DENZEL WARD

The Kansas City Chiefs could have paid Tyreek Hill handsomely and gone all-in on another championship run.

Deshaun Watson struggled in a sloppy performance in his first game in 700 days, but a punt return for a touchdown by Donovan Peoples-Jones and two defensive TDs were plenty enough to give the Cleveland Browns a 27-14 win over the lowly Houston Texans Sunday.

Browns All-Pro defensive end Myles Garrett will not play in Sunday’s game at Atlanta after he suffered multiple injuries when he crashed his car while speeding earlier in the week.

Cleveland Browns All-Pro Myles Garrett is back at the team’s headquarters after crashing his car earlier this week.

Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett is staying home to rest and recover from injuries suffered in a car crash.

Jacoby Brissett threw two touchdown passes, Nick Chubb ran for a score and the Cleveland Browns bounced back from their epic meltdown four days earlier to beat the rival Pittsburgh Steelers 29-17.

Mitch Trubisky will make his debut in the Steelers-Browns rivalry.

A person familiar with the situation tells The Associated Press that Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson will meet with NFL officials in Texas.

Deshaun Watson is getting to know his new Browns teammates.

A person familiar with the negotiations tells AP that Pro Bowl cornerback Denzel Ward has agreed to a five-year, $100.5 million contract extension with the Cleveland Browns.

Browns Pro Bowl cornerback Denzel Ward has been placed on the COVID-19 reserve list and will miss Sunday’s season finale against Cincinnati.

Ben Roethlisberger threw for 123 yards and a touchdown in likely his final start at Heinz Field as the Pittsburgh Steelers beat Cleveland 26-14.

Baker Mayfield threw two touchdown passes, Myles Garrett scored his first career TD and the Cleveland Browns stayed in the thick of the playoff race, surviving Baltimore’s late comeback for a 24-22 win.

Lamar Jackson provided one brilliant highlight during an otherwise subpar performance and his 13-yard touchdown pass to Mark Andrews in the third quarter was enough to lift the Baltimore Ravens to a 16-10 victory over the Cleveland Browns.

Nick Chubb caught a touchdown pass and ran for 130 yards as the Cleveland Browns held on to avoid a season-wrecking upset and keep Detroit winless with a sloppy 13-10 victory over the Lions.

Baker Mayfield threw two touchdown passes, Nick Chubb ran for 137 yards and the Cleveland Browns capped a chaotic week by smashing Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals 41-16.

Browns running back Nick Chubb will miss Sunday’s game against the unbeaten Arizona Cardinals with a calf injury.

Browns rookie linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah was released from a hospital and cleared to travel after being treated and evaluated for a bruised throat.

Austin Ekeler scored three touchdowns, including a 3-yard score with 1:31 remaining as the Los Angeles Chargers defeated the Cleveland Browns 47-42 in a wild shootout Sunday.

Trevor Lawrence’s professional debut opened with a sack and a fumble, hardly ideal but not too concerning for the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Baker Mayfield won’t let dollar signs sack him.

Nick Chubb has signed a three-year, $36.6 million contract extension with the Cleveland Browns.

The Cleveland Browns have exercised the fifth-year option on quarterback Baker Mayfield’s rookie contract.

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Chad Henne celebrates after a run during the second half of an NFL divisional round football game against the Cleveland Browns, Sunday, Jan. 17, 2021, in Kansas City. – The Kansas City Chiefs had lost Patrick Mahomes to a concussion and were in danger of losing the game. With their star quarterback reduced to a spectator, the oft-forgotten bunch opposite Mahomes' high-powered offense forced the Browns to punt in the waning minutes. After the teams swapped field goals, with Butker breaking the Chiefs playoff record with a 50-yarder into the wind, the Browns marched for what could have been a momentum-swinging score heading into halftime. First, the Browns held the Chiefs when Mayfield threw an interception and Butker missed a field goal.

Nearly every team still vying for the Super Bowl has an elite cornerback often capable of shutting down an opponent's top receiver all by himself. The NFC playoff bracket has three of the conference's four Pro Bowl cornerbacks: Green Bay's Jaire Alexander, Los Angeles' Jalen Ramsey and New Orleans' Marshon Lattimore. Staley's scheme has employed Ramsey in multiple roles throughout the season, and his job often changes from play to play. Oddly enough, the remaining playoff team perceived to have the least dominant cornerbacks is defending champion Kansas City, the favorite to make it back to the Super Bowl. “Some of the best cornerbacks happen to play on the best teams, that’s all I can say,” Bills safety Micah Hyde said.

Browns Pro Bowl left guard Joel Bitonio will be activated from the COVID-19 list Friday, Jan. 15, 2021, after missing last weeks playoff win over Pittsburgh. The Pro Bowl left guard was activated from the COVID-19 list Friday after missing last week’s wild-card win over Pittsburgh. It was a devastating development for Bitiono, who had endured so much losing with the Browns before this turnaround season. "Elated for Joel,” Browns general manager Andrew Berry said on Zoom call with local writers. On Thursday, coach Kevin Stefanski returned in person to the team after also missing last week's game with COVID-19.

Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski looks on from the sidelines during an NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Sunday, Oct. 18, 2020, in Pittsburgh. Positive COVID-19 tests have knocked Stefanski out of Cleveland's wild-card game at Pittsburgh on Sunday night the Browns' first playoff appearance since the 2002 season. (AP Photo/Justin Berl, File)CLEVELAND – Browns coach Kevin Stefanski doesn't plan a trip downstairs to his basement any time soon. Stefanski returned to the team's facility Thursday, 10 days after the first-year coach tested positive for COVID-19 and he was forced to miss Cleveland's playoff win over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday. Stefanski will make his playoff debut on the sideline this week when the Browns play the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday.

Garber said while he felt for the challenges facing the Canadian teams, the league had to abide by made-in-Canada health guidelines. Green Bay (13-3) hosts the Los Angeles Rams (11-6) in a NFC divisional playoff game Saturday. Also, Thursday night’s Southeastern Conference women’s basketball game featuring No. ___Georgetown has canceled its men’s basketball game against DePaul on Wednesday night, citing a COVID-19-related issue with the program. ___Two SMU men’s basketball games scheduled for this week have been postponed because of a positive COVID-19 case and ensuing contact tracing issues in the program.

Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) celebrates as he walks off the field following a win over the Pittsburgh Steelers in an NFL wild-card playoff football game in Pittsburgh, Sunday, Jan. 10, 2021. The Cleveland Browns overcame all of it. The Browns dismantled the Pittsburgh Steelers 48-37 in the wild-card round Sunday night, picking up the franchise’s first postseason victory in more than a quarter-century and earning a trip to Kansas City next Sunday to face the defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs. The kick bounced into the end zone for a touchback and Mayfield calmly took Cleveland 80 yards in six plays. So much for the Browns being the Browns, a winking assessment Steelers wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster made about Cleveland in the middle of the week.

(AP Photo/Justin Berl, File)The Latest on the effects of the coronavirus outbreak on sports around the world:___The women’s Big Ten basketball game on Sunday between Rutgers and Ohio State in Columbus has been postponed due to an increase in positive COVID-19 tests within the Rutgers program. The Creighton women have paused team activities and postponed three games because of a recent positive COVID-19 test result. ___The Tulsa-Central Florida men’s basketball game scheduled for Saturday at Tulsa has been postponed because of positive COVID-19 tests and subsequent contact tracing among UCF athletes. ___The Georgia State women’s basketball team has postposed two more Sun Belt Conference games after additional positive tests for COVID-19. 5 South Carolina has paused team activities and postponed its women’s basketball game with Georgia on Thursday night.

Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield celebrates after the Browns defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers in an NFL football game, Sunday, Jan. 3, 2021, in Cleveland. The Browns, winless just three seasons ago and so bad for so long, are in the playoffs. The Browns and their passionate fan base endured 197 losses, 14 double-digit-loss seasons and seven coaches since the last playoff appearance. For the moment he got to Cleveland in 2018, Landry's goal was to get the Browns back to the postseason. Steelers: Will be back at full strength for their first playoff appearance since the 2017 season.

Seattle coach Pete Carroll said Friday that Shell had a close contact with someone who tested positive but that Shell had tested negative. Carroll said on Friday the team was still trying to determine if Shell would need to go on the COVID list. ___A second Cleveland Browns coach has tested positive for COVID-19 ahead of the team's big game with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Wide receivers coach Chad O’Shea previously tested positive and will be replaced by team chief of staff Callie Brownson. Goodson and Malcolm Smith, safety Andrew Sendejo and tight end Harrison Bryant will miss the Steelers game after testing positive.

Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski keeps watch before an NFL football game against the Baltimore Ravens, Monday, Dec. 14, 2020, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Ron Schwane)The Cleveland Browns have had a second coach test positive for COVID-19 ahead of their big game with the Pittsburgh Steelers. They have had seven players and two coaches test positive in the past week. ___The Latest on the effects of the coronavirus outbreak on sports around the world:___The Cleveland Browns have had a second coach test positive for COVID-19 ahead of their big game with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Wide receivers coach Chad O’Shea previously tested positive and will be replaced by team chief of staff Callie Brownson.

(AP Photo/Robert Franklin)The Latest on the effects of the coronavirus outbreak on sports around the world:___Mike Krzyzewski won't coach No. Tight end Hunter Henry remains on the COVID-19 list and will miss his second straight game Sunday at Kansas City. Four of them, including Jarvis Landry, missed last week’s game in New York as COVID-19 close contacts. The Browns did not have any new positive COVID-19 tests on Friday, and after getting league approval, practiced indoors. Every player on the active roster practiced Thursday and Friday, an indication none was identified as a high-risk close contact with Fitzpatrick.

FILE - In this Sunday, Nov. 15, 2020 file photo, Cleveland Browns cornerback Denzel Ward celebrates after the Browns defeated the Houston Texans 10-7 after an NFL football game in Cleveland. Issues with the virus intensified Thursday for the Browns as top cornerback Denzel Ward and linebacker Malcolm Smith tested positive and were ruled out for Sunday's game. The team also canceled practice as it prepares to face the Pittsburgh Steelers — with a playoff spot up for grabs. The latest positive tests forced the Browns to initially close their facility to do close contact tracing. The Browns were getting ready to leave for the New York area on Saturday when Goodson's test came back positive.

Tucker, who made 70 straight field goals inside 40 yards before he missed last week, had plenty of distance on his kick to give the Ravens (8-5) a much-needed win. It was a gut punch for the Browns (9-4), who had rallied from a 14-point deficit to take the lead while Jackson was out. He drove the Browns 75 yards, hitting running back Kareem Hunt for a 22-yard TD pass with 1:04 left. Cleveland was counting on Williams to handle the starting cornerback spot opposite Denzel Ward, who missed his third straight game with a calf injury. Browns: Make the first of two straight weekend visits to the New York area and play the Giants on Dec. 20.

(AP Photo/Aaron Doster)The New York Giants will be without starting quarterback Daniel Jones for Sunday’s game against the Seattle Seahawks. Jones was not expected to play because of a hamstring injury suffered last week against Cincinnati. Colt McCoy will make his first start of the season at QB for the Giants. Seattle was without both starting right tackle Brandon Shell (ankle) and backup Cedric Ogbuehi (calf) leaving a major question on the offensive line. ___CLEVELAND-TENNESSEEBrowns: WR Taywan Taylor, WR KhaDarel Hodge, CB Denzel Ward, RB Dontrell Hilliard, S Tedric Thompson, DE Joe Jackson.

The winless Atlanta Falcons will be playing without star wide receiver Julio Jones for Sunday’s game with the unbeaten Chicago Bears. ___CHICAGO AT ATLANTABears: CB Duke Shelley, OG Arlington Hambright, NT Daniel McCullers, WR RIley Ridley, OLB Trevis GipsonFalcons: WR Julio Jones, CB A.J. Eagles: WR Jalen Reagor, LG Isaac Seumalo, WR Alshon Jeffery, RB Jason Huntley, QB Nate Sudfeld, S Rudy Ford, G Jamon Brown, DE Casey Toohill. 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.