Eagles QB Jalen Hurts clears concussion protocol and will start wild-card game against Green Bay
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Jalen Hurts has cleared the NFL concussion protocol and will start for the Philadelphia Eagles in their NFC wild-card game Sunday against Green Bay. The Eagles quarterback hasn’t played since he suffered a concussion and left a Dec. 22 game early against Washington. Coach Nick Sirianni said Friday that Hurts was out of the protocol and was “ready to roll” against the Packers. Hurts returned to practice this week. There are five phases in the concussion protocol, with the final one clearance by an independent neurological consultant.
Lamar Jackson repeats and Ja’Marr Chase and Justin Jefferson are unanimous choices for AP All-Pro
Lamar Jackson beat out Josh Allen, and Ja’Marr Chase and Justin Jefferson are unanimous choices for The Associated Press 2024 NFL All-Pro Team. Saquon Barkley received 48 of 50 first-place votes and Patrick Surtain II got 49 from a nationwide panel of media members who regularly cover the league. Jackson received 30 first-place votes to Allen’s 18, making the team for the second straight year and third overall. The NFC-leading Lions had four players selected. They are wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown, right tackle Penei Sewell, safety Kerby Joseph and punter Jack Fox. Browns edge rusher Myles Garrett earned his seventh nod while 49ers linebacker Fred Warner was chosen for the fourth time.
Browns QB Deshaun Watson reinjures Achilles, has surgery and will miss ‘significant’ time in 2025
CLEVELAND (AP) — Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson had surgery after rupturing his Achilles tendon for the second time in three months, a setback that could sideline him for the entire 2025 season. The team said Watson, who has played in just 19 games in three seasons with Cleveland due to an NFL suspension and injuries, felt discomfort in his ankle after “rolling” it while in Miami. Tests showed he re-ruptured the tendon, requiring another operation. The Browns said Friday in a statement that Watson is expected to miss “significant time” in 2025. Even before the setback, the team was expected to overhaul the QB position next season. Cleveland has the No. 2 overall pick in the draft.
LA Rams head for Arizona and a crucial playoff game with their minds on their fire-ravaged hometown
LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Los Angeles Rams have been preparing for their biggest game of the season amid the catastrophic wildfires besieging their home area. The players and coaches tasked with separating football from real life are finding it difficult, but they are determined to meet the challenges on all fronts when they “host” the Minnesota Vikings at the Cardinals’ State Farm Stadium on Monday night. Only a few Rams employees had been affected by the fires until Thursday afternoon, when the Kenneth Fire broke out a few miles from the team’s training complex in suburban Woodland Hills, sending smoke high into the sky with alarming speed.