The wait is over. NFL football is back!
The NFL preseason is here, and before you know it, September 5th will be upon us…with a bang! One of the season openers is the Super Bowl LVIII Champion Kansas City Chiefs taking on the Baltimore Ravens.
Many media members predict the Chiefs to repeat as Super Bowl champs in 2025. And with Patrick Mahomes, a strong team nucleus, and Andy Reid’s no-nonsense approach to coaching, the Chiefs will certainly be in the hunt.
Other teams to watch are the San Francisco 49ers, last year’s NFC Champion that lost the 2024 Super Bowl to the Chiefs in overtime. Head coach Kyle Shanahan will rely again on Quarterback Brock Purdy, a player who shocked the world. The 2022 “Mr. Irrelevant” (the 262nd and final NFL draft pick) took his team to the Super Bowl.
In addition to KC and the 49ers, keep an eye on the Detroit Lions, Baltimore Ravens, Philadelphia Eagles, and Cincinnati Bengals. While the Ravens and Eagles have been there before (Super Bowl winners both), and the Bengals participated in the big game back in the day (1982), the Lions haven’t been in a for-all-the-marbles championship game since 1957. Today, though, Detroit has become a top-tier contender, going 12-5 and winning the NFC North Division Championship in 2024.
Will it be more of the same for Metro New York fans? Maybe. Last season, the Jets and Giants had injuries to deal with, losing Aaron Rodgers and Daniel Jones as their starting quarterbacks. Rodgers ruptured an Achilles tendon that required surgery and Jones tore an ACL. Those losses turned hope into disappointing seasons. This time, both quarterbacks must remain healthy for local fans to continue cheering.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the state, the Bills need to break what seems to be a pattern–starting strong and fizzling at the end. Unless that changes, Empire State NFL fans are in for another season of disappointment.
But there’s always if. The NFL season always has twists and turns, and that’s what makes the game great. So sit back and be ready for another exciting season.
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Editor’s Note: The cover graphic is available here.
