The Arizona Cardinals have agreed to terms with quarterback Kyler Murray on a multi-year extension that will reportedly make him among the NFL's highest-paid players.

Terms of the agreement were not disclosed but ESPN reports the deal to be a five-year, $230.5million pact with $160m guaranteed, that will run through the 2028 season.

Murray, the No.1 overall pick of the 2019 draft and the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year that season, has two years remaining on his original contract.

The deal is slightly higher than the five-year, $230m extension the Cleveland Browns gave Deshaun Watson in March, though Watson's contract is fully guaranteed.

Murray's $46.1m annual average salary over the duration of the extension is the second highest in the NFL, behind only two-time reigning league MVP Aaron Rodgers' $50.3m.

Arizona also avoid a potential distraction involving their quarterback's future entering training camp.

ESPN reported in February that Murray was frustrated over a lack of progress in extension talks and the criticism he received following the team's playoff loss to the eventual champions Los Angeles Rams.

Murray did not attend voluntary offseason workouts but did take part in the Cardinals' mandatory minicamp last month.

The 2018 Heisman Trophy winner has started all but two of Arizona's games since entering the NFL and has helped the Cardinals increase their win total in each of his three seasons, capped by an 11-6 finish in 2021 and the franchise's first playoff appearance in six years.

Murray began last season as an early MVP candidate after leading the Cardinals to a 7-0 start, though his and the team's play dropped off in the second half with a nagging ankle injury a factor in his struggles.

The 24-year-old produced a 116.8 passer rating with a 73.5 per cent completion percentage and 17 touchdown passes during the seven-game winning streak.

Murray's rating dipped to 86.5 as Arizona went 2-5 in his next seven starts, and he threw just seven touchdown passes over that span with a significantly lower completion rate of 65.5 per cent.

Murray's rough stretch continued into the postseason as he completed just 19 of 34 passes for 137 yards with no touchdowns and two interceptions in the Cardinals' 34-11 opening-round loss to the Rams.

The former University of Oklahoma star still earned a second consecutive Pro Bowl nod after finishing second in the NFL in completion percentage (69.2 per cent) and posting a career-high 100.6 passer rating

The Atlanta Falcons signed Eddie Goldman in early July to provide depth on the defensive line, but he is stepping away from the game before ever stepping foot on the field with his new team.

Goldman informed the Falcons on Tuesday that he is retiring from the NFL.

The announcement came less than two weeks after the 28-year-old signed a $1.12million, one-year deal with Atlanta on July 6.

A second-round pick by the Chicago Bears in 2015, Goldman spent his entire seven-year career with Chicago, which included opting out of the 2020 season due to COVID-19 concerns.

He returned in 2021, playing in 14 games while totalling 22 tackles.

Over his career, Goldman appeared in 81 games with 73 starts, compiling 175 tackles with 13 sacks and two fumble recoveries.

Goldman had one year remaining on a four-year contract worth $42million before the Bears decided to release him on March 14.

Chelsea have continued their boardroom reshuffle by appointing the Carolina Panthers' former president Tom Glick as the Blues' president of business.

Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital completed a £4.25billion takeover of Chelsea at the end of May, making numerous changes to start their tenure.

Blues president Bruce Buck departed, along with technical and performance advisor Petr Cech and director and chief decision-maker Marina Granovskaia.

While head coach Thomas Tuchel and Boehly are working together on transfer activity, Chelsea have acted by bringing in Glick, who has sizeable knowledge of English football.

The 30-year-old has worked as a former executive at Manchester City's parent company City Football Group, while playing a role in the Football League Board and the FA Council.

Prior to his role with City Football Group, Glick was Derby County's chief executive officer between 2008 and 2012, when the Rams were an established Premier League side.

Glick, who oversaw the creation of Major League Soccer team Charlotte FC, also has experience in the NFL, having held the presidential role with the Panthers.

"Tom's successful track record as a leader and innovator at several respected and winning sport organisations made him the obvious choice for this position," Boehly told the club's website after the appointment was announced.

"His skills and experience will be vital as we improve Chelsea FC's key infrastructure, expand the club's products and reputation, and find exciting new ways for our loyal supporters to engage with their favourite players."

Glick also outlined his reasons for taking the role, saying: "Chelsea FC is an iconic sports institution, known and admired all over the world. I have been very impressed with the vision and mission of Todd Boehly and Clearlake.

"They have the Chelsea community at the heart of everything they do. We have a huge opportunity here to enhance performance across the board, on behalf of everyone we serve."

Despite having a record start to his career, Minnesota Vikings star Justin Jefferson doesn't think he is the best wide receiver in the NFL – at least not yet. 

Jefferson gave that accolade to Davante Adams of the Las Vegas Raiders during an interview with Complex this week, but the two-time Pro Bowler was quick to say he expects to come out on top following the 2022 season. 

"I'll say after this year I'll be the best receiver in the NFL," Jefferson said. "I definitely have to give it to Davante Adams of now, him being so crazy and dynamic on the field. 

"His route running is crazy, so I definitely have to give it to him right now, but I'm pretty sure after this year, it's going to be me." 

Jefferson has the numbers to back up that prediction, as his 3,016 receiving yards are the most for a player in their first two seasons in the NFL. His 196 catches are tied with Michael Thomas of the New Orleans Saints for the most in a wide receiver’s first two campaigns. 

After being selected with the 22nd overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, Jefferson had 88 receptions and set an NFL rookie record with 1,400 yards to go along with seven touchdowns. Last season, he totalled 108 catches for 1,616 yards and 10 TDs. 

Jefferson's 1,616 receiving yards in 2021 were the second-most in the NFL behind Los Angeles Rams star Cooper Kupp (1,947) and slightly ahead of Adams, who had 1,553 yards in his final season with the Green Bay Packers before being traded to the Raiders in March. 

"It's definitely tough to outdo 1,600 yards," Jefferson said. "It's not normal for people to get that many yards consistently, back-to-back like that. 

“Really just working on my weaknesses that I felt that I had throughout the season, always working on my game. I'm always working on route running, always can work on catching the ball, so just trying to better my craft at all of those different categories." 

If Jefferson can better his craft, he believes he will be the best wide receiver in the league. 

"I think I have to do it three years in a row for everybody to believe so," he said. "Some people don't think that after two years, you deserve to be at the top of the league. 

“And then me, I feel like I'm going to surpass 1,600 yards, too. So I think that I'll become the best receiver after this year." 

For years, there has been talk of the NFL entering an era of 'positionless' football and, looking back on the 2021 season, there is a case to be made that it's finally here.

With the league dominated by dual-threat quarterbacks and defenses increasingly reliant on secondary defenders who can move around the field, the phrase 'the more you can do' has never more definitively applied to the NFL – at least not since the bygone era of the two-way player.

Indeed, players who can excel in several positions and fulfil a multitude of different roles are more valuable than ever, with three of the teams that made last season's final four dependent on players who are among the league's most versatile.

Using advanced data, Stats Perform can break down the league's multi-faceted stars and look at some of the more versatile players who have flown somewhat under the radar.

The NFC West Unicorns

Aaron Donald - Los Angeles Rams

We would be remiss to mention the most versatile players in the league and not start it with Donald.

Donald is the NFL's pre-eminent defensive player and the most remarkable aspect of his dominance is that he maintains it irrespective of where he lines up on the defensive line.

His pressure rate of 28.1 per cent last year led all interior defensive linemen and it only dipped to 27.7 per cent when he moved out to the edge, though he did so for just 94 pass-rush snaps in 2021 compared to 448 from his defensive tackle position.

And 108 of his 127 pressures on the inside involved him beating a pass protector. That was the case for 23 of his 26 edge pressures, which illustrates his ability to confound offensive linemen regardless of whether he's working within tight confines or from wide-open space.

Jalen Ramsey - Los Angeles Rams

Donald is the engine of the Los Angeles defense, but a unit that has leaned on its top-end talent would not have remained among the league's elite if not for the presence of arguably the NFL's top secondary defender.

Ramsey still played the vast majority of his snaps as an outside corner in 2021, playing 784 in that position. However, as the 'star' player on the Los Angeles defense, Ramsey spends most of his time locked on an opponent's top receiver, which frequently means playing in the slot.

Indeed, Ramsey played 366 snaps in the slot and was outstanding when lined up there. Targeted 31 times from the slot, Ramsey allowed a burn, which is when a receiver wins a matchup on a play in which they're targeted, 38.7 per cent of the time. The league average for slot corners with at least 50 coverage snaps was 50.7 per cent.

Ramsey posted the ninth-lowest burn yards per target average (5.84) and was the seventh-best slot by big play rate. He gave up a big play on just 6.5 per cent of targets.

His numbers as an outside corner were less impressive. Ramsey gave up a burn 48 per cent of the time and surrendered 10.32 burn yards per target. However, his big-play rate allowed of 19.4 per cent was still better than the average of 26.1 per cent (min. 50 snaps) and amounted to him giving up 15 big plays on 75 targets across 398 coverage snaps.

In other words, Ramsey allowed a big play on under four per cent of his coverage snaps as an outside corner. The 'lockdown defender' tag applies to Ramsey wherever he is on the field.

Deebo Samuel - San Francisco 49ers

The 49ers have dug in their heels and refused to indulge Samuel's trade request, with their determination to hold on to the wide receiver unsurprising given his outsized value to San Francisco's offense.

Samuel is to the 49ers' offense what Donald is to the Rams' defense. Last season, he was the reason it worked and the reason the Niners came agonisingly close to completing three wins over the Rams and claiming the NFC championship.

In a career year for Samuel, he racked up 1,405 receiving yards, leading the league with 18.2 yards per reception while his 10.1 yards after catch average was also the best among wideouts.

Yet it was the way in which the Niners utilised his ability in the open field to turn him into a de-facto running back in the second half of last season that weaponized the San Francisco offense.

When lined up in the backfield as a running back, Samuel averaged 6.58 yards per rush last season. He recorded 4.11 yards before contact per attempt, 2.67 yards after contact and averaged 4.77 yards per attempt on carries in which there was a run disruption by a defender. 

No running back could match his yards per carry average or top his performance on rushes disrupted by a defender. Rashaad Penny of the Seattle Seahawks and Dontrell Hilliard of the Tennessee Titans were the only players with over 50 carries at running back to average over 4.0 yards before contact per rush. Kareem Hunt (2.84) of the Cleveland Browns was the only player to average more yards after contact per attempt than Samuel.

With the option to hand the ball off to Samuel or flare him out and get him the ball on screens, lining Deebo up in the backfield allowed the Niners to limit Donald's impact for long periods and lessen Ramsey's effectiveness when he played the 'star' role by forcing him to follow Samuel into the box.

The duplicity Samuel brings in his hybrid receiver-running back role is critical to head coach Kyle Shanahan winning the play-calling chess match. Despite his trade demands, it's why the Niners will ensure he remains on their board.

Cooper Kupp - Los Angeles Rams

While Kupp may not do the damage Samuel does out of the backfield, it is impossible to leave the reigning NFL Offensive Player of the Year off this list.

Kupp was the only receiver in the NFL last season to finish in the top five in burn yards per route as an outside receiver (fourth, 3.9) and from the slot (third, 4.0).

On top of that, he was fifth in big-play rate among outside receivers with at least 50 targets, registering an explosive on 39.7 per cent of targets. Only two wideouts, Christian Kirk (36.7) of the Arizona Cardinals and Cedrick Wilson (36.5) of the Dallas Cowboys produced a higher rate of big plays from the slot than Kupp's 36.4 per cent.

Lined up for 24 snaps as a running back, Kupp was also utilised as a safety net for Matthew Stafford out of the backfield on occasion. His proficiency in contributing to pass protection by blocking defenders before getting out into his route perfectly encapsulated just how well-rounded of a player he has become.

Queens on the Chessboard

Cordarrelle Patterson - Atlanta Falcons

Patterson was overdrafted by the Minnesota Vikings back in 2013, but he carved out a hybrid role last season in the Atlanta offense in which he, like Samuel, spent time in the backfield and lined up as a receiver.

Designated as a running back, Patterson averaged 4.07 yards per carry, racking up 2.0 yards after contact per attempt and 3.06 yards per attempt on rushes in which there was a disruption by a defender.

Among running backs who registered 100 carries and were targeted 50 times, Patterson's 22.6 per cent big-play rate on passing targets was the highest in the NFL. Alvin Kamara of the New Orleans Saints was second at 21.3.

With the Falcons transitioning to a new era at quarterback as Marcus Mariota and Desmond Ridder compete for the job, Patterson's ability to create yards after contact as a runner and explosive plays on routes out of the backfield will again be extremely valuable in 2022.

Between Patterson, Kyle Pitts and first-round pick Drake London, the Falcons have a trio of malleable playmakers who can ensure the offense is still explosive as they move away from the Matt Ryan era.

Travis Kelce - Kansas City Chiefs

In terms of value to his team, Kelce rivals Samuel with the multiple roles he plays for the Chiefs and the importance of him excelling from several spots will likely increase in 2022 following the Chiefs' trade of Tyreek Hill.

One of the league's most effective 'power slots' who uses his size and route running to his advantage when lined up as a de-facto slot receiver, Kelce played 333 snaps in that position in 2021.

He played 184 as an outside receiver and 136 from his traditional in-line tight end spot in an encapsulation of the evolution of a position that has grown ever more multi-faceted.

Kelce's burn rate from all three spots was over 70 per cent. He won his matchup with a defender on 79.1 per cent of targets as an in-line tight end. That ratio dipped to 76.3 per cent as an outside receiver and 74.4 per cent from the slot.

The majority of his big plays, however, came when he lined up outside. Kelce produced a big play on 34.8 per cent of his targets as an outside receiver and 32.3 per cent from the slot. He was not as explosive as an in-line tight end, a spot from where he delivered a big play 25.8 per cent of the time.

Though the numbers at each alignment may differ, they all paint the same picture: a playmaker who gets open regardless of where he is on the field. Combined with his underrated blocking, Kelce's remarkable versatility makes him one of the most dangerous offensive weapons in the NFL.

Elgton Jenkins - Green Bay Packers

Jenkins has played every position in the trenches apart from right guard during his three seasons in the NFL, and in that time he has established himself as one of the best young offensive linemen in the NFL and an integral part of the Packers' attack.

Last season, Jenkins played the entirety of his snaps at left tackle before injury curtailed his campaign after eight games. He allowed only 11 pressures on 163 pass protection snaps, with his pressure rate of 6.7 per cent superior to the average of 9.2 per cent among left tackles.

Prior to that in 2020, Jenkins played most of his snaps at left guard, but also filled in at center and made cameos at both tackle spots. His pressure rate of 4.7 per cent was fifth among left guards that year. At center, he gave up a pressure on just 2.1 per cent of snaps – the third-best rate among players at the position.

Essentially, Jenkins is a rare breed of offensive lineman who can hold up in pass protection at every position on the offensive front. He appears set to slot in at right tackle for 2022, but Jenkins will likely be the first person the Packers call upon if they have an injury at another spot up front.

Ambidextrous Defenders

Micah Parsons - Dallas Cowboys

Parsons claimed NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2021 thanks to an exceptional first-year campaign that saw him make an unexpectedly outsized impact as a pass rusher.

On 220 pass-rush snaps, Parsons generated 69 pressures for a pressure rate of 31.4 per cent that was tops among linebackers with at least 50 pass rushes.

Parsons spent 153 of those snaps on the edge but also proved extremely effective in coverage. Allowing a burn on 41.9 per cent of targets last season, Parsons gave up only 6.86 yards per target – the fourth-fewest among linebackers targeted at least 25 times.

Also second for his position with a run disruption rate of 16.4 per cent, Parsons swiftly proved his ability to influence every facet of the game and his multiplicity will make him somebody opposing play-callers will constantly have to think about when game planning for the Cowboys.

Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah - Cleveland Browns

Though Parsons was the standout defensive rookie in the league last season, he was not the best first-year linebacker in coverage. That distinction went to Owusu-Koramoah, who slid to the second round of the 2021 draft and went on to lead all linebackers with 5.83 burn yards per target allowed and give up a big-play rate of 4.5 per cent that was also the best for the position.

Owusu-Koramoah played most of his snaps (414) at inside linebacker but also spent time at outside linebacker, on the edge and in the slot on top of a handful of snaps at outside corner.

He did not pass rush often, logging just 27 snaps in that regard, but gained nine pressures for a pressure rate of 33.0 per cent. Against the run, he registered a disruption rate of 15.3 per cent.

Owusu-Koramoah is a player the Browns can trust to hold up in man and zone coverage and has the flexibility to operate in almost every position in the back seven. He can play the run extremely well and has produced encouraging flashes as a pass rusher to suggest he can grow in that area.

Any success the Browns enjoy on defense in 2022 will likely in part be a product of Owusu-Koramoah's malleability.

Chuck Clark - Baltimore Ravens

The Ravens added Kyle Hamilton and Marcus Williams to their safety room this offseason but have, to this point, kept hold of Clark.

On the surface, that may be something of a surprise. However, a deeper dive into the numbers illustrates the value he has to Baltimore's defense.

Though Clark operated at free safety for 526 snaps in 2021, he also played 108 at strong safety, 97 in the slot, 81 on the edge and over 100 at linebacker.

He defended double-digit targets from free safety, strong safety and in the slot. Only at free safety did he allow more 10 burn yards per target.

His average of 8.01 burn yards allowed per target when lined up as a deep safety was 12th in the NFL. In the slot, he gave up 9.25 per target – better than the average of 9.53 for slots with at least 50 snaps.

With Williams set to slide in at free safety, Hamilton and Clark will have the freedom to roam around the field in three-safety looks and their proficiency in playing the slot should offer the Ravens more answers in defending tight ends and the bigger wideouts that are spending an increasing amount of time on the inside.

Under the Radar Rovers

Kamren Curl - Washington Commanders

Sticking at the safety position and with teams that play their football in Maryland, Curl has quietly emerged as a stud who can fulfil a variety of roles in the defensive backfield.

Last season, Curl played 342 snaps as a free safety, 211 in the slot, 90 as a strong safety, 56 as an inside linebacker, 53 as an outside linebacker and 45 as an outside corner. To say the Commanders have confidence in him all over the field is putting it mildly.

Lined up as a deep safety, Curl allowed 6.02 burn yards per target – the best ratio in the NFL. He allowed a big play on 14.8 per cent of targets, which was the fourth-best rate among deep safeties.

In the slot, he surrendered only 6.15 burn yards per target and a big play on two of his 21 targets. Though Curl was not asked to do as much in coverage when he played closer to the line of scrimmage, he influenced the game with his play against the run. His run disruption rate of 10.0 per cent from the inside linebacker spot was equal to that of Derwin James of the Los Angeles Chargers.

Defensive centrepieces are rarely found in the seventh round, but the Commanders have clearly unearthed one who has the multiplicity to rival defenders of a much higher profile.

Elijah Moore - New York Jets

If former 49ers defensive coordinator and now Jets head coach Robert Saleh is hoping to develop his version of Deebo Samuel, then Moore may be his best candidate.

Moore thrived playing as both an outside receiver and in the slot in his rookie season after being picked in the second round last year. He was tied for 16th in burn yards per route (3.0) among receivers with at least 50 targets. Moore also finished 16th in that group in big-play rate, delivering a burn or a burn for a touchdown on 35.7 per cent of targets.

Though the explosive plays (25.7 per cent) dropped off when he was in the slot, Moore excelled at maximizing his separation as an inside receiver, finishing tied for 10th (min. 25 slot targets) with 3.1 burn yards per route.

Moore carried the ball only five times as a rookie, but he averaged over 10 yards per attempt, with one of those attempts going for a touchdown. Though it is an extremely small sample size, that's the kind of efficiency to suggest he should be given increased opportunities on designed touches out of the backfield in his second season.

Asking Moore to replicate Samuel would be ambitious. However, if he can succeed in a more varied role while continuing to produce from several receiver spots, it would be a substantial boost to Zach Wilson's hopes of a second-year leap.

Longtime offensive lineman Richie Incognito has retired from the NFL after a career filled with controversy, stating "I'm proud to retire with the Raiders".

The guard was drafted by the St. Louis Rams in the third round of the 2005 NFL Draft, before joining the Buffalo Bills late in the 2009 season. 

He played only three games for the Bills in the remainder of that season, before signing a contract with the Miami Dolphins.

Incognito made the Pro Bowl in 2012 after an impressive season with the Dolphins, but he was suspended during the 2013 campaign for his alleged bullying of team-mate Jonathan Martin.

He sat out the 2014 season before re-joining the Bills in 2015 where he enjoyed the most successful period of his career, making three Pro Bowls while his team made the playoffs in 2017.

His time at the Bills was also not without its controversy, with Incognito accused of racially abusing Yannick Ngakoue during a playoff game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, for which he later apologised.

Incognito was also involved in an incident at an Arizona funeral home in which he was arrested and charged, while the police found firearms in the back of his vehicle.

The former Nebraska and Oregon lineman then left Buffalo to join the then Oakland Raiders, and stayed there through their move to Las Vegas before his retirement.

The 39-year-old released a statement through the Raiders' website, stating: "Since I played my first snap at 12 years old, nothing in my life was more important than football. The game always came first.

"After stepping away from football in 2018, I knew if I came back, it would be to finish out my career on my terms. It also had to be with the right team, which I found in the Raiders.

"I'd played so long, and I'd gotten this 'bad boy' reputation, but it just fit with the Raiders. They trusted who I was, and they let me play.

"I love the Raiders organization, and Mr. Davis means the world to me. It's why after four teams and 15 years, I'm retiring a Raider.

"I wanted to finish on my own terms. Not a lot of people get to do that in this league and that's why I'm so proud to retire with the Raiders."

The Houston Texans have reached settlement agreements with 30 women who were willing to make claims against the team in relation to Deshaun Watson's alleged misconduct.

Quarterback Watson, who is now at the Cleveland Browns, was sued by 24 women who accused him of sexual misconduct during massage sessions in 2020 and 2021, when he was with the Texans.

Twenty of those civil lawsuits recently ended with confidential settlements, while Watson has vehemently denied any wrongdoing. 

Now ESPN have reported the Texans have agreed to settle with the 30 women, according to a statement from the attorney for the women, Tony Buzbee, who added the settlements were confidential.

"We were shocked and deeply saddened when we first learned of the allegations against our then franchise quarterback in March 2021," Texans owners Janice, Hannah and Cal McNair said in a statement, as quoted by ESPN.

"Although our organisation did not have any knowledge of Deshaun Watson's alleged misconduct, we have intentionally chosen to resolve this matter amicably.

"This is not an admission of any wrongdoing, but instead a clear stand against any form of sexual assault and misconduct.

"We hope that today's resolution will provide some form of closure to the parties involved, our fans and the Houston community at large.

"As an organisation, we will now turn our focus to the future and doing what we can to ensure respect for all."

A retired federal judge will make a decision on Watson's immediate NFL future, with a hearing already under way to determine whether he violated the league's personal conduct policy.

The Kansas City Chiefs and offensive tackle Orlando Brown Jr. were unable to agree to a long-term contract, missing Friday’s deadline for franchise-tagged players to sign multi-year deals.  

Brown will make $16.7million under the franchise tag in 2022, but his future beyond that remains unsure.  

The Chiefs acquired Brown, 26, from the Baltimore Ravens last off-season, and he started 16 games last season protecting Patrick Mahomes' blindside.  

According to reports, the Chiefs had offered Brown a six-year contract that could be worth over $131m, but Brown’s agent, Michael Portner, balked at the lack of guarantees, especially late in the deal.  

"We got really close," Portner told NFL Network. "We enjoyed dealing with the Chiefs and we understand their position as well. I'm not gonna let these athletes sign a flashy contract without the substance or security there."

NFL Network previously reported that Brown would not report to the beginning of the Chiefs’ minicamp on July 26, but Brown has yet to declare his intentions.  

The stand-off between Brown and the Chiefs comes after long-time right tackle Mitchell Schwartz announced his retirement due to complications from a lingering back injury.  

Kansas City Chiefs offensive tackle Mitchell Schwartz, a former All-Pro, has announced he is retiring from the NFL due to complications of a lingering injury.

Schwartz, 33, started 134 straight games before injuring his back in October 2020.

He underwent surgery the following February and sat out last season while undergoing rehabilitation.

On Thursday, he confirmed he has decided to call it a day, but has no regrets over the decision.

"I'm currently feeling as good as I have since then, but it’s clear my body won’t ever be the same," Schwartz said on Twitter.

"The nerve pain down my legs is no longer a daily occurrence, but it might never fully go away."

Schwartz was a second-round draft choice by the Cleveland Browns in 2012 and was an opening-day starter, beginning a streak of 7,894 consecutive snaps played.

That streak continued into his career with the Chiefs, with whom he signed as a free agent in 2016.

Schwartz was named to the All-Pro First Team in 2018 and was named a second-team All-Pro three times, in 2016, 2017, 2019.

With Schwartz starting at right tackle, the Chiefs amassed a 51-19 regular-season record and hoisted the Lombardi Trophy after winning Super Bowl LIV against the San Francisco 49ers in February 2020.

"I've enjoyed so much about my time in the NFL and am walking away feeling very fulfilled," Schwartz's statement continued.

"Winning the Super Bowl was the pinnacle of my career. My 7,894 consecutive snaps streak and four All-Pro nominations are my proudest individual accomplishments, far exceeding my own expectations."

Schwartz thanked his wife Brooke for making his career possible, along with multiple coaches and mentors, but his praise of Andy Reid was gushing.

"[Reid] is the best coach you can ask for and an even better person. It was a privilege to sit in those meetings and hear him speak. It is special being a part of his offense and football team," he said.

Schwartz said that he will continue to produce his "Mitch in the Kitch" video series, which airs on multiple platforms, and plans to continue living in Kansas City.

"My last thank you is to Kansas City and all the Chiefs fans," Schwartz said. "It has been a privilege to represent you on and off the field.

"The bond I've formed with this city and the people here lasts forever."

Tom Brady will not commit to playing beyond 2022, though said it is not a certainty that the upcoming NFL season will be his last.

Brady, who retired after last season but swiftly changed his mind, will turn 45 in August, and in May he acknowledged he is near the end of one of the most accomplished careers of any athlete.

The seven-time Super Bowl champion quarterback also said he believes he's still got something left, however, as he approaches his 23rd training camp and third with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

"My body feels really good," Brady told Variety. "I've had a lot of traumatic injuries over the years, but if things go really smoothly and we win, that'd be great."

Brady also touched on his decision to temporarily announce his retirement in February, as well as his rationale for reversing course and returning to the Buccaneers.

"I made the decision in the moment, and I felt it was the right thing for the team to let the Bucs know," he said.

"You need time to plan. And then through conversations with Bruce [Arians], [general manager] Jason [Licht] and my wife, I felt like I could still play and compete.

"I would have preferred to un-retire in July if I wanted to play, but I couldn't. If I said I'm not playing, they'd make plans. So, I felt there was a lot of pressure to make a decision quickly. And then ultimately, I just decided, 'yes, let's do it.' Once I said that, it was like – 'OK, here we go'."

Shortly after Brady declared his intention to come back for another season, Fox Sports announced it had signed the future Hall of Famer to a 10-year, $375million contract to serve as the network's lead analyst for its NFL Game of the Week broadcasts once he does retire for good,

Whether that will be after the 2022 season, Brady said nothing is yet set in stone.

"Could this be my last year? Absolutely," he said. "Could I change my mind? Absolutely. I've realised I don't have five years left.

"I want to do it my way. I want to give it everything I got and see where I'm at."

Brady did acknowledge that winning another Super Bowl would make it easier to call it quits after this season, while also admitting that the Buccaneers' playoff loss to the eventual 2021 champion Los Angeles Rams influenced his choice to come back.

"I think that would obviously be the greatest way to end," he said. "I just have a competitive fire that got the best of me."

The National Football League (NFL) has given its backing to a bid to introduce flag football at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

American football has not been seen at the quadrennial sporting event since a demonstration event at Los Angeles 1932.

But with the event returning to California following Paris 2024, the sport's leading governing body is now looking to secure a spot for flag football - a non-contract variation - at the subsequent Olympiad.

Executive vice president of football operations Troy Vincent will co-chair the "Vision28" group alongside International Federation of American Football president Pierre Trochet, the NFL announced on Wednesday.

"We see flag football as an all-inclusive sport, which makes it a great vehicle to spread the values of American football around the world," Vincent issued in a statement.

"As co-chair of the Vision28 mission, the NFL is committed to place critical assets such as technological, broadcast, commercial, sports science, youth engagement, fan engagement at the service of the Olympic movement and our shared global goal of football for all."

Flag football - in which a pair of five-on-five sides play over a 50-yard by 25-yard field, with 10-yard end zones, and are tackled through the removal of a flag on their belt - is not the only new sport in the conversation for 2028.

Baseball and softball will likely be pursuing inclusion after a return at Tokyo 2020, while cricket will also push for some form of representation.

Elsewhere, the new NFL campaign is less than two months away, with defending Super Bowl champions the Los Angeles Rams to host the Buffalo Bills in the Kickoff Game on September 8.

According to Carolina Panthers general manager Scott Fitterer, it's no guarantee that Baker Mayfield will be the team's starting quarterback in Week 1 against his former Cleveland Browns team-mates. 

With Carolina’s acquisition of Mayfield from Cleveland for a conditional fifth-round draft pick in 2024 official, Fitterer met with the media on Tuesday and said the starting QB job is up for grabs with Mayfield, Sam Darnold, third-year pro P.J. Walker and rookie Matt Corral all in the mix. 

"The reason why we added Baker was to make the group better as a whole," Fitterer said. "Our whole philosophy is to add competition not just in the quarterback room but every position. 

"So if we see an opportunity to get better, where we can add a player that makes sense for us as a team, makes sense for us financially, makes sense for us just from an addition standpoint, we're going to do that. 

"And with Baker being out there, having the conversations, it made sense for us."

Mayfield went 29-30 in 59 regular-season starts with the Browns after they selected him first overall in 2018. Darnold was taken two picks later by the New York Jets, who traded him to Carolina in April 2021. 

Darnold appeared in 12 games last year in his first season with Carolina and went 4-7 in 11 starts. 

"Sam really had a nice spring for us, stepped up, showed a lot of edge, threw the ball really well," Fitterer said. "And I think competition would be good for him, would be good for P.J., it's good for Matt Corral — the young guy that's going to be in the room learning. And it's good for Baker. It's a fresh start for him. 

"So I think overall, it's a very healthy situation for us all to be in."

Potentially starting against the Browns in the season opener has Mayfield excited. 

"I'm not going to sit here and be a robot and tell you that's not one I've marked on the calendar already," Mayfield said. 

"One, that's not who I am. To me, it's about winning games. Whoever we have marked on the schedule, I'm going to try to win. 

“Obviously, this one has a little more history and personal meaning, but for me, it's about winning and setting the tone for the rest of the year, and however I can help this team do that, I'm going to do." 

Here today, gone tomorrow – or is it tomato?

It's the end of an era in Pittsburgh, as the Steelers announced on Monday their longtime stadium will no longer be called Heinz Field. 

The Steelers will now play in Acrisure Stadium after reaching a 15-year sponsorship deal with the financial tech company. Financial terms were not released. 

"We are excited to partner with Acrisure for the naming rights to our stadium," Steelers President Art Rooney II said. "Acrisure provided us with an opportunity to ensure our stadium continues to be a valuable asset for our fans as well as keeping up with the market value of NFL stadiums."

The name change will take place immediately at the 68,400-seat venue, which had been known as Heinz Field since it opened in 2001. 

In their 21 seasons since its opening, the Steelers have won two Super Bowls, 10 division titles and made the playoffs 14 times. In this span, only the New England Patriots (80.5) and Green Bay Packers (73.8) have achieved a higher home winning percentage than Pittsburgh's 72.8 (122-45-2). 

Lamar Jackson is hopeful of having a long-term deal with the Baltimore Ravens before training camp but is not thinking about a possible holdout.

Jackson is entering the final year of his rookie contract, with seemingly little progress made on an extension.

He is due to earn $23million in 2022 and when asked by USA Today if he would agree to a deal before camp, Jackson replied: "Hopefully.

"I'm not going to say 'yeah' right now. Hopefully. But it's God's timing."

On the subject of a potential holdout, Jackson said: "I don't have that on my mind."

The league's pre-eminent dual-threat quarterback, Jackson won the MVP award in his second season in 2019 after throwing for 3,127 yards and 36 touchdowns with just six interceptions. He also ran for 1,206 yards and seven scores.

However, the Ravens suffered a shock Divisional Round loss to the Tennessee Titans to end that season and were eliminated at the same stage of the 2020 campaign by the Buffalo Bills.

Jackson endured an injury-hindered 2021 season, throwing 16 touchdowns to 13 interceptions and adding a career-low two touchdowns on the ground as the Ravens missed the playoffs with an 8-9 record.

No player in the NFL has a higher yards-per-carry average over the course of the last three seasons than Jackson's 6.36.

Veterans are scheduled to report to Ravens training camp on July 26.