Chiefs Not Shutting Door On Rookie Starting Week 1 originally appeared on Athlon Sports.

The left tackle position for the Kansas City Chiefs will be an interesting watch at training camp with both Jaylon Moore and Josh Simmons battling it out to be Patrick Mahomes’ blindside protector.

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Moore was signed in free agency to a two-year, $30 million deal, so naturally, the thought was that he would be the starter. However, the Chiefs didn’t stop there and drafted Simmons in the first round to have competition for the position.

Given that Simmons was recovering from a torn patellar tendon injury, he was a slow burn to begin the offseason, but he has ramped up his rehab and is now looking ready to go for training camp if things continue.

And head coach Andy Reid isn’t shutting down the idea of Simmons being the starter.

“Potentially yes,” Reid said. “You can see his athletic ability, you can see his want to, he’s got a great attitude, he’s approached everything the right way, plus a little bit extra. If you just want to look at his rehab, you can see that he had a mindset that I’m get in there, it’s not going to be training camp, it’s going to be now, and he worked his tail off to get there, so you respect that.

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“We’ll see what training camp does to him, it’s different when things are flying fast up there and you’ve got full contact and pads on, and see how he does.”

Chiefs Ohio State OL Josh Simmons at 32By Tony Fisher

So training camp looms as the big test for Simmons to show that everything he’s learned at OTAs and minicamp can then be translated onto the field and with full contact.

The left side of the offensive line, for most, has big question marks surrounding it, but those questions might be answered in training camp if Simmons or Moore can prove, without a doubt, that they deserve to be the starter.

The competition won’t be a quick one as the Chiefs will want to get a good look at both before making a decision.

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However, the fact that Reid is already potentially thinking of Simmons as a starter might tell us which way he and the coaching staff are already leaning.

Related: Chiefs’ Travis Kelce Reveals Retirement Update and Where He ‘Failed’ In 2024

Related: Struggling Chiefs Rookie Finally Impresses at Mandatory Minicamp

This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 20, 2025, where it first appeared.

The Kansas City Chiefs are continuing to search for undrafted free agents as they prepare for the team’s rookie minicamp. The Chiefs already had a successful NFL Draft, loading up their offensive line with Ohio State’s Josh Simmons in the first round, but finding gems in the UDFA class could be an added boost for a team with aspirations of another Super Bowl.

All of the players invited to rookie minicamp will have a massive opportunity to join a contender. But in the case of one receiver, he may already have one foot out the door as he has his eyes on a bigger shot that was gifted to him on Tuesday night.

Chiefs WR Damien Alford Taken With No. 1 Pick in CFL Draft

Wide receiver Damien Alford was invited to Chiefs rookie minicamp earlier this week but the 6-foot-5, 224-pound receiver may have found a better opportunity after he was selected by the Calgary Stampeders with the No. 1 overall pick in the CFL Draft.

Alford split time between Syracuse and Utah during his collegiate career but his time with the Utes ended after four games after he had difficulties picking up the playbook. Alford also had trouble producing at Syracuse, catching 33 passes for 610 yards and three touchdowns during the 2023 season. But he has some appealing qualities to teams at the next level.

Alford ran a 4.46-second 40-yard dash at this year’s Big 12 combine and had a mix of size and speed that was tantalizing to other programs. Although he initially decided to transfer to Florida Atlantic after the season, he changed his mind and decided to go pro.

The Stampeders were the team to take a chance on Alford and they relied on his connections as a Montreal native and his familiarity with quarterback Vernon Adams Jr. TSN’s Salim Valji also noted that Alford has worked out with Adams Jr., who started 10 games for the Oregon Ducks back in 2015, and the 23-year-old expressed excitement in playing with him on a full-time basis.

“I couldn’t have asked for better, to be honest,” Alford said. “I know how he throws…now going to the pro levels and being able to work with him on a continuous basis, the sky’s the limit.”

Alford sounds like a player that has his eyes on the CFL rather than the NFL but there could be other reasons. Kansas City’s depth chart may be hard to crack with Rashee Rice, Marquise “Hollywood” Brown and Xavier Worthy occupying the starting spots and the Chiefs have options on the back end with Skyy Moore, JuJu Smith-Schuster and fourth-round draft pick Jalen Royals.

The depth chart signals that Alford would have had an uphill climb just to take the next step toward becoming an NFL wide receiver, which is why he will likely take the experience and bring it with him to Canada when the rookie minicamp concludes.

More Kansas City Chiefs News & Rumors:

The Kansas City Chiefs have a knack for finding and developing tight ends under head coach Andy Reid and positional coach Tom Melvin, and potential UDFA gem Jake Briningstool is the latest TE prospect who has been gaining attention ahead of mandatory minicamp.

The undrafted rookie out of Clemson, Briningstool, has already earned the “standout” label at Chiefs OTAs. And Pro Football Network just named him Kansas City’s top “UDFA to watch” at minicamp next week, within a document shared with Heavy.

“Travis Kelce isn’t retiring yet. But that doesn’t mean the Kansas City Chiefs should ignore the tight end position,” the team of Pro Football Network analysts began. “Kelce turns 36 next season, and he’s coming off one of the worst statistical seasons of his career.”

On top of that, they noted that “Patrick Mahomes loves targeting his tight ends,” adding that “one UDFA in particular could challenge Jared Wiley for reps behind Kelce and Noah Gray.”

That player is Briningstool, according to PFN.

Pro Football Network Explains Why Jake Briningstool Could Become Next Chiefs UDFA Success Story in 2025

“Jake Briningstool may not fit the mold of a prototypical in-line tight end, but his toughness, savvy route-running, and dependable hands give him clear value as a receiving threat,” Pro Football Network wrote, making the case for Briningstool as a possible 53-man roster dark horse.

“He isn’t going to overpower defenders or create major separation in man coverage,” the site continued, “but his ability to find soft spots in zone and make difficult catches makes him a dependable target.”

Sound familiar? Briningstool appears to be cut from a similar cloth as Kelce, and that’s good news for Kansas City if the rookie can pick up a thing or two from the future Hall of Famer before he calls it a career.

“Briningstool (6’6”, 240 pounds) moves smoothly for his size and shows impressive body control and concentration, particularly in traffic,” PFN went on complimenting the youngster. “He thrives in the intermediate passing game, where his understanding of leverage and spacing helps him stay involved and productive.”

The NFL site concluded that “while he still has room to grow as a blocker, the Clemson product brings enough receiving upside to earn looks on third downs and in the red zone.”

Jared Wiley’s Injury Recovery Could Open the Door for Jake Briningstool at Chiefs Minicamp & Training Camp

Wiley has not been taking part in practices as he recovers from knee surgery, and there’s no guarantee the 2024 fourth-rounder starts the season on the active roster.

“I know he signed as a UDFA and has an uphill battle to make the roster, but TE Jake Briningstool is pretty intriguing to me,” KC superfan and podcaster ‘how bout those CHIEFS’ voiced ahead of OTAs. “Wiley may not be ready to start the season with that ACL repair.”

As of June 11, HBTC has been more right than wrong, as Briningstool has been shining and Wiley has been sidelined.

“UDFA TE Jake Briningstool had another strong contested catch during team drills,” KC Star reporter Jesse Newell relayed on June 4. “He excelled on those during rookie minicamp a few weeks back. Will be one to watch once training camp starts.”

In response to a mailbag question, A-to-Z Sports Kansas City reporter Charles Goldman also told a fan: “If Wiley starts on the PUP, I could see either Briningstool or [Robert] Tonyan making it.”

Tonyan has had a decent start at OTAs, similar to Briningstool, but the 31-year-old journeyman would be extremely easy to stash on the practice squad.

For starters, as a vested veteran, Tonyan wouldn’t be subject to waivers after the 53-man cutdown. Meaning, assuming he wanted to remain with the Chiefs after being cut, nothing would stop him from doing so.

Briningstool, on the other hand, would be much more of a candidate to be poached by another team. Making him the more likely of the two to make it if all things are equal on the field.

Super Bowl LIX kicks off at 6:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, with the Philadelphia Eagles facing the two-time reigning champion Kansas City Chiefs. This is a rematch of Super Bowl LVII, after the 2022 season, in which the Chiefs beat the Eagles 38-35.

Kansas City is looking to make history by becoming the first NFL team to win three straight Super Bowls. The last time the Eagles won the Super Bowl was after the 2017 season in Super Bowl LII. The Chiefs entered the playoffs as the AFC’s No. 1 seed, while the Eagles were the NFC’s No. 2 seed.

We have you covered with everything you will want to know for Chiefs-Eagles, including team previews, box score predictions, a breakdown of Super Bowl MVP candidates and game picks. We also provide advice from our sports betting experts and in-depth statistics from ESPN Research. We look at the two quarterbacks, coaches, officiating, positional advantages and X factors. And scroll all the way down to check out our preview of Kendrick Lamar’s halftime show.

Let’s dive into this one-stop shop cheat sheet, starting with a preview of the matchup.

Jump to a section:

What to know | Meet the teams | QBs

Projecting the box score | Biggest questions

Keys to Chiefs win | Keys to Eagles win

Picks | MVP watch | Stats to know

Bold predictions | Injuries | Officiating

Betting the game | Halftime | FAQs

Previewing Chiefs vs. Eagles

When: Sunday at 6:30 p.m. ET

Where: Caesars Superdome, New Orleans

Television: Fox

Depth charts: Chiefs | Eagles

If the Chiefs want their three-peat, they’re going to have to beat the best team they’ve played in a Super Bowl in the Patrick Mahomes era. The Eagles have lost three games all season, two of them after their receivers dropped passes that would have clinched victories. Since their Week 5 bye, they have gone 15-1, posted a plus-27 turnover margin and won their games by an average of 13.8 points.

This Eagles team is better than the one the Chiefs beat two years ago in Super Bowl LVII and better than either of the 49ers teams Kansas City topped in Super Bowls LIV and LVIII. Philadelphia is even scarier than the Tom Brady-led Buccaneers, who managed to give Mahomes his only championship game defeat in Super Bowl LV.

I wouldn’t say this is the best Chiefs team we’ve seen, but it might be the wiliest. Rarely dominant but never out of it, the Chiefs put together a series of spectacularly close victories in 2024. Holding on to a victory against the Ravens in Week 1 by the length of Isaiah Likely’s toenail portended what was to come all season. The Chiefs won games with fourth-down stops, field goals bouncing off uprights, kicks getting blocked and snaps being dropped. They found a way to sprinkle just enough magic dust into each victory. Their win over the Bills in the AFC Championship Game, a measure of revenge for Buffalo costing the Chiefs a chance at an undefeated regular season in November, was their 15th consecutive victory in games decided by seven points or fewer.

Can the Eagles deny the Chiefs from making history? A 2024 offseason for the ages has replenished Philadelphia’s roster, and it is the better team — on paper. That starts with the player who might be the story of the season, a running back Kansas City has to stop if it has any hope of winning another title: Saquon Barkley — Bill Barnwell, senior NFL writer

Read more: Barnwell previews the Super Bowl (ESPN+)

Meet the teams

Coach: Andy Reid

Reid brings loads of playoff and Super Bowl experience. In 26 seasons — 12 with the Chiefs — Reid is 28-16 in the postseason and 3-2 in the Super Bowl. He was a finalist for the 2024 AP Coach of the Year award, an honor not usually given to the leader of a two-time defending Super Bowl championship team. The 2024 Chiefs were hit hard by injuries, had trouble at times protecting Mahomes and were inconsistent for much of the season on defense. But thanks in part to Reid, they are still one win away from winning a third consecutive championship.

How did they get here?

Getting to 17-2 (including two playoff victories) took a lot of work. Kansas City won 11 regular-season games plus the AFC Championship Game against the Bills by one score and at times was aided by an element of luck. But the Chiefs also showed a knack for making the right play at the right time. A blocked field goal on the final play to preserve a two-point win against the Broncos in Week 10 was anything but luck. — Adam Teicher, Chiefs reporter

Coach: Nick Sirianni

Sirianni is the first coach in the Super Bowl era to make the playoffs in each of his first four seasons while reaching the Super Bowl multiple times. He guided the Eagles to the title game against the Chiefs in the 2023 season, a 38-35 Eagles loss. With a regular-season record of 48-20, Sirianni has the third-highest winning percentage (.706) by a head coach in the modern era (minimum 50 games), trailing only John Madden and George Allen.

How did they get here?

The Eagles got off to a shaky 2-2 start, testing the nerves of the fan base following a 1-6 collapse down the stretch last season. They became more of a Saquon Barkley-focused offense during the Week 5 bye, and that propelled them to a 10-game winning streak and a 14-3 regular-season record. Led by the NFL’s top rushing game and defense, Philadelphia earned the No. 2 seed in the NFC and won three straight postseason home games to punch its ticket to the Super Bowl, including a 55-23 thumping of the Commanders in the NFC title game. — Tim McManus, Eagles reporter

Read more: Reid says he’ll return as Chiefs coach in 2025 … Sirianni is a players’ coach, no matter what you think of him

QB breakdown

Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs

Mahomes is coming off a down year — for him — as he ranked eighth with a 68 QBR in the regular season. It wasn’t all on him, though, as the Chiefs struggled to settle their tackle situation and his playmakers were lacking, especially early in the season. But you would still expect more from the best quarterback on the planet playing for coach Reid (and with an elite interior offensive line). Of course, postseason Mahomes is simply different. His 79 QBR ranks third in the playoffs, and his career postseason QBR is roughly 10 points higher than in the regular season.

Strength: Decision-making. Despite Mahomes ranking fifth with a 69 QBR this season (postseason included), he ranks first on third down (90). Despite throwing to the sticks only 28% of the time on early downs (second lowest), his number jumps to 60% (11th most) on third down, demonstrating how Mahomes changes his risk profile when the situation warrants it. And when Mahomes decides to scramble, he is hyperefficient, averaging 0.79 EPA per play, third highest and highest among any quarterback with at least a 2% scramble rate.

Lastly, the Chiefs ranked second in average separation at the time of ball arrival (3.9), per NFL Next Gen Stats. That might sound like a wide receiver statistic, but it might have more to do with the scheme and quarterback; separation in this context is only measured on targets, and this is in part a reflection of Mahomes’ ability to find and throw to an open player.

Weakness: Accuracy. It’s funny that the consensus best quarterback of this generation is mediocre when it comes to accuracy, but it has been true for years. Mahomes recorded a minus-2 completion percentage over expectation this season, per NFL Next Gen Stats. His 14% off-target rate was 12th best, but that came while averaging just 6.2 air yards per target (third lowest) — shorter passes are much less likely to be off-target. Mahomes has had a negative completion percentage over expectation in every season since 2019. — Seth Walder, analytics writer

Jalen Hurts, Eagles

Philadelphia has one of the most run-heavy offenses in the league, with a minus-11% pass rate over expectation (fourth lowest), per NFL Next Gen Stats. That is, to some degree, a reflection and knock against Hurts, who has also had the benefit of playing in very friendly circumstances. He plays behind a good offensive line and with exceptional skill players (though the threat of his legs helps, too). Hurts’ 65 QBR ranks 10th — scrambles and designed runs are the most efficient parts of his game. But on non-scramble dropbacks, Hurts still ranked 11th in QBR (61), and he also led the league in completion percentage over expectation (plus-7, via Next Gen Stats).

Strength: Runs — both designed (including the tush push) and scrambles. The Eagles running the tush push with such success is a credit to Hurts and the offensive line, and its effect shouldn’t be minimized. Hurts ranks second among all quarterbacks in total EPA (58) generated on runs and scrambles — something that was true even before the postseason. And it isn’t all fourth-and-1 conversions. Looking at plays with 2 yards or more to go, the Eagles’ EPA on Hurts’ runs (37) ranks third best behind the Commanders’ Jayden Daniels and the Bills’ Josh Allen.

Hurts is also more effective on runs up the middle than going east and west; he averaged 0.29 EPA per play on runs and scrambles with at least 2 yards to go outside the tackles, but 0.42 EPA per play inside.

Weakness: Sack avoidance. The Eagles’ offensive line deservedly receives plenty of praise. It ranked sixth in pass block win rate (67.4%) and has arguably the NFL’s best tackle in Lane Johnson. And yet, Hurts has taken sacks on 9.4% of his dropbacks, which is ahead of only the Titans’ Will Levis and the Bears’ Caleb Williams among QBR-qualifying quarterbacks. The effects of that issue have been profound; the Eagles’ offense has recorded 1.1 expected points added per drive that does not include a sack, but that number drops to minus-1.0 when there is at least one sack. — Walder

Read more: Can Hurts provide a Super Bowl win to quiet the doubters? … Every way to bet Mahomes … Every way to bet on Hurts

Projecting the passing box score

In preparation for the Super Bowl, I came up with predicted stat lines for every player involved, including passing projections for the two QBs. When Mahomes knows what he’s getting on any given play, he rarely misses the tell or the throw. On quick throws this season, Mahomes had a success rate of 60.9%. But against quick throws, the Eagles allowed only 5.5 yards per attempt — best in the NFL. Something has got to give. Things might get tricky in the red zone, where all of a sudden there’s no underneath space. But remember, Reid cooked the Eagles in the red zone two Super Bowls ago with back-and-forth motions.

Hurts, meanwhile, has been better against the blitz, his largest criticism exiting 2023, and has generally become more accurate as a thrower. But the biggest improvement he made this season was not turning the ball over. He might actually have to throw the Eagles back into this game, though. I expect Chiefs D-coordinator Steve Spagnuolo to present a ton of wild looks to take away quick-game options and encourage Hurts, one of the league leaders in time to throw (3.13 seconds), to hold onto the football. The longer the down, the more likely it is Hurts takes a bad sack. — Ben Solak, NFL analyst

Ben Solak’s QB projections for Super Bowl LIX Player CMP/ATT Yards TDs INTs Sacks Patrick Mahomes, KC 22-32 210 3 1 3 Jalen Hurts, PHI 20-34 204 1 0 4

Read more: Solak projects the full Super Bowl box score (ESPN+)

Biggest questions

Can the Chiefs defend the Eagles’ tush push?

Judging solely by how they defended the Bills’ version of the play in the AFC Championship Game, the Chiefs have reason to believe they can hold up well. Josh Allen and Buffalo tried it six times against Kansas City but converted just twice. One stop came on fourth down at the Kansas City 41-yard line in the fourth quarter, when the Chiefs trailed by a point. They used the favorable field position to score the go-ahead touchdown.

“The [defensive] line has to be dominant,” defensive tackle Chris Jones said on how the Chiefs defended the play. “Your two [nose guards] and your two ends have to be physical on the inside.”

Kansas City hasn’t fared as well in defending Hurts on the tush push. He used it to score two touchdowns against the Chiefs in Super Bowl LVII. Hurts also used it to score the winning touchdown against Kansas City in the fourth quarter of a Week 11 regular-season contest in 2023. — Teicher

Read more: Chiefs’ biggest matchup questions

What do the Eagles need from receivers A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith to complement the run game?

They’ll need the kind of passing efficiency they received in the NFC Championship Game when Hurts went 20-of-28 for 246 yards, a touchdown and no interceptions. It marked just the second time since mid-November that Hurts threw for 200-plus yards.

Questions persisted about the aerial attack for much of the season. The production did not match the kind of expectations that come with players like Brown, Smith, Hurts and tight end Dallas Goedert on the offense. But much of it was by design, as the coaching staff — armed with a dominant defense and ground game — leaned conservative with the pass to keep turnovers at a minimum. That approach has worked quite well: The Eagles have 10 takeaways to zero giveaways in the playoffs.

Hurts quipped after the NFC title game that Sirianni “let me out of my straitjacket a little bit,” allowing him to air it out to Brown and Smith more than usual. Sirianni should go into this matchup confident about Hurts, who had one of the best performances of his career in Super Bowl LVII (374 total yards, 4 touchdowns). Smith (7 catches, 100 yards) and Brown (6 catches, 96 yards, TD) were a big part of that. They’ll likely be called on again given that the Chiefs are sure to be focused on slowing down Barkley. — McManus

Read more: Eagles’ biggest matchup questions

The Denver Broncos and Tampa Bay Buccaneers both clinched playoff spots on the final day of the NFL regular season, while the Cincinnati Bengals and Atlanta Falcons missed out…

Chiefs 0-38 Broncos

Rookie Bo Nix set a franchise record by completing his first 18 passes as the Broncos ended an eight-year playoff drought with a 38-0 rout of the Kansas City Chiefs backups.

Denver will return to the postseason for the first time since winning Super Bowl 50 at the end of the 2015 season as they head into a wild card matchup against the Buffalo Bills.

Having already secured the AFC’s No. 1 seed and sole first-round bye in their quest for an unprecedented three-peat, Chiefs coach Andy Reid sat Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce and a host of other starters.

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Carson Wentz got the start at quarterback and fizzled in his first extended action since Week 18 with the Los Angeles Rams last season. He was 10 of 17 for 98 yards and was sacked four times by the league’s best pass rush (62 sacks).

Nix threw for four touchdowns, giving him 29 for the season, second-most by a rookie in NFL history, behind only Justin Herbert’s 31 in 2020. He finished 26 of 29 for 321 yards, and his 18 consecutive completions also were the most ever by a Broncos quarterbacks.

Nix hit Marvin Mims twice, Courtland Sutton (five times for 98 yards) and Devaughn Vele for scores.

Saints 19-27 Buccaneers

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers clinched a fourth-straight NFC South title with a hard-fought 27-19 victory over the New Orleans Saints.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player Highlights of the New Orleans Saints against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 18 of the NFL

After trailing for most of the game, knowing defeat would open the door to the Atlanta Falcons to potentially pinch the division and postseason berth from them, Baker Mayfield fired a 32-yard touchdown pass to Jalen McMillan for the go-ahead score with 10 minutes to go.

Bucky Irving then all but clinched the victory and Tampa’s title with an 11-yard score inside the final two minutes.

Despite only leading by eight, the Bucs took the risky move late on to telegraph a pass play to Mike Evans in pursuit of an 11th-straight 1,000-yard season receiving, but the wideout came up clutch in gaining the yards necessary on the final play of the game, seeing him tie Jerry Rice’s NFL record.

When Evans got up, he spiked the ball and was mobbed by his teammates in a wild celebration.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player Tampa Bay’s Mike Evans completed his 11th straight 1,000-yard season, tying Jerry Rice’s NFL record

Mayfield threw for 212 yards and two TDs, while also logging a career-high 68 yards rushing for the Buccaneers (10-7), who will now host the Washington Commanders as the No 3 seed in the wild card round of the playoffs.

Spencer Rattler had 240 yards passing and one TD for the Saints (5-12).

Panthers 44-38 Falcons (OT)

Bryce Young logged five touchdowns – three passing and two rushing – as the Carolina Panthers beat the Atlanta Falcons 44-38 in an overtime thriller.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player Highlights of the Carolina Panthers against the Atlanta Falcons in Week 18 of the NFL

The Falcons (8-9) needed to win and hope the Buccaneers lost at home to the Saints in order to sneak into the playoffs, and though Tampa trailed by 10 points at the half in their game, the Panthers (5-12) proved too tough for Atlanta to crack.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player Carolina quarterback Bryce Young celebrated before Tommy Tremble had even scored the touchdown against Atlanta

Rookie QB Michael Penix Jr had another strong game, passing for 312 yards and two touchdowns – both to Drake London, who had 10 catches for a career-high 187 yards – while Bijan Robinson ran for 170 yards and two scores, but the impressive offensive performance wasn’t enough to extend the Falcons’ season.

Robinson’s second TD with 46 seconds to go took the game into overtime, but Miles Sanders’ goal-line score in extra time – shortly after the Bucs’ comeback win was confirmed – ended Atlanta’s season with a loss.

Bears 24-22 Packers

Caleb Williams drove the Chicago Bears down the field to set up a Cairo Santos 51-yard game-winning field goal as time expired, clinching a 24-22 victory over the playoff-bound Green Bay Packers.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player Highlights of the Chicago Bears against the Green Bay Packers in Week 18 of the NFL

The Bears (5-12) victory is a first over the Packers (11-6) since 2018 and snapped a 10-game losing skid for Chicago.

Green Bay, looking to move up in the NFC playoff seedings from No 7 to 6 – and avoid a wild card meeting with the Philadelphia Eagles – played their starters, but lost quarterback Jordan Love and receiver Christian Watson to injuries during the defeat that books that Philly trip.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player Josh Blackwell completed an incredible 94-yard punt return touchdown as Chicago took a first quarter lead over Green Bay

Now the Packers await news on the fitness of both Watson and Love. Watson was carted off the field with a knee injury in the second quarter and Love departed with an elbow issue later on that same series.

Green Bay coach Matt LaFleur said Love was held out as a precaution. The QB had some practice tosses on the sideline late in the game.

Brandon McManus had put Green Bay ahead by making a 55-yard field goal with 54 seconds left. But Williams got the Bears into field-goal range by throwing an 18-yard completion to DJ Moore, whose earlier fumble had set up McManus’ kick.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player Cairo Santos withstood the pressure as he nailed the winning field goal with the last kick of the game as Chicago edged past Green Bay

Chargers 34-20 Raiders

Justin Herbert passed for 346 yards and two touchdowns as the Los Angeles Chargers secured the fifth seed in the AFC playoffs with a 34-20 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders.

The Chargers (11-6) closed the regular season with a three-game winning streak under first-year coach Jim Harbaugh and will visit the fourth-seeded Houston Texans (10-7) in the next weekend’s wild-card playoff round.

Herbert showed off his arm and legs, taking off for a 41-yard run in the third quarter to set up a two-yard touchdown pass to Will Dissly for a 27-13 lead.

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His top target was Quentin Johnston, the second-year pro who set career highs with 13 receptions for 186 yards. Ladd McConkey caught five passes for 95 yards, his 10th consecutive game with at least 50 yards to break the rookie record that Odell Beckham Jr. set in 2014. His 82 receptions for 1,149 yards are Chargers rookie records.

J.K. Dobbins rushed for 63 yards to finish with 905 on the season.

Aidan O’Connell passed for 214 yards and two touchdowns for the Raiders, and Jakobi Meyers caught nine passes for 123 yards and a touchdown while topping 1,000 yards for the first time in his six-year career. Brock Bowers had four catches for 50 yards and a touchdown to finish the season with 1,194 yards, falling just short of becoming the ninth tight end with 1,200 in a season.

Commanders 23-19 Cowboys

Marcus Mariota threw a touchdown pass to Terry McLaurin with three seconds left to lift the Washington Commanders to a 23-19 victory over the Dallas Cowboys.

The Commanders’ (12-5) win clinches the No 6 seed in the NFC, holding off Green Bay’s challenge for that spot, while the Cowboys’ (7-10) miserable campaign ends with a 10th defeat.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player A Dallas Cowboys cheerleader was struck in the back of the head by a kick-off, but thankfully was fine after the incident!

Mariota threw for two scores and ran in for another TD after replacing Jayden Daniels in the contest. The Commanders sat their dynamic rookie quarterback at half-time, and the move ended up sparking an offense that had produced just 64 yards before the break.

Brandon Aubrey kicked four field goals for the Cowboys, who had Trey Lance playing at QB in his first regular-season start since Week Two of the 2022 season, when he was still with the San Francisco 49ers. Lance was 20 of 34 for 244 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions.

Rico Dowdle’s two-yard TD run had lifted the Cowboys into a 19-16 lead midway through the fourth quarter, before Mariota’s late game-winning strike to McLaurin.

Seahawks 30-25 Rams

Geno Smith passed for 223 yards and threw his career-best fourth touchdown pass to Noah Fant with 3:19 to play as the Seattle Seahawks finished their 12th winning season in 13 years with a 30-25 victory over the playoff-bound Los Angeles Rams.

Jimmy Garoppolo passed for 334 yards and two touchdowns in his debut for the Rams (10-7), who had already clinched the NFC West title through strength of schedule before they hosted the Seahawks (10-7). The Rams rested Matthew Stafford and nearly all of his offensive starters to stay healthy for a home playoff game next weekend.

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The Rams’ first loss since November 24 dropped them to the fourth seed in the NFC playoff bracket behind Tampa Bay (10-7), who beat New Orleans. Los Angeles’ visitor in the wild card round will be Minnesota, the fifth-seeds who lost their showdown with No. 1 seed Detroit on Sunday night.

DK Metcalf, Jake Bobo and AJ Barner also caught touchdown passes for Seattle. Jaxon Smith-Njigba had four catches to tie Tyler Lockett’s single-season franchise record of 100 receptions.

The Seahawks won six of eight to close a solid – yet ultimately frustrating – first season under coach Mike Macdonald. Tyler Higbee and Tyler Johnson caught touchdown passes for the Rams, who had won five straight and nine of 11 since their bye week.

Dolphins 20-32 Jets

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player Highlights of the Miami Dolphins against the New York Jets in Week 18 of the NFL

Aaron Rodgers threw a season-high four touchdown passes – Nos. 500, 501, 502 and 503 of his storied career – in what could mark his final NFL game to lead the New York Jets to a 32-20 victory over the Miami Dolphins.

The 41-year-old is uncertain if he wants to continue playing for a 21st season, and it is unclear if the Jets (5-12) – who will have a new general manager and coach next season – will want to move forward with him.

But if this was it for Rodgers, he left with a win and some history, becoming the fifth player to throw 500 regular-season touchdown passes. He also helped shut the door on the Dolphins (8-9), who needed a victory to keep their playoff hopes alive. That became moot when Denver routed Kansas City to clinch the final AFC postseason berth for the Broncos.

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Rodgers finished 23 of 36 for 274 yards and touchdown passes to Tyler Conklin, Davante Adams, Allen Lazard and Breece Hall, and an interception.

Garrett Wilson had four catches to join Brandon Marshall as the only players in franchise history to have 100 receptions in a season. Adams caught six passes for 88 yards for his fifth straight season with 1,000 yards receiving.

Tyler Huntley started at quarterback for the Dolphins in place of the injured Tua Tagovailoa, who missed the past two games with a hip injury. Huntley was 25 of 41 for 227 yards and a touchdown.

Bills 16-23 Patriots

Joe Milton threw for a touchdown and ran in another on his NFL debut as the New England Patriots cost themselves the No 1 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft with a 23-16 win over the AFC East-champion Buffalo Bills.

The Patriots (4-13) snapped a six-game skid when a loss would have guaranteed them the top draft pick. Instead they fall to No 4 in the pecking order, behind the Tennessee Titans, Cleveland Browns and New York Giants.

Owner Robert Kraft announced in a statement after the game that the Patriots have moved on from first-year head coach Jerod Mayo, just a season after promoting him as successor to Bill Belichick.

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Milton finished 22 of 29 for 241 yards in relief of rookie Drake Maye, who played only one series. Kayshon Boutte had seven catches for 117 yards and a TD, and Joey Slye kicked three field goals.

Mitchell Trubisky, meanwhile, was 15 of 21 for 101 yards for the Bills (13-4), who had already wrapped up the No 2 seed in the AFC playoffs and rested most of their starters.

Quarterback and MVP candidate Josh Allen played one snap, handing off to James Cook to extend streak of consecutive starts to 115 games, including the playoffs. Cook rushed for his 16th TD of the season in the game, tying OJ Simpson’s Bills franchise record.

Texans 23-14 Titans

CJ Stroud completed all six of his passes for 50 yards and a touchdown before going to the bench as the Houston Texans easily overcame the Tennessee Titans in a 23-14 road win.

In doing so, the Texans (10-7) avoided being swept by the team they replaced in Houston, while the loss for the Titans (3-14) – combined with New England’s victory over Buffalo – secured them the No 1 pick overall in the 2025 NFL Draft come April.

Texans coach DeMeco Ryans had said he would decide how long his starters played based on how the game went, and that ultimately proved to cover only the 11-play, seven-minute opening drive capped with a two-yard Stroud score to Pro Bowl receiver Nico Collins.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player Dameon Pierce went the length of the field to score as Houston extended their lead over Tennessee in the first half

Joe Mixon had five carries on that opening drive, before his day was done. He then turned cheerleader, running down the sideline, as backup Dameon Pierce took his second carry 92 yards for his second rushing TD of the season, on his way to a career-high 176 yards rushing.

First-year Titans coach Brian Callahan kept his promise to rotate quarterbacks Will Levis and Mason Rudolph, and it was Levis who had the better day as he finished with 175 yards passing and a 49-yard TD toss to Tay Martin.

Giants 13-20 Eagles

Tanner McKee threw for 269 yards and two touchdowns in a game full of backups to help the Philadelphia Eagles tune up for the postseason with a 20-13 victory over the New York Giants.

The NFC East-champion Eagles (14-3) are the No 2 seed in the NFC and will host the Packers on wild card weekend.

The rested Saquon Barkley lost his shot at breaking Eric Dickerson’s NFL single-season rushing record, seeing him finish the season with 2,005 yards rushing, 101 yards shy of Dickerson’s mark of 2,105 yards set with the Los Angeles Rams in 1984.

Third-string QB McKee, who impressed with a pair of touchdown passes in garbage time last week against Dallas, also opened strong against the Giants (3-14), who end a sorry season with an 11th defeat in 12.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player New York’s Malik Nabers somehow managed to avoid being bumped into touch as he scored a superb 45-yard touchdown

McKee completed all three passes for 48 yards on the first drive and hit Ainias Smith for a 15-yard touchdown and a 7-0 lead. He later threw a seven-yard TD pass to EJ Jenkins in the fourth.

49ers 24-47 Cardinals

Kyler Murray threw for 242 yards and four touchdowns, two to Greg Dortch, as the Arizona Cardinals beat the injury-depleted San Francisco 49ers 47-24.

The Cardinals took a 33-24 lead with 14:16 left in the fourth quarter when Michael Carter sneaked into the end zone just inside the left pylon for a two-yard touchdown. Arizona put the game away with 5:47 remaining on Murray’s 12-yard touchdown pass to Marvin Harrison Jr. that made it 40-24.

Tony Jones Jr. ran for a 46-yard touchdown to conclude the scoring and give Arizona its highest point total since 2015.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player There were two unsavoury scraps that occurred in the game between San Francisco and Arizona

Harrison finished with eight touchdown catches, tying the franchise’s rookie record held by Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin.

Joshua Dobbs, starting for the 49ers in the place of injured Brock Purdy, threw for 326 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions.

He hit wide-open fullback Kyle Juszczyk for a 36-yard touchdown with 4:49 left in the third quarter to cut the Cardinals’ advantage to 26-24, before a lost fumble and interception in the fourth quarter invited Arizona to take control.

Jaguars 23-26 Colts (OT)

Jonathan Taylor ran for 177 yards, including 33 yards on six consecutive carries in overtime to set up Matt Gay’s game-winning field goal as the Indianapolis Colts beat the Jacksonville Jaguars 26-23.

Taylor closed the season by matching a career-best streak with four-straight 100-yard games. He also rushed for a touchdown to reach six scores during that span.

Colts QB Joe Flacco was 23 of 40 for 263 yards, including a 40-yard TD pass to Alec Pierce, in his 105th career victory – perhaps the last of the 39-year-old former Super Bowl MVP’s 17-year career.

Despite the season-ending victory, the Colts (8-9) miss the playoffs for a fourth consecutive year, while the Jaguars (4-13) finish a dreadful campaign with a third defeat in four.

Mac Jones was 19 of 35 for 205 yards with one TD and an interception for Jacksonville. Brian Thomas Jr. caught six passes for 83 yards.