After four months of intense buildup, Aaron Rodgers' first season with the New York Jets may be over after only four snaps. 

Rodgers was injured on the opening series of the Jets' 22-16 overtime win over the Buffalo Bills in Monday's season opener, with head coach Robert Saleh telling reporters afterward the team fears the four-time NFL MVP tore his left Achilles tendon.

Saleh said Rodgers, who was traded to New York in April following a stellar 18-year tenure with the Green Bay Packers, will undergo an MRI Tuesday to confirm the severity of the injury. 

"We're concerned with his Achilles," Saleh said. "An MRI is going to confirm what we think is going to happen, so prayers tonight. But it's not good."

Rodgers was injured when sacked by Buffalo's Leonard Floyd on New York's official third play from scrimmage. The star quarterback briefly remained on the turf holding his lower left leg before being helped to the sideline, then was later taken to the locker room on a cart before having his leg placed in a walking boot. 

The Jets initially announced Rodgers was questionable to return before ruling him out midway through the second quarter.

Zach Wilson replaced Rodgers, whose only pass of the night landed incomplete, and threw a touchdown pass to Garrett Wilson with under five minutes remaining in regulation to tie the game at 13-13. The Jets eventually won on a 65-yard punt return touchdown from rookie Xavier Gipson with 9:02 left in overtime.

Zach Wilson finished with 140 yards on 14-of-21 passing with one touchdown and one interception. 

Rodgers put together a Hall of Fame-worthy career with the Packers that included five All-Pro selections, 10 Pro Bowl honours and a Super Bowl title during the 2010 season in addition to his four MVP awards.

The 39-year-old requested a trade to the Jets during the offseason, which the Packers eventually agreed to on April 26.

Under terms of the trade, which included the Packers moving up from No. 15 to No. 13 in this year's draft in a swap of first-round picks, Green Bay would receive a conditional 2024 first-round choice from New York if Rodgers plays 65 per cent of the Jets' plays this season. The Packers will get a 2024 second-round pick if that condition is not met. 

With Rodgers on the roster, the Jets were a trendy preseason pick to end a longstanding playoff drought and contend for an AFC title. New York holds the NFL's longest active streak without a postseason appearance at 12 years, having last reached the playoffs in 2010. 

After four months of intense buildup, Aaron Rodgers' first game with the New York Jets lasted all of four snaps.

Rodgers will not return to Monday's season opener against the Buffalo Bills after injuring his left ankle on the Jets' opening series, a sudden and stunning ending to one of the most anticipated player debuts with a new team in recent memory. 

Rodgers was injured when sacked by Buffalo's Leonard Floyd on New York's official third play from scrimmage. The four-time NFL MVP briefly remained on the turf holding his lower left leg before being helped to the sideline, then was later taken to the locker room on a cart.

The Jets initially announced Rodgers was questionable to return before ruling him out midway through the second quarter. The team said in a statement that X-rays on Rodgers' ankle were negative but did not elaborate further.

Zach Wilson replaced Rodgers, whose only pass of the night landed incomplete.

Rodgers put together a Hall of Fame-worthy 18-year career with the Green Bay Packers that included five All-Pro selections, 10 Pro Bowl honours and a Super Bowl title during the 2010 season in addition to his four MVP awards.

The 39-year-old requested a trade to the Jets during the offseason, which the Packers eventually agreed to on April 26.

Under terms of the trade, which included the Packers moving up from No. 15 to No. 13 in this year's draft in a swap of first-round picks, Green Bay would receive a conditional 2024 first-round choice from New York if Rodgers plays 65 per cent of the Jets' plays this season. The Packers would get a 2024 second-round pick if that condition is not met. 

With Rodgers on the roster, the Jets were a trendy preseason pick to end a longstanding playoff drought and contend for an AFC title. New York holds the NFL's longest active streak without a postseason appearance at 12 years, having last reached the playoffs in 2010. 

The Kansas City Chiefs and All-Pro defensive tackle Chris Jones agreed to a new one-year contract, multiple media outlets reported Monday, ending the star defender’s holdout.

The club later confirmed Jones’ new contract by posting on social media.

Jones will presumably make his season debut on Sunday when the Chiefs visit the Jacksonville Jaguars, but the team has yet to confirm his availability.

Jones, who missed all of training camp and sat out the Chiefs’ Week 1 loss to the Detroit Lions, did not get any years added to his deal, but the new agreement reportedly carries additional incentives that will allow for possible bonuses.

The four-time Pro Bowl selection can still become a free agent after this season.

Jones, 29, has emerged as one of the most disruptive interior defenders in the NFL and has helped the Chiefs win two of the last four Super Bowls.

“Chris is an elite player in this league, and over the last seven years, he’s really developed into a leader on our team,” Kansas City general manager Brett Veach said in a statement.

“He’s been instrumental to our success and Super Bowl championship runs, and it was a priority to keep him in a Chiefs uniform.”

Jones lost over $1.6million during his holdout in fines and forfeited salary and bonuses. Each additional week of holding out would have cost him $1.1million in lost salary.

A second-round draft pick out of Mississippi State in 2016, Jones is on the last season of the four-year, $80million deal he signed in July 2020.

Jones had perhaps the best season of his career last year, totaling 15 ½ sacks and 29 quarterback hits while playing in all 17 games and earning a second Super Bowl ring.

In 107 career games, Jones has 65 sacks, 65 tackles for loss, 12 forced fumbles and two interceptions.

The Dallas Cowboys sent a message to the competition in their opening game of the NFL season with a dominant 40-0 victory over the Giants in New York.

It was the Cowboys’ 11th-straight win over the Giants and their biggest opening season victory when keeping the opposition to nil, breaking a record set back in 1978.

The defence from Dallas was their most impressive attribute, forcing three turnovers and sacking quarterback Daniel Jones seven times to keep their opponents scoreless.

The Cowboys scored two touchdowns in the first quarter through DaRon Bland and Noah Igbinoghene, running back Tony Pollard scored in both the second and third quarters and KaVontae Turpin scoring a touchdown in the last.

Elsewhere in Sunday’s slate of games, the Raiders started their 2023/24 campaign with a one point win over the Denver Broncos in Las Vegas with Denver’s new coach Sean Payton failing to open his tenure with a win.

Penalties and missed opportunities hurt the Broncos, who are desperate to put themselves into playoff contention this year after seven seasons without qualification.

A last quarter touchdown gave Raiders wide-receiver Jakobi Meyers his second for the game and a 17-16 victory for his team.

In Chicago, the Green Bay Packers defeated the Bears 38-20 with four touchdowns in the second half, pushing their first half lead of four points out to 18 by the game’s end.

Two of those touchdowns from Aaron Jones in the third quarter to give the Packers an unassailable lead.

The Miami Dolphins took victory out of the grasp of the LA Chargers’ hands with a late touchdown to Tyreek Hill earning them a two-point win.

Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa threw for 466 yards with three touchdowns and one interception, leading his team to a 36-34 victory.

The LA Rams had more success, defeating the Seahawks 30-13 in Seattle.

The Rams were trailing at half-time but scored 13 unanswered points in the second half to start their season in the winning column.

The Philadelphia Eagles opened their season with a 25-20 victory over the New England Patriots in Boston, while the New Orleans Saints beat the Tennessee Titans 16-15 at home.

The San Francisco 49ers put on a dominant 30-7 display against the Pittsburgh Steelers, with the Jacksonville Jaguars getting the win over the Indianapolis Colts 31-21.

The Washington Commanders beat the Arizona Cardinals by four points, while the Atlanta Falcons scored two touchdowns in the last quarter to beat the Carolina Panthers 24-10.

The Cleveland Browns beat the Cincinnati Bengals, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers won against the Minnesota Vikings and the Baltimore Ravens made easy work over the Houston Texans with a 25-9 win.

Aaron Rodgers and the New York Jets will close out the first round against the Buffalo Bills in the season’s first instalment of Monday Night Football.

Baltimore Ravens running back J.K. Dobbins will miss the remainder of the season after tearing his Achilles tendon in the team's Week 1 win over the Houston Texans on Sunday. 

Ravens head coach John Harbaugh confirmed Dobbins' injury following his team's 25-9 victory.

Dobbins was injured early in the third quarter after being tackled following a short reception. The fourth-year pro was taken immediately to the locker room with the help of trainers before being ruled out of the game shortly after.

The 24-year-old scored Baltimore's first touchdown earlier in the game and finished with 22 yards on eight rush attempts along with two receptions totalling 15 yards.

"I feel bad for him, this is not the way we expected this to go," Harbaugh said during his post-game press conference. "I'm kind of crestfallen for him. He was playing well. We'll put our arms around him. He'll get into rehab. And he will be back; he's a young guy."

After rushing for 805 yards and nine touchdowns as a rookie in 2020, Dobbins has missed much of the past two seasons with injuries. He did not play the entire 2021 season after tearing the ACL in the Ravens' final preseason game, then was limited to just eight games in 2022 due to further problems with his surgically repaired knee.

Dobbins also began this year's preseason on the physically unable to perform list before being activated on Aug. 14. The 2020 second-round pick is in the final year of his rookie contract. 

"It's the ugly part of this game," Ravens wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. said of Dobbins' injury.  And these people are your brothers; you [go through] blood, sweat and tears with them. It's a sick feeling that I have over me just to know that that's what happened. So, my prayers go out to him and his family."

Gus Edwards and Justice Hill figure to split snaps at running back in Dobbins' absence. Edwards rushed for 32 yards on eight carries in Sunday's win, while Hill scored a pair of rushing touchdowns. 

The Los Angeles Rams placed Cooper Kupp on injured reserve Saturday, keeping their star wide receiver out at least through the first four games of the season.

Kupp, who missed the final eight games of last season with an ankle injury, injured his hamstring during training camp in early August. He then suffered a setback with his hamstring late last month and travelled to Minnesota to see a specialist last weekend.

“(Kupp) wants to be out there with his teammates, and he puts so much into it,” Rams coach Sean McVay told reporters. “It’s so unfortunate. It’s been frustrating.

“Really not much more information,” McVay said. “Just dealing with some soft-tissue stuff, just trying to get him to feel back to normal. When that ends up occurring, we'll have him back, but in the meantime, he will not be playing for us.”

Kupp, 30, has been a productive player since his rookie season, but his numbers exploded when he was paired with quarterback Matthew Stafford two years ago.

Kupp made 145 catches for 1,947 yards and 16 touchdowns in 2021, then added six scores during the Rams’ playoff run that ended with a title and Kupp being named Super Bowl 56 MVP.

Kupp began last season on a torrid pace again, catching 75 passes in the Rams’ first nine games before his campaign ended abruptly.

“I know he's going to do everything he can to be as good as he possibly can, as quick as he can,” Stafford said. “He's as good of a professional as I've ever been around when it comes to taking care of his body and trying to get himself right, so I know it's disappointing for him to not be out there.”

A third-round pick out of Eastern Washington in 2017, Kupp has 508 career receptions for 6,329 yards and 46 touchdowns.

The Rams open their 2023 season on the road Sunday against the Seattle Seahawks.

Kansas City Chiefs defence of their Super Bowl crown got off to a shaky start as they went down in a mistake-ridden 21-20 defeat to the Detroit Lions in the NFL curtain raiser on Thursday.

The Chiefs, who have been to three of the last four Super Bowls and have won twice, headed into the new NFL season as favourites to retain their crown.

But they slipped to their first opening week loss in nine games as the Lions running back went in for the crucial score with little more than five minutes remaining.

The Chiefs did have one last chance when Lions quarterback Jared Goff had a fourth down pass batted down near midfield, but two dropped passes and two penalties left Patrick Mahomes with just a heave downfield in the last minute which fell incomplete.

Despite his receivers dropping a string of passes, Mahomes threw for 226 yards with two touchdowns, as well as finishing as the leading rusher for the Chiefs.

But he also had a pass intercepted by rookie Brian Branch which was returned for a touchdown from 50 yards.

Goff threw for 253 yards and a touchdown pass to Amon-Ra St Brown, who opened the campaign with six catches for 71 yards.

The Chiefs began the season without star tight end Travis Kelce, who injured his knee in practice on Tuesday, and fellow All-Pro Chris Jones who is in a contract dispute.

On the eve of the 2023 NFL season, the Cincinnati Bengals made their franchise quarterback the highest-paid player in league history.

Joe Burrow and the Bengals agreed to a five-year, $275million contract extension, multiple media outlets reported Thursday, giving him the highest annual salary in NFL history.

The deal, which reportedly guarantees Burrow $219million, is the culmination of months’ worth of negotiations between the Bengals and the 2020 top overall draft pick.

Burrow’s annual haul of $55million edged Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert’s new deal that pays $52.5million per season, signed earlier this offseason. The Philadelphia Eagles’ Jalen Hurts and Lamar Jackson of the Baltimore Ravens also briefly held the most lucrative contract after signing extensions this offseason.

Burrow has completely changed the fortunes of a historically downtrodden franchise, leading Cincinnati to a Super Bowl appearance at the end of the 2021 season and coming up just short in last season's AFC Championship game.

At no other point in team history have the Bengals won a playoff game in consecutive seasons, and Burrow’s first career postseason win in 2021 snapped a 31-year drought without a playoff victory.

Burrow’s rookie campaign was cut short by injuries to the ACL and MCL in his left knee, but he rebounded in 2021 to be named the AP Comeback Player of the Year. In his sophomore season, he threw for 4,611 yards and 34 touchdowns to 14 interceptions.

In 2022, Burrow was voted to his first Pro Bowl after throwing for 4,475 yards and 35 touchdowns with just 12 interceptions.

In seven career playoff games, Burrow has nine touchdown passes and four interceptions.

According to FanDuel Sportsbook, Burrow is the odds-on favourite to lead the NFL in passing yards this season.

The Bengals kick off their 2023 campaign Sunday on the road against their division and in-state rivals, the Cleveland Browns.

Nick Bosa's six-week holdout is now over after the San Francisco 49ers and the 2022 NFL Defensive Player of the Year agreed to a reported five-year, $170 million extension that will make him the highest-paid defensive player in league history.

NFL.com reported Wednesday that Bosa will receive $122.5 million in guaranteed money and the 49ers will waive all fines the star edge rusher incurred by missing all of training camp and the preseason.

The deal is the largest ever for a defensive player in terms of both average annual value and guaranteed money. Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald had the largest AAV at $31.7 million while Bosa's brother, Joey, received a then-record $102 million in guarantees on his 2020 extension with the Los Angeles Chargers. 

The two sides were able to strike a deal four days before the 49ers' season opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday, a game head coach Kyle Shanahan said Bosa may now be able to participate in to some degree.

"We've got to see when he gets here," Shanahan told reporters Wednesday on Bosa's availability for Week 1. "I know Nick will come in shape, I know he'll be good. 

"We'll be smart with it and it will be based on these next two-and-a-half practices."

Bosa was a runaway winner of last season's Defensive Player of the Year award after amassing a league-best 18.5 sacks, 19 tackles for loss and 48 quarterback hurries in 16 games. The 25-year-old was entering the final season of his five-year, $51.4 million rookie contract.

Taken by the 49ers with the second overall pick of the 2019 draft, Bosa has recorded 43 sacks, 56 tackles for loss and one interception in 51 career regular-season games as a lynchpin of a stout San Francisco defence that has helped the franchise reach the NFC Championship Game in three of his four seasons.

Bosa missed most of the 2020 season after tearing his ACL in the 49ers' second game, but returned with a banner 2021 campaign in which he registered 15.5 sacks during the regular season and four more in three postseason games. 

All-Pro tight end Travis Kelce is listed as questionable to play Thursday when the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs open the 2023 NFL season against the visiting Detroit Lions.

Kelce, who injured his knee during Tuesday's practice, has not missed a game to injury since his 2013 rookie season.

The 33-year-old caught a career-high 110 passes for 1,338 yards in 2022, his seventh straight season eclipsing 1,000 yards receiving. He also caught a career-best 12 touchdowns last season, giving him 69 in his career.

In Kansas City's march to the Super Bowl, Kelce caught 27 passes for 257 yards with four touchdowns in three playoff games. He had six receptions for 81 yards with a TD in the Super Bowl.

Should he be forced to sit out, that could spell trouble for Kansas City given his familiarity with quarterback Patrick Mahomes and the fact the Chiefs are introducing several new receivers this year.

Noah Gray, who is listed as Kelce's backup on the depth chart, had 28 catches for 299 yards with a TD for the Chiefs last season.

All-Pro defensive tackle Chris Jones believes he could be ready to play in the Kansas City Chiefs’ season opener Thursday night if he reaches a contract extension with the defending Super Bowl champions.

“I've been keeping in contact with my teammates. I've been working out every day, doing similar things to what they're doing in training camp,” Jones said Wednesday. “I'll be ready when the time comes.”

The Chiefs open the NFL season Thursday night against the visiting Detroit Lions.

“Hopefully it gets worked out,” Jones said. “It's always been my goal to be a Kansas City Chief for life.

“I've said that multiple time on social media platforms, from interviews, and they know where my position is at.”

Jones finished third in voting for NFL Defensive Player of the Year last season while playing a major role in the Chiefs' second Super Bowl title in four years.

The 29-year-old tied a career high with 15.5 sacks in 17 regular-season games and registered two more in Kansas City's win over the Cincinnati Bengals in the AFC championship game.

The seven-year veteran has been named to the Pro Bowl in four consecutive seasons, while his 56.5 sacks since 2018 are the fourth most in the NFL over that stretch.

“We're going to continue to press on and work hard,” Kansas City general manager Brett Veach said. “A lot of respect on both sides of this thing.

“It’s been well-stated how we feel about Chris and he feels the same thing. We’re just going to keep working on this thing.”

The Minnesota Vikings announced Thursday that they have reached an agreement with Pro Bowl tight end T.J. Hockenson on a multi-year contract extension that will reportedly make him the NFL's highest-paid tight end. 

ESPN reports the deal has a total value of $68.5 million over four years and includes the largest amount of guaranteed money for a tight end at $42.5 million. The contract's average annual value of $17.125 million is also the highest ever at the position. 

Hockenson, a Pro Bowl selection in 2020 and 2022, was entering the final season of a five-year, $29.2 million contract he signed as a rookie in 2019.

"He fits our culture, he’s the type of player that we want around here in Minnesota," Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah said Thursday at a press conference announcing the signing.  "Really excited to get it done, a lot of late nights into this and we’re excited about that,"

Hockenson had missed the majority of training camp with an inner ear infection and a lower back injury, though head coach Kevin O' Connell said Thursday he expects the fifth-year pro to be ready for the Sept. 10 season opener against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. 

The 26-year-old was taken by the Detroit with the eighth overall pick of the 2019 draft and spent 3 1/2 seasons with the Lions before being traded to the NFC North rival Vikings on Nov. 1.

Hockenson fit in seamlessly with his new team, as his 60 receptions were the most by a Vikings player through his first 10 games with the team in franchise history. He added 519 receiving yards and three touchdowns while helping Minnesota capture its first division title since 2017.

The University of Iowa product's 2022 campaign was highlighted by a 179-yard, two-touchdown performance for Detroit against the Seattle Seahawks on Oct. 2 and a 13-catch, 109-yard, two-touchdown effort against the New York Giants on Dec. 24. Hockenson had another double-digit catch outing against the GIants in the NFC playoffs, as he finished with 10 receptions totalling 129 yards in Minnesota's 31-24 loss.

Hockenson ended the 2022 regular season second among NFL tight ends in receptions (86) and receiving yards (914), trailing only Kansas City Chiefs All-Pro Travis Kelce in both categories while setting career highs in each.

Hockenson has recorded 60 or more receptions in three consecutive seasons and has compiled 246 catches, 2,587 receiving yards and 18 touchdowns in 57 career regular-season games. 

The Cincinnati Bengals got Joe Burrow back on the practice field Wednesday for the first time since the star quarterback injured his right calf early in training camp.

Burrow had been sidelined since straining his calf on a scramble during a July 27 practice. The 2022 Pro Bowl selection took part in throwing drills Wednesday without the compression sleeve on his lower right leg that he had been wearing during his recovery period.

"It was really great to have him back out there," Bengals center Ted Karras told reporters afterward. "He's the leader of this team and I'm just really happy he's back."

Burrow's return bodes well for his chances of being ready for Cincinnati's season opener against the AFC North rival Cleveland Browns on Sept. 10.

The 2020 No. 1 overall pick had his rookie campaign cut short after 10 games by a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee, but has not missed a game due to injury over the last two seasons while leading the Bengals to the playoffs both years.

Burrow delivered a breakout 2021 season in which he threw for a franchise-record 4,611 yards and 34 touchdowns and helped the Bengals to their first Super Bowl appearance since 1988. The 2019 Heisman Trophy winner set another team record with 35 touchdown passes in 2022 while compiling 4,475 passing yards and completing 68.3 per cent of his throws. 

"Joe has a supreme command of the operational aspect of our offence, (so) it is ratched up a little bit," Karras said of Wednesday's practice. "Not that we're not going hard with anyone else out there, but when [number] nine's back there you can feel the difference."

Cincinnati finished 12-4 last season to capture its second straight AFC North title before again reaching the conference title game, which the Bengals lost 23-20 to the eventual Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs. 

Tuesday's deadline has come and gone, and Johnathan Taylor is still with the Indianapolis Colts.

The Colts were unable to work out a deal for the disgruntled running back, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Media, and ended up placing him on the physically unable to perform list, which makes him ineligible for at least the first four games of the 2023 NFL season.

A trade could still be arranged prior to the NFL's trade deadline of October 31, but Taylor still can't play in the season's first four weeks, even if he is dealt to a new team.

Indianapolis opens the season against the Jacksonville Jaguars on September 10, and the earliest Taylor could play is in Week 5.

The Miami Dolphins were reportedly the team most serious in making a deal for Taylor, but ultimately the Colts didn't feel any trade offers were of fair value.

The Colts granted the 24-year-old permission to seek a trade just over a week ago as the team and the 2021 NFL rushing champion remained locked in an ongoing contract dispute.

Taylor, the runner-up for the NFL's Offensive Player of the Year in 2021, is entering the final season of his rookie deal and is scheduled to earn $4.3 million in 2023.

The fourth-year pro ran for a franchise-record 1,811 yards in 2021, but was slowed by injuries last year and was put on the PUP list earlier this summer as he recovers from ankle surgery that ended his 2022 campaign in December.

Ankle issues limited Taylor to 11 games last season, which he finished with 861 rushing yards and four touchdowns while averaging 4.5 yards per attempt.

Taylor averaged 5.5 yards per carry during his sensational 2021 season in which he also tied for the NFL lead with 20 total touchdowns while playing in all 17 games.

Since entering the NFL as a second-round pick of the Colts in 2020, Taylor's 33 rushing touchdowns are tied for second in the NFL and his 3,841 rushing yards are the fourth most of any player, trailing only Derrick Henry, Dalvin Cook and Nick Chubb. 

The Buffalo Bills were hopeful Von Miller would be healthy enough to suit up in Week 1.

Turns out, the earliest he'll play is Week 5.

The Bills are keeping the three-time All Pro on the PUP list ahead of Tuesday's deadline, meaning he's ineligible for at least the first four games of the 2023 NFL season.

Miller, 34, has been working his way back from a torn ACL suffered in Week 12 of the 2022 season, and it had been reported last week that the Bills weren't ruling out the eight-time Pro Bowler returning for the September 11 season opener against the New York Jets on Monday Night Football.

He's been training with the team throughout training camp, though has yet to partake in a fully-padded practice and the Bills ultimately decided to give him more time to recover from the surgery he underwent last December.

The earliest he could possibly begin his 12th NFL season is Week 5 against the Jacksonville Jaguars on October 8 in London at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Miller, who signed a six-year, $120million contract with the Bills in March 2022 after helping the Los Angeles Rams win the Super Bowl, finished his first season with the Bills tied with Greg Rousseau for the team lead with eight sacks despite playing in just 11 games. His 48 quarterback pressures were one fewer than Rousseau's for the team lead, and his pressure-rate of 20.8 was highest on Buffalo.

The league's active leader with 123.5 sacks, Miller has recorded eight consecutive seasons of eight or more sacks - the longest active streak in the NFL.

With Miller out, the Bills will rely on Leonard Floyd, who signed with the team over the summer, and Rousseau to generate a pass rush.