Come 8:20pm tonight, pads will be clashing and fans will be cheering – with the new NFL season fully underway.
It all begins with a rematch of last year’s AFC Championship game between the Baltimore Ravens and the Kansas City Chiefs.
Everyone will be chasing Kansas City as the Chiefs hope to become the first team in NFL history to win three straight Super Bowls.
But there are plenty of changes on and off the field that are sure to enthrall NFL fans throughout the season. Add to that some ultra-competitive divisions and there’s plenty for everyone to be excited about. Oh, and Taylor Swift too!
Here, DailyMail.com takes a look at six reasons why this NFL season will be the best yet…
The Kansas City Chiefs are the team to beat as the NFL kicks off a brand new season in 2024
Read More
Bill Belichick lands ANOTHER new media job – as he begins new chapter after 24 years as Patriots head coach
New faces on television
We’ll start this list by taking a look away from the field, up into the stands, and to the broadcast booth.
There’s plenty of changes to the way that the game will be presented this year – with some legends of the game making the transition into the media.
After showing an apparent disdain for the media for over two decades, former New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick will be joining the cast of Inside the NFL – a post-week analysis show featuring commentary and highlights.
Not only that, but Belichick is set to be a regular contributor to the ‘ManningCast’ on Monday Night Football.
Legendary Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce also has a new role in the media when he joins the desk on Monday Night Countdown on ESPN.
But the biggest name of all joining the television ranks this year is the sport’s greatest ever player – Tom Brady.
Brady will be appearing in the broadcast booth alongside Kevin Burkhardt as Fox’s No. 1 commentary team for major contests each week – including when Fox broadcasts Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans.
Jason Kelce (L) and Bill Belichick (R) will take up new media roles for the first time in 2024
But eyes and ears will be on Tom Brady’s debut with Fox as a color commentator
Read More
BREAKING NEWS Commanders VP is SUSPENDED after branding his own team’s black players ‘homophobic,’ calls NFL stars ‘dumb as hell’ and labels fans ‘alcoholics’ in damning video secretly recorded on a date
New faces on the field
Looking back to the field, there’s a number of players who are expected to be the saviors of their new franchises that were taken in this year’s NFL Draft.
The Chicago Bears held the first overall pick for the first time in over seven decades and used it to draft their hopeful ‘quarterback of the future’, Caleb Williams. Williams has already been named the starter and could lead the Bears to a playoff appearance.
He’s not the only one who has already been handed the keys to the franchise. The Washington Commanders named second-overall pick Jayden Daniels their Week 1 starter – with the dual-threat quarterback facing reduced expectations in a competitive NFC East division.
Third-overall pick Drake Maye will not be given the Week 1 start in New England as the Patriots have opted for Jacoby Brissett instead. But it’s a not a matter of ‘if’, but rather ‘when’ Maye will end up supplanting Brissett under center.
Rounding out the rookies to keep an eye on, Bo Nix will also get the Week 1 start at quarterback for the Denver Broncos. A pair of rookie receivers to keep an eye on include Marvin Harrison Jr. with the Arizona Cardinals and Malik Nabers with the New York Giants. Finally, tight end Brock Bowers could be a top target with the Las Vegas Raiders.
The top two picks, Caleb Williams (L) and Jayden Daniels (R), will start for their new teams
Meanwhile, Drake Maye will not be the Week 1 starter for the New England Patriots
Read More
Taylor Swift has 20% of Americans more interested in football… but 44% HATE what popstar has done to NFL
Chiefs’ quest for historic threepeat… and Taylor Swift (of course!)
When you win two titles in a row, it’s hard to bet against you to win your third. That’s the position the Chiefs find themselves in going into.
How could you doubt them? They play in one of the easiest divisions in football, they have a generational quarterback at the height of his powers, and they’ve managed to win over the hearts of millions of fans who never watched the game before because the biggest pop star in the world is dating their tight end.
Taylor Swift aside, the Kansas City Chiefs are primed to do what no team ever has before in NFL history – win three Super Bowls in a row.
Patrick Mahomes has an upgraded wide receiver corps with the additions of Marquise ‘Hollywood’ Brown (who will be out Week 1) and rookie Xavier Worthy, who will be top targets alongside Travis Kelce.
On the opposite side of the ball, defensive end Chris Jones and linebacker Drue Tranquill are sticking around after signing deals before the start of free agency.
At the end of the day, the Chiefs are favorites to repeat as champions. Will they crash out magnificently or will they achieve the success they’re destined for?
Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs have their eyes set on a three-peat this year
Off the field, the Chiefs will remain popular thanks to Year Two of the Kelce-Swift romance
Read More
BREAKING NEWS Damar Hamlin to make first NFL start since his cardiac arrest in 2023 for Bills in their season opener against Cardinals
Two of the TOUGHEST divisions set to make playoffs interesting
There’s high potential for two divisions to send three of its teams to the playoffs – those being the AFC East and the NFC North.
The New England Patriots will play in a new era under Jerod Mayo after Bill Belichick departed the team in the offseason. While they’re not expected to compete this season, three other teams in their division are primed for the playoffs.
Health ended the New York Jets’ hopes last season, but maybe luck will be on their side this year. Elsewhere, the Miami Dolphins and Buffalo Bills are as strong as ever and are projected to be in a head-to-head battle for the division title with high powered offenses led by Tua Tagovailoa and Josh Allen, respectively.
Switching over to the NFC North, the Detroit Lions are the favorites to repeat as division champions after their run to the NFC Championship last season.
But don’t count out the Green Bay Packers and quarterback Jordan Love, who are more than capable of pushing for the postseason this year.
Additionally, with Caleb Williams at taking over signal calling duties, the Chicago Bears could make some magic happen.
Both these divisions are worth keeping an eye on as the season progresses.
(L to R) Tua Tagovailoa of Miami, Josh Allen of Buffalo, and Aaron Rodgers of the Jets lead the AFC East
(L to R) Jared Goff of Detroit, Jordan Love of Green Bay, and Caleb Williams of Chicago lead the NFC North
Rodgers and the Jets 2.0? Will the Fairytale of New York last longer than four snaps this year?
The hopes of Jets fans lasted about four plays last season before Aaron Rodgers’ Achilles tendon imploded.
New York went into the season with such high hopes, only to be subjected to 16 games worth of Zach Wilson at quarterback.
Now, after Rodgers fully recovered, there’s increased hope in the form of a powerful defense and an overhauled offensive line designed around protecting the quarterback.
The only thing that remains is the health of Rodgers. If he can avoid injury, the Jets could break a 13-year playoff drought. If not, the ball will be placed in the hands of Tyrod Taylor and a miracle would be needed to snap that streak.
Aaron Rodgers’ horrific Achilles tendon tear led to him missing all but four snaps last season
Now, the Jets are hoping Rodgers will stay healthy and help them snap a long playoff drought
49ers on the Road to Redemption after last year’s Super Bowl disappointment
Converting a field goal in overtime may have been the play that sunk the San Francisco 49ers’ hopes at a record-tying sixth Super Bowl.
After doing the safe thing and converting the three points, they were forced to watch as Patrick Mahomes drove the Chiefs 75 yards down the field and scored a touchdown to win yet another Super Bowl title.
Now, the Niners are out on the road to redemption – hoping that they’ll be able to reach that mountaintop again.
Brock Purdy will hope to lead the 49ers back to the Super Bowl after last season’s loss
Trent Williams (L) and Brandon Aiyuk (R) both signed contracts to stay in San Francisco
With a full season of starting under his belt, quarterback Brock Purdy will be back bolstered by the same strong receiving corps and offensive line after Brandon Aiyuk and Trent Williams signed deals just before the start of the season.
The NFC West will be a competitive division this year, but the Niners look poised to win it again and could be back in the Super Bowl once again.
