Pro Football History.com Blog

June 12th, 2025

You’d be hard-pressed to find a more electric, head-turning return in the NFL this past season than Joe Burrow’s. The Cincinnati Bengals quarterback didn’t just bounce back from a season-ending wrist injury in 2023, he came back with a vengeance, slicing through defenses and making believers out of doubters. The result? Burrow was rightfully crowned the 2024 AP NFL Comeback Player of the Year, and it wasn’t even close.

Rehab, doubt, and questions about his return

In November 2023, Burrow suffered a torn ligament in his throwing wrist. For Cincinnati Bengals fans, it was déjà vu all over again. A few years earlier in 2020, Burrow's rookie season was cut short by a vicious knee injury. Jump ahead to 2023, and the story was familiar: A franchise quarterback, out, his team's season on the line.

But if we’ve learned anything about Joe Burrow, it’s this: Count him out at your own peril.

Lighting up the league in 2024

After surgery and months of grueling rehab, Burrow entered the 2024 season with questions swirling. Could he still be elite? Would the wrist limit his throws? Could the Bengals contend in a competitive AFC North? He answered every single question with authority.

Burrow threw nearly 4,918 yards, lost 43 touchdowns, and had a staggering passer rating of 108.5 while throwing more than 70% of passes completed. Burrow led the NFL in a number of key categories and set some records along the way, including a streak of eight consecutive games with a minimum of 250 passing yards and three touchdowns. For perspective, the previous record was six games by Tom Brady. That's company that's typically reserved for Hall of Famers, and Burrow not only joined it, he exceeded it.

The Bengals' revival and Burrow's leadership

It wasn't padding the stats either. Burrow directed the Bengals from an unbalanced 1-4 beginning to a 10-7 conclusion. Though Cincinnati came up just short of the playoffs, his leadership left them in contention until the last week of the season.

This led to finishing the regular season on a five-game win streak that energized the city of Cincinnati. So yeah, Comeback Player of the Year award? Well-deserved.

Making NFL history again

Burrow actually joined the NFL history books as the second player to receive the award twice, Chad Pennington being the first. His first was in 2021 after the ACL tear. This recent honor adds to his legacy, not just as one of the NFL's most talented signal-callers, but one of its toughest.

Chase, chemistry, and a well-oiled offense

What is more impressive about the return is the context. Quarterbacks who are coming back from serious injuries have a hard time finding their rhythm. Timing, confidence, decision-making, those are all things that can fall behind. But Burrow? He looked like he never missed a beat.

Some of that is due to the chemistry he shares with Ja'Marr Chase, his old college teammate now transformed into an NFL superstar, who also had a banner year with the triple crown of receiving: most receptions, receiving yards, and touchdown catches.

The mental game: Quiet confidence and calm under pressure

Let's not underestimate the mental fortitude at play here either. It's easy to make guesses at physical rehab, but the psychological side, believing in your body again, dealing with media mythology, and carrying a team's expectations, is another ball game altogether. And Burrow, with his characteristic aplomb and confidence, made it look easy.

Other contenders, but Burrow won the crown

Of course, there were some who argued that others were deserving contenders for the award. There were rumors for players such as Damar Hamlin, who returned to the field emotionally after suffering a life-threatening cardiac arrest in 2022. Although his story is certainly inspiring, Burrow's play on the field simply meant more to the voters.

Big plans for 2025 and MVP buzz

In the years to come, expectations are sky-high for Burrow and the Bengals. And they are.

Cincinnati has fortified its roster in free agency and the draft, addressing holes on the O-line and defense. Burrow's supporting cast seems sturdy, and the coaching staff seems determined to extract every last bit of production from his prime years. Most books now have him listed among the early favorites in the 2025 MVP race, behind only Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen.

A natural winner and a favorite among bettors

And speaking of betting, if you’re into that sort of thing, it’s been fun to see how some platforms have embraced the drama of NFL comebacks. Some betting operators have gotten in on the action early, offering creative prop bets on potential Comeback Player candidates before the season even kicked off.

Not everyone pegged Burrow as the frontrunner coming off surgery, but those who bet on his resurgence certainly cashed in. However, other operators, such as for example Rooli Casino, are still solely focusing on online casinos, by providing casino games and experiences of high quality.

Burrow’s story is far from over

Whether you’re a Bengals diehard or just someone who appreciates a good underdog story, Burrow’s 2024 season had it all: Adversity, triumph, broken records, and leadership. And he’s only 28.

The future is bright in Cincinnati. With Burrow healthy, refreshed, and playing some of the best football of his career, it's hard not to believe that a deep playoff run, or even a Super Bowl, is within grasp.

May 30th, 2025

By Stephen Juza

Earlier this month, the NFL released the upcoming season’s schedule, and while the opponents were not a surprise (that’s been known for months), there is always anticipation around when certain big games will take place. Who will be playing on Thanksgiving? Who will get the Christmas games? Who is forced to play in the international games? In today’s article, we highlight five games that caught our eye this season.

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September 4th - Cowboys at the Eagles

Where to begin, except for the kickoff to the new season! On September 4th, the Philadelphia Eagles will begin their Super Bowl title defense by hosting the division rival Dallas Cowboys. The Eagles are primed for another championship run after returning many key players from 2024. Meanwhile, the Cowboys will be coming off a disappointing season that led to the departure of head coach Mike McCarthy in confusing fashion. When he was replaced by offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer, it left many across the league scratching their heads about what the team was thinking.

For Eagles fans, they would love nothing more to start the season off with a big win over the Cowboys. For Cowboys fans, and maybe more so the front office, starting off the season with a shocking upset may be the validation that Schottenheimer wasn’t as risky of a hire as people thought.

September 7th - Ravens at the Bills

Week 1 will continue with another marquee matchup in the AFC between the Baltimore Ravens and the Buffalo Bills. In the AFC, neither the Ravens or the Bills have been able to topple the Chiefs for conference supremacy and have had to settle for second-best. In 2025, they will have a chance to start their campaign with a key win over a conference opponent, a victory that could lead to a big payoff in playoff seeding in January.

Both teams have been a step behind the Chiefs for several years. Should this be the year Kansas City falters, look for this game to have major implications all season long.

September 14th - Eagles at the Chiefs

During Week 2, we get the highly anticipated Super Bowl rematch between the Chiefs and the Eagles, where the reigning champs will have to travel to hostile Arrowhead Stadium. It will be an early season test for the Chiefs, particularly for the offense, which has regressed in the last several years. Tight end Travis Kelce has been instrumental throughout his career, but this is likely his final season and the team has struggled to replace his production.

While they have relied on their defense more the last two seasons, it was badly exposed by the Eagles during the 40-22 loss in the Super Bowl. The Eagles defense on the other hand could feast against a Chiefs offense with aging playmakers.

October 13th - Bears at Commanders

While the Eagles and Chiefs represent the best of “now”, the Bears at Commanders will showcase a potential “best of the future”. Former first overall draft pick Caleb Williams and the Bears will travel to Washington to take on former second-overall pick Jayden Daniels and the Commanders. Daniels leapt out of the gate in his rookie season with a record-breaking season, en route to an offensive rookie of the year award and NFC championship appearance. Meanwhile, Williams has struggled so far in his career, with a lack of coaching as a possible source of the blame. Reports came out this offseason of the shocking lack of support the Bears coaching staff gave their starting quarterback, and new head coach Ben Johnson can hope to reverse the trend.

While these quarterbacks were taken 1 / 2 in their draft, comparisons between them will follow their careers. Their October matchup will be their second time facing off against each other, with Daniels and the Commanders winning their game last season 18-15.

November 30th - Jaguars at the Titans

While the Jaguars and Titans may not get many “must see” games this offseason, there is one extra layer of intrigue with this matchup. This will be the first head-to-head matchup of the top two draft picks in the most recent NFL draft: Titans QB Cam Ward and Jaguars CB/WR Travis Hunter. While playing different positions, we may see them compete directly against each other as Ward will be throwing against Hunter in coverage.

Both teams finished 2024 at the bottom of the league, and by November they could be there again, but a division rivalry could be brewing between the top two draft picks.

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May 22nd, 2025

Veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers is seemingly running out of options when it comes to representing a new franchise for the 2025 NFL season. The four-time NFL MVP endured a disastrous two-year spell at the New York Jets, and despite many feeling that retirement was on the cards, the 41-year-old still believes he has something to offer and is not quite ready to call time on his glittering career.

Moves to bring Rodgers to the Pittsburgh Steelers are hotly speculated, not least because they didn’t draft a quarterback in the first five rounds of the NFL draft. They did land Will Howard in the sixth round, but many believe that the path is set to welcome in the decorated Super Bowl winner.

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Talk of a move to the Steelers for Rodgers has been relayed directly by president Art Rooney II, whose comments are a little contradictory, but nonetheless have increased speculation of a deal.

“We’re still kind of getting the same signals that we’ve been getting recently,” Rooney suggested before saying that Rodgers “does want to come here.”

However, Rooney II also said that their plans for the coming season were not predicated on whether Aaron is coming or not”.

If the Steelers don’t secure Rodgers, they apparently have an eye on a very capable alternative in the form of Kirk Cousins. The 36-year-old may be on his way out at the Atlanta Falcons, and he is very much an option that head coach Mike Tomlin is ready to pivot to.

Taylyn Hadley of the Bleacher Report believes such a move could be a likely one for Pittsburgh, stating.

"As the Pittsburgh Steelers passed on the opportunity to draft a quarterback early in the 2025 draft, they opted for Ohio State’s Will Howard in the sixth round, recognizing the need for a fallback if negotiations with veteran Aaron Rodgers fall through,"

"Meanwhile, it’s clear that Cousins wants to move on from the Falcons and would bring a similar veteran presence to what Rodgers would — without the Super Bowl ring — if he were not to sign," Hadley added.

Last season, Tomlin’s team fell at the first hurdle in the postseason, going down 14-28 to the Baltimore Ravens in the wild card playoffs after an up-and-down regular season campaign.

2025 will be Tomlin’s 19th at the helm, and though the 53-year-old has achieved a great deal during his tenure, including a Super Bowl, it’s now nine years since they won a postseason game, so his position is by no means pressure-free.

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May 21st, 2025

Experienced incoming quarterback Russell Wilson has been confirmed as next season’s starting quarterback at the New York Giants, with draft pick Jaxson Dart set to be third on the pecking order under head coach Brian Daboll, who will look to recover from a hideous 2024.

The last campaign saw the Giants pick up just three regular-season victories, their joint worst record in decades, and the capture of 10-time Pro Bowl pick Wilson is one that Daboll will have to hope helps secure a change in fortunes, as anything less could see the 50-year-old out of a job.

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This is Daboll’s fourth season in charge, and having taken the team to Divisional playoffs in his first campaign, he would have been disappointed to then see back-to-back failures in 2023 and 2024, with 2025 being a crucial year for both the head coach and the Giants.

Daboll brought in Jaxson as the 25th overall draft pick, and he highly rates the Ole Miss graduate, stating,

"I think he's got a lot of qualities you look for in a good quarterback. He's tough, makes good decisions with the football, pushes the ball down the field, has athletic ability, played in a really tough conference, and started there at USC as a young guy. But did a really good job throughout this process of our meetings, board work, workouts, and the tape that we liked,"

But bringing in Wilson on a one-season $21 million deal means that Dart won’t be seeing much action and is actually also seemingly behind backup Jameis Winston in terms of chances of making an impact in the NFL next season.

Daboll has made this clear from the start, meaning Dart can just focus on building himself up, knowing that 36-year-old Wilson is not a long-term threat to his hopes at the MetLife Stadium.

"Russ will be our starter, and that's how it'll be once we get started here in the spring,"

"So we're going to do everything we can to develop (Dart) and bring him along. We have some good quarterbacks in the room relative to playtime, experience, some medals on the wall, if you will." Daboll added.

21-year-old Dart produced stunning numbers for Ole Miss last season, throwing for 4279 regular-season yards, and securing a total of 32 touchdowns, and was much sought after in the 2025 NFL Draft. Dart seems ready, willing and able to make a long-term impact, commenting on his place in the organization.

"It's definitely new, but for me, this is just where my journey starts,"

"I'm stepping into an amazing room with a Super Bowl-winning quarterback who can see it from a different lens at such an elite level. I can't wait to go learn from him, go learn from all the other guys in Tommy (DeVito) and Jameis in the room, and then just the team as a whole." Dart added.

He can definitely learn a lot from the roster of quarterbacks around him, and Daboll will hope to be around as the Giants' head coach long enough to see Dart in action on the field.

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May 21st, 2025

The NFL is no longer just about touchdowns and rivalries on Sunday afternoons. Over the past few decades, it has transformed from a sports league into a global brand with influence that stretches far beyond the gridiron. From online casinos and gaming to fashion, film, and music, the NFL has firmly planted itself in almost every corner of pop culture and digital entertainment. Here's a look at how America's most popular sport has become a lifestyle brand and where it’s headed next.

The NFL and online casinos: A game within the game

One of the most notable areas where the NFL's influence has grown is the online casino and gaming industry. As sports betting becomes legal across more U.S. states, the league has strategically aligned itself with major betting platforms. These partnerships have led to the creation of NFL-themed slots, prediction games, and in-app experiences that merge fantasy football with real-money wagering.

Many online casinos that pay real money now offer football-inspired slot machines and virtual sports games that replicate the excitement of NFL Sundays. These games often feature team colors, football animations and mini-games that mimic classic plays. It’s not just about watching anymore, fans are actively engaging with the sport in entirely new ways.

Lights, camera, football: NFL in movies and TV

Hollywood has long been fascinated with football and the NFL’s stories, legends and controversies have found a permanent place on screen. Blockbuster films like Remember the Titans, Any Given Sunday and The Blind Side brought the emotional highs and lows of the sport to life, while documentaries such as The Last Dance (with heavy NFL crossover appeal) and Man in the Arena have redefined sports storytelling.

HBO’s Hard Knocks series gives fans a behind-the-scenes look at training camps, adding a human layer to the athletes we usually see only in helmets. These productions help turn players into household names and keep the NFL in cultural conversations year-round.

NFL x fashion: From jerseys to runways

What was once reserved for game day has become everyday wear. NFL merchandise, particularly vintage and limited-edition team apparel, has found its way into mainstream streetwear. Fashion houses and sportswear giants alike have partnered with the league, creating capsule collections that sell out in minutes.

From Travis Scott sporting a throwback Cowboys jersey to Rihanna donning Raiders gear in paparazzi shots, NFL fashion is now a form of personal expression. The league has successfully merged sports loyalty with trend-forward design, appealing to fans far beyond the traditional football demographic.

Gaming and the digital generation

No conversation about NFL expansion is complete without Madden NFL, EA Sports’ flagship video game series. For many fans, especially Gen Z, Madden was their first introduction to the sport. Its realism, commentary, and annual updates have made it a cultural staple since the 1990s.

In addition, the rise of fantasy football and NFL-themed mobile apps has allowed fans to engage with the league 24/7. Whether they're managing fantasy rosters or playing digital trading card games, fans are more connected to players and teams than ever before. Social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram have further helped the NFL build younger audiences through viral highlights, memes, and influencer collaborations.

Football as a lifestyle

The NFL has carefully positioned itself not just as a sports organization but as a cultural force. Super Bowl halftime shows rival music award performances, and the commercials aired during the big game become pop culture moments of their own. Whether it's teaming up with major music artists or launching branded food and drink items, the league knows how to keep its brand top-of-mind all year long.

What was once a Sunday pastime is now a multi-platform, multi-industry empire. The NFL’s expansion into online casinos, fashion, film and digital experiences shows no signs of slowing down. As technology and culture continue to evolve, the NFL’s ability to adapt and innovate will only strengthen its position, not just as a sports league, but as a dominant lifestyle brand woven into the fabric of modern entertainment.