Carolina in March and then was traded from the Panthers to the Ravens in October.

A third-round draft pick in 2019, Johnson had 30 receptions for 357 yards and three touchdowns in seven games (all starts) for the Panthers earlier this season.

In six seasons, the 2021 Pro Bowl selection has 424 career receptions for 4,738 yards and 28 TDs in 89 regular-season games (75 starts) for the Steelers (2019-23), Panthers, Ravens and Texans.

Houston selected Stover in the fourth round of the 2024 draft.

Stover, 24, had 15 receptions for 133 yards and one touchdown in 15 regular-season games (nine starts). He was a reserve in the playoff game, catching all four of his targets for 28 yards.

NFL Network reported that Martindale will interview for the defensive coordinator positions with the Atlanta Falcons and Indianapolis Colts on Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively.

Martindale accepted the defensive coordinator position at Michigan after parting ways with the New York Giants following the 2023 season.

Martindale, 61, previously served as the defensive coordinator in Baltimore from 2018-21 and in Denver (2010).

The Falcons are looking to fill the position previously held by Jimmy Lake, who was fired on Saturday after one season with the team.

The Colts fired Gus Bradley as their defensive coordinator on Jan. 6 after his third season with the team.

Sirianni defended Brown during an appearance Tuesday on a 94.1 WIP radio show in Philadelphia.

"Some guys pray in between, some guys mediate in between. A.J. reads in between. Whatever these guys need to do to put their mind in a place where they can play with great detail and great effort, I fully encourage them to do that," Sirianni said.

The coach noted that Brown's teammates also defended him, instead of reading a book by its cover, in a way, when the video clip went viral. Critics thought Brown was frustrated during the game, when he caught just one pass for 10 yards on three targets in the 22-10 home victory in the NFC wild-card round.

"We don't do any research, and we jump to a conclusion of, ‘Oh he must be disgruntled.' That to me is lazy," Sirianni said. "Everyone needs to figure out why he's doing it before they jump to judgment on the man. Because the man, A.J. Brown is a great, great, great person. The man A.J. Brown is the best receiver -- and I'll say it without hesitation -- the best receiver that this city has ever seen ... It's hard for me to watch when people are getting on him without doing the proper research of who the man is and what he's doing in the first place."

All of the attention has benefitted the book, "Inner Excellence: Train Your Mind for Extraordinary Performance and the Best Possible Life." Written by Jim Murphy, a former minor league baseball player, the book rose from 523,497th to the top of Amazon's bestsellers list.

Brown, 27, said he brings the book to every game because reading passages helps him clear his mind.

"It gives me a sense of peace," Brown said Sunday. "My teammates call it a recipe. That's the first time I've heard y'all got me on camera. That's not the first game. It's got a lot of points in there."

Last month, there appeared to be drama in the relationship between Brown and quarterback Jalen Hurts over how much the receiver was being involved in the offense. That led to speculation that Brown was signaling his displeasure with Sunday's output.

"I wasn't frustrated at all. I figured that's what y'all probably thought," Brown said. "Why do you always think I be frustrated? Dang. I like to read."

Brown made 67 receptions for 1,079 yards and seven touchdowns in starting 13 regular-season games. He has 446 career receptions for 7,026 yards and 49 TDs in 90 regular-season games (82 starts) with the Tennessee Titans (2019-21) and Eagles.

The Titans selected him in the second round (51st overall) of the 2019 NFL Draft out of Ole Miss. He was voted to the Pro Bowl in 2020, 2022 and 2023.

The Eagles host the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday in the NFC divisional round.

Brittany Mahomes announced on her Instagram account that she and her husband welcomed their third child, Golden Raye Mahomes, on Sunday. Golden joins her siblings, sister Sterling and brother Bronze, as dad attempts to complete an historic Super Bowl three-peat.

Sterling turns 4 next month; Bronze celebrated his second birthday in November.

Kansas City had a bye on Sunday -- a scenario Mahomes said in an interview with Netflix late last month that he hope would occur.

"Hopefully God works the right way and we can have that baby maybe on the bye week somewhere and then everything will work out perfectly," he said.

Mahomes, 29, is already a three-time Super Bowl champion and two-time league MVP. He and the Chiefs are pursuing their third consecutive Super Bowl victory.

He and Brittany, also 29, were high school sweethearts in Texas. They are part of the ownership group of the Kansas City Current of the National Women's Soccer League and also shareholders of MLB's Kansas City Royals and the MLS franchise Sporting KC.

The Rams' home game originally was scheduled for Inglewood, Calif., before the venue was changed for public safety purposes because of deadly wildfires in the Los Angeles area over the past week.

Linebacker Jared Verse returned a fumble 57 yards for a touchdown and Kobie Turner had two sacks as the Rams came out on top in a playoff game for the first time since winning Super Bowl LVI at the end of the 2021 season.

Stafford completed 19 of 27 passes for 209 yards, and Kyren Williams and Davis Allen each caught a touchdown toss as Los Angeles defeated Minnesota for the second time this season. Williams ran for 76 yards on 16 carries.

The fourth-seeded Rams will be on the road to face the second-seeded Philadelphia Eagles in an NFC divisional-round game Sunday.

Sam Darnold finished 25 of 40 for 245 yards with one touchdown and one interception for the fifth-seeded Vikings, who were the first wild-card team to win 14 games in the regular season. T.J. Hockenson caught five passes for 64 yards and a score for Minnesota, while Justin Jefferson had five receptions for 58 yards.

The Rams started quickly, taking the opening drive of the game 70 yards in seven plays as Williams scored on a 5-yard pass from Stafford. After a three-and-out by Minnesota, Los Angeles added a 34-yard field goal from Joshua Karty on their second possession for a 10-0 lead.

The Vikings answered with a 34-yard field goal from Will Reichard to pull within 10-3 early in the second quarter.

Verse's fumble return for a score came after a sack and forced fumble from Ahkello Witherspoon to give the Rams a 17-3 lead with 4:35 remaining in the first half.

After the Vikings turned the ball over on downs with 1:27 remaining in the first half on a sack from Turner, the Rams took a 24-3 lead with 15 seconds left in the half on a 13-yard TD connection from Stafford to Allen.

The Vikings finally found the end zone with 5:05 remaining in the third quarter on a 26-yard TD pass from Darnold to Hockenson to pull within 27-9. The two-point conversion attempt failed.

But the Houston Texans know a cleaner effort will be needed against the Kansas City Chiefs.

The Texans overcame three turnovers and eight penalties in defeating Los Angeles on Saturday. Despite those issues, Houston outgained the Chargers 429-261 and pulled away in the second half.

Following up the 32-12 victory with a sharper focus and better execution would seem to give Houston a great chance against anyone. But the Texans and coach DeMeco Ryans also know what kind of behemoth is waiting for them in the divisional round this weekend in Kansas City.

The Chiefs have won the past two Super Bowls and three of the past five, and the team's earliest exits from the playoffs over the past six seasons have been in the AFC Championship -- and in overtime, no less.

"We understand what's in front of us," Ryans said. "KC has done a great job for the past few years of really dominating the league, being there at the end. ...

"It's a tough, tough team to beat. It's going to take everything that we have. It's going to take all four quarters."

The Chiefs, who went 15-2 in the regular season in earning the AFC's top seed, defeated Houston 27-19 in Week 16.

In that game, the Texans finished 1-for-3 in the red zone and trailed just 24-19 midway through the fourth quarter before Kansas City closed out the win. But Ryans doesn't expect that Dec. 21 loss to be much of an indicator of how this Saturday will go.

"Fresh start, new game," Ryans said. "We will attack it just like it's our first time playing these guys. ... We'll go in with a fresh set of eyes and see the things we need to do to be better, the things we need to do that close out the game."

Still, that's easier said than done when two-time league MVP Patrick Mahomes is lining up under center for your opponent.

Mahomes, who has thrown for 3,928 yards and 26 touchdowns this season, is not expected to be in the running for his third MVP award this year. But he can still stress a defense better than almost any other player in the league.

"It just presents different challenges," Ryans said of facing Mahomes. "Guys are wide open a lot on their film because of the threat he poses, and he just requires so much attention."

Akers has been battling an illness and missed practice on Saturday. The Vikings listed him as questionable for the game.

Akers has rushed for 297 yards and one touchdown in 12 games for Minnesota this season. He began the season with the Houston Texans before being dealt to the Vikings in mid-October.

Akers played for the Rams from 2020-23.

Daniel Jones was designated as Minnesota's third quarterback. The club's inactives are Jones, defensive lineman Levi Drake Rodriguez, center Dan Feeney, offensive tackle Walter Rouse and outside linebacker Pat Jones II.

The Los Angeles inactives include signal-caller Stetson Bennett (third quarterback), receiver Tyler Johnson, cornerback Emmanuel Forbes Jr., outside linebacker Brennan Jackson and offensive linemen Justin Dedich and Joe Noteboom.

Nix sustained a transverse process fracture in his back during the first half of a game against the Las Vegas Raiders on Nov. 24. He finished the game and played the following week through pain against the Cleveland Browns on Dec. 2, a Monday night affair.

Nix told reporters on Monday that he had three fractures.

"That week, got treatment, made it through that week. Monday Night Football was a stretch where we were all kind of banged up," Nix said. "And I wasn't going to miss the first Monday night game (of my career). I got treatment on it and then we were fortunate to have a (bye) week the next week and it kind of went away after that.

"That moment was annoying, but we all play with something."

Despite the injury, Nix passed for 294 yards, including a 93-yard scoring pass to Marvin Mims Jr. during a 41-32 home victory.

Nix guided the Broncos to the postseason for the first time since the 2015 season. Denver's season ended with a 31-7 loss to the Buffalo Bills in the AFC wild-card round on Sunday.

"This has been a good run. We started where we were, and to be where we are now, play an extra week of football, an opportunity to play in the playoffs, it's exciting and it's an exciting time to be in Denver right now," Nix said. "I love this team and will always appreciate what they did for me as a rookie coming in and learning the NFL. It was an honor to play with those guys each week."

Nix was chosen No. 12 overall in the 2024 NFL Draft, the sixth quarterback chosen in the first round, and beat out Jarrett Stidham for the starting job during training camp. He passed for 3,775 yards and 29 touchdowns against 12 interceptions. He also rushed for 430 yards and four scores.

Nix also earned points with the veterans by displaying leadership beyond his years.

"I've said it over and over again, I've been impressed every single week," said right guard Quinn Meinerz, who earned first-team All-Pro honors this season. "He continued to show improvement, and I think that's the only thing you can really ask for from a young player. Players at any position are trying to improve. I'm excited for him.

"That rookie year is kind of tough. You have your college season, you have the pre-draft stuff, you have combine training and then you go through an NFL season. I'm excited for him to get some time off. That's what he needs right now is to get some time off to reset a little bit because the next season will be here quickly."

"That's in we'll see mode. He's working hard to get back," Ravens coach John Harbaugh said on Monday. "We'll see toward the end of the week if he's practicing. He can play without practicing for sure, if he feels healthy enough and it's safe for him."

Flowers didn't practice last week and was ruled out of the wild-card win over the Pittsburgh Steelers last week. The team leader with 74 receptions for 1,059 yards in the regular season, Flowers sustained a knee injury during Baltimore's 35-10 victory over the Cleveland Browns in the regular-season finale.

Reserve running back Justice Hill led the Ravens with four receptions against the Steelers, a 28-14 win that pushed the team to the divisional round visit to the Bills. Baltimore ran the ball 50 times for 299 yards compared to 16 pass plays.

It was the first time Flowers missed a game in his two NFL seasons.

Rashod Bateman is the most likely candidate to serve as Lamar Jackson's lead wide receiver if Flowers is unable to return this week.

Flowers and Bateman had one reception apiece in the Ravens' Week 4 win over the Bills, 35-10. Derrick Henry rushed for 199 yards and scored two touchdowns (one rushing, one receiving) and tight end Mark Andrews was held without a catch.

A valid question in the mind of All-Pro linebacker T.J. Watt, who vented frustration stemming from the latest brief appearance in the postseason with multiple versions of the rhetorical question.

"It gets more and more frustrating as the years go by," Watt said Monday as players packed to start the offseason two days removed from a wild-card loss at Baltimore. "Tough conversations need to be had. We can't keep doing the same thing and expect different results. That's starting with myself."

The Steelers ended the season on a five-game losing streak, fading from first place in the AFC North with four consecutive losses prior to dropping the playoff game in Baltimore.

Quarterback Russell Wilson experienced his first postseason defeat with Pittsburgh, a 28-14 loss to the Ravens that runs the franchise playoff drought to six consecutive games. The last playoff win for head coach Mike Tomlin and the Steelers was an 18-16 win over the Chiefs in January 2017.

Released by the Broncos at the end of the 2023 season, Wilson signed a team-friendly, one-year deal with the Steelers and is eligible to become a free agent in March.

He informed the Steelers he wants to return, but said Monday he understands Pittsburgh must follow "a process" to determine what's next at a position unsettled since Ben Roethsliberger retired following the 2021 season.

"That's the plan," Wilson said when asked if he wanted to stay in Pittsburgh. "I love it here and everything else. I think we have a great football team. Obviously, it didn't end the way we wanted it to, and I think there's a lot more to do."

Backup quarterback Justin Fields is also eligible for free agency. He was acquired from the Chicago Bears and started the first six games of the regular season, leading Pittsburgh to a 4-2 record while Wilson recovered from a calf injury.

Due to the wildfires in the Los Angeles areas, the NFL made the proactive decision to move the game from Inglewood, Calif., to State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz.

While the Rams do visit Arizona on an annual basis, the move strips them of a true home-field advantage. It sets the stage for an intriguing end to the six-game slate to kick off the postseason.

ODDS & TRENDS

The Vikings (14-3) fell to the No. 5 seed with their Week 18 loss to Detroit. Minnesota opened as a slight favorite at most sportsbooks but has grown to a consensus 2.5-point favorite following the tumultuous week the Rams (10-7) have faced.

BetRivers reported 57 percent of the spread-line tickets and 60 percent of the money is backing the Vikings, while their -139 moneyline has drawn 66 and 73 percent of the action, respectively. The story has been similar at BetMGM, where Minnesota has been backed by 67 percent of the spread-line and 55 percent of the moneyline handle.

What hasn't moved significantly is the 47.5 total points line. The Over has garnered 78 percent of the money at BetRivers and 56 percent at BetMGM.

PROP PICKS

--Rams RB Kyren Williams Anytime TD (-155 at BetRivers): Williams has reached the end zone in five of his past six games overall. He should have fresh legs after sitting out the Week 18 loss to Seattle, and Williams scoring at least one TD has drawn 6.1 percent of all player prop bets on Monday night's game.

--Vikings WR Justin Jefferson 60+ Receiving Yards (-390 at DraftKings): This has been the most popular player prop at the book, and if Minnesota is going to advance to the Divisional Playoffs, Jefferson must be an integral part of the game plan. He was held to only 54 yards at Detroit, only the third time in 17 regular-season games that Jefferson produced less than 73 yards in a game this season.

PLAYOFF HISTORY

The Vikings and Rams were regular playoff foes in the 1970s. Minnesota dominated the rivalry then but lost all four of its Super Bowl appearances through the 1976 season and hasn't been back since.

Minnesota holds a 5-2 advantage in playoff matchups between the franchises and is in search of its first playoff victory since the 2019 wild-card round.

THE NEWS

The Vikings flourished this season behind the play of Pro Bowl quarterback Sam Darnold, who was fifth in the NFL in both passing yards (4,319) and touchdowns (35). He threw 12 interceptions and was sacked 48 times, tied for fourth most.

"It's exciting to step into an environment like we're going to step into Monday night," said Darnold, who became the first quarterback in NFL history to win 14 regular-season games in his first season with a team. "(Everybody) is excited about it, but we know we have to put in the work to earn the excitement we're going to feel."

Jefferson was second in receiving yards with 1,533 and sixth in receptions with 103, while adding 10 touchdowns. Running back Aaron Jones gained a career-high 1,138 yards with five touchdowns.

Darnold will be out to avenge a 30-20 defeat at Los Angeles on Oct. 24. That came just four days after a 31-29 loss to the Lions.

Minnesota recovered to win nine consecutive games before their 31-9 defeat in Week 18 at Detroit.

"My confidence level that we can get him back on track is as high as it could be," Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell said after Darnold threw for a season-low 166 yards against the Lions. "I know our coaches feel the same way, and I know, most importantly, his teammates feel the same way."

The Rams recovered from a 1-4 start to win nine of their next 11 games and clinch the NFC West in Week 17. Coach Sean McVay rested most of his key personnel in Week 18, but a 30-25 loss to the Seahawks dropped Los Angeles to the No. 4 seed and a date with the Vikings instead of the Washington Commanders.

The Rams not only worked their way through early-season injuries to wide receivers Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp, but the offensive line was in scramble mode through the first month.

The offense recovered behind veteran quarterback Matthew Stafford, who threw for 3,762 yards and 20 touchdowns, with eight interceptions. He was sacked 28 times.

"It's full focus, 100 percent on the Vikings and the challenges that they present, but we're also human beings and care for the people of our community," Stafford said. "Hopefully it's a great escape for people that have been going through tough times."

Nacua led the Rams in receptions (79) and receiving yards (990), and scored three touchdowns, while Kupp had 67 receptions for 710 yards and six scores. Kupp had just four catches, 54 yards and no touchdowns over his final three games. Kyren Williams rushed for 1,299 yards and 14 scores.

Without future Hall of Fame defensive tackle Aaron Donald, a young Rams defensive line blossomed with second-year players Byron Young and Kobie Turner, alongside rookies Jared Verse and Braden Fiske.

But the Los Angeles offense struggled immediately after a 44-42 home victory over the Buffalo Bills on Dec. 8. The offense averaged just 14.7 points over the next three games, but all were victories led by the defense.

"Let's get a good, tight plan together," McVay said. "Let's make sure that we have answers, but ultimately a clarity for our players first and foremost and then the ability for them to go cut it loose."

INJURY REPORT

While Darnold was listed on the injury report with an ailing quad, he was a full participant in practice throughout the week and is expected to play. Linebacker Patrick Jones II (knee) was ruled out for the game on Sunday, while Aaron Jones (quad) practiced in full on Saturday.

Fellow running back Cam Akers (illness) and defensive lineman Taki Taimani (ankle) are both listed as questionable.

Rams offensive tackle Rob Havenstein (shoulder) missed the final two regular-season games but is expected to play. Rookie running back Blake Corum (forearm) is done for the season.

PREDICTION

The Rams earned a 30-20 win over the Vikings in Los Angeles back in October with Stafford throwing four touchdowns. Minnesota's only other losses during the regular season both game against Detroit, so this is a matchup that has to concern the Vikings -- especially after kicking off 2025 with a 31-9 drubbing at the hands of the Lions. The move to Arizona -- combined with the Rams' emotionally taxing week -- gives Minnesota an important edge.

--Vikings 27, Rams 26

A former linebacker and Super Bowl champion under Bill Belichick, Vrabel said he felt the move back to Foxborough was right "in his soul." Vrabel previously coached the Tennessee Titans and spent last season as a consultant for the Cleveland Browns.

"I'm humbled, I'm grateful," Vrabel said Monday, recalling being inducted into the team's Hall of Fame in 2023. "Excited to get to work. Excited to meet the people in this building who have made this place special."

The Patriots last reached the playoffs at the end of the 2021 season, losing 47-17 to the Buffalo Bills in the wild-card round. Since that loss, New England is 16-35 and moving to a third head coach in three seasons.

Vrabel credited previous coaches and mentors from Belichick to Bill O'Brien, who made him a linebackers coach with the Houston Texans, for getting him back "to the place where I wanted to be."

"When I started my coaching career, I think it was important to go somewhere else to start another coaching journey," Vrabel said Monday. "I felt like it was important to forge my own path somewhere else and if all those experiences led me back here and the right opportunity, then that was the place to be."

Vrabel, 49, takes over for former teammate Jerod Mayo, who was fired after one season as Belichick's replacement as hand-selected by Robert Kraft. The Patriots' owner said Mayo was placed in an untenable situation and took fault for New England finishing 4-13 for the second consecutive season.

Vrabel spent four seasons in the NFL with the Steelers before signing with the Patriots in 2001 and winning three Super Bowls in eight seasons. Kraft took a stroll down memory lane Monday, reflecting on Vrabel's growth and what brought them to the reunion.

"Those personal characteristics also made him a very high-performing coach," Kraft said of Vrabel's six years running the Titans. "In 2019, he beat us right here in the playoffs in Tommy's (Tom Brady) last game as a Patriot. In 2021, he finished as the best record in the AFC at 12-5.

"In the interview process, Mike showed us that he had a very deep understanding of our current team. Most importantly, he had a clear and focused strategy of how to get us back to a championship way that is so important to all of us, but also something I think our fan base deserves and expects."

Vrabel said he wants to focus on as many points of contact -- personnel, coaches and himself -- as possible to make all employees feel the same amount of care that they invest in the team.

"This connection piece," Vrabel said. "I'm going to have a relationship with every single one of them. ... That's what I want to build."

Multiple reports indicated the Cowboys and McCarthy broke off contract talks on Monday because they couldn't agree on the length of a new deal. McCarthy's contract ended at the end of the season with Dallas holding exclusive negotiating rights until midnight on Jan. 14.

McCarthy spent five seasons in Dallas, including three 12-5 campaigns sandwiched between losing seasons in his first (2020) and, barring a last-minute reversal, final year with the franchise in 2024.

The Cowboys last week denied a request from the Chicago Bears to interview McCarthy, and owner Jerry Jones said in December he expected other teams to show interest because of the coach's resume and history developing quarterbacks. The Bears drafted Caleb Williams No. 1 overall in the 2024 draft.

McCarthy, 61, said after the regular-season finale that he wanted to return as Jones showed some indecision in public comments that lacked a clear commitment to keeping him.

"I don't know that I am considering making a change is really what I'm trying to say," Jones said at the end of the regular season. "Mike's one of the best coaches that I think there is. He was made the coach here because I thought that, and he's done absolutely nothing to diminish my opinion of him as a coach."

This would be the seventh coaching change in the NFL with only one of the vacant spots filled. The New England Patriots fired Jerod Mayo one season after hiring him to replace Bill Belichick and moved quickly to make former Titans coach and Patriots linebacker Mike Vrabel their head coach in 2025.

Dallas won four of its final seven games despite a significant run of injuries to key personnel, including a season-ending injury to quarterback Dak Prescott and a month without top pass rushers Micah Parsons and DeMarcus Lawrence.

McCarthy missed the playoffs for the second time as head coach of the Cowboys, who also failed to reach the postseason in his first season running the team in 2020.

Dean went down in the second quarter of the Eagles' 22-10 wild-card win while tackling Packers tight end Tucker Kraft. Dean was carted to the locker room. Oren Burks replaced Dean and will likely start in his place moving forward.

Dean had six tackles -- including two for loss -- before exiting. He had 128 tackles, four passes defensed and three sacks in 15 starts this season, a breakout campaign for the former third-round pick.

Dean, 24, has 171 tackles in 37 career games (19 starts).

Dean's 2023 season was cut short by a Lisfranc sprain.

The Eagles will host the winner of Monday night's contest between the Los Angeles Rams and Minnesota Vikings in next weekend's divisional round.

Crossman, 57, had been with the Dolphins since 2019 and had been the special teams coordinator since 2022. He has been an NFL coach since 2003 with the Carolina Panthers, Detroit Lions and Buffalo Bills before arriving in Miami.

Welker, 43, made the Pro Bowl five times as a member of the New England Patriots when he led the NFL in receptions three times. He had 903 receptions for 9,924 yards and 50 touchdowns over 175 games (102 starts) in 12 seasons for the San Diego Chargers (2004), Dolphins (2004-06), Patriots (2007-12), Denver Broncos (2013-14) and St. Louis Rams (2015).

Welker became an NFL coach as an offensive assistant with the Houston Texans in 2017 and was a wide receivers coach for the San Francisco 49ers (2019-21) before he joined the Dolphins' staff.

"I am grateful for Danny's contributions and dedication to the Dolphins over the course of many seasons, as well as the numerous ways he helped me as a head coach," Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel said in a statement.

"I also want to thank Wes for his investment here. This was not a decision I came to lightly, but as I have evaluated the season and areas where we must improve, I believe that change is needed and am motivated to do what is best for the team as we move forward."

Safety Antoine Winfield Jr. is set to return to the lineup for the first time after sitting out four consecutive games recovering from a knee injury and cornerback Jamel Dean plans to play after missing Week 18 with a knee injury, according to head coach Todd Bowles on Friday.

Winfield practiced without limitation all week. He had 60 tackles, two sacks and returned a fumble for a touchdown in the nine games he played this season.

The Bucs aren't as confident tight end Cade Otton, who missed the past three games, will be active but Bowles didn't close the door on Otton's return on Friday.

"Antoine and Jamel are fine. Cade is trending in the right way, we'll see how he recovers," Bowles said.

Otton caught 59 passes for 600 yards and four touchdowns in 14 games.

Dean, who missed five regular-season games with injuries, allowed only one touchdown as the primary defender in pass coverage this season.

Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen trailed Jackson with 18 first-place votes, with Cincinnati Bengals QB Joe Burrow nabbing two, as chosen by a national panel of 50 media voters.

This is Jackson's third All-Pro nod, having earned the honors in 2019 and 2023, both years in which he was also named NFL MVP. The only quarterbacks with more All-Pro nominations in the Super Bowl era are Peyton Manning (7) and Aaron Rodgers (4).

Wide receivers Ja'Marr Chase of the Bengals and Justin Jefferson of the Minnesota Vikings both received unanimous first-place votes.

"Wow, that's crazy. That's respect right there. That's love," Jefferson said of the unanimous vote.

Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley earned 48 out of 50 first-place votes thanks to a season that saw him run for a franchise-record 2,005 yards in 16 games in his first season with the Eagles.

The two first-place votes that didn't go to Barkley went to Ravens running back Derrick Henry.

The Denver Broncos' Patrick Surtain II similarly dominated at his position, earning 49 first-place votes at cornerback.

"For real? That's a huge honor," Surtain said of the nomination. "That's one of the accolades I definitely had goals for."

The Ravens, Eagles and the Detroit Lions tied for the most nominations with six per team.

Las Vegas Raiders rookie tight end Brock Bowers is one of 14 players who were nominated for the first time, according to NFL.com.

Here are the results of the Associated Press 2024 NFL All-Pro first-team balloting:

Offense

QB: Lamar Jackson, Ravens

RB: Saquon Barkley, Eagles

FB: Patrick Ricard, Ravens

TE: Brock Bowers, Raiders

WR: Ja'Marr Chase, Bengals; Justin Jefferson, Vikings; Amon-Ra St. Brown, Lions

LT: Tristan Wirfs, Buccaneers

LG: Joe Thuney, Chiefs

C: Creed Humphrey, Chiefs

RG: Quinn Meinerz, Broncos

RT: Penei Sewell, Lions

Defense

Edge: Myles Garrett, Browns; Trey Hendrickson, Bengals

Interior Line: Cameron Heyward, Steelers; Chris Jones, Chiefs

Linebackers: Zach Baun, Eagles; Fred Warner, 49ers; Roquan Smith, Ravens

Cornerbacks: Patrick Surtain II, Broncos; Derek Stingley Jr., Texans

Slot corner: Marlon Humphrey, Ravens

Safeties: Kerby Joseph, Lions; Xavier McKinney, Packers

Special Teams

Kicker: Chris Boswell, Steelers

Punter: Jack Fox, Lions

Kick Returner: KaVontae Turpin, Cowboys

Punt Returner: Marvin Mims Jr., Broncos

Special Teamer: Brenden Schooler, Patriots

Long Snapper: Andrew DePaola, Vikings

Here are the results of the Associated Press 2024 NFL All-Pro second-team balloting:

Offense

QB: Josh Allen, Bills

RB: Derrick Henry, Ravens

FB: Kyle Juszczyk, 49ers

TE: George Kittle, 49ers

WR: Terry McLaurin, Commanders; CeeDee Lamb, Cowboys; A.J. Brown, Eagles

LT: Jordan Mailata, Eagles

LG: Quenton Nelson, Colts

C: Frank Ragnow, Lions

RG: Chris Lindstrom, Falcons

RT: Lane Johnson, Eagles

Defense

Edge: T.J. Watt, Steelers; Nik Bonitto, Broncos (tied); Andrew Van Ginkel, Vikings

Interior Line: Zach Allen, Broncos; Jalen Carter, Eagles

Linebackers: Frankie Luvu, Commanders; Bobby Wagner, Commanders; Zaire Franklin, Colts

Cornerbacks: Trent McDuffie, Chiefs; Christian Gonzalez, Patriots

Slot corner: Derwin James, Chargers

Safeties: Kyle Hamilton, Ravens; Budda Baker, Cardinals

Special Teams

Kicker: Brandon Aubrey, Cowboys

Punter: Logan Cooke, Jaguars

Kick Returner: Austin Ekeler, Commanders

Punt Returner: Kalif Raymond, Lions

Special Teamer: J.T. Gray, Saints

Long Snapper: Ross Matiscik, Jaguars

McCarthy's contract with the Cowboys expires Tuesday (Jan. 14) but the franchise maintains an exclusive negotiating window and owner Jerry Jones plans to open contract talks Friday with designs on retaining the coach, according to multiple reports.

The Cowboys denied a request from the Chicago Bears to interview McCarthy earlier this week and Jones said in December he expected other teams to show interest because of the coach's resume and history developing quarterbacks.

McCarthy, 61, said he wants to return.

"I don't know that I am considering making a change is really what I'm trying to say," Jones said at the end of the regular season. "Mike's one of the best coaches that I think there is. He was made the coach here because I thought that, and he's done absolutely nothing to diminish my opinion of him as a coach."

Dallas won four of its final seven games despite a significant run of injuries to key personnel, including a season-ending injury to quarterback Dak Prescott and a month without top pass rushers Micah Parsons and DeMarcus Lawrence.

McCarthy missed the playoffs for the second time as head coach of the Cowboys, who also failed to reach the postseason in his first season running the team in 2020. But he posted three consecutive 12-5 seasons before a 7-10 finish in 2024.

But Indianapolis doesn't want to repeat the misstep. Instead, Ballard said the Colts are planning to invest in another quarterback to compete with Richardson in his third NFL season.

"There has to be real stress within that locker room, an uncomfortability that if I don't play well enough my (expletive) will not be on the field playing," Ballard said of his approach to rebuilding the roster.

The Colts benched Richardson for Joe Flacco before reinstalling him as the starter, but finished 8-9 to miss the playoffs because of late-season losses for the second consecutive season. But Ballard said the notion that Indianapolis is on the heels of the two-time defending AFC South champion Houston Texans is a fable.

"Right now, we're not close," he said. "I'm going to make this really clear. Close is losing on the last play of the Super Bowl. That's close. Going 8-9, that's not close. No, I'm not saying we won't be closer when we get to the start of (the 2025) season. But right now, sitting here today, we're an 8-9 football team. We've got to own that."

Ballard said fans and media pointing to him as a cause of the Colts' problems aren't entirely misguided. But Ballard said he's glad owner Jim Irsay allowed him a ninth year as the team's GM and another chance to prove him right.

"I hear the criticism, and it's warranted. It is. And a lot of that falls on my shoulders," Ballard said. "For four years, we've not gone to the playoffs. We've not won a division since I've been here, not won a playoff game since 2018. I've got to own all that. I do, and I'm not going to run from it."

While the Colts are being transparent with their desire to add a quarterback, Ballard isn't ready to give up on Richardson. Talent, and "wow plays" are part of the mystique with Richardson and a reason the Colts are going to keep giving him chances to settle in as a pro quarterback. But the former Florida quarterback has also missed 17 games due to injury in two seasons.

"We can't beat our head against the wall," Ballard said. "We've got to have competition at the position for, one, competition makes everybody better and, two, he's not proven he can play 17 games."

"The devastation caused by the wildfires in southern California is heartbreaking," Houston Texans chairman and CEO Cal McNair said. "We are proud to join together with our NFL family to provide support and resources to those who have been impacted as well as the firefighters and first responders who continue to work tirelessly to contain the fires."

The Texans join the Los Angeles Chargers, Los Angeles Rams, Minnesota Vikings and NFL Foundation in donating a total of $5 million to support communities affected by the wildfires in the greater Los Angeles region.

The Texans host the Chargers in an AFC wild-card game on Saturday afternoon.

The NFC wild-card game between the Rams and Vikings on Monday night has been relocated from Los Angeles to Glendale, Ariz., due to the ongoing situation.

Hurts has been sidelined since suffering the head injury on Dec. 22 against the Washington Commanders. He returned to practice on Wednesday in a limited fashion before taking on a full workload the following day.

A two-time Pro Bowl selection, Hurts completed 20 of 34 passes for 278 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions in the Eagles' Week 1 win over the Packers in Brazil.

Hurts, 26, completed 68.7 percent of his passes for 2,903 yards with 18 touchdowns and five interceptions in 15 games this season. He also rushed for 630 yards and 14 scores.

Saturday, January 11

AFC

No. 5 L.A. Chargers (11-6) at No. 4 Houston Texans (10-7)

4:30 p.m. ET

CBS, Paramount+

The Chargers are in the playoffs in Jim Harbaugh's first season as head coach and seeking their first postseason win since the 2018 season. The Texans won the AFC South for the second consecutive year and scored a wild-card win in DeMeco Ryans' first season as head coach last year. Chargers QB Justin Herbert was historically good at avoiding turnovers in 2024, and has a 10-to-0 TD-to-INT ratio on the road this season. He became the second player in NFL history (Aaron Rodgers, 2018) with 500-plus attempts (504) and three or fewer INTs (three) in a season. Texans QB C.J. Stroud can join five others who started and won playoff games in each of their first two seasons. RB Joe Mixon had his fifth career 1,000-yard rushing season and 11 rushing touchdowns in his first season with the Texans. Chargers RB J.K. Dobbins had a career-best 1,058 yards from scrimmage and topped 50 total yards in each of his 13 games. Dobbins missed four games with a knee injury. Houston's offensive line has performed better since Tytus Howard moved to left guard. The Texans' front five faces the Chargers' active front seven led by pass rushers Joey Bosa and Khalil Mack. Los Angeles limited teams to 17.7 points per game in the regular season.

AFC

No. 6 Pittsburgh Steelers (10-7) at No. 3 Baltimore Ravens (12-5)

8 p.m. ET

Prime Video

AFC North rivals meet in the playoffs for the fourth time with Pittsburgh holding a 3-1 record in the postseason series. They also won four of the past five games with the Ravens overall. But Pittsburgh's last postseason win was in 2016. Ravens coach John Harbaugh has 12 playoffs wins, one behind Mike Holmgren for seventh-best in NFL history. The Ravens led the NFL in total offense (424.9 yards per game) and ranked No. 3 with 30.5 points per game. Piloted by reigning MVP Lamar Jackson, the first player in NFL history with 4,000-plus passing yards (4,172), 40-plus TD passes (41) and fewer than five INTs (four) in a season, the Ravens take the field Saturday night without Pro Bowl WR Zay Flowers (knee). But Jackson has a clear connection with TE Mark Andrews, who has a TD grab in six consecutive games entering this week. Pittsburgh's defense has fared well against Jackson historically. Pass rusher T.J. Watt has 17 sacks in 16 career games vs. Baltimore. Ravens RB Derrick Henry totaled 189 yards (162 rushing, 27 receiving) in the Week 16 meeting won by Baltimore. He should alleviate some of the pressure facing Jackson, who owns a 2-4 record in the playoffs, having thrown six interceptions while fumbling six times (losing three). He has thrown for six touchdowns and rushed for three in his playoff career.

Sunday, January 12

AFC

No. 7 Denver Broncos (10-7) at No. 2 Buffalo Bills (13-4)

1 p.m. ET

CBS, Paramount+

Denver crashed the postseason by blitzing the Kansas City Chiefs' "B" team last week and the Broncos are pursuing their first playoff win since Peyton Manning beat Cam Newton and the Panthers in Super Bowl 50. The Bills are 8-0 at home this season and won the AFC East for the fifth consecutive season, and Buffalo has won a wild-card round game in each of the past four tries. QB Josh Allen had 40 total TDs in 2024. He has thrown 13 touchdown passes in five appearances in the wild-card round (4-1 record). Only Ben Roethlisberger and Aaron Rodgers have totaled more wild-card TDs in their careers. One major difference this time around for Buffalo: The architect of the offense is Joe Brady. In his first full season as the coordinator following two years as quarterbacks coach, the Bills have the No. 2 scoring offense (30.9) and rank ninth in both passing and rushing yardage. The Bills gave up the fewest sacks (14) and fewest turnovers (eight) in the league. The Broncos racked up 63 sacks, nine more than any other team, and generated 25 takeaways. Nik Bonitto had a breakout season, leading the Denver defense with 13.5 sacks among his 16 tackles for loss and two forced fumbles. Jonathon Cooper added 10.5 sacks. While the defense has been stellar, the Broncos also found their long-sought franchise quarterback in first-round pick Bo Nix. He finished the regular season with 3,775 passing yards, 29 passing touchdowns and four rushing scores. Last week, Nix threw for 321 yards and four touchdowns in a 38-0 win

NFC

No. 7 Green Bay Packers (11-6) at No. 2 Philadelphia Eagles (14-3)

4:30 p.m. ET

FOX

Green Bay won a wild-card game in Philadelphia before capping the 2010 campaign with a victory at Super Bowl XLV in the last playoff matchup between these teams. The first time these franchises ever met in the playoffs, the Eagles defeated Vince Lombardi's Packers to capture the 1960 NFL Championship. The Packers were the first No. 7 seed to win in the playoffs when they shocked the Dallas Cowboys last January. Sunday's game is a rematch of the season-opening Friday night game on Sept. 6 in Brazil. Philadelphia recorded a 34-29 win behind three total touchdowns and 109 rushing yards from 2024 NFL rushing king Saquon Barkley (2,005 yards). Jalen Hurts passed for 278 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions in the victory, while Jordan Love threw for 260 yards, two TDs and one pick for the Packers. Hurts will be suiting up for the first time since Dec. 22 due to a concussion. And Love was limited early in the week after leaving the Week 18 loss to Chicago with an elbow injury. Coach Nick Sirianni said he wasn't worried about rust with Hurts, who took the Eagles to the Super Bowl during the 2022 season but lost wild-card games at Tampa Bay after both the 2021 and 2023 seasons. Love made his playoff debut last season, posting a 48-32 wild-card win at Dallas before falling 24-21 in the divisional round at San Francisco.

No. 6 Washington Commanders (12-5) at No. 3 Tampa Bay Buccaneers (10-7)

8 p.m. ET

NBC, Peacock

Washington has lost five consecutive playoff games, including a 31-23 defeat at Tampa in their last postseason game in January 2021. The Commanders won 12 games for the first time since 1991, when they won SB XXVI. The two teams met in September in rookie QB Jayden Daniels' NFL debut. Daniels rushed for two touchdowns but didn't throw for any in a 37-20 road loss. The Buccaneers had the hotter quarterback as Baker Mayfield completed 24 of 30 passes for 289 yards and four touchdowns. By the Commanders' count, Mayfield also wriggled off the hook five times on plays the coaching staff believes should've been sacks. Mayfield established career highs of 4,500 yards and 41 touchdowns this season while being intercepted 16 times. The offense received a boost from breakout RB Bucky Irving. The rookie fourth-round draft pick has rushed for 1,122 yards and eight touchdowns. Mayfield has performed well on the playoff stage. He has 1,153 passing yards (288.3 per game) with 10 TDs vs. three INTs in four career playoff starts. In each of his last two postseason starts, Mayfield had 325-plus passing yards and three-plus TD passes in the 2023 playoffs. Commanders WR Terry McLaurin had 82 catches for 1,096 yards and a franchise-record 13 TD catches in 2024.

Monday, January 13

No. 5 Minnesota Vikings (14-3) vs. No. 4 L.A. Rams (10-7), at Glendale, Ariz.

8 p.m. ET

ESPN/ABC/ESPN+

Public safety concerns stemming from the tragic wildfires in Southern California prompted the NFL to move the rematch of the Week 8 Vikings-Rams game to Glendale and the home stadium of the Arizona Cardinals. The Rams beat the Vikings 30-20 in that Oct. 24 meeting with Matthew Stafford throwing four touchdown passes. Stafford enters his ninth playoff start and won Super Bowl LVI with the Rams. He's facing Sam Darnold, making his postseason debut, after the Vikings completed a turnaround from last place in the NFC North. In the 2021 postseason, Stafford had 1,188 passing yards in four starts, the second-most passing yards in a single postseason all-time. Darnold became the first quarterback to win 14 regular-season games in his first season with a team in 2024. The last time the Rams and Vikings met in the postseason, they delivered the top-scoring NFC Divisional playoff game of all-time, a 49-37 win by the then-St. Louis Rams on Jan. 16, 2000.

Multiple media outlets reported Friday that Watson met with Dr. Robert Anderson before undergoing the surgery on Thursday. Watson initially tore his right Achilles tendon on Oct. 20.

The Browns reworked Watson's contract last month to soften the salary cap hit for 2025 and have said they plan to address their quarterback position. Injuries have been a constant of Watson's tenure in Cleveland since he signed a $230 million fully guaranteed contract.

Watson, 29, played seven games in 2024 and ended the season on injured reserve because of surgery for the second consecutive season. Watson played 12 total games in his first two seasons with the Browns (2022-23).

Cleveland started Bailey Zappe in the Week 18 loss at Baltimore and fired offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey after one season. Head coach Kevin Stefanski was noncommittal about his QB plans for 2024 and general manager Andrew Berry again on Monday said the Browns were planning to pursue other quarterbacks before they learned of the latest Watson news.

A three-time Pro Bowl selection, Watson has thrown for 17,904 yards with 123 touchdowns and 48 interceptions in 73 career games (72 starts) with the Houston Texans (2017-20) and Browns.

The NFL International Series will include the Jets and the Browns as home teams at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, and the UK-regular Jaguars will host a game at Wembley Stadium.

The Jaguars and Jets are in the midst of coaching searches and New York is also replacing general manager Joe Douglas. The Browns finished last in the AFC North and are unclear about their situation at quarterback. Starter Deshaun Watson had a "setback" in his recovery from a torn Achilles, according to general manager Andrew Berry, who said the "QB room will look different" in 2025.

The Jets lost 23-17 to the Vikings in London in 2024 and are headed back overseas for a fourth game in the UK.

Cleveland has one appearance in London, a 33-16 loss to the Vikings during the Browns' 0-16 season in 2017.

Jacksonville plays at least one game per season in London as part of an agreement with the NFL and for the past two years held back-to-back games there.

The league will finalize game dates and opponents in April. Previously the NFL announced it will also play a regular-season game in Berlin and one in Madrid.

The NFL moved the scheduled Rams home game to the Arizona Cardinals stadium "in the interest of public safety," with multiple wildfires burning in the Los Angeles area.

A neutral-site game now, the No. 4 seed Rams (10-7) had earned home-field advantage over the Vikings (14-3) by winning the NFC West. No. 5 seed Minnesota was runner-up to the Detroit Lions in the NFC North.

The Vikings and Rams were regular playoff foes in the 1970s. Minnesota dominated the rivalry then but lost all four of its Super Bowl appearances through the 1976 season and hasn't been back since.

Minnesota holds a 5-2 advantage in playoff matchups between the franchises and is in search of its first playoff victory since the 2019 wild-card round.

The Vikings flourished this season behind the play of Pro Bowl quarterback Sam Darnold, who was fifth in the NFL in both passing yards (4,319) and touchdowns (35). He threw 12 interceptions and was sacked 48 times, tied for fourth most.

"It's exciting to step into an environment like we're going to step into Monday night," said Darnold, who became the first quarterback in NFL history to win 14 regular-season games in his first season with a team. "(Everybody) is excited about it, but we know we have to put in the work to earn the excitement we're going to feel."

Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson was second in receiving yards with 1,533 and sixth in receptions with 103, while adding 10 touchdowns. Running back Aaron Jones gained a career-high 1,138 yards with five touchdowns.

While Darnold was listed on the injury report with a sore quad, he was a full participant in practice Thursday and is expected to play. Defensive end Patrick Jones II (knee) did not practice, while Jones (quad) was a limited participant.

Darnold will be out to avenge a 30-20 defeat at Los Angeles on Oct. 24. That came just four days after a 31-29 loss to the Lions.

Minnesota recovered to win nine consecutive games before their 31-9 defeat in Week 18 at Detroit.

"My confidence level that we can get him back on track is as high as it could be," Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell said after Darnold threw for a season-low 166 yards against the Lions. "I know our coaches feel the same way, and I know, most importantly, his teammates feel the same way."

The Rams recovered from a 1-4 start to win nine of their next 11 games and clinch the NFC West in Week 17. Coach Sean McVay rested most of his key personnel in Week 18, but a 30-25 loss to the Seattle Seahawks dropped Los Angeles to the No. 4 seed and a date with the Vikings instead of the Washington Commanders.

The Rams not only worked their way through early-season injuries to wide receivers Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp, but the offensive line was in scramble mode through the first month.

The offense recovered behind veteran quarterback Matthew Stafford, who threw for 3,762 yards and 20 touchdowns, with eight interceptions. He was sacked 28 times.

"It's full focus, 100 percent on the Vikings and the challenges that they present, but we're also human beings and care for the people of our community," Stafford said. "Hopefully it's a great escape for people that have been going through tough times."

Nacua led the Rams in receptions (79) and receiving yards (990), and scored three touchdowns, while Kupp had 67 receptions for 710 yards and six scores. Kupp had just four catches, 54 yards and no touchdowns over his final three games. Kyren Williams rushed for 1,299 yards and 14 scores.

Without future Hall of Fame defensive tackle Aaron Donald, a young Rams defensive line blossomed with second-year players Byron Young and Kobie Turner, alongside rookies Jared Verse and Braden Fiske.

But the Los Angeles offense struggled immediately after a 44-42 home victory over the Buffalo Bills on Dec. 8. The offense averaged just 14.7 points over the next three games, but all were victories led by the defense.

"Let's get a good, tight plan together," McVay said. "Let's make sure that we have answers, but ultimately a clarity for our players first and foremost and then the ability for them to go cut it loose."

Offensive tackle Rob Havenstein (shoulder) missed the final two regular-season games but is expected to play. Rookie running back Blake Corum (forearm) is done for the season.

The game was moved out of the Los Angeles area as wildfires continued to ravage Southern California. The league said in its news release it was "in the interest of public safety" to make the move.

The game is still slated for 8 p.m. ET on Monday. The league had revealed Wednesday that its contingency plan for the game would be to move it to Arizona's State Farm Stadium.

The Rams took off from practice Wednesday and returned Thursday, but they headed home early and canceled post-practice media availability as a new fire had broken out in the West Hills neighborhood of Los Angeles.

Both the Rams and the Los Angeles Chargers are preparing for playoff games this weekend. The Chargers, the fifth seed in the AFC, will face the fourth-seeded Texans in Houston on Saturday.

It isn't the first time a high-profile NFL game has been relocated due to wildfires in Southern California. The Chargers, based in San Diego at the time, had a "Monday Night Football" game against the Miami Dolphins in 2003 moved the Cardinals' home stadium at the time.

Saleh formerly was the defensive coordinator for the 49ers from 2017-20. He then left to coach the Jets and went 20-36 over three-plus seasons with New York before being fired with a 2-3 mark this season. He finished the season as a consultant for the Green Bay Packers.

San Francisco also interviewed Deshea Townsend for the position. He is currently the Detroit Lions defensive passing game coordinator/defensive backs coach.

Saleh, who turns 46 later this month, guided the 49ers' defense to top-five finishes in total defense in 2019-20. San Francisco led the NFL by allowing just 169.2 passing yards per game in 2019.

Saleh reportedly is hoping to interview for head coaching vacancies with the Las Vegas Raiders and Jacksonville Jaguars.

Townsend, 49, played 13 NFL seasons, 12 of them for the Pittsburgh Steelers from 1998-2009. He finished his career with the Indianapolis Colts in 2010.

Townsend won two Super Bowl rings with the Steelers.

Nick Sorensen was San Francisco's defensive coordinator this season. According to coach Kyle Shanahan, Sorensen might be retained in a different role.

"We appreciate his efforts in helping build a foundation for the future," the team said in a statement. "We wish Tom and his family all the best."

Telesco, 52, was hired in January 2024. He served as the Chargers' general manager from 2013 until he was fired along with Los Angeles head coach Brandon Staley following a 63-21 loss to host Las Vegas in December 2023.

The Chargers went 84-95 in the regular season and 2-3 in the playoffs while Telesco was the team's general manager.

Pierce, 46, went 9-17 over 1 1/2 seasons as the team's coach. He became the coach on an interim basis after the midseason firing of Josh McDaniels in 2023.

The Raiders had a 10-game losing streak during the gloomy 2024 season. Las Vegas lost six games by double digits during the streak and nine overall.

Gardner Minshew was the starting quarterback at the outset of the season and Aidan O'Connell was the other main quarterback used by the club. Desmond Ridder also started when they were injured.

Tight end Brock Bowers, who was selected 13th overall in the 2024 NFL Draft, was one of the bright spots with an NFL rookie-record 112 receptions.

"Let's back up to training camp. Tyreek's scrimmaging with the Washington Commanders, and he breaks his wrist," Rosenhaus said on "The Pat McAfee Show."

"We have top wrist doctors saying to Tyreek, 'You need to get this operated on, you're going to miss the season.' Tyreek says to me and the Dolphins, 'I'm not going to miss the season, I'm going to play. I want to be here for my team.'"

Hill, who will turn 31 in March, caught 81 passes for 959 yards in 17 games this season -- marking his lowest production in a full season since his rookie year with the Kansas City Chiefs in 2016. The drop came following a pair of 1,700-yard seasons to begin his tenure in Miami and with Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa limited to 11 games due to concussion and hip injuries.

Before the 2024 season, Hill signed a three-year, $90 million extension through the 2026 season that included a $7 million signing bonus and $59 million in guaranteed money. The eight-time Pro Bowl selection is due to count $28.7 million against the 2025 cap and $51.9 million in the final year of the deal in 2026.

Lawrence ended 2024 on injured reserve, undergoing surgery on his left shoulder while also recovering from a high-profile concussion stemming from a blow to the head by Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair, who drew an NFL suspension.

Lawrence, wearing a sling for another two-plus weeks, told reporters Thursday he has no timeline for getting back to football workouts but expects to hit the field again soon. He called Monday's firing of head coach Doug Pederson unfortunate and "a weird feeling."

"It's not ideal. Obviously you want stability, you want consistency," Lawrence said.

The 25-year-old Lawrence said he wasn't impacted by owner Shad Khan referencing limited input he collects from players by saying he didn't want to create an "Aaron Rodgers 2.0" situation, an assertion that Rodgers wielded too much input with the Jets. Lawrence said he's in regular contact with Khan and does have an opinion, but is careful not to cross the line or sway personnel decisions.

"I don't ever want to cross any boundaries and try to do more than my job," he said.

Part of the inconsistency for the Jaguars has been tied to Lawrence's health. He played hurt to end the 2023 season and missed only one game, but missed seven games in 2024.

"I do feel like I've gotten better every year," said Lawrence. "The main thing is I just gotta be healthy."

Jacksonville holds the No. 5 overall pick in the 2025 draft. Counting Lawrence as the No. 1 pick in 2021 followed by defensive end Travon Walker first overall in 2022, this is the third time in five seasons the Jaguars are set to draft in the top five.

Lawrence said he's "100 percent" confident the team can be back in the playoff mix, building around young cornerstones like 2024 rookie wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr.

"I know the guys we have, the playmakers we have," Lawrence said. "This is a big offseason."

Lawrence was 2-8 as the starter in 2024, completing 60.6 percent of his passes for 2,045 yards with 11 touchdowns and seven interceptions.

Urban Meyer was the head coach to begin Lawrence's rookie season in 2021, but he was fired after a 2-11 start and replaced by interim coach Darrell Bevell. Pederson was hired in February 2022.

Flowers sustained a knee injury during Baltimore's 35-10 victory over the Cleveland Browns last Saturday in the regular-season finale.

"Zay Flowers is not going to be able to make it to the game this week," Ravens head coach John Harbaugh said on Thursday. "So, he'll get started again next week and we'll move forward with the guys we have, and we're excited about the guys we have, which is everybody else."

With Flowers sitting out against the Steelers, Rashod Bateman would be considered Baltimore's top wideout.

Flowers caught a 12-yard pass from quarterback Lamar Jackson and went to the ground at the Cleveland 12-yard line, where he was hit on the knee by Mohamoud Diabate as the Browns linebacker fell to the turf.

After getting medical attention on the field, Flowers walked with a slight limp to the sidelines with 12:03 to go in the quarter. He went to the blue medical tent before leaving the sideline for the locker room. The Ravens ruled him out for the rest of the game.

Elected to his first Pro Bowl, Flowers leads the Ravens with 74 receptions for 1,059 yards. He caught four touchdown receptions.

He has not missed a game because of injury in his two seasons.

Flowers, 24, started all 16 games as a rookie in 2023, when he had 77 receptions for 858 yards and five TDs, and rushed eight times for 56 yards and another score. The Ravens selected him with the 22nd overall pick of the 2023 NFL Draft out of Boston College.

Fontenot said Thursday the franchise has no plan to release Cousins before his $10 million roster guarantee five days into the start of the new league year March 12, which had been widely reported in the aftermath of Atlanta benching Cousins and turning to Michael Penix Jr. for the final three games of the regular season.

Instead, Fontenot said the Falcons are fine abiding by the original structure and expectation of getting "two high-level seasons" of play from Cousins when they finalized a four-year, $180 million contract in March 2024.

"We understand that that didn't happen," Fontenot said. "Nobody was happy to make the switch at that time.

"So now what happens is we had to accelerate that plan and go to Mike earlier and yet the allocation of the quarterback position -- the cap allocation -- is we're eighth in the league. That's what we planned for with Kirk as the starter. He's not the starter anymore but we're very comfortable moving forward with him as the backup."

Head coach Raheem Morris said after a Week 18 loss to the Carolina Panthers ended the season that he can tell by the look in Penix's eyes that he's the man for the job going forward.

Fontenot said health was a non-factor in Cousins' struggles during a five-game stretch in which he threw one TD pass and nine interceptions, forcing Morris' hand with the earlier-than-planned call to promote Penix. Cousins returned to the field after a season-ending Achilles injury with the Vikings in October 2023. He had bright spots before being benched.

Cousins engineered a game-winning drive in prime time to beat the Eagles in Week 2, steered the Falcons into first place with a 509-yard, four-TD overtime win against the Buccaneers on Oct. 3 and threw four more TD passes at Tampa in a 31-26 Atlanta win on Oct. 27. The next week, he had three TD passes and completed 79.2 percent of his passes in the Falcons' 27-21 win over the Cowboys.

That's when the five-game downturn began.

"Kirk is a great man and he's been great support for Mike, a great teammate, great support for everybody in the building, so we're very confident moving forward with him as the backup," Fontenot said.

Cousins turns 37 in training camp and met the selection of Penix in the first round of the 2024 draft with surprise.

If the Falcons don't keep Cousins, the alternative is absorbing a $65 million charge on the salary cap in dead money if he's released. He is set to make $27.5 million in fully guaranteed base salary for the 2025 season and $37.5 million in remaining proration, according to reports. Cousins has a no-trade clause, but might be willing to entertain a chance to play a bigger role elsewhere in 2025. He was last a backup in 2014 playing behind Robert Griffin III in Washington.

Barring a trade, an accounting mechanism of releasing Cousins with a "post-June 1 designation" would allow the Falcons to spread the hit over two years: $40 million in 2025 and $25 million in 2026.

The three-time Pro Bowler's family confirmed the diagnosis of CTE, a degenerative brain disease linked to repeated blows to the head, in a statement Thursday.

"Our family is grateful to learn of his confirmed CTE diagnosis in hopes to continue our father's desire to bring awareness, increased intervention, education, and support for NFL alumni and their families related to CTE," Wycheck's daughter, Deanna Wycheck Szabo, said in a statement. "Our hope is that NFL alumni, who believe they are suffering from CTE, will be given the much-needed resources and guidance prior to their symptoms reaching a debilitating state. With on-going CTE research and diagnosis', we hope future NFL alumni and families will be explicitly given an outline and plan of action in receiving care and treatment."

Wycheck was found dead in his Chattanooga, Tenn., home on Dec. 9, 2023 after an apparent fall.

His brain was examined at Boston University's Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy Center, which concluded that he had CTE Stage III, according to his family. Stage IV is the most severe level.

Thursday's announcement comes one day after the 25th anniversary of Wycheck's starring role in the "Music City Miracle," one of the most iconic plays in NFL history. It happened during the Titans' AFC wild-card contest against the visiting Buffalo Bills on Jan. 8, 2000.

After the Bills kicked a field goal for a 16-15 lead with 16 seconds to play, Tennessee tried some trickery. Lorenzo Neal fielded the kickoff and handed it off to Wycheck, who tossed it across the field to Kevin Dyson. Dyson sprinted for a touchdown to give the Titans a 22-16 victory.

Tennessee advanced to Super Bowl XXXIV before dropping a 23-16 decision to the St. Louis Rams on Jan. 30.

A Philadelphia native, Wycheck was selected by Washington in the sixth round of the 1993 NFL Draft and spent two seasons with the club. He joined the Houston Oilers and remained with the team through its move to Tennessee and retired as a member of the club following the 2003 season. He was inducted into the Titans' Ring of Honor.

Wycheck had 505 catches for 5,126 yards and 28 touchdowns in 155 career games (135 starts) with Washington and the Houston/Tennessee franchise.

"My father put his body on the line throughout his career," Wycheck Szabo said. "He loved the game and even more so loved his teammates. After retirement, he fought for years to bring light to his post-NFL journey and the fears he had around his struggles and symptoms that he knew whole-heartedly was CTE. He often felt forgotten and ignored, and that his situation was helpless.

"Reflecting back, I wish our family had been educated on the signs and symptoms of CTE. Instead of believing that something was inherently wrong with him, we now know he was doing the best he could as a father and friend under circumstances beyond his control."

Hargrave, 31, missed the last 14 games of the 2024 season with a torn right triceps. The two-time Pro Bowler has 45.5 sacks in 130 games with the Pittsburgh Steelers (2016-19), Philadelphia Eagles (2020-22) and 49ers.

Hargrave signed a four-year, $84 million deal in 2023 but restructured his contract last month. With a post-June 1 designation, he would count $8.6 million in dead money in 2025 and $17.5 million in 2026, compared to nearly $25 million without the designation, per ESPN.

Hargrave could return to San Francisco on a reduced deal.

"We do have some challenges and so this doesn't mean we can't compete for his services," Lynch said. "Rather than waiting until post-June 1 and being [out of luck] because free agency already happened, it gives him an opportunity to go see what his market is. And that may include us.

"... We know Javon. He's on a good track coming back from his injury. And would we be interested in having him? Of course. Is that something we can come to an agreement on and is it something that fits in our plans? We will see."

Lynch said Wednesday that the 49ers have no such plans to release wide receiver Deebo Samuel, whose 806 yards from scrimmage in 2024 were his fewest since the 2020 campaign.

Samuel, 28, restructured his deal in September. Releasing him with a post-June 1 designation would cost the 49ers about $10.8 million over the next two years, per ESPN.

Samuel signed a three-year, $71 million extension with the 49ers following his All-Pro campaign in 2021. He carries a $15.8 million cap hit in 2025.

"Deebo is under contract," Lynch said. "[He's] a good player and has done a ton for this organization and we're not in the business of letting good players out of here."

Samuel has 4,792 receiving yards with 22 touchdowns and 1,143 rushing yards and 20 scores in 81 games since the 49ers drafted him in the second round in 2019.

Perhaps Daniels will feel differently once the ball is kicked off as he attempts to lead the sixth-seeded Commanders past the third-seeded Tampa Bay Buccaneers in an NFC wild-card game at Tampa, Fla.

The Commanders (12-5) enter the postseason with a five-game winning streak and won 12 regular-season games -- just the fourth time in franchise history that Washington has won at least a dozen contests.

That success primarily is due to the multi-faceted quarterback who was drafted second overall. Daniels passed for 3,568 yards and 25 touchdowns against nine interceptions and also rushed for 891 yards and six scores.

"It's exciting, but you got to deal with those emotions," Daniels told reporters. "At the end of the day, you got to go out there and play ball. A lot of people are going to put a lot of emphasis on it because at this point, it's really win or go home."

The Washington franchise hasn't won a playoff game since the 2005 season when Hall of Fame member Joe Gibbs was its head coach. Coincidentally, that triumph came at Tampa Bay, 17-10 in the wild-card round.

The following week, Washington lost to the Seattle Seahawks in the divisional round to start a five-game postseason losing streak.

The most recent playoff loss came in the 2020 season -- again versus the Bucs. Tampa Bay won that wild-card matchup 31-23 at Washington.

The two teams met in September in Daniels' NFL debut. Daniels rushed for two touchdowns but didn't throw for any in a 37-20 road loss. The Buccaneers had the hotter quarterback as Baker Mayfield completed 24 of 30 passes for 289 yards and four touchdowns.

Commanders coach Dan Quinn hasn't forgotten the way Tampa Bay moved the ball at will. He's also aware the Buccaneers (10-7) enter the postseason with six victories in their past seven games.

"I think they've just had a fantastic year," Quinn said. "I think (Mayfield) has always been able to rip it and been aggressive in and outside the pocket. Having the run game balance for them, I think that's what sets their offense apart this year.

"The addition of (Bucky) Irving, their run game, the play pass that goes with it that is an impressive thing."

Mayfield established career highs of 4,500 yards and 41 touchdowns this season while being intercepted 16 times.

Irving, a rookie, has excelled for the Buccaneers. The fourth-round draft pick has rushed for 1,122 yards and eight touchdowns.

Tampa Bay is in the playoffs for the fifth consecutive season and second time under Mayfield. The Buccaneers beat the Philadelphia Eagles in the wild-card round last season before losing to the Detroit Lions in the divisional round.

"You're excited to get to the playoffs and you're excited for the next opportunity and getting to play with this group guaranteed for one more time," Mayfield told reporters. "That's the mentality going into it but other than that, preparation-wise you don't want to psych everybody out. You want to handle it the best way you can but just a little bit more attention to detail and ensuring the fact that everybody is on the same page and can handle things correctly."

The game could turn out to be an offensive showcase as Tampa Bay ranks fourth in scoring at 29.5 points per game and Washington stands fifth at 28.5.

"It's (about) mentality for us, find any way to win, whether the game is a shootout, whether it's low scoring," Mayfield said. "Make the plays that matter when it counts."

Tampa Bay standout safety Antoine Winfield Jr. (knee) was a full practice participant Wednesday and is expected to return after a four-game absence. Tight end Cade Otton (knee) was limited and could return after missing three games.

Washington hopes to have cornerback Marshon Lattimore (hamstring) back after a two-game absence. He was limited Wednesday, as was center Tyler Biadasz (ankle), who missed the regular-season finale against the Dallas Cowboys.

The first time these franchises ever met in the playoffs, the Eagles defeated Vince Lombardi's Packers to capture the 1960 NFL Championship.

The first lines in perhaps another championship chapter will be written Sunday when the Eagles (14-3) welcome the Packers (11-6) to Lincoln Financial Field for an NFC wild-card game.

It's a rematch of their season-opening game on Sept. 6 in Brazil. Philadelphia recorded a 34-29 win behind three total touchdowns and 109 rushing yards from 2024 NFL rushing king Saquon Barkley.

Jalen Hurts passed for 278 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions in the victory, while Jordan Love threw for 260 yards, two TDs and one pick for the Packers.

There were positive developments for both quarterbacks on Wednesday. Hurts practiced for the first time since he sustained a concussion in the first quarter of a Week 16 loss at Washington. Love also practiced on a limited basis after leaving the Week 18 loss to Chicago with an elbow injury.

Coach Nick Sirianni said he wasn't worried about rust with Hurts, who took the Eagles to the Super Bowl during the 2022 season but lost wild-card games at Tampa Bay after both the 2021 and 2023 seasons.

"This is why you practice," Sirianni said Wednesday. "This is why you go through the process of practicing and all the things that you do in practice to get on the same page to do everything there. We feel like we practice at a very high-intensity level. This is why you go out there and do these things."

Love made his playoff debut last season, posting a 48-32 wild-card win at Dallas before falling 24-21 in the divisional round at San Francisco.

"We'll see. Yeah, I'm hopeful," Love told reporters after practice Wednesday about his chances of playing Sunday.

In this season's Week 1 game in Sao Paulo, Brazil, Barkley scored on an 18-yard reception and on runs of 11 and 2 yards. A.J. Brown caught five passes for 119 yards with a 67-yard touchdown to lead the Eagles.

"They got a lot of playmakers, so you just gotta be on all your details and try to eliminate as much space as possible," Green Bay coach Matt LaFleur said Wednesday.

"... We know the margins are razor thin in this league and you gotta be at your best when your best is required, certainly against one of the premier football teams in this league."

The offensive production was nearly identical, with the Packers outgaining the Eagles 414-410. Jayden Reed had 171 yards from scrimmage (138 receiving, 33 rushing) and two TDs for Green Bay.

For the season, Philadelphia finished seventh in scoring (27.2 points per game) and eighth in total offense (367.2 yards per game). The Eagles were No. 1 in total defense (278.4) and No. 2 in scoring defense (17.8).

Green Bay was No. 5 in total offense (370.8) and had the No. 6 defense (315.6). The Packers tied for third in the league with a plus-12 turnover margin.

In addition to Hurts, Brown (knee), backup QB Kenny Pickett (ribs) and rookie running back Will Shipley (ankle) were all limited in Philadelphia's practice Wednesday.

The Packers lost Christian Watson for the season with a torn ACL against the Bears but fellow wide receiver Romeo Doubs is back after missing that game with an illness. Linebacker Quay Walker and rookie safety Evan Williams practiced Wednesday after both missed the past three games. Quarterback Malik Willis (thumb), linebacker Edgerrin Cooper (illness, knee), defensive lineman Brenton Cox (foot) and safety Javon Bullard (ankle) were limited. Defensive lineman T.J. Slaton (ankle) did not practice.

Buffalo, the No. 2 seed in the AFC for the third year running, begins its latest playoff journey against the seventh-seeded Denver Broncos on Sunday afternoon in Orchard Park, N.Y.

The Broncos (10-7) made the postseason for the first time since Peyton Manning guided them to the Super Bowl 50 title. In the nine years since, the Bills (13-4) have become a playoff staple: They've qualified for the sixth year in a row, and they won their wild-card game each of the past four postseasons.

Of course, they've managed just one AFC Championship Game appearance in that stretch. McDermott said that adversity has become part of the Bills' identity.

"I would say yes and no," the coach said. "I would say yes because it is in our history, of not getting to accomplish our ultimate goal year to year. But at the end of the day, we've had a lot of success and it's a hard thing to win in this league. And you're looking at an AFC that is loaded with high-level teams, and it starts right from the start with Week 1 for us with a really good football team in the Denver Broncos."

Allen has thrown 13 touchdown passes in five appearances in the wild-card round (4-1 record). Only Ben Roethlisberger and Aaron Rodgers have totaled more wild-card TDs in their careers.

One major difference this time around for Buffalo: The architect of the offense is Joe Brady. In his first full season as the coordinator following two years as quarterbacks coach, the Bills have the No. 2 scoring offense (30.9 points per game) and rank ninth in both passing and rushing yardage.

Asked Wednesday what Brady has done for the unit -- as franchises in need of a head coach snoop around -- Allen quipped, "Nothing. Teams should stay away from him."

The key battle will be whether Buffalo can play mistake-free football against Denver's disruptive defense.

The Bills gave up the fewest sacks (14) and fewest turnovers (eight) in the league. The Broncos racked up 63 sacks, nine more than any other team, and generated 25 takeaways.

Broncos coach Sean Payton explained the many benefits a sack-happy defense provides.

"It goes against trying to stay on schedule. It goes against getting to the third-down numbers that are manageable," said Payton, a Super Bowl champion with New Orleans 15 years ago. "And then, there's this emotional and psychological toll with a sack that you have to overcome."

Nik Bonitto had a breakout season, leading the defense with 13.5 sacks among his 16 tackles for loss and two forced fumbles. Jonathon Cooper added 10.5 sacks.

While the defense has been stellar, the Broncos also found their long-sought franchise quarterback in first-round draft pick Bo Nix. He finished the regular season with 3,775 passing yards, 29 passing touchdowns and four rushing scores.

Last week, Nix threw for 321 yards and four touchdowns in a 38-0 win over a resting Kansas City Chiefs team to clinch Denver's playoff bid.

"It means a lot. (The playoffs are) where I want to be," the 24-year-old rookie said. "This is the moments that matter, these are the moments that people remember you by. We just got to go out there and cut it loose and go out there and play."

These teams last met in November 2023, when the Broncos went to Buffalo and pulled out a 24-22 victory. Allen threw two picks and lost a fumble that day.

The injury reports are light for both teams. Broncos backup tackle Frank Crum (illness) didn't practice Wednesday and reserve cornerback Damarri Mathis (back) was limited. The Bills' only injury-related absence from Wednesday's walkthrough was defensive back/kick returner Brandon Codrington (hamstring).