Third baseman Josh Donaldson has agreed to a four-year deal with the Minnesota Twins, sources told ESPN's Jeff Passan.

It will pay him $84 million over the first four years and includes a $16 million club option with an $8 million buyout. In total, the deal includes $92 million in guaranteed money, with a chance to increase to $104 million in value if Donaldson hits escalators on the option.

Donaldson, 34, is a three-time All-Star and the 2015 American League MVP. He rebounded from two straight injury-riddled seasons to hit .259 with 37 homers and 94 RBIs in 155 games for the Atlanta Braves last season.

He was a National League Gold Glove Award finalist at third base and fit into a powerful middle-of-the-lineup trio with Freddie Freeman and Ronald Acuna Jr. that combined for 116 home runs and helped propel the Braves to their second straight NL East title.

Donaldson, who grew up in Alabama as a Braves fan, earned $23 million on a one-year contract last season that gave him a chance to show that he was healthy and back to near-MVP form, setting him up for a much more lucrative payday in the current free-agent market.

The slugging third baseman won his MVP award in 2015 after hitting 41 homers and leading the majors with 122 runs and topping the AL with 123 RBIs in his first year with the Toronto Blue Jays after arriving from the Oakland Athletics in a blockbuster 2014 trade. He hit .297 with 41 doubles to help the Blue Jays reach the playoffs for the first time since they won consecutive World Series in 1992 and '93.

Although Donaldson followed that with two more seasons of 30-plus home runs, a hip injury in 2016 and a strained right calf in 2017 cut into his production. During the 2018 season, Donaldson was limited to 52 games due to shoulder inflammation and more calf issues, hitting .246 with eight homers and 23 RBIs. He was dealt to the Cleveland Indians on Aug. 31 and played 16 games, enough to persuade the Braves that he was fully recovered from his health issues.

Donaldson spent the first four years of his career with the Athletics and is a career .273 hitter.

After striking out on the top-tier starting pitchers on the market, settling for bargain-rate deals with Homer Bailey and Rich Hill, the AL Central champion Twins decided instead to double down on their offense.

The Twins set a major league record with 307 home runs last season on the way to the division title and were second in baseball with 939 runs behind the New York Yankees, who swept them in the AL Division Series.

Donaldson will give the Twins a sixth 30-home run hitter from last season, one of two with designated hitter Nelson Cruz who've topped the 40-homer mark at some point in their career. Cruz went deep 41 times last season, his fourth such time meeting that milestone.

The Twins made a big impression on Donaldson in their pitch meeting, sources told Passan, and Donaldson's connection with manager Rocco Baldelli was immediate and strong.

The acquisition of Donaldson will allow the Twins to move third baseman Miguel Sano across the diamond to the opposite corner. Sano has a powerful arm and is agile for his size, but the 26-year-old slugger who's listed at 6-foot-4 and 272 pounds ought to be better suited for the long term at first base.

Sano was at Target Field on Tuesday to finalize a three-year, $30 million contract and told reporters he was more than willing to switch spots, noting he's worked out at both positions during the offseason. The Twins created a vacancy at first base by not tendering a contract to C.J. Cron, who hit 25 homers in 125 games in 2019 but was hampered by a thumb injury that required offseason surgery. Cron signed with division rival Detroit.

MLB Network first reported Donaldson's agreement with Minnesota.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

On Tuesday, the Boston Red Sox and skipper Alex Cora announced that they had "mutually agreed to part ways" following bombshell revelations from Major League Baseball's investigation into the Houston Astros' sign-stealing during the 2017 season, when Cora served as Houston's bench coach.

Just one year removed from Boston's win in the 2018 World Series, both the president of baseball operations -- Dave Dombrowski, who was fired during a disappointing 2019 season -- and the manager who helped lead the team to its ninth championship are gone.

Now what?

Where the Red Sox will look for their next skipper is unclear, with Dombrowski's replacement, Chaim Bloom, forced to kick off a managerial search a month before the start of spring training.

Guiding the 2020 Red Sox will be difficult. The speculation around Mookie Betts' future in a Red Sox uniform remains, with the star outfielder determined to test free agency after the season. Bloom himself enters his first year as the team's principle decision-maker, leaping from the small-market problems of Tampa Bay to the big-market problems of Boston. Plus, with Major League Baseball investigating the Red Sox for their alleged sign-stealing scheme under Cora during their title run, any new skipper will be asked to manage the PR storm certain to follow.

Although Bloom spoke highly of his former manager, Cora's departure allows Boston's new chief baseball officer to put his stamp on this Red Sox team and at least try to turn the page on one of the more volatile two-year stretches in recent team history.

Here are some candidates who could make Bloom's list.

Ron Roenicke, Red Sox bench coach: Roenicke is the easiest choice for the Red Sox to make. He spent the past two seasons as the team's bench coach and Cora's right-hand man, previously managing the Milwaukee Brewers from 2011 to 2015. The 63-year-old Roenicke is also the only coach on the Red Sox staff with major league managerial experience, and he brings more than 20 years of experience coaching in the bigs.

Matt Quatraro, Tampa Bay Rays bench coach: Quatraro finished as a finalist for both the Pittsburgh Pirates and San Francisco Giants managing jobs this offseason but lost out to Derek Shelton and Gabe Kapler, respectively. Quatraro previously worked with Bloom while with the Rays, with whom he started his post-playing career as a minor league hitting coach. He then worked as the Indians' assistant hitting coach from 2014 to 2017 before rejoining Tampa Bay as third-base coach in 2018 and later being promoted to bench coach. If Bloom wants to go with someone he has worked with before, Quatraro stands out.

Carlos Febles, Red Sox third-base coach: Febles has been with the organization since 2007 and has served as manager of the rookie ball Lowell Spinners, the Low-A Greenville Drive, the High-A Salem Red Sox and the Double-A Portland Sea Dogs. Febles is well-liked by the players, has a lot of experience working in the Boston organization and is bilingual as a native of the Dominican Republic.

Tim Hyers, Red Sox hitting coach: Hyers enters his third season with the Red Sox coaching staff, having previously worked as an area scout for the team from 2009 to 2012 and as minor league hitting coordinator from 2013 through 2015 before working as the Los Angeles Dodgers' assistant hitting coach in 2016 and 2017. When Cora was hired before the 2018 season, Hyers rejoined the Red Sox organization as hitting coach.

Jason Varitek, Red Sox special assistant to the general manager: It seems like Red Sox Nation has long been counting down the days for Varitek, a former team captain and fan favorite, to return to the Fenway Park dugout as manager. The rumors have floated since Varitek retired in 2011, and he'd likely receive a lot of public support from fans.

Varitek became a regular presence at Fenway before the 2018 season, working as a catching coordinator alongside Chad Epperson, and he has been vocal about his managing dreams as of late. He is regularly seen in the Red Sox clubhouse before home games and has developed a more hands-on role with the team rather than pursuing more front-office duties.

Also worth noting: Bloom's manager in Tampa Bay was a former catcher with little managerial experience, Kevin Cash, who served as the Cleveland Indians' bullpen coach under Terry Francona for two seasons before becoming the Rays' skipper in 2015.

Dustin Pedroia, Red Sox second baseman: When Red Sox players are asked who might make the best manager one day, the most frequent answer is Pedroia, and it's easy to see why. Pedroia is noted for his high baseball IQ and his love of the game, but though he has barely played the past two seasons, totaling nine games in 2018 and 2019, the Red Sox star is still trying to rehab the left knee injury that has robbed him of his playing time. His ambition -- if not his ability -- to return to the field as a player would have to change for this to be a consideration.

Still, the trend of hiring inexperienced managers has continued the past few seasons, with notable success stories such as Cash, Aaron Boone, Craig Counsell and Rocco Baldelli. One notable supporter of Pedroia's potential as a manager? Dombrowski.

"He probably doesn't need much of an interview, really," Dombrowski told the Boston Herald in 2018. "He has the respect of all the other players, he has the leadership skills, he has the drive, he has passion for the game. So I could see him being a manager in the future, if he chooses to do that, I don't know if he wants to do that. I've never had that conversation with him, but players respect him and respect his knowledge."

TULSA, Okla. – There may not have been anyone happier inside the River Spirit Expo Center on Tuesday during preparations for Warren CAT Qualifying Night at the Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Nationals than Zeb Wise.

Or at least, if there was someone happier than Wise, you’d have been hard pressed to find them.

Wise was wearing an ear-to-ear grin as he suited up to tackle his second attempt at the Chili Bowl, in part because he’s making his debut for Keith Kunz/Curb-Agajanian Motorsports this week.

It’s an opportunity that many weren’t expecting to develop, after Wise developed the first few years of his midget career with KKM rival Clauson-Marshall Racing, but it’s a pairing that has come with plenty of hype.

One of dirt racing’s hottest young prospects teaming with the organization that has won the last five Chili Bowl Saturday features? Count Wise in among those eager to see how it all shakes out.

“Man, people don’t understand how good it feels to have this shot and to be able to come back and go midget racing,” Wise said. “Keith’s team is one of the best out there, and he had been in talks with us for a while to be able to sit in one of his cars and go to work together, so to be able to have accomplished putting that together last month and now be here at the Chili Bowl ready to go … I’m just excited, man.

“It’s not going to be a lot – maybe 10 races or so, given my sprint car schedule with the All Stars (at Sam McGhee Motorsports) – but a couple of mid-week races, the BC39, maybe some of the West Coast stuff at the end I think we’ll try and do,” Wise added. “And obviously, it all starts here. I’m just ready to go. Obviously, everyone in this building knows what this team has done here at the Chili Bowl; they’re as good as it gets, so hopefully we can add to it this week and help to give them another strong run.”

While Wise is bursting at the seams to begin his Keith Kunz Motorsports tenure on a high note, he was quick to note that the decision to leave Clauson-Marshall Racing for new pastures wasn’t easy, by any means.

“It was a very tough decision,” Wise explained. “It was tough for us, not only on a racing scale, but we’re all friends and I’ve been treated like family for the past few years with Clauson-Marshall and it was a very tough decision for me to make. It’s part of racing, though, as hard as that reality is.

“They gave me an opportunity three years ago that I’m very thankful for every day, and I wouldn’t be standing here or talking about any of this if it wasn’t for them,” Wise continued. “It was very tough on a personal level, but that’s part of racing and we’ll move on and find our paths forward for the future.”

But though Wise’s racing relationship with CMR will change, the 17-year-old from Angola, Ind., said he’ll still consider Tim Clauson and Richard Marshall, as well as their crew, as his friends in the long run.

“The ride change for me didn’t change anything with our friendship, especially between me and Tim,” said Wise. “We still talk and we’re really close. I think I was kind of like a son to him, and he was honestly like a dad to me. Nothing’s changed other than I’m going mostly sprint car racing … and Tim made it clear that he’s going to (still) support me in everything I’ve done.

“I think that says a lot about us two as friends on a professional level going into this Chili Bowl.”

Looking back at the racing at hand, Wise knows he’s in the best position he’s been in yet going into Chili Bowl Nationals week, as well as with the team that all eyes are on every year.

However, much like his smile would suggest, Wise is relaxed and worry-free as he gears up to chase both his first preliminary night win and – later in the week – potentially his first Golden Driller.

“I try not to put any of that pressure on myself, and I know they’re not going to put that pressure on me,” noted Wise of the KKM squad. “We all know they’ve had success there and I think we’re going to be a good combination. I don’t feel any pressure. I’m just going to go out there and treat it like another race and another car and just go out there and race my hardest … and whatever happens, happens.

“We’ll go out there and do our best, and I think we’ll have a pretty good week,” he added. “Obviously Keith’s cars know their way around the Chili Bowl. That’s pretty clear, with three wins (in a row) with Christopher (Bell) and then the two years before that with Rico (Abreu). So I feel like I’ve put myself in a good position and I know Keith is going to do everything he can to get me comfortable.

“I feel at home with these guys and I think we’re going to be just fine. I really do.”

Each month in SPEED SPORT Magazine we highlight some of our favorite Twitter posts from racing personalities from various disciplines. Here is the SPEED SPORT Twitter Me This from December 2019.

Ben Kennedy (@BenKennedy33): Thanksgiving weekend: Holiday gift shopping. Monday: Unsubscribe from every email newsletter.

Kyle Steffens (@kylestffens8): Tonight, wife asked me if I wanted to go to Target. This is with a 3 year old and an 8 month old. 3 hours later, snacks, toy cars and a new cell phone we are out of Target. Aren’t the holidays great lol

Danny Dietrich (@dannydietrich): I’ve gotten boring on Twitter. Shame.

Sam Mayer (@sam_meyer_): My first weekend off in awhile and I’m going nuts already.

Jeb Burton (@JebBurtonRacing): Weekends are like pay checks, they don’t last very long and there isn’t enough of them.

Coleman Pressley (@ColemanPressley): Today I was “that guy” trying to load a trampoline in the back of a minivan with an audience in the background wondering if I would go back into the store and ask for help. I did my man duty and accomplished the task alone.

Steve Casebolt (@caseboltc9): Just left the sunglasses store. Tried on about every pair in there. Wife told me every pair looked bad on me. I’m starting to think the glasses aren’t the problem.

Sean Rayhall (@seanrayhall): Public Service Announcement, walk on the right side of a walkway when you’re in the USA or I will run you over. Thanks in advance.

Steve Letarte (@SteveLetarte): Grocery shopping the Sunday before Thanksgiving is a little like a mid-race restart @MartinsvilleSwy … still kinda polite. Want some cart position but not willing to make contact. Now Tuesday/Wednesday this week, look out.

Brian Keselowski (@KeselowskiBrian): Damn I must be getting old, I just got called Brad’s dad.

Conor Daly (@ConorDaly22): Let me tell you guys something… if you really want to spice up your life, try driving around in a car that’s power steering system randomly fails. Turn in – normal, mid-corner…GONE. All arms and elbows trying not to hit parked cars and pedestrians. The Subaru is a wild ride.

Regan Smith (@ReganSmith): Turn signals are a lost art form.

Ty Gibbs (@TyGibbs_): 100 percent the bread sticks you don’t eat @olivegarden go into the next basket.

Chris Ferguson (@ChrisFerguson22): I drive two fast cars, call them goose and maverick.

Kyle Larson (@KyleLarsonRacin): It’s bad when you get rid of close to 80 lbs. of clothes out of your closet and it doesn’t even look like you made much of a dent.

LIVE from the Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Presented by My Race Pass

Last year’s Chili Bowl runner-up, Kyle Larson, is back in Tulsa seeking his elusive first Golden Driller. He’ll be on the track tonight and he recently spoke with SPEED SPORT’s Tony Bokhoven.

How to Watch the Chili Bowl:

LIVE From the Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Presented by MyRacePass – Story Index Page
News, analysis, interviews, behind-the-scenes and more – updated throughout each day.

LIVE PPV Streaming Broadcast – Racinboys.com
Monday – Saturday coverage

LIVE Television Broadcast – MAVTV.com
Saturday, Jan. 18th at 8:30pm EST

LIVE Timing and Scoring – MyRacePass
https://www.myracepass.com/app

SPEED SPORT’s Chili Bowl coverage is presented by MyRacePass, the official timing and scoring app of the 2020 Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Nationals. Fans can download the MyRacePass app on their phones to follow all the action during the Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Nationals. For more information on MyRacePass, visit www.myracepass.com and use the hashtag #GetTheApp on Twitter!

CONCORD, N.C. – The DIRTcar Sportsman Modified Series has added an Eastern Region to the already robust schedule.

The four-race Eastern Region is made up of tour stops at Bear Ridge Speedway in Bradford, Vt.; Utica-Rome Speedway in Vernon, N.Y.; Albany-Saratoga Speedway in Malta, N.Y.; and finally Glen Ridge Motorsports Park in Fultonville, N.Y. The Bear Ridge and Glen Ridge dates are the first DIRTcar Sportsman Series races in their track histories.

Each date will showcase a feature event paying at least $1,000 to win and the top five in the region’s points will share from a $1,500 point fund with the high point driver taking home $500.

Long-time DIRTcar supporter Bear Ridge Speedway will kick off the Eastern Region at the picturesque facility. Top chauffers from the other tracks will have to contend with a strong field of Hoosier Racing Tire Weekly Championship drivers on Saturday, May 9. Premier Sportsman drivers Jordan Fornwalt, Kevin Chaffee, and Robert Tucker finished in the top three in points in 2019. They won’t make it easy on the invading Series drivers.

On Sunday, Aug. 2, the Eastern Region rolls into Utica-Rome Speedway. Some of the best DIRTcar Sportsman drivers in the Northeast race at the half-mile oval including Matt Janczuk, Kyle Inman, Alan Fink, and many more. Janczuk had his sights set on the overall Championship in 2019 and even with a wild accident in turn four at Utica-Rome Speedway during NAPA Super DIRT Week he still finished third in the overall DIRTcar Sportsman points.

Albany-Saratoga Speedway is next to host the Eastern Region on Friday, Sept. 11. The third-mile oval boasts some of the best side-by-side racing seen anywhere. Connor Cleveland, Tim Hartman, and Andrew Buff are tough customers to race against on their home track.

Glen Ridge Motorsports Park has never hosted a DIRTcar Sportsman Series race but this year the Series will invade the Fultonville track on Sunday, Sept. 13. Race fans will enjoy seeing the Series stars figure out the fast way around the quarter-mile oval again. The Eastern Region Championship will be decided on that Sunday race.

LIVE from the Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Presented by My Race Pass
Alex Bowman Tuesday Interview

NASCAR star Alex Bowman has returned to the Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Nationals looking to make his first start in Saturday’s A-Main. First he’ll need to survive Tuesday night’s heat action. The Hendrick Motorsports driver is making his fifth appearance in the event.

How to Watch the Chili Bowl:

LIVE From the Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Presented by MyRacePass – Story Index Page
News, analysis, interviews, behind-the-scenes and more – updated throughout each day.

LIVE PPV Streaming Broadcast – Racinboys.com
Monday – Saturday coverage

LIVE Television Broadcast – MAVTV.com
Saturday, Jan. 18th at 8:30pm EST

LIVE Timing and Scoring – MyRacePass
https://www.myracepass.com/app

SPEED SPORT’s Chili Bowl coverage is presented by MyRacePass, the official timing and scoring app of the 2020 Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Nationals. Fans can download the MyRacePass app on their phones to follow all the action during the Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Nationals. For more information on MyRacePass, visit www.myracepass.com and use the hashtag #GetTheApp on Twitter!

LA QUINTA, Calif. – Tournament host Phil Mickelson predictably drew one of the week’s top pairings at The American Express where he will play the first three rounds with Tony Finau, the highest-ranked player in the field.

Mickelson and Finau tee off for Round 1 at 11:40 a.m. (ET) at La Quinta Country Club and shift to PGA West’s Nicklaus Tournament course for the second round at 1:20 p.m. The duo tees off at 12:50 p.m. for Round 3 on the Stadium course.

Playing the event for the first time since 2014, Rickie Fowler will be paired with Francesco Molinari and the twosome will also start their week at La Quinta (12:10 p.m.) before transitioning to the Nicklaus Tournament course (11:40 a.m.) and Stadium course (1:20 p.m.).

Cameron Champ and Billy Horschel highlight the other side of the draw and begin the tournament on the Nicklaus Tournament layout (11:40 a.m.) followed by the Stadium course (1:20 p.m.) and La Quinta (12:50 p.m.) for the third round.

LONDON -- What if Jose Mourinho was a football romantic after all?

The Tottenham manager used his programme notes prior to his side's 2-1 win over Middlesbrough in an FA Cup third-round replay to write about how he had watched on television as a spellbound teenager when Ricky Villa's famous solo goal inspired Spurs to victory over Coventry City in the 1981 final.

Along with Ossie Ardiles, Villa was one of two Argentinian midfielders in the Tottenham team at Wembley that day, and for the club's first game in the competition at their new Tottenham Hotspur Stadium home, Mourinho ensured that the land of Maradona and Messi was suitably represented in the hosts' starting XI. Giovani Lo Celso and Erik Lamela started together for the first time in Mourinho's tenure, scored the first-half goals that earned Spurs a fourth-round trip to Southampton, and in so doing, showed that there might yet be life without Harry Kane after all.

In Kane's absence, with a hamstring injury that is expected to keep him out until April at the earliest, the most prolific Spurs goal scorer involved in Tuesday's match was Robbie Keane, Middlesbrough's assistant manager. Seated alongside visiting manager Jonathan Woodgate, another Spurs old boy, Keane could only watch as Lo Celso and Lamela left his current employers chasing the game after just 15 minutes.

Lo Celso accepted a gift from Tomas Mejias in the second minute, seizing upon the Boro goalkeeper's misplaced pass and cutting inside Dael Fry before rolling in his first goal since the first week of November. Lamela, making his first start for Mourinho after a hamstring injury, added a second, robbing Jonny Howson, powering into the box in trademark, straight-backed fashion and deftly flicking the ball past Mejias with the outside of his left foot.

Kane's unavailability has most obviously robbed Mourinho of a goal scorer, but without the England striker to drop deep and link the play, there is a creativity deficit to be addressed as well, not least while Christian Eriksen's well-publicised desire to leave continues to sap him of motivation. Lamela and Lo Celso had enlivened Spurs' play following their introductions from the bench in Saturday's narrow 1-0 loss to runaway Premier League leaders Liverpool, and against Boro they proved just as impactful from the start, after benefiting from Mourinho's decision to rest Dele Alli and Son Heung-min.

Aligned alongside Eriksen in a 4-2-3-1 formation that featured Lucas Moura at its tip, Spurs' Argentinian pair helped to facilitate the slick one-twos that had Boro's defenders valiantly defending the edge of their own box for much of the first half. From Lamela's pass, Ryan Sessegnon saw a low shot touched behind by Mejias. From Lo Celso's intelligently weighted lay-off, 20-year-old right-back Japhet Tanganga came within inches of his first Tottenham goal. Their combined tally of five key passes was only one less than the total mustered by the rest of the team put together.

"They played very well. Ardiles and Villa wouldn't be ashamed of them tonight, for sure," Mourinho said when it was put to him that Lamela and Lo Celso had performed in a manner that was reminiscent of their illustrious compatriots. "I'm happy to say I agree with you. Lamela was out for so long. He was coming step by step: 10 minutes one game, 20, half an hour [against] Liverpool, 90 minutes today -- I took him to the limit, but he's coming. Gio again, step by step. So, so good against Liverpool and again so, so good today, adapting to the reality of English football and its intensity."

Spurs have enjoyed precious few straightforward afternoons in Mourinho's nascent tenure, however, and there was a sense of deja vu about the manner in which the hosts' defensive vulnerability offered Boro a route back into the contest. Davinson Sanchez endured a particularly uncomfortable evening beneath the north London drizzle, repeatedly missing headers and misjudging passes. It was the Colombian centre-back's mistimed header that allowed substitute George Saville to inject an element of tension into proceedings by rolling a rather tame shot into Paulo Gazzaniga's bottom-right corner with seven minutes remaining.

Tottenham have conceded 21 goals and kept only one clean sheet in the 14 games since Mourinho succeeded Mauricio Pochettino in the dugout. Such fragility had contributed to Spurs going four games without victory in all competitions prior to Boro's visit, and if Mourinho is to resurrect their push for a Champions League place in the league, it is a matter that will have to be addressed urgently. Inconsistency and defensive flakiness are unlikely to prove a recipe for success in the Champions League either, where RB Leipzig await in the round of 16, but for now it has not been an impediment to progress in the FA Cup.

As Pochettino's trophy-less tenure demonstrated, an Argentinian connection is no automatic guarantee of FA Cup glory for Spurs. But it is a tradition that Mourinho would dearly love to resurrect.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Joe Brady agreed to become the offensive coordinator of the Carolina Panthers less than 24 hours after helping LSU win the national title.

A source told ESPN's Adam Schefter that the 30-year-old Brady, after one year as LSU's passing coordinator, would return to the NFL and become the league's youngest active offensive coordinator.

He will join former Baylor coach Matt Rhule, recently named Carolina's fifth head coach in franchise history.

Baylor defensive coordinator Phil Snow is expected to join Rhule in Charlotte as defensive coordinator, sources tell ESPN. Snow and Rhule have been together since 2013, first in rebuilding Temple and then from 2017 to '19 at Baylor.

But Brady was the bigger get because of his fast ascension in the coaching ranks. He went from a graduate assistant at Penn State in 2015 to an offensive assistant for the New Orleans Saints (2017-18) to LSU in five years.

Brady recently agreed to an extension with LSU that reportedly would more than double his $410,000 annual earnings. While he said Saturday that he intended to stay at LSU, his extension did not prohibit him from going to the NFL or accepting a college head coaching job, and Brady took advantage of that on Tuesday.

Brady's star really shined this past season when he helped quarterback Joe Burrow win the Heisman Trophy and national championship MVP with 5,600 yards passing and 60 touchdown passes, a single-season NCAA FBS record.

Brady won the Broyles Award given to the best assistant coach in college football.

Brady's philosophy in the spread offense should mix well with that of Rhule, who believes in adapting to the strengths of his players more than forcing players to adapt to what he wants.

He will inherit one of the league's most dynamic players in running back Christian McCaffrey, who in 2019 became the third player in NFL history to have 1,000 yards rushing and receiving in the same season.

It remains uncertain whether Brady will work with quarterback Cam Newton, who is recovering from surgery to repair a Lisfranc injury. The other two quarterbacks on Carolina's roster are 2019 third-round pick Will Grier and Kyle Allen.

Allen took over for Newton after he re-aggravated the Lisfranc injury originally suffered in the third preseason game.

The Panthers also could use the No. 7 pick of the April draft on a quarterback. It's unlikely Burrow, projected to be the top pick to Cincinnati, would be available without a trade up.

"Every coach should put together a system that isn't just what we do and this is what we're doing,'' Brady said on Saturday at media day for the College Football Playoff National Championship Game. "It's about let's see what our players do well and run the system that can relate to them and put them in the best position to have success.

"No matter the quarterback you have, if he can't really throw well but he can run, let's put a system together that can put him in the best position. The same with your running back and receivers and tight ends. The best coaches don't just run a system. They run what puts their players in the best position.''

Brady learned much of what he used at LSU this season working with Saints coach Sean Payton and quarterback Drew Brees. He took that knowledge to Burrow, who threw for five touchdowns and ran for another on Monday night in a 42-25 victory over Clemson.

"He's an NFL quarterback,'' Brady said of Burrow when asked whether he was a product of the system or talent. "For anybody to put on the tape and doubt that . . . Joe Burrow is not a system quarterback. Joe Burrow will fit in any system.

"If you want to be the most successful offense or most successful offensive coordinator you're going to have to develop a system that utilizes what he does the best.''