Super Bowl LVIII has now come and gone — and the Kansas City Chiefs became the first back to back NFL champions since Tom Brady managed to do so with the New England Patriots in 2004 and 2005. With this third Super Bowl win in five seasons, Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce, Andy Reid, and the rest of the Chiefs are a certified dynasty.
That being said, it will be tougher than ever for them to find success next season. Not only do they have multiple questions marks on their roster that need addressing, but their AFC conference will have elite quarterbacks returning to competition after being sidelined — which should make for an extremely competitive field.
There are a ton of questions that need answering and storylines to follow prior to the 2024/25 NFL season. So we’re going to address the most pressing news that will be fascinating to follow as we look forward to the next NFL season.
NFL Storylines to Track for 2025
Can the Chiefs Sustain Their Dynasty?
The Chiefs are back to back Super Bowl champions. Regardless of how you feel about Kansas City, the Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce saga, or whether Patrick Mahomes deserves to be considered an all-time great already, nobody can deny that the Chiefs are deserving of being labeled a dynasty. Yet, perhaps the scariest part of this team is that they have multiple holes, and could become even better in 2024/25.
The most pressing concern for the Chiefs this offseason is superstar defensive tackle Chris Jones becoming a free agent. He is the consensus best player on their defense — which was the best it has ever been in 2024. If Kansas City wants to remain as solid on the defensive front as they’ve been in recent years, they’ll need to make re-signing Chris Jones priority #1.
Chiefs right tackle Jawaan Taylor has more penalties than anybody in the NFL this season. He didn’t have a good season at all — and the Chiefs could really use more from him. That’s a position that need certainly needs addressing. The Chiefs could also use more help at the wide receiver position — although they do have Rashee Rice, who showed a lot of promise in his rookie season. He’ll be poised for a breakout 2024/25.
How do the San Francisco 49ers Improve From Here?
Now let’s talk about the San Francisco 49ers. While this team ultimately came up short in the Super Bowl, they were one play away from winning. Quarterback Brock Purdy proved that he can compete at the highest level, and the 49ers roster is still the most talented and hole-free in the entire league.
So what do they need to do to improve? Well, nothing, really — aside from remaining healthy. If they can keep their roster intact, they should be able to return to the Super Bowl again next season. But they’ll need to stay healthy if they’d like a real shot at winning.
Just How Good is CJ Stroud?
Houston Texans rookie quarterback CJ Stroud made major waves this season, and was named 2023 NFL Rookie of the Year. While Stroud was a top pick and had been expected to find success in the NFL, nobody could have predicted just how well he would do. In fact, Stroud is already being considered among the NFL’s very best quarterbacks.
Yet, Stroud’s second season will present a plethora of challenges. Defensive coordinators will have an entire offseason to dissect his film footage, and figure out the best ways to beat him. What’s more, the Texans aren’t a talent rich team. They over-performed this season (thanks to Stroud), but they’ll need to make some improvements on both offense and defense if they want to truly be considered as Super Bowl Contenders.
So although it remains to be seen just how good CJ Stroud can be, there’s no doubt that the Houston Texans have found their franchise quarterback.
What Will the Chicago Bears Do About Their Quarterback?
The biggest day of every NFL offseason is the NFL Draft. This offseason is no different — and the Chicago Bears have a fascinating conundrum on their hands, with what to do with the #1 overall pick.
Many people believe that they should take USC quarterback Caleb Williams with the first pick — which is a great argument. Yet, the Bears current quarterback, Justin Fields, is certainly no slouch, and often looks like one of the league’s best quarterbacks — although he does struggle with consistency.
But because the Bears have so many holes, they could use the #1 overall pick on a non-quarterback, or they could trade that top slot for a team that needs a quarterback worse than them, for more picks in the first round. It’s quite a good problem to have for the Bears — but it will be fascinating to see what they end up doing with the sport’s most important position.
Will Bill Belichick Find a New Coaching Gig?
Legendary coach Bill Belichick left the New England Patriots this offseason, after spending the past 24 seasons there. Surprisingly, Belichick wasn’t offered a head coaching position at the many teams who were looking for a new coach during this offseason — and now Belichick has been left on the outside looking in.
Yet, many coaches are already on the hot seat leading into next year. All it will take is a poor start for one of them to get fired, and for Belichick to be brought in. But which team will it be? Only time will tell.
Can the Eagles Rebound?
The Philadelphia Eagles had a historic collapse during the second half of the 2024 NFL season. Yet, they retained their current head coach, and still seem to believe that they can be Super Bowl contenders with their current roster.
Considering that the Eagles were in the Super Bowl just one year ago, expectations are high for this franchise. On paper, they should be able to rebound and become one of the NFC’s very best teams. But football isn’t played on paper. Keep your eyes peeled to see how the Eagles fare early next season.
Can a Healthy Joe Burrow Topple the Chiefs?
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow is the only quarterback in the league who has consistently succeeded against the Kansas City Chiefs. Unfortunately, he injured his hand midway through the regular season, and was ruled out for the season’s remainder.
Given that he’ll most likely be starting 2024 with a clean bill of health, perhaps Burrow and his Bengals can be the team to topple the Chiefs’ dynasty. He has beaten them in the playoffs before — perhaps he’s the guy to do so again.
That does it for the biggest NFL storylines in this offseason. While we’ll have a lot time to wait before Week 1 next season, at least we have some intriguing storylines to chew on before that first kick.
Throughout his career, James has worked with some of the biggest names in the industry, including major sports networks and media outlets. He has written for television shows, news programs, and online platforms, and has a talent for crafting engaging stories that resonate with viewers.
In addition to his work in media and sports, James is also a skilled writer when it comes to pop culture and entertainment. He has written about movies, music, and celebrities, and has a keen eye for spotting emerging trends and cultural shifts.
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