The NFL’s new year officially kicked off Wednesday, two days after teams began spending big money in free agency.

The NFL's 52-hour legal tampering period arrived with a slew of stars receiving big contracts to either stay put or join a new team retooling its roster.

NFL teams can start reshaping their rosters by signing free agents this week.

Dallas signed defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa before the franchise tag deadline Tuesday and Minnesota declined to give the tag to quarterback Sam Darnold, clearing the way for him to hit the open market next week.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers receiver Chris Godwin will undergo surgery on a dislocated left ankle.

Lamar Jackson threw for 281 yards and five touchdowns, helping the Baltimore Ravens overcome an early double-digit deficit and extend their winning streak to five games with a 41-31 victory Monday night over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Baker Mayfield threw for 337 yards and three touchdowns to lead the resurgent Tampa Bay Buccaneers to a 32-9 wild-card playoff victory over Jalen Hurts and the defending NFC champion Philadelphia Eagles.

Baker Mayfield threw an 11-yard touchdown pass to Cade Otton with 31 seconds remaining, capping a wild fourth quarter that pushed the Tampa Bay Buccaneers into a tie for first place with a 29-25 victory over the Atlanta Falcons.

Baker Mayfield recovered from a rough start to throw two touchdown passes without a turnover in his Tampa Bay debut, and the Buccaneers beat Minnesota 20-17 after three first-half turnovers by the Vikings.

Tom Brady only knows one way the Tampa Bay Buccaneers can pull out of a season-long funk on offense and realize their potential.

Tom Brady stayed undefeated abroad by throwing two touchdown passes to help the Tampa Bay Buccaneers beat the Seattle Seahawks 21-16 in the first regular-season game played in Germany.

Can we finally start Tony Pollard.

Mitch Trubisky came on for an injured Kenny Pickett to throw a 6-yard touchdown pass in the fourth quarter and the Pittsburgh Steelers stunned Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 20-18.

Patrick Mahomes threw for 249 yards and three touchdowns to lead the Kansas City Chiefs to a 41-31 victory over Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Aaron Rodgers threw for 255 yards and two touchdowns, and the Green Bay Packers withstood a late rally led by Tom Brady to hold off the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for a 14-12 victory on Sunday.

Tampa Bay receiver Mike Evans has been suspended without pay for one game for his role in a scuffle that resulted in him and New Orleans cornerback Marshon Lattimore being ejected from the Buccaneers-Saints game.

The Saints have scratched top running back Alvin Kamara from the lineup against Tampa Bay because of a rib injury that has bothered him since New Orleans’ Week 1 victory at Atlanta.

Tom Brady and Mike Evans connected on a punctuating touchdown, Leonard Fournette ran for 127 yards and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers dominated the Dallas Cowboys 19-3.

The Tennessee Titans must decide if rookie Malik Willis gets a second straight preseason start as he fights for the backup quarterback job.

Seven months after undergoing knee surgery, Tampa Bay Buccaneers receiver Chris Godwin is back in pads on the practice field.

Tom Brady is back for a 23rd season — and his third with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Training camps opened across the NFL and the biggest offseason question remains unanswered.

Tom Brady threw for 232 yards and a touchdown, Antonio Brown made a grand return to the lineup after missing the last eight games and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers defeated the Carolina Panthers 32-6 on Sunday to clinch their first NFC South title since 2007.

Tampa Bay receiver Chris Godwin has a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee and will be out for the remainder of the season.

New Orleans’ defense gave Tom Brady fits again, shutting down Tampa Bay’s high-powered offense as the Saints put the Buccaneers’ division title celebration plans on hold with a 9-0 victory over the reigning Super Bowl champions.

Tom Brady threw for 368 yards and four touchdowns to lead the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to the brink of an NFC South title with a 30-17 victory over the Atlanta Falcons.

Tom Brady threw for 307 yards and two touchdowns and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers beat the New York Giants 30-10.

Tom Brady became the first player to throw 600 career touchdown passes and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers routed the Chicago Bears 38-3 for the best seven-game start in franchise history.

Tom Brady may be an opponent when the Buccaneers visit the Patriots.

Matthew Stafford passed for 343 yards and four touchdowns as he outdueled Tom Brady and led the Los Angeles Rams to a 34-24 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Tom Brady threw for 276 yards and five touchdowns, helping the Tampa Bay Buccaneers extend their winning streak to a franchise-record 10 consecutive games with a 48-25 victory over the Atlanta Falcons.

Tom Brady threw for 379 yards and four touchdowns, helping the defending Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers kick off the NFL season with a mistake-filled 31-29 victory over the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday night.

Lofty expectations don’t faze Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Tom Brady threw for 154 yards and a touchdown in just more than a quarter and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers got a 23-16 win over the Houston Texans.

Tom Brady is back on the practice field with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

(AP Photo/Adam Hunger, File)Bill Belichick never was one to spent wildly in free agency. Whether by trade, free agency or re-signings, the group brings a good mix of offense, defense and special teams. In addition to keeping Von Miller, Justin Simmons and Shelby Harris, Paton filled his biggest defensive pothole by signing free agent cornerbacks Ronald Darby and Kyle Fuller. FUTURE CONSIDERATIONSThe Lions didn’t do much in free agency but nobody in Detroit should be bothered. The Lions are focused on rebuilding through the draft after sending QB Matthew Stafford to the Rams and then letting star wide receiver Kenny Golladay walk in free agency.

Linebacker Shaquil Barrett and tight end Rob Gronkowski, who came out of retirement 11 months ago to help Brady win No. 7 in his first season with the Bucs, are the latest players to agree to terms to stay with the team. Agent Drew Rosenhaus represents both players and confirmed the deals to The Associated Press on Monday. He signed a one-year, $4 million deal with Tampa Bay in free agency in 2019 and has 27½ sacks in 31 regular-season games since joining the Bucs. Gronkowski played nine seasons with Brady in New England before retiring after the 2018 season.

Regardless, on Monday, two days before the NFL's 2021 business year begins, the 32 teams and agents for the players will be making deals. “Legal tampering, and tampering is illegal? AdOf course, free agency always is a buyer-beware situation. AdVoila: Lavonte David, a key linebacker, was re-signed, and several other key guys in the title run could be back. “We do have some money from a cap standpoint that we can spend; but again, it’s an interesting year.

FILE - Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady leaves the field an NFL divisional round playoff football game against the New Orleans Saints in New Orleans, in this Sunday, Jan. 17, 2021, file photo. om Brady has agreed to a contract extension with the Buccaneers that provides the Super Bowl champions with much-needed salary cap relief and will help the seven-time NFL champion reach a goal of playing until hes at least 45. (AP Photo/Brett Duke, File)TAMPA, Fla. – Tom Brady has agreed to a contract extension with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers that provides the Super Bowl champions with much-needed salary cap relief and will help the seven-time NFL champion reach a goal of playing until he’s at least 45. The five-time Super Bowl MVP capped his first season with the Bucs by leading Tampa Bay to its first championship in 18 years. David’s contract, of which $20 million is guaranteed, includes voidable years that make it salary cap friendly.

(AP Photo/Jason Behnken, File)The big money that accompanies franchise tags for the 2021 season is going to receivers, safeties and linemen. So wideouts Chris Godwin, who helped the Buccaneers win the Super Bowl, and Chicago's Allen Robinson were tagged just before Tuesday's NFL deadline. Barring their teams working out long-term deals by July 15, they will earn about $19 million, $18 million and $13.7 million, respectively. The going rate for safeties under their first tag is around $10.5 million, which Maye and Marcus Williams will make in New Jersey. RECEIVERSThe 25-year-old Godwin earned $2.13 million in 2020 when he had 65 receptions for 840 yards and seven touchdowns in 12 games.

The Buccaneers defeated the Chiefs 31-9 to win the Super Bowl. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are already thinking about what it’ll take to repeat as Super Bowl champions. If Brady, Arians and general manager Jason Licht have their way, Gronkowski, Brown and Fournette won’t wind up being one-season rentals. “Hopefully we can keep the band together, have an offseason and actually know what we’re doing (entering next season),” Arians said. It changed our entire football team.”AdBrady said Arians, who also has two Super Bowl rings as an assistant coach, deserves credit, too.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady during NFL football practice, Thursday, Feb. 4, 2021 in Tampa, Fla. The Buccaneers will face the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl 55. (Kyle Zedaker/Tampa Bay Buccaneers via AP)TAMPA, Fla. – Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers won’t be denied. The 43-year-old six-time Super Bowl champion may no longer be the best quarterback in the NFL, however, he’s shown in his first season with the Bucs that he’s still good enough to lead a team to the NFL title game. You want to make some moves that hopefully get your team into the Super Bowl.

(AP Photo/Reed Hoffmann, File)There will be about 25,000 fans inside Raymond James Stadium for the Super Bowl on Sunday. Even when COVID-19 numbers were spiking around the country, the Chiefs never experienced an outbreak traced back to their fans. AdThursday marked the final time talking to the media for the Bucs and Chiefs until after the Super Bowl. BRADY’S PORTUGUESETom Brady's six Super Bowl rings don't protect him from being trash talked in his own home. The fact that it will happen in the Super Bowl?

(AP Photo/Julio Cortez)TAMPA, Fla. – Antonio Brown says he’s grateful to be back in the NFL, let alone preparing to play in the Super Bowl. “I just think it was my only chance to be able to prove — not only to the doubters, but myself — I’m still a high-end football player, still love the game,” Brown said. Arians initially opposed the idea of adding Brown, saying during the offseason that the receiver wasn’t a good fit for the Bucs. He's the most accomplished wide receiver Brady has had to throw to since the Patriots had Hall of Famer Randy Moss, who also had a reputation of being difficult to play with, more than a decade ago. “He has a great love for the game, is a real perfectionist about how he plays, how he takes care of himself.

Kansas City and Tampa Bay have several starters, including some notable pass catchers, scheduled to become free agents next month. So the Super Bowl between the Chiefs and Buccaneers will serve as a farewell for several players with their current team. Brown signed a one-year, $1.6 million contract with Tampa in late October and has been a model citizen since. He has 45 receptions for 623 yards and seven touchdowns after signing a one-year, $9 million deal. He turned 34 last month and might be willing to sign another one-year deal to stay in Tampa.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady (12) runs with a elastic band around his legs during an NFL football workout Thursday, Jan. 28, 2021, in Tampa, Fla. The Buccaneers play the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LV on Feb. 7. 1 overall pick Jameis Winston but dared to dream of signing Brady if the six-time Super Bowl champion decided to leave New England as a free agent. Of course it was Tom Brady, not thinking he would become a free agent,” Arians added. Ad“Naturally, I think you envision every year in the offseason you want to make some moves that hopefully get your team into the Super Bowl.

But Gronk in particular has always been a big-play guy in big games for Brady, and Green Bay doesn't have linebackers who excel in coverage. Green Bay will do some blitzing, though not as much as Buccaneers defensive coordinator Todd Bowles figures to do. Unlike Brady, Rodgers can create outside the pocket, and he's especially dangerous when doing so. Veteran placekicker Mason Crosby is solid, making all 16 field goal attempts, but missed four PATs for Green Bay. Tampa Bay's Ryan Succop, now in his 12th pro season, made 28 of 31 field goal tries but missed five extra points.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans (13) celebrates his touchdown against the New Orleans Saints during the first half of an NFL divisional round playoff football game, Sunday, Jan. 17, 2021, in New Orleans. Don't forget Antonio Brown, who joined the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at midseason and has contributed to the team’s run to Sunday’s NFC championship game at Green Bay. Then there’s Scotty Miller and Tyler Johnson, a couple of late-round draft picks roughly half the age of the 43-year-old quarterback. The more that I’ve been around Mike, Chris, Antonio, Scooter (Miller), Tyler, Mick (Jaydon Mickens) — the better it gets,” Brady said. Tyler makes a great catch,” Arians added.

New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees (9) reacts after a touchdown by Alvin Kamara in the second half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game against the Chicago Bears in New Orleans, Sunday, Jan. 10, 2021. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)NEW ORLEANS – Drew Brees periodically discusses his long, extraordinary NFL journey in terms of fate and destiny. “Other than that, there’s not a lot of bad about” the Saints, Brady said. I think the quarterback-receiver relationship is really important.”Still, no defense has had more success against Brady this season than the Saints. The Saints gained 2,265 yards rushing during the regular season and added another 123 yards in their playoff opener against Chicago's formidable front.

Aside from winning the final Super Bowl before the merger in 1970, the Kansas City Chiefs’ biggest claim to fame for over half a century was team founder Lamar Hunt coining the phrase Super Bowl. Three long-downtrodden teams — the Browns, Bills and Buccaneers — have made it to the divisional round this weekend and are certain they have as good a chance as the Chiefs, Packers, Saints, Ravens or Rams of winning Super Bowl 55. That’s heady stuff for a franchise that has never made it to the Super Bowl. I think Bills fans, including myself, didn’t think he was going to be this good this good this early. And he has proved a lot of people wrong.”No, there’s no comparing this Bills team to those of his playing days, Thomas said.

The Browns have raced to a 28-0 lead over the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Browns’ 28 points are the most by any team in the first quarter of a playoff game since the 1970 merger. So, this will be the first NFL playoff game ever pitting two quadragenarian quarterbacks. Drew Brees is trying to join Brett Favre and Tom Brady as quarterbacks to win a playoff game after turning 40. That was his third career playoff game with 150 or more rushing yards, one game shy of Hall of Famer Terrell Davis’ record.

(AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)The NFC playoff field features the usual cast of quarterbacks in Aaron Rodgers, Drew Brees and Russell Wilson. Last Lombardi: Super Bowl 45, 31-25 over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Feb. 6, 2011, at Arlington, Texas. Last Lombardi: Super Bowl 48, 43-8 over the Denver Broncos on Feb. 2, 2014, at East Rutherford, N.J. Last year: No. The Bears’ leading tackler left in the first quarter of the Green Bay game with an elbow injury. DBs Buster Skrine, rookie Jaylon Johnson and Deon Bush missed the loss to Green Bay.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady (12) throws a pass during an NFL football practice Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2021, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)TAMPA, Fla. – New team, same ole Tom Brady. Brady led New England to the Super Bowl nine times in 20 seasons, appearing in 41 playoff games and winning 30 — both records. “When he first signed I said, ‘OK, we’ll be a 40 (touchdown) and 10 (interception) team,’” Arians said. “It’s a never-ending thing with him, the perfectionist, to get everything right in practice,” Arians added.

Brady threw touchdown passes of 29 and 4 yards to Chris Godwin. Ryan scored on a 1-yard sneak and also threw scoring passes of 19 yards to Russell Gage and 1 yard to Hayden Hurst. The latter trimmed Atlanta’s deficit to 30-27 before Brady put the game away with two late drives. Brown had his most productive day since joining the Bucs midway through the season with 11 catches for 138 yards. Godwin had five receptions for 133 yards, while Evans had three catches for 46 yards before leaving the game.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady (12) throws during the first half of an NFL football game against the Detroit Lions, Saturday, Dec. 26, 2020, in Detroit. The Bucs (10-5) set a franchise record with 588 yards and snapped the NFL’s second-longest postseason drought behind Cleveland’s 18-year run that can end Sunday. RECORD WATCHBrady has thrown a franchise-record 36 touchdowns and set a personal record with 348 yards passing by halftime. Tampa Bay set team records in points (34) and yards (410) in the first half. Lions: Stafford left the game with an ankle injury after he was 2 of 3 for 17 yards on his only possession.

Brady threw for 341 yards and three touchdowns, Ronald Jones set a franchise-record with a 98-yard touchdown run, and the Buccaneers bounced back from a dreadful defeat with a resounding 46-23 win over the Carolina Panthers. Panthers coach Matt Rhule described Brady’s play as “elite” and “fantastic.”The Bucs ran the ball just five times last week. Tampa Bay racked up 544 yards on offense and outgained the Panthers 322-35 in the second half and outscored them 29-6. Chris Godwin had 92 yards receiving for the Buccaneers (7-3), who swept the season series and handed the Panthers (3-7) their fifth straight loss. Rhule said the Panthers were unaware the ball had hit the ground or else he would have just had Bridgewater spike the ball.

Brees was 26 of 32 passing, including first-half TD throws of 14 yards to Tre’Quan Smith, 8 yards to Adam Trautman and 12 yards to Sanders, who missed the previous two games while on the COVID-19 list. Brees regained the league career TD pass lead with 654, three more than the 43-year-old Brady, who had thrown for 17 touchdowns and just one interception over his previous six games. The Saints intercepted Brady twice in a 34-23 season-opening win, with Janoris Jenkins returning one for a TD. Jared Cook fumbled at the Bucs 2 with the Saints looking to build on an early 7-0 lead. The Saints outgained the Bucs 241 yards to 36 up to that point.

(AP Photo/David Becker)LAS VEGAS – Tom Brady threw four touchdown passes to move past Drew Brees for the most in NFL history and ran for another to lead the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to a 45-20 win over the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday. Carr then connected on a 44-yard pass to Nelson Agholor to set up a 1-yard TD pass to Waller that cut Tampa Bay’s lead to 24-17. It also gave the Raiders their first opening drive TD since Week 16 of last season vs. the Chargers. FAVORITE TARGET IIBrady connected with Gronkowski for the second straight week with a 5-yard TD pass in the second quarter. Raiders: T Sam Young left with a knee injury in the second quarter and didn't return.

TAMPA, Fla. – Suspended receiver Antonio Brown has agreed to return to the NFL with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on a one-year deal, according to a person with knowledge of the move. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Saturday because the contract had not been completed. The addition of the volatile seven-time Pro Bowl selection bolsters an already formidable arsenal of playmakers for Tom Brady. Tight end Rob Gronkowski and running backs Leonard Fournette and LeSean McCoy have also joined Brady in Tampa Bay, which hasn’t made the playoffs since 2007. Brown signed with New England after a tumultuous short stay with the Raiders ended with the receiver demanding and being granted his release during training camp.

Jeudy is active for the Bucs game as Denver quarterback Jeff Driskel makes his first start while Drew Lock recovers from a shoulder injury. Cardinals: QB Brett Hundley, WR Christian Kirk, RB Eno Benjamin, OL Mason Cole, OL Josh Miles, DL Leki Fotu. ___CHICAGO AT ATLANTABears: CB Duke Shelley, OG Arlington Hambright, NT Daniel McCullers, WR RIley Ridley, OLB Trevis GipsonFalcons: WR Julio Jones, CB A.J. Browns: WR Donovan Peoples-Jones, CB Greedy Williams, LB Jacob Phillips, Olivier Vernon, Evan Brown and WR Rashard Higgins. Brown, CB Chris Jackson OLB Derick Roberson, C Aaron Brewer, TE Geoff Swaim, DT Matt DickersonVikings: WR Tajaé Sharpe, WR K.J.

I think we’re still a long way from where we need to be," Brady said. Brady completed 23 of 35 passes, and Evans finished with seven receptions for 104 yards. “Nine penalties and four giveaways, but it’s a one-score game in the fourth quarter," Panthers coach Matt Rhule said. “I thought he competed and there will be days where you can’t get things flowing,” the Panthers coach added. In a twist, the Panthers also made a concerted effort to get wide receiver Curtis Samuel involved in the running game.

(AP Photo/Brett Duke)NEW ORLEANS – Tom Brady was intercepted twice in his Tampa Bay debut, Alvin Kamara scored touchdowns running and receiving, and the New Orleans Saints beat the Buccaneers 34-23 on Sunday. Neither quarterback was statistically exceptional in this first-ever NFL game featuring two quarterbacks in their 40s. One exception was Saints safety and Players Coalition co-founder Malcolm Jenkins, who trotted to the Saints bench area after the anthem had finished. The Saints were flagged four times for 101 yards, with all of those calls occurring during the Bucs' first three scoring drives. Saints: Take part in the first NFL game played in Las Vegas, the Raiders' home opener on Monday night, Sept. 21.

TAMPA, Fla. Leonard Fournette feels he and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are an ideal match. Howard and Cameron Brate, and running backs Ronald Jones and LeSean McCoy, Fournette envisions himself thriving against opposing defenses no longer able to game plan to stop him alone. The defense has to game plan against eight guys and not just one, Fournette added. Not a lot of pressures going to be on me, said Fournette, who as a rookie helped the Jaguars reach the AFC championship game against Bradys Patriots. We just have to learn the game plan, the coach added.

FILE - In this Nov. 24, 2019, file photo, Jacksonville Jaguars running back Leonard Fournette (27) sits on the bench in the first half of an NFL football game against the Tennessee Titans, in Nashville, Tenn. The Jacksonville Jaguars have waived running back Leonard Fournette, a stunning decision that gets the team closer to purging Tom Coughlin's tenure. (AP Photo/Mark Zaleski, File)TAMPA, Fla. Leonard Fournette intends to join the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who are stockpiling playmakers to help Tom Brady be successful with his new team. The former Jacksonville Jaguars running back tweeted an image of himself carrying a football and wearing a Bucs jersey and helmet long with a pen-signing emoji and the message #GoBucs on Wednesday night. Fournette, the former LSU star drafted fourth overall in 2017, was released Monday by the Jaguars and became a free agent after clearing waivers.

Leonard Fournette is the latest high-profile addition to an already potent offense bolstered by Brady luring his favorite target, Rob Gronkowski, out of retirement. A talented collection of playmakers, including Pro Bowl receivers Mike Evans and Chris Godwin and highly regarded tight ends O.J. Howard and Cameron Brate, are part of what made Tampa Bay an attractive landing spot for Brady in free agency. Now, all coach Bruce Arians has to figure out is how all the components fit. ... Its just fantastic, the commitment theyve shown, Arians, entering his second season in Tampa Bay, said Thursday.