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COSTA MESA, Calif. (AP) — Brandon Staley gave his Los Angeles Chargers players something to think about when they held their final meeting of the season Monday — “all endings are beginnings.”
Even though the Chargers missed the playoffs in heartbreaking fashion with a 35-32 overtime loss to the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday, Staley feels as if the foundation has been built after a 9-8 campaign in his first year at the helm.
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — Having played with both Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen, Mitch Morse knows a thing or two about a pass-happy offense.
He also knows the value in running the ball.
“Every team that you see makes the Super Bowl or makes a run for it has to have that dimension of the ground game,” Morse said.
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The Philadelphia Eagles are a better team than the one that lost to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 6.
Still, there are plenty of reasons why the defending Super Bowl champions are 8 1/2-point favorites in Sunday’s NFC wild-card game.
An extra week of games, close finishes and a non-election year helped propel the NFL to its highest regular-season ratings in six years.
The 272 regular-season games averaged 17.1 million viewers across television and digital platforms, that is a 10% increase over 2020 and is the league's highest average since 2015.
SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — Jimmy Garoppolo's long-term future as quarterback in San Francisco has been in doubt ever since the 49ers traded away three first-round picks in the spring to make Trey Lance the heir apparent at the position.
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — Throughout his first NFL season, Mac Jones has been a walking billboard for “The Patriot Way” — keeping his head down, working hard and trying only to do what’s asked of him to avoid self-inflicted mistakes.
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — The low point in New York Giants co-owner John Mara’s more than 30-year association with the franchise was seeing the team's struggles in a four-win season that led to the retirement of general manager Dave Gettleman and the firing of coach Joe Judge.
PITTSBURGH (AP) — There was no speech. No galvanizing moment.
There didn't really need to be one.
The Pittsburgh Steelers knew the 2005 playoffs would be the last go-round for Jerome Bettis.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — The Carolina Panthers have interviewed Minnesota Vikings offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak and Indianapolis Colts wide receivers coach Mike Groh for their vacant offensive coordinator position, according to a person familiar with the situation.
GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Green Bay Packers outside linebacker Za’Darius Smith is practicing again, raising hopes the 2020 Pro Bowl selection could return for the playoffs after missing nearly the entire regular season.
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Safety Eric Weddle is coming out of retirement to rejoin the Los Angeles Rams for the playoffs.
Weddle turned 37 last week, and he hasn't played in the NFL since the 2019 season, but the Rams signed him to their practice squad Wednesday to address their glaring need at safety.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The last time the Chiefs played the Steelers in the playoffs, Tyreek Hill was a wide-eyed rookie wide receiver, Chris Jones was learning the ropes at defensive tackle and Travis Kelce was only just becoming one of the league's best tight ends.
The Arizona Cardinals are a team in desperate need of a spark, stumbling into the playoffs with a 1-4 mark over the past five games.
J.J. Watt and his bionic left shoulder might be able to provide it.
CINCINNATI (AP) — Many in Cincinnati scoffed when the Bengals passed on elite Oregon offensive tackle Penei Sewell to take Ja'Marr Chase with the fifth-overall pick in the NFL draft last spring.
Cincinnati sorely needed offensive line help, and Sewell seemed an obvious choice.
SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — Ran Carthon had been preparing to be an NFL general manager decades before he even got involved with an NFL team.
As a kid growing up, Carthon would talk with his NFL playing dad, Maurice, about the talent level of various players around the league, and took a big interest each year in the draft.
The NFL's steady increase in offensive production took a step back this season.
The average points per game for teams dropped from a record 24.8 in 2021 to 23 this season as improved defense, some quarterback-related COVID absences, more holding calls and visiting teams dealing with crowds likely made an impact.
HENDERSON, Nev. (AP) — Rich Bisaccia had just completed his first game as interim coach of the Las Vegas Raiders in mid-October, a 34-24 road win over the Broncos, and star running back Josh Jacobs described the atmosphere on the sideline.
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — The Denver Broncos have cleared their final legal hurdle to begin the process of transferring ownership of the team, likely through a sale of the franchise valued at nearly $4 billion.
ATLANTA (AP) — Atlanta Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot said Tuesday he's not ready to make 2022 plans to be without Calvin Ridley, the team's top wide receiver who missed the final 11 games of the season while addressing mental health issues.
NEW YORK (AP) — Judge Steve Harvey? At least for its first week, having the comic serve as a reality show arbiter seems like an inspired idea.
His show's premiere was the most-watched non-football program on ABC last week, its audience of 5.2 million people nearly two million more than a season-opening episode of the much better known “The Bachelor,” the Nielsen company said.
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — The New York Giants have cleaned house, firing coach Joe Judge a day after general manager Dave Gettleman retired.
The Giants announced the move late Tuesday afternoon, ending speculation that the owners planned to hire a new general manager and let him determine the 40-year-old coach's fate.
NEW YORK (AP) — The race to Super Bowl 56 in sunny southern California is about to begin.
And if the Green Bay Packers have anything to say about it, opposing teams will have to go through frigid Lambeau Field for an opportunity to get there.
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Over the past 16 years, Rick Spielman had the biggest hand in crafting Minnesota's roster. Mike Zimmer ran the team for the past eight seasons.
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) — Zach Wilson is heading into the offseason armed with a lengthy list.
The New York Jets quarterback intends to work on his weaknesses and solidify his strengths after a down-and-up rookie season.
PITTSBURGH (AP) — The Pittsburgh Steelers could be close to fully healthy when they travel to Kansas City to take on the AFC West champion Chiefs in the opening round of the playoffs on Sunday.
Pittsburgh coach Mike Tomlin said Tuesday running back Najee Harris, cornerback Arthur Maulet, left tackle Dan Moore Jr.
Philadelphia Eagles defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon is more focused on Tom Brady and the Buccaneers than interviewing for head coaching openings.
Gannon would only confirm the Denver Broncos requested an interview with him.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Florida hired New York Giants offensive line coach Rob Sale to a similar position Tuesday, leaving new Gators coach Billy Napier with just two staff spots remaining to fill.
BELLEVUE, Wash. (AP) — Seattle Seahawks backup quarterback Geno Smith's arrest on suspicion of driving under the influence came after the Washington State Patrol pulled him over for going 96 mph in a 60 mph zone and driving erratically across several lanes of traffic, according to an arrest report released Tuesday.
It never seems hard for Alabama to find a silver lining amid a late-night gloom and doom of a season-ending defeat.
SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — Kyle Shanahan was a teenager watching on the sideline when the heated playoff rivalry between the Dallas Cowboys and San Francisco 49ers reached a fever pitch with three straight NFC title game matchups.
CLEVELAND (AP) — The Browns aren't ready to throw Baker Mayfield away just yet.
The quarterback's subpar season didn't cost him his starting job, with general manager Andrew Berry saying Tuesday the Browns “fully expect” Mayfield to return as their quarterback after an injury-plagued 2021.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — The Carolina Panthers on Tuesday fired three assistant coaches, including special teams coordinator Chase Blackburn, offensive line coach Pat Meyer and defensive line coach Frank Okam.
MOBILE, Ala. (AP) — The New York Jets and Detroit Lions will get an up-close look at some of college football's top players at the Senior Bowl.
The coaching staffs of both teams were assigned by NFL Football Operations on Tuesday to lead the all-star squads for the game in Mobile, Alabama, on Feb.
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Kirby Smart learned from his former boss that the time for celebrating is short in college football.
Even while he reveled Tuesday in the hangover from Georgia's first national title since 1980, the coach was already thinking about what comes next.
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) — The New York Jets are raising their ticket prices an average of 3% in the team's first increase since 2016.
The Jets, coming off a 4-13 campaign and an 11th straight season without a playoff appearance, kept ticket prices stagnant the last few years.
LAS VEGAS (AP) — The firing in Miami was a head scratcher, considering Brian Flores won eight of his last nine games and seemed to have the Dolphins moving firmly in the right direction. Not so much in Minnesota and Chicago, where both the coaches and general managers had long since worn out their welcome.
Al Davis' mantra wasn't “Just tie, baby!”
The Las Vegas Raiders could’ve punched their ticket to the postseason — and given the Chargers a spot — by taking a knee on the final play Sunday night.
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The Latest on the College Football Playoff championship game (all times local):
11:57 p.m.
Stetson Bennett threw two touchdown passes to lead Georgia to a 33-18 win over Alabama on Monday night for its first national championship in 41 years.

