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Last night, Dan Campbell’s Lions finished undefeated on the road, beating the 49ers 40-34 (even though they didn’t need to, since Sunday night against Minnesota is for the No. 1 seed anyway). More bad news for SF: Brock Purdy ended the loss with his elbow on fire. An MRI is scheduled for today.
Below: The biggest stories, most-clicked articles and best moments of the NFL’s 2024.
NFL’s biggest stories of 2024
This year was busy. In the winter months, we watched as the Chiefs won their second straight Super Bowl, Bill Belichick left New England (and later, the NFL) and the Chargers welcomed Jim Harbaugh back to the league.
Free agency opened a month later, with Saquon Barkley, Derrick Henry, Josh Jacobs and Aaron Jones finding new teams. Chris Jones returned to Kansas City. Brandon Aiyuk trade rumors began in earnest. Aaron Donald retired.
In April, six quarterbacks were among the first 12 picks. No defensive player went until pick 15. Both were unprecedented. Also, Buffalo traded Stefon Diggs.
Over the summer, Justin Jefferson reset the receiver market ($35 million APY), and Trevor Lawrence ($55 million) did the same at quarterback. Rather than sign stars early, the Cowboys waited, later paying Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb an average of $60 million and $34 million per year, respectively.
As for Aiyuk, by August, he seemed certain to land in either Pittsburgh or Cleveland. But 11 days before kickoff, he accepted the 49ers’ $30 million per year offer, ending the weirdest negotiations of 2024.
All that happened before the NFL’s 105th season began.
Three plays help tell the story of that season so far.
No. 3: Saquon Barkley — the best free agent signing and 2,000-yard frontrunner for Offensive Player of the Year — auditions for a role in the “Matrix” series:
No. 2: Likely MVP Josh Allen scores two touchdowns on a single play in the snow, part of Buffalo’s march to a No. 2 seed:
No. 1: Jayden Daniels, the best rookie QB since Dak Prescott in 2016, beats the Bears with a 52-yard Hail Mary, signaling a new era in Washington, where they’ve won 11 games for the first time since 1991:
Busy year, so let’s run through a few quick lists of stories you might have missed along the way.
Five of The Athletic’s most popular NFL stories:
Most-read profile: Zak Keefer’s incredible interview with Cowboys Hall of Famer Troy Aikman, the NFL’s best color commentator. Aikman — whom one colleague referred to as “the most honest guy ever” — was an open book. Read it here.
Media story: Andrew Marchand explores Tony Romo making a mess of the Super Bowl’s game-winning touchdown.
Investigative report: A couple weeks ago, Zack Rosenblatt, Dianna Russini and Michael Silver offered you a look inside Woody Johnson’s Jets, “the most dysfunctional place imaginable.”
Rankings: Jake Ciely’s list of the best 2024 Super Bowl commercials, an impressive group, considering Michael Cera’s ad finished just seventh.
PB&J story: Jayson Jenks determines just how many Uncrustables NFL players eat. Sorry, New Year’s resolutions.
While Aikman’s profile got the most eyeballs, plenty of similar stories made The Athletic’s official Best of 2024.
Four more profiles you may have missed:
Zack Rosenblatt also traveled to Chico, California to understand how Aaron Rodgers — now a lightning rod for criticism — earned his hometown’s unconditional love. “He gets a big pass here,” said the mayor.
Bill Belichick exited New England after finishing 29-38 without Tom Brady. Patriots beat reporter Chad Graff took us inside Belichick’s downfall: “Most inside the Patriots organization believe the game has not passed Belichick by. It’s that the organizational structure, his roster construction and his leadership methods are outdated.”
Steve Spagnoulo has a secret weapon: his wife, Maria, who “cooks better than my grandma, and I don’t put no one above my granny,” according to former Chiefs cornerback L’Jarius Sneed. Pro tip for reading Dan Pompei’s profile on the man Tom Brady called “the bane of my existence”: avoid if hungry.
When Jason Kelce retired after 13 seasons as the Eagles center, having gone from a sixth-round pick to a six-time All-Pro, Justin Williams spoke with more than 15 of the Kelce brothers’ former college teammates, coaches and roommates. It’s a fun, beer-filled read.
Five of the most-clicked stories in this newsletter:
NFL QB Tiers 2024: Mike Sando’s annual rankings have stood up well this season, with the top four — Patrick Mahomes, Joe Burrow, Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson — likely to repeat in 2025. Sam Darnold’s ranking is a different story.
Best Mike Tomlin stories: After hearing from his current and former players, it’s clear why he’s never coached a losing season. Every coach should read this piece.
Watch football like a pro: “This is The Athletic article I’d choose if I were stranded on a deserted island,” said one reader, praising Ted Nguyen’s 2019 article on how to watch like an expert from the comfort of your couch.
Night with the ManningCast: Zak Keefer and Dan Duggan shared what they learned from spending time in Eli’s New Jersey basement while Peyton shot from a friend’s Denver garage.
Odell’s catch, ten years later: Jeff Zrebiec explains how “one of the most iconic catches in NFL history — a play that would change Odell Beckham Jr.’s life — started with a misunderstanding and a poor route.”
To end our first year of Scoop City, I asked Dianna for her favorite scoop:
Dianna Russini: A QB’s uncomfortable comeback & coaching shocker
The scoop that still sticks out to me is one that made everyone a bit uneasy at the time. On Oct. 19, I reported that Tua Tagovailoa would return from his third concussion in two years. As co-host Chase Daniel and I discussed on the “Scoop City” podcast, it was an uncomfortable story to discuss because of the potential consequences beyond football for Tua, though thankfully he has avoided another head injury since getting back on the field. Tua’s return was significant, though maybe not surprising.
The most jaw-dropping bit of information I learned in 2024: Bill Belichick’s camp had reached out to — of all teams — the Jets about their head-coaching vacancy. There weren’t any formal talks, and Belichick ultimately landed at the University of North Carolina, but considering the way his turn-of-the-century Jets tenure ended, not to mention how he mocked owner Woody Johnson on the ManningCast after the Robert Saleh firing earlier this season, this was one none of us saw coming.
The latest from the Scoop City Podcast: Who’s coaching for their job next weekend?
Last word: What do you want to see in 2025?
If you have feedback from 2024 or ideas for this newsletter in 2025, let us know by commenting below. We read every response.
Thanks for reading in 2024, and have a Happy New Year! We’ll be back on Thursday, when we’ll talk about those record-breaking seasons we mentioned yesterday.
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(Photo: Jamie Squire, Maddie Meyer / Getty Images)
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