This season is the 105th season of the National Football League (NFL), with the Kick Off Game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium happening on September 5th. The game is a rematch of the AFC Championship Game between the Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs and the Baltimore Ravens. The Chiefs beat the Ravens, 17 to 10 in January of this year in the playoffs at Baltimore.
With the 2024 season not yet underway, NFL fans have been focused on three things, namely the training camps of the two Kick Off Game teams, finding the best sportsbooks and the recent Pro Football Hall of Fame inductees.
For those wanting to make the 2024 season a little more exciting, by placing a wager, the best NFL sportsbooks are listed and compared here. Read on to improve your betting odds and general knowledge.
Inside The Training Camps
Kansas City Chiefs
The team, founded in 1959 by Lamar Hunt, won the Super Bowl three times in five years, once in 2019 and then consecutively in 2022 and 2023. Superstar athlete and Quarter Back (QB), Patrick Mahomes has played a major role in the team’s success, with his dynamic play earning him three Most Valuable Player (MVP) awards for the same years.
The Kick Off Game might see Kansas City’s QB being protected by a second-round rookie. There is competition for the starting left tackle position, between second-round rookie Kingsley Suamataia and second-year player Wanya Morris.
Suamataia is being praised for his instincts on the field, with the Chiefs giving him as much time as possible during practice sessions. His instincts might just give him the advantage over the more experienced Morris, in starting for the Chiefs in Week 1.
Baltimore Ravens
The comparatively young Ravens, established in 1996, will want to make up for falling one game short of making the Super Bow last season. The Kick Off Game will not decide their entire season, but coaches and teams would prefer a victory in the season’s opening game. The loss against the Chiefs in January and the fact that their last Super Bowl win came in 2013 against the San Francisco 49ers, is sure to spur them on this season.
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A focus within the team has been on improving their statistics, specifically their pass plays of 20 yards and more. Baltimore was tied 14th in the league, with the team’s QB Lamar Jackson looking to perfect his deep ball. The aim is to cut down on overthrows, by adding less air and more feel to passes.
The Pro Football Hall Of Fame
For football fans interested in remembering and celebrating the past, here is a bit of history to tie in with the excitement of the season to come.
The Pro Football Hall of Fame is located in Canton, Ohio and opened on September 7th 1963. It showcases the achievements of NFL players, as well as coaches, officials, front-office personnel and franchise owners. As of 2024, there are 378 members, with between four and nine new inductees being added each year.
Good to Know:
• The Chicago Bears have the most inductees into the Pro Football Hall of Fame with 34
• The NFL was founded in Canton, on September 17th 1920
This Year’s Inductees
Seven new members were enshrined into the Hall of Fame at the Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton on Saturday the 3rd of August.
The list includes:
1. Dwight Freeney, who played for 16 seasons as defensive end and linebacker, is known as one of the league’s most fearsome pass rushers.
2. Devin Hester, is the only primary return specialist to be enshrined in the Hall of Fame, widely considered the best return specialist of all time.
3. Andre Johnson, the wider receiver who played 14 seasons in the NFL is one of the most accomplished players in Texans history, playing primarily for the Houston Texans throughout his career.
4. Julius Peppers, the defensive end and linebacker won Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2002, entered the Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility.
5. Patrick Willis, spent his eight year career in the NFL with the San Francisco 49ers as linebacker.
6. Randy Gradishar (Senior), waited 35 years to enter the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Gradishar played linebacker for the Denver Broncos for 10 seasons.
7. Steve McMichael (Senior), nicknamed Ming the Merciless was enshrined in Canton for his role as defensive tackle in 15 NFL seasons.
To Sum Things Up
With the past celebrated in Canton and teams gearing up in training camps, football fans are in for a treat in the 2024 NFL season.
