AFC East

The NFL continues to fill out the teams that will play international games during the 2025 season, with the Miami Dolphins set to play in Spain.

It was announced by the league on Friday that the Dolphins will be the designated home team for the first-ever regular-season game in Madrid.

Dolphins vice chairman, president and CEO Tom Garfinkel issued a statement included in the announcement about the historic event:

"We are thrilled to play the NFL's inaugural game in Spain, a country of rich history, tradition and passion and home to a vibrant Dolphins fanbase. There is a hunger for football in this market, and we are proud to join with the NFL in growing the game internationally while engaging with old and new fans alike. With the unique synergy between Miami and Madrid, we believe this is only the beginning for us in this incredible region and we look forward to bringing the excitement and community of Dolphins football to Spain in 2025 and beyond."

The Dolphins are the fifth club to be a designated team for the international games next season. The New York Jets, Cleveland Browns and Jacksonville Jaguars will all play in London.

The Indianapolis Colts will be the home team for a game at Olympiastadion in Berlin, Germany.

It was announced by the NFL in February 2024 that Madrid would host a game during the 2025 regular season. The Dolphins and Chicago Bears seemed like frontrunners to be the home team since they both have international marketing rights in Spain as part of the league's global markets program.

The NFL hosted five international games during the 2024 regular season, including its first-ever game in Brazil.

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell told reporters in November the league's hope for 2025 was to expand the international series to eight games, including one potentially in Ireland.

As for potential opponents the Dolphins could face in Madrid, their home schedule next season includes three games against divisional opponents (Buffalo Bills, New England Patriots, New York Jets) plus the Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Los Angeles Chargers and Washington Commanders.

The league has more recently avoided scheduling divisional matchups for international games. The most recent one occurred during the 2022 season when the San Francisco 49ers and Arizona Cardinals played in Mexico City.

This will be the sixth international game for the Dolphins since 2007. They played the first London game in 2007 against the New York Giants. Their most recent international game was during the 2023 season when they lost to the Kansas City Chiefs in Germany.

Miami's opponent for the Madrid game wiil likely be revealed closer to when the full 2025 schedule is announced later in the spring.

Veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers' future with the New York Jets is still uncertain, but he offered some signs of positivity on Thursday.

During an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show, Rodgers said he met with team owner Woody Johnson, vice chairman Christopher Johnson, team president Hymie Elhai and interim head coach Jeff Ulbrich at the end of the season.

"I had good conversations with all those people," Rodgers said.

Rodgers added that his conversation with Woody Johnson was about "team, future, different things," but he spoke to Elhai and Christopher Johnson about how the team can improve in different areas in their process and other constructive things. However, he noted that those conversations don't necessarily mean his return to New York is guaranteed.

"Everybody understands it's going to come down to GM and coach and myself and whether we all want to do a dance together or if it's not in the cards," Rodgers said.

The 41-year-old is still contemplating retirement and hasn't yet confirmed that he will continue his career. If he chooses to return for a 21st NFL season, it wouldn't be a surprise if he was wearing another uniform.

In his first year after a torn Achilles cost him the entire 2023 campaign, Rodgers appeared in all 17 games but wasn't able to perform at the level needed for the Jets to turn their fortune around. Despite entering the year with Super Bowl aspirations, New York finished with a 5-12 record and missed the playoffs for the 14th straight season. Head coach Robert Saleh and general manager Joe Douglas were fired before the end of the year.

If Rodgers continues his career, the new regime will have to decide whether its best course is to retain the four-time NFL MVP or to start preparing for a new beginning at the quarterback position.

The New York Jets will interview Houston Texans offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik on Thursday as part of their coaching search, according to CBS Sports' Jonathan Jones.

The Jets will speak with Slowik virtually as he's preparing for Saturday's Divisional Round matchup with the Kansas City Chiefs.

The Jets, who are also evaluating general manager candidates, have cast a wide net as they seek a permanent replacement for Robert Saleh. Rex Ryan, Ron Rivera, Aaron Glenn and Vance Joseph are among the people they've interviewed, and there are others with whom they've requested to meet.

Slowik was one of the hotter names during the 2024 hiring cycle after Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud was a Pro Bowler and the Offensive Rookie of the Year. His stock might've taken a small hit, though, with Houston's offense going backward.

The Texans ranked 22nd in yards (319.7) and 19th in points (21.9) during the regular season. Stroud also failed to match his 2023 production, throwing for 3,727 yards, 20 touchdowns and 12 interceptions, and ranked 24th in QBR (50.1), per ESPN.com.

In November, the Houston Chronicle's Jonathan M. Alexander answered a fan question about Slowik's status and whether he could be fired, and the Texans insider didn't dismiss the idea outright.

"There are people in the organization who, at this point, don't quite know what Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans will do this offseason," Alexander wrote. "But make no mistake about it, some tough conversations will be had."

This time last year, Jets fans probably would've been thrilled to see the team hire Slowik. Now, his arrival would probably be met with some consternation.

After leading the Green Bay Packers to a top-10 defense this season, Jeff Hafley is going to interview for the New York Jets' vacant head-coaching position.

Per The MMQB's Albert Breer, the Jets requested an interview with Hafley that will likely occur later this week.

The Jets are one of two teams, along with the Las Vegas Raiders, who will be hiring a new head coach and general manager this offseason.

As of Tuesday, the Jets had interviewed 21 different candidates for the two positions. They added a 22nd interview by speaking with Denver Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph on Wednesday.

Per Brian Costello of the New York Post, Detroit Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn has told people the Jets would be his first choice if he were to be offered the position.

Glenn is among the candidates who has already interviewed with the Jets, completing his first meeting on Jan. 9. Teams can start having in-person interviews with candidates currently employed by other teams starting on Monday.

The infatuation Glenn apparently has with the Jets likely stems from his history with the organization. He was originally drafted by the team with the No. 12 overall draft pick in 1994 and spent eight seasons in New York.

Hafley returned to the NFL this season when he was hired as defensive coordinator for the Packers. Green Bay finished sixth in points and yards allowed per game. The unit allowed fewer than 20 points nine times in 17 regular-season games, including the first shutout of the season in a 34-0 win over the New Orleans Saints in Week 16.

Prior to joining the Packers' staff, Hafley spent five years in college as Ohio State's co-defensive coordinator (2019) and the head coach at Boston College (2020 to '23). He went 22-26 in four seasons with the Eagles.

Hafley previously spent seven seasons as an assistant in the NFL with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2012 to '13), Cleveland Browns (2014 to '15) and San Francisco 49ers (2016 to '18).

The Jets fired Robert Saleh in October after a 2-3 start to the season. Defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich finished out the year as interim head coach, compiling a 3-9 record in 12 games.

Aaron Glenn is one of the most popular head coaching candidates of this year's cycle, but he quickly ruled out coaching one of the team's hoping to talk to him.

The Detroit Lions' defensive coordinator declined the New England Patriots' request to interview him for their head coaching vacancy. On Wednesday, Glenn explained that it had less to do with the team and more to do with the situation.

"I've never felt anything against that organization," Glenn told reporters. "It just wasn't the best situation for me."

Glenn has interviewed with the Chicago Bears, Jacksonville Jaguars, Las Vegas Raiders, New York Jets and New Orleans Saints. The Dallas Cowboys can't interview him until after the Lions' season is over, but they will likely request to do so.

While the Patriots didn't get to interview Glenn, they became the first team of this year's cycle to land their vacancy. Earlier this week, New England hired Mike Vrabel to be its next coach, a move that was expected after the Patriots fired Jerod Mayo.

With Vrabel, who won three Super Bowls as a player for the Patriots, New England will look to get back on track after struggling in the years following the Tom Brady era.

Glenn will look to finish the season strong in Detroit before potentially landing his first head coaching gig.

It's been quite the year for New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye.

On Wednesday, Maye revealed on Instagram that he and longtime girlfriend Ann Michael Hudson were engaged. He included pictures of them at the beach and captioned it with the words, "Love doing life with you. Can't wait to marry you!"

Bryan Lambert of Boston 25 noted Maye and Hudson are high school sweethearts and continued dating each other when they were at the University of North Carolina.

This development in his personal life comes after Maye just completed his rookie season in the NFL. The No. 3 overall pick of the 2024 NFL draft completed 66.6 percent of his passes for 2,276 yards, 15 touchdowns and 10 interceptions while adding 421 yards and two scores on the ground as a runner in 13 games.

He flashed his potential a number of times and was a bright spot in an otherwise disappointing season for the Patriots.

The next step of his career will include playing for a new head coach, as New England fired Jerod Mayo and hired Mike Vrabel this offseason.

The New York Jets aren't necessarily the most coveted landing spot for prospective head coaches this offseason, but one candidate reportedly is hoping to be the one heading to the Big Apple.

Per Justin Tasch of the New York Post, team reporter Brian Costello wrote in his "Inside the Jets" newsletter that Detroit Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn "has told people the Jets are his first choice if he were to be offered a head coaching position."

A former NFL cornerback who played from 1994 to 2008, Glenn spent the first eight seasons of his career with the Jets and was selected to two out of his three career Pro Bowls while wearing the Green and White. He also worked as a personnel scout for New York from 2012-13 before making the transition to coaching in 2014.

It should be noted that the Jets aren't the only team searching for a new head coach to have previous ties to Glenn. He also played for the Dallas Cowboys and Jacksonville Jaguars before ending his career with the New Orleans Saints. He also spent five years as the Saints' defensive backs coach from 2016 to 2020 before joining head coach Dan Campbell's staff with the Lions.

Glenn had the opportunity to start interviewing with teams virtually last week thanks to Detroit having a bye for the first week of the playoffs. Tasch noted that he has "interviewed with or will interview with" the Jets, Saints, Jaguars, Chicago Bears and Las Vegas Raiders, so there's no guarantee that he will land in New York.

The Jets have cast a wide net in their expansive search for a new head coach, so it's unlikely that they're in a rush to hire Glenn, either. However, after years of struggling to find stability, it would be wise for New York to choose the candidate who actually wants to be there and end the franchise's lengthy run of ineptitude.

Unfortunately for Jets fans hoping to land Glenn, the team doesn't have the best track record when it comes to choosing the smart option.

The New York Jets could have a staff filled with former Minnesota Vikings next season.

According to SNY's Connor Hughes, there is speculation that the Jets could hire Vikings' vice president of player personnel Ryan Grigson as their general manager, defensive coordinator Brian Flores as their head coach and quarterbacks coach Josh McCown as their offensive coordinator.

"There's a lot of buzz going around league circles right now regarding a Ryan Grigson (general manager), Brian Flores (head coach), and Josh McCown (offensive coordinator) pairing," Hughes wrote. "A source in Minnesota actually said that's been talked about within their building."

Hughes noted that the rumors are speculation at this point and nobody from the Jets organization has said anything about the package deal.

Flores led a top-five defense in Minnesota this season. The Vikings gave up the second-fewest rushing yards and the fifth-fewest points per game as they went 14-3 during the regular season.

Flores was the Miami Dolphins head coach from 2019 to 2021 but didn't find much success, missing the playoffs all three seasons. He now has more experience under his belt and could be ready to return to being a head coach.

McCown is still relatively inexperienced given that his final season as a player came just five years ago, but his work for the Vikings this year can't be understated. He helped quarterback Sam Darnold go from being a backup to putting up career numbers in just one season, and that's the kind of skill the Jets could benefit from.

McCown also has a background with the Jets, as he played there for two seasons in 2017 and 2018.

Newly hired New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel is still figuring out his coaching staff, but he confirmed that a familiar face is under consideration.

Per Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk, Vrabel said during a radio appearance that former Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels is among the candidates for the same position on his staff.

"It's a long list. There's a long list, and, you know - I've had a relationship with Josh, and I've had relationships with other offensive coaches and defensive coaches that we're going to interview and wanna bring in here," Vrabel said.

McDaniels was on the staff in New England for all eight seasons that Vrabel played linebacker with the team. They won three Super Bowls together, and Vrabel will be looking to bring the Patriots back to that level of success in his return to the franchise.

McDaniels didn't coach during the 2024 season. He was fired eight games into his second year as Las Vegas Raiders head coach in 2023. He also had a failed two-year run as head coach of the Denver Broncos from 2009-10.

Still, McDaniels is considered to be a respected offensive mind, so reuniting with Vrabel could be his best option if he wants to return to coaching in 2025.

ESPN analyst Rex Ryan has made his desire to return as the head coach of the New York Jets no secret, but it doesn't seem like that is going to happen.

"I've heard this is highly, highly, highly unlikely to happen," Connor Hughes of SNY reported Tuesday. "One source actually told me there is no chance. Give the Jets credit for allowing Ryan a chance to interview, but let's be real: It would be a disaster. Yes, Ryan oversaw the last two playoff teams for the Jets. However, he took the Jets to the playoffs with Eric Mangini's team. The moment Ryan got his hands on the roster things began to deteriorate."

The Ryan era in New York was an interesting one, as it featured plenty of ups and downs.

Yes, his teams went to back-to-back AFC Championship Games during his first two seasons in 2010 and 2011. But, as Hughes pointed out, he inherited plenty of that talent, which is all the more notable since things went downhill after that.

New York went a combined 26-38 during the next four playoff-less seasons before firing him.

The Buffalo Bills then gave him a chance just to miss the playoffs in each of his two seasons as head coach in 2015 and 2016. They fired him after Week 16 during his second and final season.

Ryan hasn't been an NFL head coach since, so there may be an adjustment period if he was hired by the Jets or another franchise. And he at least landed an interview with his former team, although it must not have gone that well if he is reportedly such a long shot at this stage of the process.

A lack of confidence isn't the issue, as he previously told ESPN's Rick DiPietro and Dave Rothenberg he was "the best guy and it isn't close."

Ryan also turned heads after the New England Patriots hired Mike Vrabel by saying he will hopefully "get to kick this guy's ass twice a year" during an appearance on Sunday's NFL Countdown (2:52 mark).

New York has struggled to replicate its success in the early Ryan days, but that doesn't mean bringing him back is the answer moving into the future.

And it seems like the team agrees with that notion.