From unexpected breakout stars to teams blowing away all expectations—and beyond—to shocking off-the-field storylines, the 2024 NFL season has been downright chock-filled with surprises.
Of course, every year, the NFL hits us with surprises, but this season? It feels like there’s been a shock around every corner.
Let’s dive into the moments, stories, and players that have made this season one of the most unpredictable yet.
Which of these stories surprised you the most this 2024 NFL season?
Garret Wilson Looks Lost
Before the season started, nobody was sleeping on the New York Jets, especially with Aaron Rodgers under center.
In fact, people were high on the Jets—and their offense! I mean, with talented skill players like Breece Hall and Garrett Wilson, who carried the offense last season with Zach Wilson under center, it felt like all this group needed was an upgrade at QB and they could really be unlocked.
And you know what? Week 1 aside, this unit has been fairly impressive.
Click on ‘Follow Us’ and get notified of the most viral NFL stories via Google! Follow Us
But what is surprising is not just the fact that they have done it without much production from the aforementioned Wilson, who is far and away their most talented wide receiver… but, frankly, how lost Garrett Wilson has looked in the offense.
I mean, this guy was supposed to be Rodgers’ go-to weapon, and yet, through three games, he’s been more of a non-factor.
Fifteen catches in three games isn’t terrible for an average receiver, but come on—this is Garrett Wilson we’re talking about.
And for some reason, it seems like the chemistry between him and Rodgers just hasn’t been there, and opposing defenses have taken full advantage of that.
Considering this is a guy who was expected to be lighting up secondaries all season, Wilson’s slow start has been one of the bigger surprises—especially when you factor in that the Jets have managed a 2-1 record without him playing like a star.
Justin Fields Stealing the Job in Pittsburgh
Here’s a twist that very few saw coming: after getting cast aside by the Chicago Bears, Justin Fields might have just found himself as the new starting quarterback for another one of the league’s most historic franchises—albeit a much more successful one—in the Pittsburgh Steelers.
With Russell Wilson tweaking his calf, Fields was given an opportunity to step in, and he has gotten better and better each week. The team really seems to be rallying around him.
Better yet, he has also led the Steelers to a perfect 3-0 start, their first since 2020—and the 10th in franchise history.
This should bode well for Fields and the Steelers, considering nine of those 10 years Pittsburgh made the playoffs—and in two of them, they captured Super Bowl wins.
Pittsburgh was expected to roll with Wilson this season, but with the way Fields has been playing, it wouldn’t be shocking if he keeps the job even when Wilson is healthy—even though Mike Tomlin has still managed to avoid naming him the official “starter” going forward…
In any case, talk about a career resurgence for a guy many thought could be on the way out of the league!
Jalen Hurts Continuing to Regress
Here’s one we didn’t expect to be talking about—Jalen Hurts is still struggling…
Sure, the Eagles are off to a decent start, but Hurts has been anything but sharp.
The turnover bug bit him at some point last year, and it won’t relent.
The man has thrown four interceptions and fumbled three times in just three games so far in 2024—and now has 12 turnovers in his past nine regular-season games, the most in the league.
If that weren’t enough, how about the fact that Hurts’ 18 interceptions since opening day last year, which is tied for 2nd-most in the league, behind only Sam Howell’s 21.
This is the same guy who was in the MVP conversation not too long ago—and while he’s clearly missing A.J. Brown, he still has talent all over the field on offense… And yet, Hurts has been making careless mistakes with the football.
So… Yes. The Eagles are dealing with a bunch of injuries on offense, which isn’t helping, but Hurts needs to clean things up—fast. Otherwise, Philly’s season could get really bumpy.
Chiefs Red Zone Offense
The Kansas City Chiefs are sitting pretty at 3-0, but don’t let that fool you—there are some serious issues lurking beneath the surface. The Chiefs’ red zone offense has been brutal. They’ve scored touchdowns on just 44% of their trips inside the 20-yard line, which is tied for 22nd in the league.
Part of the reason is that one of their biggest weapons, Travis Kelce, hasn’t looked super sharp so far in the 2024 NFL season… You have to wonder if maybe all of the off-the-field engagements—or, I guess, just his age—is starting to catch up with him.
Thus far, Mahomes has been able to do what he does—and pull off enough magic to get the Chiefs over the finish line and into the winners’ circle three straight times to start the season…
But Kansas City has been barely sneaking by… And if they don’t figure out how to start finishing drives in a more consistent manner, there could be cause for concern in K.C. for the back-to-back champs.
Ravens Slow Start
Let’s talk about the Baltimore Ravens.
This is a team that came into the 2024 season as the defending No. 1 seed in the AFC, and while they did get bumped out of the 2024 NFL playoffs in embarrassing fashion yet again…there were high expectations for them this season.
Especially with the addition of future Hall of Famer running back, Derrick Herny, to help take some of the pressure off of Lamar Jackson.
But, unfortunately, the folks in Charm City have stumbled yet again—this time out of the gate.
They lost their opener to the Chiefs, which, okay, it’s Kansas City—we’ll give them a pass. But Week 2? They got upset at home by Gardner Minshew and the Las Vegas Raiders…
Then, they barely survived against the Cowboys after nearly blowing a huge 28 to 6 lead.
Baltimore has a lot of work to do if they want to turns this season around. Lamar Jackson has been running for his life behind a shaky offensive line, and the defense still has not been up to par either.
Luckily, they were able to salvage the win, so they avoided the dreaded 0 – 3 start, but they have some tough games ahead with Buffalo—and a desperate Cincinnati team, so they will need to find a way to turn it around.
Sam Darnold and Vikings Resurgence
If you told me a few months ago that Sam Darnold would be leading the Minnesota Vikings to a 3-0 start in 2024, I would’ve said you were crazy.
But here we are. Darnold has been on fire to start the season, breathing new life into his career and leading the Vikings to the top of the NFC North.
And hell hasn’t even frozen over! There are no pigs flying overhead!
Minnesota wasn’t supposed to be this good, especially not after Kirk Cousins left in free agency and J.J. McCarthy, their first-round pick, went down with a season-ending injury.
Yes, we all know that Justin Jefferson is a bonafide stud—and a game changer for an offense, but I don’t think anyone thought that was going to matter with the way that the quarterback position was shaping up for Minnesota.
I mean, Darnold was supposed to be a stopgap—a guy to keep the seat warm for McCarthy—, but instead, he’s been lighting it up in a way that has revitalized his career and looks like he might have staying power.
Through three games, he is fifth in the league in passer rating and has already knocked off the defending NFC champs, the 49ers.
It’s one of the biggest surprises of the 2024 NFL season, and if Darnold keeps this up, Minnesota might just be a real contender—not a bad return on investment for the Vikes, who are paying the quarterback just $10 million on a one-year deal.
Cincinatti Bengals Start
This one is going to hurt Bengals fans.
Losing Joe Burrow in 2023 was heartbreaking, but with him returning to form, Cincinnati came into 2024 with Super Bowl aspirations, but after three weeks, those dreams are looking more like a delusion because the Bengals are sitting at 0-3, and nothing has gone right for them.
It all started with a loss in Week 1 to New England, a team that everybody and their mother predicted to be among the worst in the league.
Cincinnati’s slow starts are becoming a troubling trend. They’ve overcome these kinds of slumps in the past, but it feels different this year.
Fortunately, they have a get-right opportunity with the Carolina Panthers in Week 4, but with Andy Dalton slotted in and that side looking rejuvenated… who knows what will happen!
If they falter against Carolina, who knows how long this skid will last?
It isn’t going to get any easier the following week with the Ravens coming to town, meaning 0 – 5 isn’t entirely out of the question.
It’s hard to see how they climb out of this hole, and for a team with such high expectations, this is a disaster.
Josh Allen MVP Front Runner
While Josh Allen has always been a bit of a media darling, he managed to come into this season rather underrated…
Stefon Diggs was shipped out of town, and everyone started to believe that he and the Bills’ offense wouldn’t look the same.
And… he hasn’t! He’s looked better! The guy has been on another level to start the 2024 NFL season. He’s currently leading the league in total touchdowns and is second in completion percentage and passing touchdowns. The most impressive part? He’s only turned the ball over once.
Allen’s performance in Buffalo’s Week 3 beatdown of the Jacksonville Jaguars might be the game that really kicks his MVP campaign into gear.
He absolutely shredded them and all but ended the game before halftime… I mean it is a wonder that Jacksonville even bothered return to the gridiron after the intermission!
Don’t look now, but this could be the year that Josh Allen captures MVP honors… and maybe even a Lombardi Trophy!
Klint Kubiak’s Offensive Genius
While most of the attention is typically focused on the players—or at least on the head coaches… Here’s a surprising… surprise for you: offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak has completely transformed the New Orleans Saints’ offense.
After a painfully inconsistent 2023 NFL season, the Saints knew they needed to make some changes in 2024, and bringing in Kubiak as offensive coordinator has proven to be the exact right “change” that they needed.
The Saints have completely overhauled their offensive philosophy under Kubiak, leaning heavily into pre-snap motion and play-action—two things they rarely used last season under Pete Carmichael Jr.
During the latter’s reign, the Saints had one of the most stationary offenses in the NFL, using pre-snap motion on just 44% of pass attempts and play action on 14.8% of plays.
For comparison’s sake, in Week 1, with Kubiak calling the shots, New Orleans actually led the league in pre-snap motion and third in play-action rate… and to say that the offense looks more dynamic is a tremendous understatement.
While the team still uses a high rate of 22-personnel, two tight end/two receiver sets, the offense looks so, so much more explosive. And they do a much better job of stretching the defense horizontally, then attacking the space they open up.
It’s still early, but the signs are promising. With their offensive line getting healthier and their playmakers adjusting to Kubiak’s scheme, the Saints could be one of the more dangerous teams in the NFC.
Demise of 2023 Rookie QBs
It has been a tough year for the crop of 2023 quarterback prospects…
Last year’s rookie quarterbacks came into the league with a lot of hype, but so far, they haven’t lived up to it.
I mean, think about who the big names in that draft were… Will Levis, Bryce Young, and Anthony Richardson—all of these guys have struggled mightily in their second seasons, and it’s starting to feel like we might’ve overhyped this class.
The Titans’ offensive line has struggled to protect quarterback Will Levis, who has been sacked 15 times, but he has not looked good. Levis has really struggled to protect the football, and it looks like he is in real danger of losing his job.
Speaking of losing your job…
Journeyman Andy Dalton proved coach Dave Canales was right in benching Bryce Young, and now it looks like the former first-overall pick will be on the trade block for pennies on the dollar. With Dalton on Sunday, the Panthers looked like a regular juggernaut rather than anemic, like they were with Young.
Think about it… Dalton had three touchdown passes in the first half against the Raiders; meanwhile, Young only had two TD passes in his past nine starts.
Yikes.
Anthony Richardson hasn’t been much better, either. The Colts quarterback has been wildly inconsistent, completing just 49% of his passes and throwing six picks in three games.
Really, only CJ Stroud has found any success!
Also Read: Why Travis Kelce’s 2024 NFL Season Is Off To A Slow Start?
