AFC East

New York Jets wide receiver Davante Adams told reporters after the Jets' 32-20 victory over the Miami Dolphins on Sunday that it would be "a little bit of a surprise" if 41-year-old Aaron Rodgers decided to retire.

"It's been an interesting year, obviously seeing what he's battled through and hearing the people jump out of nowhere saying that he doesn't have it anymore. Obviously, that's not the case," Adams said.

Before becoming teammates on the Jets, Adams and Rodgers were longtime teammates on the Green Bay Packers. They walked off the field together on Sunday after their final game of the season.

"I think we owed it to each other," Adams said. "Him being such a great friend to me, I felt like that made the most sense, us walking off together today."

The two were teammates on Green Bay for eight years between 2014 and 2021. Adams spent a few years with the Las Vegas Raiders before linking back up with Rodgers on the Jets this season.

The duo clinched the third-most touchdowns between any quarterback and wide receiver pair in NFL history, behind Peyton Manning and Marvin Harrison and Steve Young and Jerry Rice, per ESPN

Despite their strong connection, no one knows Rodgers' future with certainty except for the veteran himself, who recorded four touchdowns while completing 23-of-36 passes in the Jets' win over the Dolphins.

Following the victory, Rodgers maintained his stance on not knowing what the future holds for his NFL career.

"I just need some time away to think about my future in the game and my future here, if they want me to be part of the next phase or if they're ready to move on," Rodgers told reporters. "Either way, I'm thankful for my two years here"

Rodgers will chat with Jets' owner Woody Johnson and vice chairman Christopher Johnson in the coming weeks.

"That just comes down to the desire on their side and ultimately my desire, kind of take some time mentally and physically to rest and relax," Rodgers told reporters. "I won't be upset or offended whatever they decide to do, if they want to move on and I still want to play," Rodgers said. "If not, I'll let them know at some point, if that's the case."

Despite the Jets' lackluster season, failing to make the playoffs with a 5-12 record and sitting third in the AFC East, Rodgers said this season-ending feels different than his final one in Green Bay.

"I knew in 2022 my time was done in Green Bay. It felt like it was done, for all of us. It was unsaid maybe on their side. It was understood I think by all of us to go separate ways," Rodgers said. "I needed to figure out whether I still had the desire to play or not, whether I could get that love back. I have tremendous love for the game now. ... This feels much different."

He added, "It's not great to make emotional decisions."

Despite falling short of the playoffs this season, the Miami Dolphins won't be making major changes to their power structure.

Dolphins owner Stephen Ross announced on Sunday night that head coach Mike McDaniel and general manager Chris Grier will be returning for the 2025 season:

The Dolphins finished the year with an 8-9 record after falling to the New York Jets in Sunday's regular-season finale. Miami would've had the chance to earn a playoff spot with a win and a loss by the Denver Broncos against the Kansas City Chiefs, but the Broncos cruised to a 38-0 win.

This is the Dolphins' first losing season under McDaniel since he was hired as head coach in 2022. He struggled to help the team overcome the loss of quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, who was limited to 11 games this season due to a concussion and a hip injury. Without Tagovailoa, Miami shuffled between backups Skylar Thompson, Tim Boyle and Tyler Huntley, but none of them managed to turn things around.

Grier has been the general manager of the Dolphins since 2016, and he's been a member of the organization for 25 years. Miami has gone 24 straight seasons without a playoff win, the longest active drought in the NFL.

Still, Ross shouldered the blame for the Dolphins' shortcomings, so McDaniel and Grier will get the chance to bounce back together next year.

"As the owner of this team, I am ultimately accountable for our successes and failures," Ross wrote. "We fell short of our expectations this season, and I understand and share in the frustration in our performance on the field."

New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers is still uncertain about his future in the NFL, but he's not planning on dragging out his decision.

"I'm gonna enjoy this tonight, once I get back out West I'm gonna take my time, but I'm not going to hold anybody up," Rodgers told Fox Sports' Pam Oliver after Sunday's 32-20 win over the Miami Dolphins. "I'll have conversations tomorrow with everybody here with the Jets to see what they're thinking, and then make a decision before it gets too late in the offseason."

Rodgers was asked if he thinks he'd return to the Jets next season and he told reporters, "I honestly don't know." He added that he "won't be upset or offended" if the team decides to move on from him if he decides to continue his playing career, but he also said "the answer is yes" on whether he would be willing to play for another team in that scenario. When asked about reports saying that he's likely to retire, he played it coy:

Rodgers had one of his best games of the season in Sunday's win over the Dolphins, throwing for 274 yards, four touchdowns and an interception. The 41-year-old became the fifth quarterback in NFL history to throw 500 touchdowns.

Despite the small dose of positivity to end the season, it can't be understated how much of a disappointment the 2024 campaign was for the Jets. The team entered the year with Super Bowl aspirations after Rodgers appeared to be fully recovered from a torn Achilles suffered in the 2023 season opener. However, he struggled to find consistency after getting banged up throughout the year.

The Jets are set for some major changes as they search for a new head coach and general manager following the firings of Robert Saleh and Joe Douglas, respectively. While Rodgers showed flashes of his old self, there's no denying that his age has caught up with him, so the new regime could decide that its best course would be to start fresh at the quarterback position.

After the Miami Dolphins ended the 2024 season with a 32-20 loss to the New York Jets on Sunday, star receiver Tyreek Hill indicated that his time with the team could be coming to an end soon.

"I'm out. It was great playing here, but at the end of the day, I gotta do what's best for my career, because I'm too much of a competitor to be just out there," Hill told reporters (2:25 mark).

Hill made it clear that he was displeased that Miami fell short of the playoffs, as he had appeared in the postseason every year since the Kansas City Chiefs drafted him with a fifth-round pick in 2016. He also lamented the loss of quarterback Tua Tagovailoa throughout the year, saying it "sucks" to be without the franchise player after Tagovailoa appeared in just 11 games due to a concussion and a hip injury.

Hill later posted a message to Dolphins fans on social media:

Hill had two catches for 20 yards in Sunday's loss, and he finishes the year with 81 receptions for 959 yards and six touchdowns. It's his first time falling short of the 1,000-yard mark since 2019 when he was still with the Chiefs and he was limited to 12 games due to a shoulder injury.

While speaking to reporters, Hill said he had been bothered by a wrist injury throughout the 2024 campaign, and he was pulled from Sunday's game to avoid aggravating the injury further after it was determined that the Dolphins would miss the playoffs with the Denver Broncos beating the Chiefs to claim the final spot.

Hill is set to count for a $28.7 million cap hit in 2025, so Miami could evaluate whether it's better to deal him away and acquire assets to build for the future. The 30-year-old can still be a difference-maker when healthy, so he would certainly command a lot of interest in the trade market.

Rob Gronkowski believes the New England Patriots made an "unfair" decision by firing Jerod Mayo on Sunday.

The Patriots announced Mayo's dismissal just one hour after a Week 18 win over the Buffalo Bills, which dropped the team from No. 1 to No. 4 in the upcoming draft.

"I think it was unfair to coach Jerod Mayo," Gronkowski said Sunday in an NFL on Fox panel. "I mean, he had never had the chance to develop as a head coach. He was just a rookie himself in that department.

"And if you judge a coach by their first year, that's really not appropriate."

Mayo led the Patriots to a 4-13 finish after taking over for longtime head coach Bill Belichick ahead of the 2024 season.

Gronkowski pointed out fellow panelist and former NFL head coach Jimmy Johnson as an example of a successful leader who struggled during their first pro season.

Johnson led the 1989 Dallas Cowboys to a 1-15 record during his first season coaching in the league. He went on to coach the Cowboys to back-to-back championships in 1992 and 1993.

The Patriots didn't give Mayo the same leeway after Joe Milton III's stellar 241-yard outing against the Bills' backups led to the franchise missing out on drafting first for the first time since 1993.

New England also struggled on defense in Mayo's first season at the helm, a disappointment for a team led by a former linebackers coach.

Patriots CEO Robert Kraft said in a Sunday afternoon statement that the decision to fire Mayo was made because "the trajectory of our team's performances throughout the season did not ascend as I had hoped."

Kraft went on to express his belief that Mayo could still succeed as head coach with another team.

The Patriots are reportedly considering hiring former Tennessee Titans leader Mike Vrabel as their next head coach, according to The Athletic's Chad Graff and RJ Kraft.

The Athletic's Jeff Howe added that Vrabel "has been interested in the Patriots' potential vacancy in recent weeks."

The franchise is meanwhile expected to give de facto general manager Eliot Wolf another shot at building a contender, according to CBS Sports' Jonathan Jones.

Aaron Rodgers completed his first full season as a New York Jet with a Week 18 victory over the Miami Dolphins.

Some fans are now wondering if Sunday's 32-20 win also marked the end of the four-time MVP's NFL career.

Rodgers went 23-of-36 for 274 yards and four touchdowns with an interception in Sunday's victory.

The win officially eliminated the Dolphins, who were missing injured quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, from playoff contention.

The result also came hours after NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported that "several people close" to the Jets quarterback were preparing for his NFL career to end after this season.

After getting picked off on his first throw of the game, Rodgers went on to record arguably his strongest outing of the 2024 season.

Allen Lazard, Tyler Conklin, Breece Hall and Rodgers' old Green Bay Packers teammate Davante Adams each scored as the Jets star became the fifth quarterback in NFL history to pass for 500 career touchdowns.

The win convinced some viewers Rodgers still has a role to play in the league should he decide to return for a 21st NFL season.

Other fans believe the Jets' struggles during Rodgers' age-41 season is a sign his effectiveness as an NFL quarterback has come to an end.

Despite the passing talent Rodgers displayed on Sunday, the veteran quarterback was unable to end the franchise's 14-season playoff drought in his first healthy season in New York.

Rodgers is currently signed through the 2025 season. There is no guaranteed money remaining on his deal.

Whether the Jets cut him, keep him or see him retire this offseason, the franchise can't avoid the significant cap ramifications that contract will carry going forward. Rodgers' decision regarding his future will still significantly impact the team by influencing their approach to the 2025 NFL Draft.

The New England Patriots are "expected to pursue" Mike Vrabel as the team's next head coach after firing Jerod Mayo on Sunday, according to Chad Graff and RJ Kraft of The Athletic.

Vrabel previously served as head coach of the Tennessee Titans from 2018-23 and he also played for the Patriots as a linebacker in eight seasons from 2001-08.

He's "been interested" in New England's potential vacancy "in recent weeks" and already has "quality assistants" that would be prepared to join him, per Jeff Howe of The Athletic.

Mayo was fired on Sunday after the Patriots finished with a 4-13 record in his first year as head coach.

Mayo's exit is surprising, as NFL Network's Tom Pelissero and Ian Rapoport reported on Dec. 28 that he'd be given a second season with the team "barring some type of calamity over the final two games" of the year.

While the Patriots suffered an ugly 40-7 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 17, they ended the regular season with a 23-16 victory over the Buffalo Bills on Sunday.

Still, interest in Vrabel during the current hiring cycle has been rampant and New England may not have been willing to watch him join another team.

He interviewed with the New York Jets regarding the team's current vacancy and has also been linked to the Dallas Cowboys as well as the Las Vegas Raiders. ESPN's Adam Schefter previously reported that the New Orleans Saints could show interest in him as well.

Vrabel might've had his sights set on New England all along, as CBS Sports' Aditi Kinkhabwala revealed on Sunday that his meeting with the Jets was to "put pressure" on the Patriots to make a move.

The 49-year-old spent the 2024 season as a coaching and personnel consultant for the Cleveland Browns after ending his Titans tenure with a 54-45 record. Tennessee made three trips to the playoffs in his six seasons with the team.

After Mayo was let go at the conclusion of the regular season, New England appears to be eyeing Vrabel as his replacement.

New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers capped off a disappointing season with some positivity by joining an exclusive club.

In Sunday's game against the Miami Dolphins, Rodgers became just the fifth quarterback in NFL history to throw 500 career touchdown passes. The 41-year-old reached the mark with a five-yard toss to Tyler Conklin in the second quarter:

The Jets entered Sunday's game against the Dolphins with a 4-12 record. New York will miss the playoffs for a 14th straight year after having Super Bowl aspirations prior to the season.

In his first year removed from a torn Achilles that cost him virtually the entire 2023 campaign, Rodgers showed flashes of his four-time MVP form throughout the season. However, his age and immobility were apparent after he got banged up midway through the year. Amid the team's struggles, head coach Robert Saleh and general manager Joe Douglas were fired.

Rodgers has acknowledged that he will take some time after the season to contemplate whether or not he will continue his playing career. If he chooses to hang up his cleats, he will go down with another accolade on his resume after throwing his 500th touchdown.

The New England Patriots could turn to Mike Vrabel as their next head coach after firing Jerod Mayo on Sunday, according to The Athletic's Chad Graff and RJ Kraft.

Mayo was dismissed on Sunday after the Patriots finished out the 2024 season with a 4-13 record.

The news came hours after the Patriots lost the rights to the No. 1 pick of the 2025 NFL Draft by defeating the Buffalo Bills in Week 18.

Offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt has also been fired, according to Ben Volin of the Boston Globe.

Despite the coaching staff changes, general manager Eliot Wolf is "safe" after the disappointing season, per Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports.

The Patriots are now "expected to begin their search for a new head coach immediately," according to Graff and Kraft.

That search could include Vrabel, a former Patriots linebacker who coached the Tennessee Titans from 2018 to 2023, per Graff and Kraft.

Graff and Kraft noted that the Patriots would not be able to immediately hire Vrabel due to the NFL's Rooney Rule, which requires teams to interview minority candidates for open front office positions.

The Athletic's Jeff Howe reported that Vrabel is believed to have shown interest "in recent weeks" toward potentially taking on a head coaching role with the Patriots.

Howe added that Vrabel has assistant coaches "who would be prepared to go with him" if he heads to Foxborough.

Patriots CEO Robert Kraft wrote in his statement that he decided to fire Mayo after "the trajectory of our team's performances throughout the season did not ascend as I had hoped."

"I have given much thought and consideration as to what actions I can take to expedite our return to championship contention and determined this move was the best option at this time," Kraft wrote.

The Patriots ranked among the NFL's bottom three teams in total offense during the 2024 campaign.

The season wrapped up with a six-game losing streak that saw the discontented home crowd at Gillette Stadium call for Mayo's firing.

Mayo then earned further ire from Patriots fans by coaching the team to a costly Week 18 win over the Bills.

This marks the first time the Krafts have fired a head coach after just one year since acquiring the Patriots in 1994. Hall of Famer Bill Parcells and Pete Carroll each spent multiple years at the helm prior to Belichick's 24-season run as head coach.

That pattern changed with Mayo, who was unable to keep the Patriots' defense consistently competitive despite his previous experience as an assistant coach for the unit.

The Patriots now need to focus on ensuring Drake Maye takes another step forward in his first full season as the franchise's starting quarterback.

Whoever the Patriots hire next will be charged on developing both Maye and the franchise's upcoming No. 4 pick as New England looks to recover from consecutive seasons at the bottom of the AFC.