NFL

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) The Chiefs fired defensive coordinator Bob Sutton on Tuesday, just two days after Kansas City failed to stop Tom Brady and the New England Patriots on what turned out to be the only possession of overtime in a crushing 37-31 playoff defeat.

Chiefs coach Andy Reid announced the firing in a brief statement. It came one day after he said he would evaluate all aspects of the team but declined to address Sutton's future specifically.

"Bob is a good football coach and a great person. He played an integral role in the success of our team over the last six seasons," Reid said. "I've said before that change can be a good thing for both parties, and I believe that is the case here for the Chiefs and Bob."

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NEW ORLEANS (AP) In the legal equivalent of a Hail Mary pass, two New Orleans Saints season ticket holders asked a judge on Tuesday to order the NFL commissioner to reverse the results of the NFC championship game that sent the Los Angeles Rams to the Super Bowl, or schedule a do-over.

Their lawsuit, filed in state court, says Commissioner Roger Goodell should implement a league rule governing "extraordinarily unfair acts." Remedies include reversal of a game's result or the rescheduling of a game - in its entirety or from the point when the act occurred.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) NFL security is investigating whether a fan attempted to shine a laser into the face of Patriots quarterback Tom Brady during their AFC championship game victory over the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday night.

Local television stations posted footage Tuesday that showed a green light flashing on Brady late in the Patriots' 37-31 overtime victory. At least two instances occurred on their go-ahead drive in the fourth quarter, including a crucial 25-yard pass to tight end Rob Gronkowski.

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) Add Louisiana's governor to the list of people chastising the NFL about officiating in the NFC championship game that sent the Los Angeles Rams to the Super Bowl instead of the New Orleans Saints.

Gov. John Bel Edwards sent a letter Tuesday to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell to express the "deep disappointment" of the people of Louisiana and Saints fans.

TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) Longtime NFL assistant Tom Clements has been hired as passing game coordinator/quarterbacks coach on the staff of new coach Kliff Kingsbury in Arizona.

The 65-year-old Clements, who has been out of the NFL the past two years, will be the primary offensive assistant because there will be no offensive coordinator on the staff, with Kingsbury calling plays and doing other coordinator-type duties.

ALLEN PARK, Mich. (AP) Former Central Michigan coach John Bonamego is returning to the Detroit Lions.

The Lions announced Tuesday that they have hired Bonamego as special teams coordinator. That's the same position he held with the Lions before becoming CMU's coach for the past four seasons. Bonamego's tenure at CMU ended when the team went 1-11 in 2018.

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) Even as Rob Gronkowski turned in a vintage performance with his big grabs down the stretch in the AFC championship game, the veteran Patriots tight end also did plenty of dirty work.

Gronk the blocker? The label didn't fit in the past. But this season, one of the best receiving tight ends in NFL history and Tom Brady's longtime favorite target made some big contributions to the Patriots' rejuvenated running game.

CANTON, Ohio (AP) Joe Horrigan, perhaps the most knowledgeable historian in the sport, is retiring as executive director of the Pro Football Hall of Fame on June 1.

Horrigan has spent 42 years at the hall, and this summer will release his book on the NFL's first 100 years: "NFL Century: The Rise of America's Greatest Sports League." The league begins its 100th regular season in September.

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. (AP) When the Los Angeles Rams' team bus rolled into their suburban training complex after a boisterous flight from New Orleans, the players and coaches were greeted by rowdy fans welcoming home the new NFC champions in the middle of the night.

The Rams and their fans lost some sleep Sunday night - but not about that missed pass interference on Nickell Robey-Coleman that could have altered the outcome of Los Angeles' 26-23 overtime victory in the NFC championship game.

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (AP) Many Americans in places where sports betting is legal for the first time are beginning to make wagers on the Super Bowl, including some bets on the performances of individual athletes.

But if the National Football League had its way, bets on things like passing touchdowns for New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady or rushing yards for Los Angeles Rams running back Todd Gurley would be restricted - or even outlawed as too risky and vulnerable to manipulation or cheating.