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NFL notebook: Steelers WR Brown expected to play vs. Jags

[January 13, 2018] Two days before the Pittsburgh Steelers are set to host the Jacksonville Jaguars in the AFC divisional playoffs, Pittsburgh coach Mike Tomlin gave an update to one of the biggest storylines of the postseason: Antonio Brown is expected to play.

Speaking at a news conference Friday, Tomlin was asked if he thought the All-Pro receiver would play. The answer? A very Tomlin-esque, "Yes."

Brown left the Steelers' Dec. 17 game against New England after taking an ugly hit to his lower left leg. He sustained a partially torn calf, and Brown missed Pittsburgh's final two games of the regular season.

Nonetheless, Brown led the NFL with 1,533 yards receiving and was one of five players with at least 100 receptions. He was named a first-team All-Pro for the fourth consecutive season.

--Quarterback Sam Bradford may suit up when the Minnesota Vikings play the visiting New Orleans Saints in an NFC divisional playoff game on Sunday. Or perhaps he won't.

The Boston Globe cited a source saying Bradford (knee) would suit up for the first time since Week 5, but the No. 1 source on all things Vikings -- head coach Mike Zimmer -- offered a different take.

When asked about the report during his news conference on Friday, Zimmer said: "I don't know how the Boston Globe would know because I haven't made any decisions yet."

--The Denver Broncos are in the market for a quarterback this offseason, and it appears they would like a closer look at Oklahoma star Baker Mayfield, the Heisman Trophy winner.

Senior Bowl executive director Phil Savage revealed on ESPNU Radio that Denver's staff requested that Mayfield be placed on the Senior Bowl's North team, the squad the Broncos will coach later this month. The Houston Texans -- who are without a first-round pick after trading it in a package to draft Deshaun Watson -- will coach the South squad.

Broncos general manager John Elway said in a statement last week the team "jumped at the opportunity" to coach in the Senior Bowl, the first time Denver has done so since 1989. At a season-ending press conference a day earlier, he emphasized the need to upgrade at quarterback, calling it "the No. 1 goal" of the offseason.

--The next head coach of the New York Giants reportedly will come from a group of three NFL assistants with teams in the playoffs: New England defensive coordinator Matt Patricia, Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels and Minnesota Vikings offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur.

All three remain in the mix with no surprise candidate looming, the New York Post reported. There were multiple reports this week that Patricia was the likely choice to become the Giants' next head coach.

The Giants have interviewed three other candidates -- interim head coach and defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo, Carolina Panthers defensive coordinator Steve Wilks and recently fired Denver Broncos running backs coach Eric Studesville. The team also asked for permission to interview Philadelphia Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz, but an interview has not been scheduled.

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--When the Chicago Bears hired former Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Matt Nagy earlier this week, they made it clear that the offense deserved more of the blame for their 5-11 season than did the defense.

Nagy himself appears to be reinforcing that notion because the Bears' new head man has convinced current Bears defensive coordinator Vic Fangio to stay on with the club. According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the deal is for three years.

The Bears reportedly became concerned Monday that they would lose Fangio after informing him of the club's decision to hire Nagy. According to the Chicago Tribune, general manager Ryan Pace gave Fangio the first interview for the head-coaching position, which opened after John Fox was fired after three seasons.

--Offensive coordinator Rick Dennison was fired by the Buffalo Bills after the club averaged 16 points over the final eight games of the season, then was bounced in the first round of the playoffs.

Dennison, in his first year on the job, was challenged by injuries at wide receiver and left tackle and changes at quarterback, with first-year head coach Sean McDermott going to rookie Nathan Peterman before reverting to Tyrod Taylor. The move could be the beginning of a major overhaul of the offense this offseason with Taylor not expected to return.

--New England Patriots wide receiver Chris Hogan, a star of the team's Super Bowl run last season, was cleared to return for the divisional playoff game Saturday night against the Tennessee Titans.

Hogan missed seven of the final eight regular-season games with a shoulder injury sustained Oct. 29. In the first eight game of the season, Hogan had 33 receptions and five touchdowns as the starter opposite Brandin Cooks. Hogan attempted to return for the Dec. 11 game at Miami but caught one pass and was visibly limited.

--Matt Rhule intends to remain head coach at Baylor, rebuffing "serious interest" from the Indianapolis Colts, who interviewed the first-year Bears coach last week.

Rhule declined further negotiations with the Colts, according to NFL Network.

NFL Network also reported that Wilks would not interview with the Colts as originally scheduled.

--Field Level Media

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