The dust hasn’t even settled on the Philadelphia Eagles’ shocking beatdown of the Kansas City Chiefs at Super Bowl LIX, but we’re already looking ahead to next season. No NFL bettors could have anticipated what was about to unfold in the Big Game in New Orleans, especially because KC were narrow 1.5-point favorites and gunning for a history-making threepeat. But in one of the most stunning displays of all time, the now-former champions were utterly destroyed by a Philly defense that proved why it was the best in the league.
The Eagles ran up a 24-0 halftime lead, with the normally mercurial Patrick Mahomes throwing two interceptions that cost his team 14 points. He didn’t even lead his team into opposition territory until deep into the third quarter, suffering six sacks in the process. He was ultimately powerless to resist as opposite number Jalen Hurts led his side to a resounding 40-22 victory in an MVP-winning display.
But with the 2024 campaign now officially wrapped up, all attention turns to the future. Here are three way-too-early predictions that we think could unfold in 2025.
Bengals’ Big Three Stays Together
If there’s one thing Bengals fans have been dreading, it’s the possibility of their homegrown stars being torn apart by the business side of football. Joe Burrow. Ja’Marr Chase. Tee Higgins. These three names, when combined, give defensive coordinators nightmares. But with the big contracts looming, it’s fair to wonder if the front office can make it work. Spoiler alert: They will.
Former number one overall pick Burrow is already tied down to one of the richest contracts in NFL history, while Chase is expected to collect a truckload of cash with a new contract this off-season. That just leaves Higgins, who is arguably the best player set to hit the free agency market this summer. The experts are predicting that the wide-receiving ace will be on his way out of Paycor Stadium with a whole host of teams willing to offer him a huge contract, but we aren’t convinced.
The Bengals brass has been known for their, shall we say, budget-friendly decisions in the past. But they surely can’t mess this up. They know a generational core when they see one, and they’ve seen firsthand how close this group is to bringing the Lombardi Trophy to Cincinnati.
Burrow made it clear throughout the latter weeks of the 2024 season just how important Higgins is to this team. He stated after the clutch penultimate week win against the Denver Broncos that the front office “Can’t let him get out of the building.” He has also stated that he is willing to restructure his current mind-boggling contract to facilitate his devastating receiving corps remaining intact.
Online gambling sites make the Bengals periphery contenders for the Lombardi next season. The latest odds from the popular Bovada online gambling site currently have Cincy priced as a +1800 seventh favorite. If they do indeed manage to keep Higgins in the building, then those odds will shorten, and the Bengals will be on the hunt for a deep postseason run once again.
Shedeur Sanders Outperforms Number One Overall Pick Cam Ward
Every year, the NFL Draft delivers a pair of young quarterbacks destined to be endlessly compared. Two years ago, it was the number one overall Bryce Young and number two C. J. Stroud. Last year, it was Caleb Williams and Jayden Daniels.
For 2025, the spotlight is already leaning toward Cam Ward, the projected No. 1 overall pick, and Shedeur Sanders, the son of two-time Super Bowl champion Deion Sanders. And just as has been the case in the previous two years, that number two will outshine the projected number one.
Ward might own the draft-day headlines, but he’s likely heading to a rebuilding franchise, most likely the Tennessee Titans, who are at the great of the board. He will be weighed down by lofty expectations and a struggling roster, much like Williams and Young in previous years. Shedeur, however, could find himself in a more stable situation, with the Browns, Giants, and Raiders all looking like potential homes.
Sanders has the intangibles, poise, and deadly accuracy, to make a much bigger Year 1 impact, lighting up defenses week after week. His quick release and elite decision-making will translate seamlessly to the pro game. Comparisons to rookies of the past, like Justin Herbert or Dak Prescott, are sure to swirl by midseason.
Meanwhile, Ward will need time to adapt to the NFL grind—and may deal with growing pains as he tries to carry a less-talented unit. By season’s end, it’ll be clear that Shedeur got the better start, leaving fans captivated by his meteoric rise.
Aaron Rodgers Rolls Back the Years
By 2025, Aaron Rodgers will be… how should we put this? A seasoned veteran. While the four-time MVP might spend most of the offseason debating whether to sip ayahuasca on a beach or suit up for one more campaign, don’t count him out just yet.
Many expect the 41-year-old to be ushered out of MetLife Stadium and perhaps even retire. His 2024 season was an unmitigated disaster, returning from a potentially career-ending Achilles injury to lead a Jets team with high expectations to a disappointing year, even by their standards. But where truly can the Green Machine go this year?
Only Ward and Sanders of the upcoming quarterback draft class have the pedigree to lead a franchise from the outset, and with the Jets sitting at seventh on the board, it’s highly unlikely that either of them will be available. The free agents class isn’t much better, with Sam Darnold being perhaps the best of a bad bunch. But he has already been the Jets’ starter, and we all remember how that went.
That then opens the door for A-Rod to remain at MetLife for one last throw of the dice. Against all odds, he will remind everyone that he’s not washed. Not even close.
Towards the back end of the 2024 season, Rodgers looked more like the four-time MVP we have come to know and love, fully recovering from the Achilles tear that kept him out in 2023. He has one of the best receiving corps in the league in the form of Davante Adams and Garrett Wilson, and that will tempt him into remaining in the league for last year. Next term, he will shine in his last hurrah, and he may well end the Jets’ lengthy playoff drought in the process.