The NFL has been around for over a century, but there is a reason that fans still love the game as much if not more than when it first emerged.
Every season, something happens that fans have never seen before. And 2024 was no exception, as it delivered some of the wildest firsts we’ve EVER witnessed. From records shattered to moments that felt straight out of a movie, this season had it all.
So, let’s break down the 10 CRAZIEST firsts from the 2024 NFL season. Whether it was a mind-blowing stat line, a player rewriting history, or a team doing something no one thought possible… These moments had us in shock and awe, shaking our heads in disbelief. Let’s dive in!
Which firsts on this list surprised you the most as an NFL fan?
First Player with 14-plus sacks in four straight years
Despite the Browns continuing to flounder about ineptly, their defensive end, Myles Garrett, has managed to put together quite a run.
His team may be a rollercoaster ride and a nauseating one at that… but Myles Garrett has been steady as they come—and, frankly, the one thing holding that defense… and the franchise… together.
And in 2024, we saw Garrett make history as he became the first player in NFL history to record 14-plus sacks in four straight seasons. And before you shrug that off in any way, shape, or form… remember that not only do the offenses know he’s coming—meaning there’s no element of surprise whatsoever… They also double him, triple him, chip him with running backs, tight ends, and anyone else they can find. Doesn’t matter. Garrett finds a way.
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Not to mention that with Cleveland playing from behind in so many games during that span, the opposing teams are shifting into neutral earlier in games and playing a much more conservative game—meaning more runs and short passes to protect the football and eat the clock.
But that hasn’t stopped Garrett from continuing his generational run—even in 2024, which has hit new lows for a Browns team with plenty of experience lows.
It will be interesting to see if he ends up staying in Cleveland long term, because the competitor in him has to be hungry for another opportunity elsewhere, so that he doesn’t end up like Joe Thomas, another career-Brown, whose Hall of Fame career was wasted for in The Land!
First Rookie Quarterback with Over 815 Rushing Yards
Jayden Daniels didn’t just breathe life back into the void that was the Washington Commanders franchise; he fully revived them and elevated them to new heights.
Furthermore, he brought an identity the team had been chasing for years.
From the moment he stepped on the field, Daniels looked like the most dynamic quarterback the franchise had seen since Robert Griffin III lit up the league in 2012. But unlike RGIII, Daniels seems built to last.
There were some minor growing pains in the middle of the season, but Daniels has continued to develop as both a passer and a rusher… and set a new high-water mark for dual-thread quarterbacks.
Daniels not only became the fifth rookie QB in NFL history to rush for at least 600 yards, but he eventually blew past Griffin’s record of 815 rushing yards by a rookie quarterback.
And there is no question about how impactful his play has been, and there have been no accusations of empty stats whatsoever.
He brought the Commanders to a double-digit win total, which many thought was impossible coming into the season… and a lot of their ability to win close games was because third-and-long wasn’t a problem; it was an opportunity. Defensive ends thought they had Daniels, only to find out they were a step too slow… and time and time again, he broke off clutch runs.
And, now, he stands alone as the most accomplished rushing rookie QB to ever do it.
Brock Bowers Best Rookie Tight End Season Ever
When the Raiders drafted Brock Bowers out of the University of Georgia, there was already buzz that he could be a generational talent at the position.
While that label gets tossed around more often than it should, it was clear very early on in Bowers Raiders’ career that he wasn’t just hype.
And by the end of the season, any question marks evaporated entirely… as Bowers managed to break Mike Ditka’s 63-year-old rookie tight end receiving record and went for well over100 catches on the season.
This was the exclamation point on a season that felt more like a Madden simulation.
And while the numbers tell the story, with him going for over 1,100 receiving yards and double-digit touchdowns, the eye test was even more impressive. Linebackers couldn’t cover him. Safeties bounced off him. Cornerbacks were too small to stop him in the red zone.
Raiders fans have been desperate for someone to step up and give this team a lift offensively, and Bowers answered the call week after week.
Not only did he break Ditka’s record for rookies, he also ran through breaking Darren Waller’s franchise record for receptions in a season by a tight end along the way. By midseason, the game plan was simple: Find 87 and throw it his way. It didn’t matter if he was double-covered – Bowers was winning that matchup.
In the grand scheme, this isn’t just a record-breaking rookie season. It’s the start of a career that could redefine the tight end position.
Lamar Jackson Redefining “Dual-Threat” Quarterback
Lamar Jackson is not only having the best season of his career. He may finish with the best season of anyone’s quarterback career.
He isn’t just rewriting what it means to be an elite quarterback; he’s making the old way irrelevant.
In a season that felt more like a personal highlight reel, Jackson is right in striking distance of Aaron Rodgers’s single-season QB rating record despite throwing significantly less often.
Not to mention that he did all of this while rushing for over 850 yards. Let’s pause for that… Jackson nearly hit 1,000 rushing yards while leading the NFL in passer efficiency. That’s not just rare; that’s unheard of.
Week in and week out, Jackson makes defenses look helpless. Roll to the right—then fire a 30-yard dart downfield…he can remain poised in the pocket and launch a bullet across the middle… And just when a defense thinks they’ve contained him, Jackson takes off, turning third-and-12 into a 35-yard gain without even flinching.
It’s not just speed – it’s angles, vision, and the ability to make professional athletes look like they forgot how to tackle.
Sure, the postseason is where he’ll ultimately be judged—fair or not. But let’s not act like what he’s doing isn’t special.
This isn’t just a great season. This is one of the best and most unique quarterback performances the league has ever seen.
Even if he doesn’t win the MVP, there is no question that Lamar Jackson is redefining how quarterbacks are evaluated for the next decade.
Also Read: What Are The Top 5 Most Exciting NFL Stories For 2025?
First NFL Game Played in South America – Eagles vs. Packers in São Paulo
For years, the NFL’s international expansion has been a slow burn. There was the failed NFL Europe experiment, and then the league began routinely dipping toes in London, testing waters in Mexico City, and finally reentering Europe in Germany.
But in 2024, the league finally planted its flag in South America, and São Paulo became the epicenter of football fever for a night… and maybe more!
The Philadelphia Eagles and Green Bay Packers met at Corinthians Arena for the NFL’s first-ever regular season game on South American soil, and the atmosphere was electric.
Fans decked out in green and gold packed the stands, waving Brazilian flags and singing along to fight songs—bringing the “futbol” style of fandom to American Football in a great way.
The game itself didn’t disappoint either. Jalen Hurts and Jordan Love combined for over 700 yards of total offense, and The Eagles narrowly escaped with a 34-29 victory, but, truthfully, the result almost felt secondary.
The real win was for the league’s global ambitions: a packed stadium, millions tuning in across Brazil, and a new generation of fans being born in real-time.
First Time Two Teams Finished with 14 wins in the Same Division – Lions and Vikings
Granted, this one was made easier by the 17-game schedule, but both teams achieved the 14-win mark within just 16 games! The NFC North showcased unprecedented competitiveness, as both the Detroit Lions and Minnesota Vikings finished the regular season with 14-2 records.
It was the first time in NFL history two teams from the same division hit 14 wins, and yet, even that wasn’t enough to settle things, as the two teams squared off in the final week of the season to determine the division champion and the first see in the NFC.
And let’s not forget the Green Bay Packers, who are no slouches either and legitimate Super Bowl contenders with a firm grasp on one of the NFC Wild Card spots.
The NFC North was in a league of its own this year—and, really, in NFL history—as one of the most competitive divisions we have ever seen.
Four Rookie Receivers over 1000 Yards
Some draft classes bring star power, but others rewrite the record books!
And, well, the 2024 rookie receiver class did both.
By season’s end, four rookies had surpassed the 1,000-yard mark – the first time that’s ever happened in NFL history. Wide receivers Malik Nabers, Brian Thomas Jr., and Ladd McConkey did it for the Giants, Jaguars, and Chargers, respectively, while tight end Brock Bowers of the Las Vegas Raiders might have actually had the most impressive season of all of them!
This group of rookies didn’t just beat expectations… they shattered them!
Nabers became the go-to target New York had been missing for years. Thomas thrived in Jacksonville. McConkey turned heads in LA, catching fire as Justin Herbert’s safety blanket. And Bowers? Well, he wasn’t just a tight end – he was a one-man wrecking crew, leading the Raiders in every receiving category.
And keep in mind… McConkey was the only one with a stable quarterback situation. The rest of the crew caught passes from a carousel of subpar signal callers.
Greatest Individual Performance of All-Time NOT Winning MVP
It’s stating the obvious to say that Joe Burrow is having a historic season, but the reality is that MVP awards often follow team success, and the Bengals’ mediocre eight-record doesn’t scream “elite.”
But if you dared to take Burrow out of the equation, Cincinnati might’ve been closer to 3-14. He wasn’t just valuable; the man was essential—utterly indispensable for the Bengals.
Despite an inconsistent rushing attack, which pointed opposing defenses directly at him, Burrow led the league in damn near every passing statistic worth caring about. And he did so playing from behind – and with opposing defenses knew what was coming every Sunday.
We would routinely see eight men dropped into coverage, and yet Burrow still found the smallest cracks to exploit. When the offensive line collapsed, which it often did, Burrow found a way to extend plays with a pocket presence that had Bengals fans holding their breath, waiting for him to either take a hit or pull off the impossible.
In most seasons, Burrow’s stat line and highlight reel would guarantee him the MVP. But 2024 wasn’t most seasons—with a couple of other notable players having huge seasons—and the award itself really shifting toward a narrative, team-success-oriented merit.
So… While his name will be etched at the top of every statistical leaderboard, don’t expect it to be on the plaque that matters most when it comes to individual success in the league.
Sadly, there is a very good chance that Burrow’s 2024 campaign will go down as one of the greatest individual seasons that history forgets!
Aaron Rodgers Most Sacked of All-Time
Aaron Rodgers and the New York Jets had one of the most disappointing seasons in recent NFL history this past year… So, perhaps it is fitting that he set a dubious record in the process, becoming the most-sacked quarterback in NFL history in the process!
Yup, Rodgers became the first quarterback to be sacked over 565 times! After the team’s ill-fated December 29th matchup with the Buffalo Bills, in which the Jets lost 40-14.
Following the game, the quarterback made a knowing joke during the post-game press conference.
“Yeah, I got Tom on that,” he told reporters after the game, per Bleacher Report.
At least he can keep some sense of humor in what has had to be one of the most depressing seasons of his otherwise fruitful NFL career.
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