CNN
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Fans and players have been counting down the days: the start of the new NFL season.
Between a team looking to make history, a slate of new quarterbacks, and an NFL game being played on a new continent, there’s a lot to keep track of.
Here’s what to keep an eye on this upcoming NFL season:
The new NFL season begins on Thursday, September 5, with the reigning champions Kansas City Chiefs playing against the Baltimore Ravens.
The action begins at 8:20 p.m. ET at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri.
During the NFL season, fans can watch games on television on CBS, ESPN, FOX, NBC, ABC and NFL Network.
The streaming services NFL+, Sunday Ticket, Peacock, Paramount+, ESPN+, Amazon Prime and Netflix also show all games.
This season, all eyes will be on Kansas City. And not just because of Taylor Swift.
The Chiefs have the chance to make history this season: They want to become the first team in NFL history to win three Super Bowl titles in a row.
Led by the trio of head coach Andy Reid, quarterback Patrick Mahomes and tight end Travis Kelce, the Chiefs are the benchmark for NFL success in recent years, with three titles in the last five seasons.
But despite last year’s success and another Lombardi Trophy in their collection, there is still room for improvement for Reid and Co.
Last year’s edition of the team relied heavily on its impressive defense – led by coordinator Steve Spagnuolo and defensive tackle Chris Jones – while its offense struggled; the offense scored just 39 touchdowns in the entire regular season, tied for 17th in the league with the Washington Commanders and Minnesota Vikings, both of whom missed the playoffs.
To help Mahomes and the aging Kelce, Reid and general manager Brett Veach have begun rejuvenating the offense.
They signed wide receiver Marquise Brown as a free agent and also signed the fastest Xavier Worthy in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft; the Texas State University graduate set the 40-yard dash record of 4.21 seconds at the 2024 NFL Combine.
With this additional help, Mahomes and Reid are under pressure to reshape the offense and produce magic again.
But after all that success, Mahomes says it’s now about improving as the new season progresses.
“I don’t think you think too much about last year. You’re so focused on getting better, and we’re playing against the best of the best in Week 1,” the 28-year-old quarterback told reporters before the season opener. “We’ll see where we are.”
“We’ve got to go out there and play our best football early in the season. All we can do is go out there and play our best. That’s what it takes to win. And we’ve got to learn from our mistakes, adjust on the sidelines and go out there and find a way to beat a really good football team.”
As in years past, the Chiefs are the clear favorites for the Super Bowl and given their recent track record, who’s to say they won’t make history here?
Sometimes a class of rookies is loaded with talent for a particular position. The 2024 NFL Draft class was rich in quarterback candidates.
At the event in April, six quarterbacks were selected in the first twelve picks, starting with former USC star Caleb Williams as the No. 1 overall selection by the Chicago Bears.
Williams has been considered a tremendous talent by many for years and his arrival in the league was highly anticipated. The 22-year-old’s adjustment to the NFL was one of the main topics of the offseason series “Hard Knocks,” which offered a behind-the-scenes look at Chicago’s preparations for the new season.
Williams’ immediate impact on the Bears was so great that he became the first Chicago rookie to be named one of the team’s eight captains for the upcoming season.
And his adjustment to life in professional football has impressed his experienced teammates.
“I mean, when you come to work every day like he did and go through the things he had to grow from, especially against defense,” Bears wide receiver DJ Moore said, “and you see how much work he puts in day in and day out, you can’t do anything other than respect that and have him as a captain.”
Jayden Daniels, selected with the No. 2 overall pick, has already been named the Washington Commanders’ starting quarterback for Week 1 after an impressive preseason. However, things are different for Drake Maye, selected third overall by the New England Patriots. The team has instead chosen veteran Jacoby Brissett as the starter to begin the season.
Michael Penix Jr., selected eighth overall, will also be the Atlanta Falcons’ backup after Kirk Cousins joined the team on a big contract in the offseason, while JJ McCarthy’s (pick No. 10) rookie season with the Minnesota Vikings has already ended after he suffered a season-ending knee injury in the preseason.
The biggest surprise was perhaps the final pick of the first-round quarterbacks – Bo Nix, selected 12th overall by the Denver Broncos. With impressive preseason performances, he secured a spot in Colorado’s starting lineup, making him the first rookie QB since Hall of Famer John Elway to secure a spot in Denver’s starting lineup.
The NFL is constantly looking for ways to push its boundaries, and this season is no exception.
The 2024 season will see the first regular season game played in South America when the Green Bay Packers face the Philadelphia Eagles on Friday in São Paulo, Brazil.
The Week 1 clash between the two National Football Conference (NFC) playoff contenders will take place at the Corinthians Arena, home of Brazilian soccer team SC Corinthians.
It is also the first time in over 50 years that the NFL will play a game on the Friday night of opening weekend.
The game is part of the NFL’s ever-growing International Series, which features five games played overseas this season.
Three games will be played in London – two at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and one at Wembley Stadium – with another taking place in Munich, Germany.
This means that NFL games have now been played on five of the world’s seven continents.
Thursday, September 5
Baltimore Ravens @ Kansas City Chiefs – 8:20 p.m. ET
Friday, September 6
Green Bay Packers vs. Philadelphia Eagles (Corinthians Arena, Sao Paulo, Brazil) – 8:15 p.m. ET
Sunday, September 8
Carolina Panthers @ New Orleans Saints – 1:00 p.m. ET
Minnesota Vikings @ New York Giants – 1:00 p.m. ET
New England Patriots @ Cincinnati Bengals – 1:00 p.m. ET
Pittsburgh Steelers @ Atlanta Falcons – 1:00 p.m. ET
Houston Texans @ Indianapolis Colts – 1:00 p.m. ET
Arizona Cardinals @ Buffalo Bills – 1:00 p.m. ET
Tennessee Titans @ Chicago Bears – 1:00 p.m. ET
Jacksonville Jaguars @ Miami Dolphins – 1:00 p.m. ET
Denver Broncos @ Seattle Seahawks – 4:05 p.m. ET
Las Vegas Raiders @ Los Angeles Chargers – 4:05 p.m. ET
Dallas Cowboys @ Cleveland Browns – 4:25 p.m. ET
Washington Commanders @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers – 4:25 p.m. ET
Los Angeles Rams @ Detroit Lions – 8:20 p.m. ET
Monday, September 9
New York Jets @ San Francisco 49ers – 8:15 p.m. ET
