The NFL announced the five nationally televised prime-time 2025 preseason games on Thursday.

• Action begins with the Los Angeles Chargers facing the Detroit Lions in the Hall of Fame Game in Canton, Ohio, on Thursday, July 31. The game will air on NBC.

  In Week 2 of the preseason, the Buffalo Bills will visit the Chicago Bears on Sunday, Aug. 17 (Fox) and the Cincinnati Bengals will visit the Washington Commanders on Monday, Aug. 18 (ESPN).

  In Week 3, the New York Giants will host the New England Patriots on Thursday, Aug. 21 (Prime Video) and the Tennessee Titans will host the Minnesota Vikings (CBS).

  All five games begin at 8 p.m. ET.

  --Field Level Media

Free agent tight end Marcedes Lewis is planning to hang up his cleats at the end of the 2025 season.

• Lewis, 41, announced his plans on the "Up & Adams" show on Thursday.

  "Mentally, I'm going into it saying this is going to be my last year," Lewis told host Kay Adams. "Obviously to have 19 amazing years and the journey's been great."

  Lewis has played in all 17 games over the last two seasons with the Chicago Bears.

  "I'm still playing almost 30 percent of the plays now, and it's not as if I'm just this old guy or I can't stay healthy," he said. "I think I've missed like 18 games in 19 years. Durable, I'm still doing my thing. I still practice hard. I'm still a student. I'm learning. I'm not in meetings acting as if I know it all. I think that's what keeps me locked in and my seatbelt on."

  Lewis ranks first all-time among tight ends in career games played (285). He surpassed Jason Witten (271) and Hall of Famer Tony Gonzalez (270) last season, during which he had one catch for 2 yards.

  A first-round pick by Jacksonville in 2006, Lewis has 437 career catches for 5,115 yards and 40 touchdowns for the Jaguars (2006-17), Green Bay Packers (2018-22) and Bears. He made the Pro Bowl in 2010.

  --Field Level Media

While the NFL has approved active players to participate in the 2028 Summer Olympic flag football tournament in Los Angeles, commissioner Roger Goodell made it clear that the NFL will not determine which players will compete for the United States.

• Rather, Goodell said during this week's meeting of league owners, the roster selection will come down to a separate group: USA Football.

  "That's actually a function of USA Football that will be making that decision," Goodell said. "The NFL will not have any involvement in that selection process."

  According to USA Football bylaws, Goodell will appoint three individuals to the 15-member board with at least two of them serving on the five-person executive committee.

  This all comes just a few days after NFL owners unanimously voting in favor of allowing active players to compete in flag football at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. No more than one player from each NFL team will be able to participate in the games, which will feature six men's teams and six women's teams consisting of 10 players apiece.

  "I know first-hand that the inclusion of flag football in the Olympics has sparked a tremendous amount of excitement among NFL players interested in the chance to compete for their country on the world stage," Goodell said at the time. "We are thrilled that they will now have that chance."

  The 2028 Summer Games are scheduled to take place from July 14-30, 2028. NFL players generally are off from mid-June until the start of training camp in late July.

  --Field Level Media

Aaron Rodgers may have tipped his hand as to the identity of his next NFL employer.

• While making an appearance at a Mike Stud concert in Austin, Texas on Friday, Rodgers was asked by a young fan whether he'd play for the Chicago Bears.

  Her question was met with a bit of laughter from the audience, given Rodgers' previous claim that he "owned" the rival Bears during his time as the star quarterback of the Green Bay Packers.

  "No, but I believe there's a team that might play in Chicago this year on a road trip," Rodgers said. "I love Chicago, though. Way more than they love me."

  If one is willing to read into Rodgers' comment, the Pittsburgh Steelers play in Chicago on Nov. 23. The Steelers, of course, long have been rumored to be the eventual landing spot for Rodgers.

  Russell Wilson and Justin Fields were the starters in Pittsburgh last season and both signed free agent deals to play in New York -- Wilson with the Giants, Fields with the Jets.

  Quarterbacks currently on Pittsburgh's roster are Mason Rudolph, a former Steeler who is returning after a season with the Tennessee Titans, Skylar Thompson and sixth-round draft pick Will Howard.

  Rodgers, 41, passed for 3,897 yards and 28 touchdowns with the Jets in 2024, returning from a season-ending Achilles injury suffered in his first game with the team in September 2023.

  A four-time NFL MVP and 10-time Pro Bowl selection, Rodgers ranks fifth in league history in touchdown passes (503) and seventh in passing yards (62,952).

  --Field Level Media

The Arizona Cardinals placed cornerback Sean Murphy-Bunting on the reserve/non-football injury list on Thursday, a move that will apparently end his 2025 season.

• Neither the Cardinals nor Murphy-Bunting's representatives have detailed what occurred.

  A team can place players on the NFI list for injuries unrelated to football or injuries that didn't occur during NFL games and practices.

  Murphy-Bunting started 15 of 15 games played for the Cardinals last season and matched his career high of three interceptions. He had 52 tackles and two forced fumbles.

  Murphy-Bunting, who turns 28 next month, has played 82 games (65 starts) over six seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2019-22), Tennessee Titans (2023) and Cardinals. He has 11 interceptions, returning one for a touchdown in 2019, along with 297 tackles, 34 passes defensed and eight forced fumbles. He was a second-round pick by Tampa Bay in the 2019 draft.

  Arizona selected promising cornerback Will Johnson of Michigan in the second round of the 2025 draft. Johnson was considered a possible Top 10 pick prior to the 2024 season but slid down draft boards due to a knee issue.

  --Field Level Media

The Cleveland Browns' plan to leave downtown and build a $2.4 billion domed stadium in suburban Brook Park has turned into a public spat with Cleveland's mayor.

• The NFL team's owners, Jimmy and Dee Haslam, have not wavered for 18 months in choosing a new, indoor stadium as part of a larger, mixed-use development rather than renovating Huntington Bank Field. They view the latter option of pouring more than $1 billion into renovating the stadium -- where the team's lease expires after the 2028 season -- as a "short-term fix."

  Earlier this week, Cleveland mayor Justin Bibb said, "There are more important priorities than the Cleveland Browns," in an interview with Fox 8 News and noted redeveloping the lakefront area and upgrading Cleveland Hopkins International Airport.

  "If they go to Brook Park, God bless them. Good luck," Bibb told the Cleveland TV station.

  On Wednesday, however, Bibb issued a statement on social media that "reinforces his commitment to protecting Cleveland taxpayers," while calling the future of the Browns' stadium on the lakefront "a critical issue for Cleveland now and for generations to come."

  "Right now, the Haslams are taking extreme measures to relocate the team away from downtown -- an irreversible move that will negatively impact Cleveland and numerous small businesses that have stood by and supported their team for years through thick and thin," Bibb said in the statement. "Let's not forget, the Haslams previously committed to staying downtown as well."

  The Haslam Sports Group is prepared to finance a portion of the Brook Park facility, including $1.2 billion in private investment and a pledge to cover cost overruns, The Athletic reported. Brook Park is 20-plus miles southwest of Cleveland.

  The financing is leveraged against $600 million in bonds from both the state of Ohio and Cuyahoga County. That amount would be recouped with tax revenues created by the new project.

  The Ohio state Senate is considering the state budget after the Ohio House passed its version. Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine has until June 30 to sign the budget into law. Jimmy Haslam said in March that if funding is approved in June, the Browns hope to begin construction in early 2026.

  With plans underway for the stadium and entertainment complex in Brook Park, the Haslam Sports Group last month sent a letter to Cuyahoga County executives, The Athletic reported.

  "Renovating the (current) stadium and putting more than $1 billion into a short-term fix that would present the same dilemma 15 to 20 years from now is neither a strategic nor a fiscally responsible long-term approach," the letter said.

  The Browns and the city of Cleveland are battling on numerous fronts, including a lawsuit filed in January saying the team would violate the Modell Law if it moves. The law is named for former team owner Art Modell, who moved the Browns franchise to Baltimore and they became the Ravens in 1996.

  The law requires teams using taxpayer funding and playing in a tax-supported facility to obtain the city's approval or allow the city and others to buy the franchise before it moves from the facility.

  The Browns filed a challenge, saying the law only applies to teams trying to move out of Ohio, not within the state, and that the team can move with the expiration of the current lease.

  "I am fully committed to protecting our taxpayers, our downtown economy, and our treasured lakefront," Bibb said in his statement on Wednesday. "I will do everything in my power to keep the Browns where they belong -- in downtown Cleveland -- and will continue to fight for what is in the best interest of our residents."

  --Field Level Media

Late Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay was a hands-on decision-maker from the highest seat in the team's operation after learning under his father.

• Now one of Irsay's children might follow a similar path to lead the Colts following her father's death.

  Irsay died at 65 on Wednesday and is survived by three children. His eldest daughter, Carlie Irsay-Gordon, listed by the team as vice chair and co-owner, reportedly will take on an expanded role with the franchise, according to multiple reports.

  Irsay was the son of Robert Irsay, who grew his fortune as a heating and air conditioning contractor. He bought the Los Angeles Rams for $19 million in 1972, then swapped them the Baltimore Colts, moving them to Indianapolis in 1984.

  Two years out of college, Jim Irsay became the team's general manager. He held the position until taking over as owner, chairman and CEO of the Colts in 1997 when his father died.

  Irsay-Gordon, 44, served as an intern for the Colts and is a member of multiple league committees. She has attended owners meetings and tended to official league business at her father's side -- and independently on behalf of ownership -- since 2004.

  She and her siblings -- Casey Foyt and Kalen Jackson -- were named as vice chair/co-owners of the Colts in 2012. Irsay-Gordon has been heavily involved in the business side of the team since then and in the past several years continued to take on more responsibility in other areas of the organization.

  Former Colts general manager Ryan Grigson, who was in place when the Colts released Peyton Manning and drafted Andrew Luck No. 1 overall, publicly praised Irsay-Gordon's football instincts and knowledge. She filled in when Jim Irsay was suspended for six games by the NFL in 2014. The suspension came after he entered a guilty plea to DUI charges.

  --Field Level Media

Linebacker Abdul Carter, the No. 3 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, signed his four-year rookie contract with the New York Giants on Thursday.

• Agents for the Penn State product confirmed that the fully guaranteed deal is worth $45.255 million.

  Carter, 21, is represented by Drew Rosenhaus, Robert Bailey and Jason Rosenhaus.

  Carter was a consensus All-American and Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year in 2024 with 12 sacks, 24 tackles for loss and two forced fumbles in 16 games for the Nittany Lions.

  --Field Level Media

Pittsburgh Steelers first-round draft pick Derrick Harmon signed his four-year rookie contract, the team announced Thursday.

• The Steelers selected the standout Oregon defensive tackle with the 21st overall pick of the 2025 NFL Draft last month.

  The four-year deal is worth $17,948,806, per Spotrac. It comes with the customary fifth-year option for the team.

  "He has Steelers DNA," coach Mike Tomlin said of Harmon. "For us it starts inside and up front. This is a guy that is capable of dominating that space versus the run and the pass. We are excited about having him. Really excited about getting him in here and getting started.

  "There is no substitute for young talent. You don't have a chance to build a quality defense unless you are stout inside and up front. This is a guy that has an opportunity to learn from the likes of Cam Heyward and put his hand in the pile and be a significant contributor for us for years to come."

  Harmon began his college career at Michigan State and played three seasons for the Spartans before transferring to Oregon. He had five sacks and two fumble recoveries for the Ducks last season.

  Harmon has been adjusting since the death of his mother, Tiffany Saine, just hours after he was drafted. Saine sustained a stroke in 2022 and was paralyzed on her left side.

  "I'm doing the best I can," Harmon said during rookie minicamp. "I'm in football. I'm in my element. That keeps my mind off things. I'm still dealing with it. I'm just putting one foot in front of the other."

  --Field Level Media

Detroit Lions star defensive end Aidan Hutchinson uttered three little words fans were waiting for Thursday when discussing his recovery from the fractured tibia and fibula that ended his 2024 season.

• "I'm fully cleared," Hutchinson said.

  OK, Hutchinson said more than that as he plans to get up to speed during the Lions' offseason activities.

  "I'm rolling with the boys now and it feels like I'm back to being myself again," he said. "I'm really looking forward to the season. I think this is the most excited I've been for OTAs in my life. This is the biggest hiatus I've had without playing ball so I'm pumped."

  Hutchinson, 24, has recorded 28.5 sacks in 39 games (all starts) since being selected by Detroit with the second overall pick of the 2022 NFL Draft.

  He had 7.5 sacks in five games last season before he hurt his leg in a collision with teammate Alim McNeill in the third quarter of a 47-9 road victory against the Dallas Cowboys on Oct. 13.

  Now, Hutchinson will have a familiar face as his new defensive coordinator. Kelvin Sheppard was elevated from his post as linebackers coach to replace Aaron Glenn, who is now head coach of the New York Jets.

  "The way he attacks things ... you have to know everything that is going on," Hutchinson said of Sheppard. "That's what I love about him, and I think that's going to have our defense very, very prepared this year."

  When Glenn took over as Detroit's defensive coordinator in 2021, Sheppard came on board and has spent the last four seasons learning under the former three-time Pro Bowl defensive back and 15-year NFL veteran.

  --Field Level Media

New Orleans Saints quarterback Jake Haener will miss "a couple of weeks" after sustaining an oblique strain, ESPN reported Thursday.

• Haener suffered the injury while throwing extra passes during Wednesday's OTA practice.

  Per ESPN, an MRI revealed a strain but no tear of the oblique for Haener, who is expected to be ready for the start of training camp.

  He likely will be involved in a three-way competition with rookie Tyler Shough and Spencer Rattler for the starter's role. Shough was selected by the Saints in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft last month, while Rattler was a fifth-round pick in 2024.

  Derek Carr, the team's starting quarterback the last two seasons, announced his retirement on May 10 due to a right shoulder injury.

  Haener, 26, completed 18 of 39 passes for 226 yards with a touchdown and an interception in eight games (one start) last season. He was selected by the Saints in the fourth round of the 2023 NFL Draft.

  --Field Level Media

Indianapolis Colts owner and chief executive officer Jim Irsay, who spent his career in the NFL, has died Wednesday afternoon, the team announced. He was 65.

• "We are devastated to announce our beloved Owner & CEO, Jim Irsay, passed away peacefully in his sleep this afternoon," Colts chief operating officer Pete Ward said in a statement from the team. "Jim's dedication and passion for the Indianapolis Colts in addition to his generosity, commitment to the community, and most importantly, his love for his family were unsurpassed. Our deepest sympathies go to his daughters, Carlie Irsay-Gordon, Casey Foyt, Kalen Jackson, and his entire family as we grieve with them."

  The youngest owner in league history at 37 when he took over the franchise in 1997, Irsay rose up through the organization -- including becoming the NFL's youngest general manager at 24 in 1984 -- after his father, Robert Irsay, purchased the Baltimore franchise in 1972.

  The Colts relocated to Indianapolis in 1984. Jim Irsay was general manager and vice president from 1984-93 before becoming the owner, chairman and CEO in 1997. He was colorful, ouspoken and blunt in his opinions, including on league matters.

  "Some of Jim's fondest memories came from his youth working training camps in Baltimore and growing relationships with players, coaches, and staff, whom he considered his extended family," the Colts' statement read. "He worked in every department before he was named the youngest general manager in team history in 1984 when the Colts arrived in Indianapolis.

  "After he took sole ownership in 1997, he led the Colts to a long series of division titles and brought the city its first Super Bowl Championship," the statement continued. "Jim's love and appreciation for the NFL in addition to its history, tradition and principles influenced him to become a steward of the game throughout his 50-plus years in the League."

  The Colts won the Super Bowl in the 2006 season, beating the Chicago Bears 29-17 in Super Bowl XLI. Indianapolis then fell to the New Orleans Saints 31-17 in Super Bowl XLIV to conclude the 2009 season.

  Over 38 years under Jim Irsay's involvement with the franchise from 1984-2024, the Colts went 316-294-1 in the regular season and 13-16 in the playoffs.

  "We were deeply saddened to learn of Jim Irsay's passing today," NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement. "Jim was a friend, and a man deeply committed to his family, the game, the Colts, and the Indianapolis community. He spent his life and career in the National Football League. Starting as a teenager as a Colts' ballboy, he learned every position in the organization before assuming leadership of the Colts approximately 30 years ago. Jim's Colts won the Super Bowl, hosted another and built Lucas Oil Stadium."

  Goodell noted Irsay's participation in league operations as the active chairman of the legislative committee and a member of the finance committee.

  "He led with integrity, passion and care for the Colts' players, coaches and staff, and his courageous work in support of mental health will be a lasting legacy," Goodell said in the statement. "Outside of football, he was a talented musician and built an extraordinary collection of historical and musical artifacts that he shared with people across the country.

  "On behalf of the entire NFL, I extend my heartfelt condolences to Jim's daughters and their families, and to his many friends throughout the NFL."

  The Colts' statement also mentioned Irsay's passion for music, which included fronting the Jim Irsay Band and acquiring classic guitars as well as a vast collection of memorabilia -- part of his outgoing persona.

  "Jim's generosity can be felt all over Indianapolis, the state of Indiana and the country," the Colts said in the statement. "He made philanthropy a daily endeavor. He never hesitated to help countless organizations and individuals live better lives.

  "Music was one of Jim's passions and the ability to share his band and collection with millions of people across the world brought him tremendous joy. Simply put, he wanted to make the world a better place and that philosophy never wavered. Jim will be deeply missed by his family, the Colts organization and fans everywhere, but we remain inspired by his caring and unique spirit."

  In February 2024, Irsay took to social media to reveal that his health was improving after he was hospitalized for a severe respiratory illness.

  "On the mend. Grateful for all the messages of love and support," Irsay wrote on Twitter.

  The Colts released a statement on Jan. 9, 2024, saying Irsay was undergoing treatment for the illness.

  On Dec. 8, 2023, per a police report, Irsay, then 64, was found unresponsive in his home in Carmel, Ind., prompting emergency personnel to administer Narcan, which is commonly used to reverse the effects of an opioid overdose.

  Irsay revealed during a November 2023 interview on HBO's "Real Sports With Bryant Gumbel" that he had battled addiction and nearly died from a previous overdose. He said he had been to rehab "at least 15 times."

  He publicly credited Alcoholics Anonymous for positively impacting his life and that organization's 12-step program has "literally saved hundreds of thousands or millions of lives," Irsay told ESPN in 2024.

  --Field Level Media

The Tennessee Titans on Wednesday signed quarterback Cam Ward, the top overall selection in the 2025 NFL Draft.

• The fully guaranteed contract is for four years and $48.7 million, per reporting from ESPN.

  "It's a blessing," Ward said. "I'm ready to get to work."

  Ward, 22, passed for 4,313 yards and 39 touchdowns, both single-season school records for the University of Miami, en route to being selected the Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Year last fall.

  The consensus All-American finished fourth in the Heisman Trophy balloting.

  In becoming the Division I record-holder for career touchdown passes with 158, Ward played two seasons at FCS Incarnate Word before transferring to Washington State, where he played two more seasons ahead of his final season at Miami.

  The Titans, 3-14 a year ago, revealed earlier this week that they would be splitting reps evenly between Ward and incumbent Will Levis, with head coach Brian Callahan noting that Ward had a lot of ground to cover this offseason.

  "There's so much work to be done between now and (the start of the season), particularly for him," Callahan said. "I feel good about where he's at and the work we've put in."

  Seven of the team's nine draft picks have been inked to deals, with linebacker Oluwafemi Oladejo and wide receiver Chimere Dike yet to sign.

  --Field Level Media

The Buffalo Bills will make their "Hard Knocks" debut on HBO this summer, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell announced Wednesday.

• Also, Goodell announced that the NFC East will be featured on the in-season edition of Hard Knocks, the long-running documentary series that began chronicling NFL teams in training camp with behind-the-scenes access in 2001. The in-season version debuted in 2021.

  The Bills' five-part documentary will premiere on Aug. 5 on HBO and Max. Both series will be narrated by Liev Schreiber.

  The Bills fit the criteria for selection: They don't have a first-year coach; they haven't appeared in the last eight years; and they won't be part of the in-season edition in the next two seasons, which means the AFC East will not be featured in 2026.

  Nine teams were automatically eliminated as choices for this summer, given their appearances over the last eight years: Chicago Bears (2024), New York Jets (2023), Detroit Lions (2022), Dallas Cowboys (2021), Los Angeles Chargers (2020), Los Angeles Rams (2020), Raiders (2019), Cleveland Browns (2018) and Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2017).

  --Field Level Media

The NFL on Wednesday announced a new end-of-year annual honor that will be awarded to the league's best offensive lineman, called Protector of the Year.

• NFL executive Troy Vincent announced the award and credited Buffalo Bills four-time Pro Bowl lineman Dion Dawkins and retired two-time All-Pro Andrew Whitworth for pushing the idea.

  "Recognize the big fellas," Vincent said Wednesday at the NFL owners meetings in Eagan, Minn.

  The winner will be decided by a panel that includes a number of former greats who played on the offensive line, Vincent said.

  --Field Level Media

Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson, recovering from a twice-ruptured Achilles tendon, has been out of his walking boot for weeks and throwing to receivers at the team's practice facility, Cleveland.com reported.

• The rehab process for Watson, who is all but written off for the 2025 NFL season, has been "excellent," according to the report.

  Watson on Monday posted a photo of himself throwing at the Browns' facility; Cleveland.com reported wide receivers Jerry Jeudy and David Bell, the latter rehabbing from surgery to repair a dislocated hip, have been working out with Watson.

  The team, however, selected two quarterbacks in April's draft and signed two others in anticipation of not having Watson until 2026.

  Watson, 29, is recovering from a pair of Achilles tendon surgeries in a span of less than four months. He played in 19 of a possible 51 games with the Browns since being acquired from the Texans in March 2022, a deal Cleveland made despite the quarterback being accused of committing sexual improprieties by more than two dozen massage therapists in the Houston area.

  Even Browns owner Jimmy Haslam went on the record in March to label the trade a "swing and miss," a major revelation considering it came from the individual approving Watson's checks.

  Watson posted a brief video addressing the doubters last month.

  "Everyone is doubting me. Everyone don't believe in me," Watson said in a video posted to Instagram. "Everyone don't think I can get back to where I was. But I know, and I believe the work that I put in, that I believe in myself. ... I know, I'm gonna be way better than before."

  When the calendar turned to April, Kenny Pickett was the only healthy quarterback on the Browns' roster. They quickly changed that, signing Joe Flacco to a one-year deal and then selecting Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders in the draft.

  While the training camp battle that's to come will bring some clarity to the QB room, a potential Watson return midseason would further complicate the team's roster decisions.

  The Browns reworked Watson's contract in March, clearing $36 million in cap space, leaving Watson with a base salary of $1.255 million for the 2025 season.

  With the Browns, Watson has completed 61.2 percent of his passes for 3,365 yards with 19 touchdown passes and 12 interceptions.

  --Field Level Media

Another season of the "Brotherly Shove" is coming soon after NFL owners failed to pass a proposal to ban the rugby-style, short-yardage play commonly employed by the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles.

• A proposal to eliminate any play involving pushing or shoving ballcarriers forward did not receive the required 24 votes of support on Wednesday at the NFL owners meetings in Eagan, Minn. ESPN reported the final vote was 22-10.

  The only rules change adopted by the competition committee on Wednesday is a tweak to onside kick rules to permit a team to declare an onside kick at any time while trailing -- not just in the fourth quarter -- and line up one yard closer to the opponent. Onside kicks had a success rate of only 6 percent last season.

  Not as many teams voted to eliminate the "tush push."

  The Eagles brought a secret weapon for their pre-vote argument on Wednesday. Retired center Jason Kelce joined the Philadelphia contingent led by franchise owner Jeffrey Lurie to present the team's argument for maintaining the legality of the play.

  Shortly after the vote was taken and it was clear a ban wouldn't be implemented, the Eagles posted a picture of Jalen Hurts under center against the Green Bay Packers with the words "Push On" above the quarterback's head.

  Green Bay was the team that drafted the proposal, citing player safety concerns. The Packers play the Eagles on Nov. 10 in a "Monday Night Football" game at Lambeau Field.

  The Eagles defeated the Packers twice last season -- in the season opener at Brazil and in a postseason rematch at Philadelphia -- and are 3-0 in the matchup since Nick Sirianni was hired in 2021.

  --Field Level Media

NFL owners are putting off a discussion about a reworked contract for commissioner Roger Goodell, The Athletic reported Wednesday afternoon.

• Earlier in the day, the outlet reported that owners were expected to approve a contract extension at their spring league meeting.

  No reason was given for the delay, nor did the report indicate when the owners might take up the issue.

  Goodell, 66, has been commissioner since 2006, and his current contract expires in March 2027.

  He last received a contract extension -- his fourth -- in 2023.

  The league does not disclose Goodell's salary, but at the time of his most recent extension, ESPN said he reportedly earned $63.9 million annually in the 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons.

  Goodell has overseen league growth both domestically and internationally. Teams are more valuable now than ever, thanks in part to a media-rights deal that Goodell helped to negotiate, with the Washington Commanders sold for a record $6.065 billion in 2023. The annual draft now is held in rotating league cities, drawing hundreds of thousands of fans. The NFL also has expanded its global footprint, with seven regular-season games set to be played outside the United States in 2025.

  Goodell is the eighth NFL commissioner and his tenure is second in length only to Pete Rozelle, who served from 1960-89.

  --Field Level Media

The Detroit Lions withdrew their proposal to alter playoff seeding before a vote was taken by owners in Minneapolis on Wednesday, but commissioner Roger Goodell expects the discussion to resume into the 2025 season.

• Goodell said the proposal won't be considered in its current form. However, there is traction for making adjustments to the current playoff seeding structure.

  "On the reseeding, that is something that had gotten a lot of discussion in March," Goodell said Wednesday. "There are different forms of reseeding, as you can imagine. What I wanted to look at and what we eventually got the discussion on, where is the ownership's position on where they want us and the committees to evaluate. Is it no reseeding at all, some form of reseeding? After the first week, after the second week? What is it that would be of interest to them? And I think we got some direction on that and some timing issues on that, so that was helpful."

  The proposal called for seeding the playoff field based on record, thus eliminating the automatic home game for division winners regardless of regular-season record.

  NFL owners were scheduled to vote on the Lions' proposal first outlined in March on Wednesday. Instead, the team pulled the pitch from the table due to a lack of support, NFL Network reported, speculating the idea could be revisited should the league expand to an 18-game schedule.

  Under the current format, four division winners in each conference are guaranteed a home playoff game. Wild-card entrants travel to play the division champions, which can yield a matchup between a home team with a record worse than the wild-card team.

  Last season, for example, the 14-3 Vikings were forced to travel west to meet the 10-7 Rams in the wild-card round. Minnesota finished behind the Detroit Lions (15-2) in the NFC North, making the Vikings a wild card. Los Angeles won the NFC West. The Rams prevailed to advance.

  In the postseason followed the 2023 season, the Eagles (11-6) finished second on the NFC East and as a wild card went on the road to play the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-8) in the opening round.

  The Lions had proposed only the division winner with the best record in each conference would play at home. The remaining playoff teams would be seeded by record with no regard to division standing.

  --Field Level Media

Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown won't be pulling an all-nighter waiting to see how NFL owners vote on a potential ban of Philadelphia's virtually unstoppable assisted quarterback sneak play.

• A vote on eliminating the rugby style quarterback sneak labeled the tush push is expected at the league meetings in Minneapolis on Wednesday. The league tabled a vote in March at the annual spring meeting, a signal the language required refinement or further alterations to gain the approval necessary to ban the successful short-yardage run used by the Super Bowl champions.

  "I don't have any thoughts on it," Brown said Tuesday. "It's only one yard."

  The atypical formation involves a power package with multiple players aligned behind quarterback Jalen Hurts. At the snap of the ball, those players quite literally bring up the rear and shove Hurts from behind through would-be tacklers.

  A proposal on the table Wednesday would ban any player from "pushing or pulling the ball carrier anywhere on the field."

  Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni said in February it would be "unfair" for the 30 teams who aren't operating the play from herding to block Philadelphia from using it going forward. The Buffalo Bills have also become frequent users of the play in short yardage. They combined for a success rate of 87 percent either converting a first down or scoring a touchdown.

  "We'll see where that goes," Sirianni said. "We're not waiting very long to figure it out. It's going to be public (Wednesday). And you know how I feel about it."

  One way or another, Eagles left tackle Jordan Mailata said he'd be glad to see the name of the play go.

  "In terms of them banning the tush push, I hate that name, so I hope they do ban it -- it's a stupid name," he said.

  --Field Level Media

Coming off consecutive 4-13 seasons, the New England Patriots are hoping to turn the page quickly under new head coach Mike Vrabel.

• "I think there's an excitement. There's an energy," Vrabel told reporters Tuesday as the team's offseason program got underway. " I think there's a willingness of players that walk in and want to improve, want to get to know the new players and the ones that they're familiar with from last year, the coaches and everything else. We're just constantly trying to build that each and every day."

  Vrabel, who played for the Patriots from 2001-08 and coached the Tennessee Titans from 2018-23, replaces Jerod Mayo. Mayo only coached one season after succeeding six-time Super Bowl winner Bill Belichick.

  Right now, Vrabel said the Patriots are trying to integrate second-year quarterback Drake Maye and the rest of the roster into a new system ahead of next month's mandatory minicamp.

  "I think everybody's worked extremely hard, including Drake, to pick up what we want to do offensively and defensively," Vrabel said. "Now that has to start to translate onto the practice field in a spring setting, without pads, and I think that we're off to a good start. We had a positive day. We were able to mix some speed stuff in and competitive stuff to a point."

  Although these are non-contact sessions, Vrabel said there are still things he wants to see in every practice.

  "That we're in and out of the huddle, that there are clean substitutions, that there's communication," he began. "You hear the defense making checks when somebody on the offense moves or motions. There's coordination, and that the offense is moving with urgency and that the play clock isn't sitting at zero for four seconds. All of the operational things.

  "And then there's obviously got to be a level of execution when we're in the speed, and then when we get to the jog-through, can we practice at a tempo that's less than 100-percent and still get something out of it."

  Vrabel confirmed that the Patriots will hold joint practices during training camp later this summer with both the Washington Commanders and Minnesota Vikings.

  He also gave an update on running back Rhamondre Stevenson, who is dealing with the passing of his father in March.

  "We're extremely excited to have him with us. I've been in constant communication with him, and obviously our thoughts and prayers are with him and his family as they heal and they grieve, and I want to be a part of that to help him, and get to know him," Vrabel said of Stevenson, also praising his on-field effort and performance from last season.

  "He's going to be a large part of what we do, and we'll just have to determine where he's at when he's back here," Vrabel said of Stevenson.

  New England opens the regular season at home against the Las Vegas Raiders on Sept. 7.

  --Field Level Media

Cincinnati Bengals head coach Zac Taylor said Tuesday that he has spoken with disgruntled defensive end Trey Hendrickson.

• That said, Taylor didn't divulge much more in the way of an update to reporters on Hendrickson, who told reporters last week that he received a text from Taylor regarding fines for potential missed mandatory minicamp from June 10-12.

  "I put a lot of time into thinking -- those situations, there's real money at stake," Taylor said. "So I put a lot of time and energy into thinking about how to communicate, when to communicate. And so, that's just how I handled that one. And, yeah, Trey and I have spoken.

  "I think every situation is unique. Every personality is different, every player is different. The timing of everything is different. So, you just adapt as you go with that stuff."

  Bengals star quarterback Joe Burrow, who previously lent his support to wide receiver Tee Higgins in his bid to receive a contract extension, said he values all that Hendrickson has brought to the team.

  "We'll see what happens with that," Burrow said of Hendrickson's situation. "You know how I feel about Trey. He's a guy who deserves to get paid and get paid what he wants and what the market says he deserves."

  Last Tuesday, Hendrickson told reporters that he will not play the upcoming season with the Bengals on his current contract. The four-time Pro Bowl selection touched on several topics before sharing that he received a text from Taylor on what would happen if he didn't participate in the team's mandatory workout.

  "A little bit transpired between me and Zac," Hendrickson said last week. "We've tried to keep it the least amount personal as possible. But at some point in this process, it becomes personal. Being sent 30 days before mandatory camp, or however many days it is that if I don't show up, I will be fined, alludes to the fact that something won't get done in that time frame, and that, with the lack of communication post-draft made it evidently clear from my party, meaning my wife, my son, my agent, right? Like we're talking a small group of people, that I had to inform (them) that this might not work out.

  "And that's unfortunate. I don't think it was necessary. I think we all should have hoped for the best until proven otherwise."

  Hendrickson, 30, led the NFL and matched his career high with 17.5 sacks in 17 starts last season, adding 46 tackles and 36 quarterback hits with two forced fumbles.

  He has one year remaining on a contract extension he signed in 2023 with a base salary of $15.8 million for 2025.

  Negotiations reportedly resumed in March after the Bengals signed wide receivers Ja'Marr Chase and Higgins to extensions worth $161 million and $115 million, respectively.

  Hendrickson's market value as a defensive end has climbed this offseason with the Las Vegas Raiders signing Maxx Crosby to a three-year, $106.5 million deal and the Cleveland Browns keeping Myles Garrett with a four-year, $160 million contract.

  Hendrickson has made the Pro Bowl in each of his four seasons in Cincinnati. He has 77 career sacks in 110 games (81 starts) with the New Orleans Saints (2017-20) and Bengals.

  --Field Level Media

Dallas Cowboys pass rusher Micah Parsons was not on the field with teammates on Tuesday as part of what head coach Brian Schottenheimer described as "in and out" attendance expected during organized team activities.

• Parsons, who was present Monday, is angling for a new contract one year after Dallas went through training camp before negotiating long-term extensions with wide receiver CeeDee Lamb and quarterback Dak Prescott.

  Schottenheimer said Tuesday that Prescott is able to participate in first-team reps during OTAs, a sign he's considered fully healed from a torn hamstring, the injury that ended his 2024 season and required surgery.

  Parsons was permitted to work out largely on his own in the offseason under previous head coach Mike McCarthy.

  With more than two months between current OTA work and training camp, Schottenheimer said "it means a lot to me" to have Parsons present when he's able. Parsons participated in Monday's group workout and team meetings.

  Under first-time head coach Schottenheimer, Dallas began working through installation of new defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus' scheme in April with Parsons in attendance.

  The All-Pro pass rusher is said to be seeking a $200 million deal that would set an NFL record for a non-quarterback.

  Parsons, 25, recorded 12 sacks, 43 tackles and two forced fumbles in 13 games (all starts) last season.

  A Pro Bowl selection in each of his first four seasons in the league, Parsons has totaled 256 tackles (63 for loss), 112 quarterback hits, 52.5 sacks, nine forced fumbles and four fumble recoveries in 63 career games (all starts).

  Without a new deal this offseason, Parsons is in line to earn approximately $24 million on the fifth year of his rookie contract in 2025.

  Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said earlier this month that the two sides are in agreement on "most of the issues."

  Back in December, Parsons discussed the importance of attending workouts, minicamps and training camp.

  "I've got to be around the guys," he said. "There's going to be rookies, there's going to be free agents -- guys that come here -- you don't know who's going to be there, so there's a chemistry part and people know what you can do, but people also got to see it from a leader aspect. So I still gotta be there for that part."

  --Field Level Media

Wide receiver Kristian Wilkerson signed a one-year contract with the Buffalo Bills, the team announced on Tuesday.

• Financial terms were not disclosed by the Bills, who released fellow wide receiver Hal Presley III.

  Wilkerson, 28, had two catches for 18 yards and a touchdown in three games last season with the Las Vegas Raiders.

  He has totaled six receptions for 60 yards and three TDs in nine career games (two starts) with the New England Patriots (2020-21) and Raiders (2023-24).

  Presley signed with Buffalo after going undrafted out of Baylor this year.

  --Field Level Media

NFL team owners voted unanimously in favor of allowing players to compete in flag football at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

• "It's an incredible honor for any athlete to represent their country in the Olympics, which is the pinnacle of global sport," said NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. "I know first-hand that the inclusion of flag football in the Olympics has sparked a tremendous amount of excitement among NFL players interested in the chance to compete for their country on the world stage. We are thrilled that they will now have that chance."  

  Approval required at least 24 of the 32 team owners vote in favor of the resolution as a first step in bringing pros to the flag football field in the Summer Games. Up next for the league is coming to terms with the NFL Players Association and International Olympic Committee on next steps.

  The approval passed Tuesday permits no more than one player from each NFL team to participate in the games. It also would allow a team's designated international player to play for his home country.

  Under the proposed agreement, six men's teams and six women's teams consisting of 10 players apiece would compete in Los Angeles. NFL player participation representing their national flag football team would begin with a tryout or qualification process in advance of the Olympic competition.

  "Players have expressed to us a great desire for the honor of competing in the Olympics, and we're excited that our members will be able to represent their country on the highest international stage," said NFL Players Association executive director Lloyd Howell Jr. "We look forward to working with the league, IFAF, and Olympic authorities on the terms of their participation to ensure players who compete will do so with protections to their health, safety, and job."

  The NFL proposal included a few caveats that would protect teams in case of injuries, including providing salary cap credit for any players hurt while participating and establishing "certain minimum standards for medical staff and field surfaces."

  The 2028 Summer Games are scheduled to take place from July 14-30, 2028. NFL players generally are off from mid-June until the start of training camp in late July.

  --Field Level Media