With the 2023 season long behind us, all eyes are looking towards 2024 in the NFL. The draft is underway at the time of writing meaning we are now starting to see rosters take their shape as the best young stars in the world make their way into the 53-man roster. The NFL has consistently been the most popular professional sports league in North America and the draft is one of the most exciting periods on the calendar. Last year, the draft saw an average viewership of six million across ABC, ESPN, NFL Network, ESPN2, ESPN Deportes and digital channels — up 12% versus 2022. It now has bonafide global appeal too with the international series fixtures in Germany and the UK attracting record ticket sales. This means the excitement for 2024 can be felt all around the world and fans are already picking out their favourites to lift the Vince Lombardi Trophy at Super Bowl LIX.
A number of teams had very strong season’s last year and look in great standing to take the league by the scruff of the neck in 2024. Let’s take a look at those favoured.
Kansas City Chiefs
It is impossible to find a superlative that has not been used to describe Andy Reid’s Chiefs team. Under his tutelage, they have won three Super Bowls in five years, their most recent coming in February where they beat the San Francisco 49ers 25-22. Much of their success can of course be owed to QB1, Patrick Mahomes. The two-time MVP has comfortably been the best quarterback in the league since his sophomore year in 2018 as Reid’s team have dominated the league. Their star power does not end their, though. Tight End Travis Kelce has established himself already as one of the greatest of all time and there is undoubtedly an argument that he tops the list of his kind. Their defence has also come on leaps and bounds considering it was once considered their weak point. In 2023, they ranked second overall in the league for yards allowed (289.8 per game) and sacks (57.0). They are once again the team to beat in 2024 and the betting informs this as +550 favourites for the Super Bowl.
San Francisco 49ers
Head coach Kyle Shanahan has built an incredible team in San Francisco and their form in 2023 was a testament to the work he has done there. However, the name on everyone’s lips throughout the season was that of quarterback Brock Purdy. To call his young career a Cinderella story would undercut the work he has put in to get where he is right now. Drafted as Mr. Irrelevant in 2022 at no. 262, he was third string for the 49ers with Trey Lance and Jimmy Garoppolo fancied over him respectively. However, after injuries to Lance and Garoppolo, he stepped in and began breaking records. His incredible form led to him being named as starting QB last season and they 49ers have not looked back since. He finished the regular season with a 113.0 QB rating, leading San Francisco to the Super Bowl, narrowly losing to the Chiefs. With Christian McCaffrey and George Kittle in tow, the 49ers have a formidable offense and with Purdy firing there is little doubt that they will have their sights set on going one further than 2023 and lifting the Vince Lombardi.
Baltimore Ravens
Much of the coverage surrounding the Ravens before the 2023 season began was centred around Lamar Jackson. The MVP looked to be on his way out of Baltimore after requesting a trade, only to U-turn and sign a new five-year contract eight weeks later. This made him the highest paid player in NFL history and he has proven to be worth every dot of ink on that contract since. He claimed his second MVP award of his career, ending the season with career-highs in pass completion percentage and passing yards with a 102.7 QB rating as they reached the AFC Championship game. Their defense was incredible, allowing fewer points than any team in the league in 2023 and a freshened up coaching staff will look to build on that even further in 2024. The biggest story of their off-season so far however has been the signing of star running back Derrick Henry in March. He will take a lot of the workload off Jackson in the run game off the back of his best passing season in the league and they look to be just an offensive lineman and a receiver away from a Super Bowl winning roster.
