Colorful leaves, cool weather, and back-to-school sales all signify the start of the National Football League (NFL). The NFL is the largest professional sports league in the United States, and for good reason — it has the best football players and coaches battling for the glory and honor of the Lombardi trophy. The 2024-2025 season kicked off with a marquee matchup between two of the NFL’s best: the Baltimore Ravens and the Kansas City Chiefs. Then, on Friday, the Green Bay Packers and Philadelphia Eagles battled in the NFL’s first-ever game in Brazil. These two games previewed what would be an excellent week 1 of the 104th season of the NFL.
The NFL is a sport of storylines—week 1 was no different. Detroit Lion turned Los Angeles Ram Mathew Stafford returned to the 313, controversial quarterback Aaron Rodgers played in his first game for over a year, “generational talent” Caleb Williams debuted for the Chicago Bears, and wide receiver Tyreek Hill exploded for an 80-yard touchdown after getting arrested on his way to the stadium. These headlines supported a massive weekend of viewership success for the NFL. According to NBC, the season opener reportedly broke the all-time viewing record for opening night. Skeptics say this record was purely because Taylor Swift was in attendance, but the numbers were still impressive no matter the reason. The opening showdown came down to the last few seconds and was decided, literally, by inches. Baltimore tight end Isiah Likely’s foot landed just outside of the end zone, resulting in a victory for the reigning champion Chiefs. This outcome ignited a sense of excitement and thrill among the growing fanbase of the NFL. Less than 24 hours later, the Packers and Eagles fought it out in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Less-than-ideal field conditions and numerous injuries didn’t stop this game from providing entertainment. While the Eagles eked out the victory, Green Bay fans were thrilled to watch such an elite offense with their star quarterback, Jordan Love.
After competitive games on Thursday and Friday and an exciting Saturday of college football, a full slate occurred on Sunday. The afternoon started with an offensive attack between the Houston Texans and the Indianapolis Colts. Both teams’ young quarterbacks showed off elite arm talent, and their running backs all made an impact, but ultimately, Houston pulled through with a time-consuming drive to finish the game. Similarly, it seemed that the Buffalo Bills’ and Arizona Cardinals’ defenses may have forgotten to step on the field, as quarterbacks Josh Allen and Kyler Murray fired the ball downfield, creating an exciting finish for fans. Ultimately, the firepower of the Bills was too much for the Cardinals to handle, and they won 38-24. Viewers quickly transitioned to the battle between the Tennessee Titans and the Chicago Bears. All defensive and special teams coordinators loved this game, as not a single touchdown was scored in this dual. Still, the Bears managed to be victorious with 24 points against a tough Titans defense.
After an eventful 1 pm slate of football games, the 4 o’clock window did not disappoint. This slate was headlined by the Dallas Cowboys facing off against the Cleveland Browns. It wasn’t just the star power that drew headlines, though. NFL legend Tom Brady commentated for this game, marking his first-ever appearance in the booth. While not everyone was enamored by Brady, his appearance sparked massive interest in the game. Unfortunately, Dallas took off quickly, and fans were robbed of a competitive game. Across the country from Cleveland, the Las Vegas Raiders played the Los Angeles Chargers, marking Jim Harbaugh’s return to the NFL. Harbaugh is notorious for running the ball down opposing teams’ throats, and Sunday was no different. Running back JK Dobbins rushed for over 100 yards and propelled the Chargers to a convincing victory over the Raiders. Speaking of running the football, the Lions showed America its dynamic running attack on Sunday Night Football against the Los Angeles Rams. Millions of Americans tuned in for this massive game, which featured two quarterbacks who were traded for each other a few seasons ago. Although “Jared Goff” chants echoed throughout the streets of Detroit, ultimately, it was running backs Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montogomery who took the life out of the Rams’ defense. After a back-and-forth affair for four quarters, Detroit won the coin toss in overtime and proved to the world how dominant their offensive can be with a quick drive and definitive touchdown.
Thanks to heroics by players on every end of the field, the NFL kicked off its season with strong viewership and interesting matchups. Although this was only the first week of the NFL season, it has already proved to be a drama-filled year, both on the field and off.
