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National Football League roundup

[February 16, 2017] Feb 15 (The Sports Xchange) - New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, with five Super Bowl rings, made it clear -- again -- he has no plans to retire and wants to keep playing into his mid-40s.

After telling Peter King of MMQB.com that his record-setting performance in Super Bowl LI wasn't his best game ever despite the historic 25-point rally over the Atlanta Falcons, the 39-year-old Brady believes he can maintain his level of play long past the age of any everyday quarterback in NFL history.

"I'd like to play until my mid-40s," Brady told King during a two-hour interview on Sunday while in Montana on a family vacation. "Then I'll make a decision. If I'm still feeling like I'm feeling today, who knows? Now, those things can always change. You do need long-term goals too. I know next year is not going to be my last year."

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Let the game of tag begin in the NFL. The window in which unrestricted free agents can be assigned the franchise tag by their current team officially opened, with a deadline of March 1 at 3:59 p.m. ET. NFL teams also are permitted to utilize the transition tag within the same two-week period.

Players given the franchise tag are permitted to negotiate with other clubs, unless the team uses the "exclusive" franchise tag.

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Texas Gov. Greg Abbott ripped the NFL for threatening not to award future Super Bowls to Houston or Dallas if the state's controversial bathroom bill is passed.

Abbott, a Republican, told conservative radio host Glenn Beck that the NFL should stay out of politics.

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"The NFL is walking on thin ice right here," Abbott said Tuesday on the show. "The NFL needs to concentrate on playing football and get the heck out of politics."

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The Jacksonville Jaguars re-signed fourth-year defensive tackle Abry Jones to a four-year contract before he could enter unrestricted free agency.

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The Chicago Bears re-signed offensive lineman Eric Kush to a two-year contract.

Kush, 27, was claimed off waivers from the Los Angeles Rams after the 53-man roster cut downs just prior to the start of the 2016 season, adding depth to the Bears' offensive line. He started a career-high four games out of eight contests with the Bears. (Editing by Frank Pingue)

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