SPECIAL: 2025 NFL regular season wrap-up

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2025 NFL Season Edition

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The NFC West showed out with historical divisional dominance. For the first time in history, three teams in a single division (Seahawks, 49ers, Rams) finished with 12 wins, and all three finished with the highest winning percentages in the NFC. The Cardinals, however, missed the memo.

For starters, Matthew Stafford put a stamp on a Hall of Fame career, finishing as a season-long MVP frontrunner in a year that saw him run up a historic 28-0 TD-INT stretch. Puka and Davante were simply an unfair advantage to have at his disposal, and Stafford made the most of it.

North of them in San Francisco, the 49ers had to roll out their JV unit on defense to fill in for injuries, Mac Jones and Brock Purdy split QB duties throughout while Purdy was banged up, and somehow it was Christian McCaffrey who stayed healthy to supplement most other pass catchers going down at some point. CMC’s MVP-worthy contributions capped off by joining LaDainian Tomlinson as the only players with three seasons of 2,000+ scrimmage yards and 15+ touchdowns. Down the stretch, Purdy ended up playing the best football of his life, and despite coming up just short of winning the division in the final week, he’s making good on the lofty extension he was awarded. Making his life easier, Kyle Shanahan is as deserving of Coach of the Year as he ever has.

Then, for the division-winning Seahawks, they put up a season for the ages with their first-ever 14-win season. Everyone knows their legendary “Legion of Boom” defense, but this year’s Seahawks defense, under head coach Mike Macdonald, would give any all-time defense a run for its money. They finished tops in DVOA (defense-adjusted value over average) in both run and pass defense, and in the final week claimed the throne for best scoring defense in the league. Macdonald has to scheme against two of the top offensive minds in football (Sean McVay, Kyle Shanahan) twice a year, and he proved to be too much for both this year. On the other side of the ball, the world witnessed the Jaxon Smith-Njigba breakout. JSN with new quarterback Sam Darnold set the Seahawks’ all-time single-season receiving record while wrapping up as the league leader in receiving yards with 1,793. In short, the Seahawks have their new WR1.

The “cardiac Bears” won the NFC North for the first time since 2018, despite going 2-4 in divisional play and needing regular 4th quarter heroics to do it. No team finished below .500, and unexpectedly, the Lions missed the playoffs despite starting the season as Super Bowl favorites. The normally big-move-averse Packers made the splash of the year trading for Micah Parsons.

Fans online got to feast on the Jordan Love vs Caleb Williams debate this season as Williams made strides in his development with first-year head coach Ben Johnson. Two things are clear in the debate, though: Love washed away any doubts around being a high-level NFL quarterback, finishing top 5 in most standard and/or advanced QB metrics. He was ridiculously efficient, and no one was more lethal from a clean pocket. As for Williams, despite an abysmal completion percentage no matter how you slice it, his arm talent flashed with exciting regularity, and it’s a rare art form when he throws rolling to his right. However, we will have to wait another season for the first 4,000-yard passer in Chicago.

Ben Johnson’s arrival entirely turned around the culture and trajectory in Chicago, and he has a potent group of offensive talent ahead of schedule. The defense, however, despite leading the league in interceptions, will need adequate attention this offseason.

The Vikings were not so lucky with their quarterback situation, as JJ “Nine” McCarthy was an interception-throwing factory in between injuries, inaccuracy woes, and an alleged silent benching. His top weapon, Justin Jefferson, barely snuck in his 1,000th yard in the final week to become the third player ever with 1,000 yards in each of their first six seasons. But this was a wasted season of both the generational pass catcher’s talents and Brian Flores’ top-tier work as defensive coordinator.

The Lions’ defense missed Aaron Glenn in the worst way this year. Detroit’s unit never hit any type of stride, and its vulnerable pass defense was a big reason the team didn’t mount back-to-back wins since week 5. Thankfully for Detroit, Jahmyr Gibbs is a superstar, Amon Ra isn’t going anywhere, and Hutchinson racked up a new career best in sacks (14.5). Dan Campbell & Co. just need to find answers on offense when Gibbs is held under 3.5 yards per carry, as they finished 1-7 in those games.

Speaking of vulnerable defenses. After a dominant start to the year for the Packers’ defense, it became abundantly clear and objectively impressive how many flaws Micah Parsons covered up on a unit that entirely collapsed after his season-ending ACL injury. His first season in Green Bay was otherwise a major success, becoming the first player ever to record 12+ sacks in each of his first 5 seasons.

This year also saw the Packers break their 20+ year drought of drafting a wide receiver in the first round by taking Matthew Golden in the draft hosted in Green Bay. They then proceeded to barely feature him in the offense for no apparent reason. Baffling!

Drake Maye and the Patriots take back the AFC East for the first time since 2019 in the QB’s MVP sophomore season with new head coach Mike Vrabel. With falling out of first place, the Bills became the first team to win 5+ straight divisional titles and not make the Super Bowl. Meanwhile, both the Dolphins and Jets finish their seasons looking for a QB.

The second-year jump from Drake Maye was unlike many seen in league history. People will say he did it because the Patriots’ schedule was rated the easiest since 1999, but these are still NFL teams and players. Find any quarterback stat and Maye’s name will either be at the top or in the top 3. He finished as the only QB to complete 70% of passes and became the youngest in the Super Bowl era to lead the league in completion percentage. Helping him get there, Mike Vrabel and Stefon Diggs joined the Patriots before the season, and both additions proved to be monumental to the team’s success. TreVeyon Henderson and Kayshon Boutte emerging rounded out a Patriots offense with unlimited potential ahead.

For the Bills, the story goes in the other direction as their season was marred in inconsistency, early defensive woes, and lackluster pass catchers. Superman Josh Allen and James Cook having one of the best seasons for a Bills running back in history carried them for the better part of the season. But Buffalo’s Super Bowl window is closing, and for the first time, Allen enters the playoffs with no Lamar, Burrow, or his routine Mahomes playoff kryptonite preventing him from finally making a Super Bowl appearance.

Speaking of closed Super Bowl windows, both the Jets and Dolphins will be hoping to find a new quarterback this offseason that helps them crack a window open to let out some of the stink if nothing else. Tua’s $212 million extension in 2024 quickly spiraled into a league-low QBR, a league-high interception rate, and a late-season benching. Blame can be shared around the building for Miami’s 2025 season, and head coach Mike McDaniel deserves as much criticism as any. The only real positive was De’Von Achane solidifying himself as a top back in football, leading the league with an explosive 5.7 yards per carry while setting a new career best for rushing yards with 1,350.

For the Jets, it was more of the same miserable play at quarterback, as the ultra-talented Garrett Wilson continues to waste away in New York. Justin Fields went as awful as anyone with eyes could have told them it would go, and Aaron Glenn’s 2025 Jets defense became the first ever to not record an interception in a season. This year also saw the Jets trade away All-Pros Quinnen Williams and Sauce Gardner in blockbuster deals to acquire draft picks.

The fall of the Chiefs’ dynasty was met with the Broncos’ rise to power, as Denver claimed the top seed in the AFC for the first time since their 2015 Super Bowl-winning season.

This season not only saw the perennial top quarterback in football, Patrick Mahomes, go down with an ACL injury, but 2025 also marked the end of Chiefs dynasty 1.0. After a rocky 5-3 start, which was met with a 1-8 finish, the Chiefs were eliminated from playoff contention for the first time since 2014. Down to their third-string quarterback, the season capped off holding an L to the first overall pick in the 2026 draft Raiders and the team announced they are moving the franchise to Kansas in 2031. The Brady and Mahomes ACL injury timeline is certainly something to note for dynasty 2.0 implications.

In the fall of one, another must rise. That rise coming in the form of a 14-3 Denver Broncos, who take control of not only the AFC West, but the AFC playoffs now run through Denver. In the effort, Sean Payton joined Andy Reid & Tom Coughlin as the only coaches in history to lead a team to a #1 seed in both the AFC and NFC, and Bo Nix tied Russell Wilson for most wins in a quarterback’s first two seasons. The receivers were inconsistent, the run game hardly existed at times, and the defense needed to be as dominant of a unit as they were to win a lot of these games, but Denver found a way to win more games than anyone.

The Steelers claiming the AFC North came down to the final seconds and two missed field goals to decide the division winner in the battle of two coaches on season-long hot seats. Pittsburgh’s bet on Aaron Rodgers pays off in the biggest moment of the year, both Lamar and Burrow missed significant time to injury, and the Browns handed the keys over to Shedeur.

Death. Taxes. And Mike Tomlin teams barely making playoffs.

The Ravens and Steelers played a game of cat and mouse all season long, and naturally, it came down to an epic back-and-forth scoring in the final moments, in the final week, to decide the division. One drive, it was Harbaugh getting fired, the next it was Tomlin.

The Steelers secured the division despite one of their worst defenses in recent memory, TJ Watt missing time again, and a mostly uninspiring offense. What they did get was “Aaron freaking Rodgers” playing like he loved the sport again, with some vintage flashes, and efficiently operating Arthur Smith’s tight-end-heavy offense.

The Ravens’ season was scarred by a defense that can only be described as the exact opposite of their legendary 2000 defense. As soon as the defense seemed to be getting it together after the trade deadline, then it was the offense entirely falling apart after barely holding it together. Too often, Derrick Henry was entirely underutilized down the stretch, and Baltimore lost its identity on offense with Lamar. Even so, Henry finished the year tying Barry Sanders for most seasons with 1,500+ rush yards (5) and moved into the top 10 in career rushing yards. DeAndre Hopkins quietly amassed his 1,000th career catch as well.

The Browns went from Joe Flacco to Dillon Gabriel to Shedeur Sanders and ensured nothing except their mile-long list of tried and failed quarterbacks is going to keep growing into next season. Shedeur had moments but ultimately finished with a putrid 19.0 QBR and will have to fight for snaps next season. On the bright side, Cleveland found two studs on offense in rookies Harold Fannin and Quinshon Judkins, and fans will seemingly finally get their wish for Kevin Stefanski to be relieved of head coaching duties.

Flacco also spent time with the Bengals, filling in for once again injured Joe Burrow. Despite returning to throw 15 touchdowns in the final six games, the Bengals’ defense was simply not overcomeable this season.

The Jaguars take home the AFC South crown for a division that unexpectedly captured headlines throughout the season. Daniel Jones’ ascent led the Colts to an 8-2 start, but it was the Jaguars and Texans dominating down the stretch to battle for the division title.

The AFC was not only relevant this season, but first it was Daniel Jones starting the year on an MVP surge, followed by the Texans defense emerging as the most stifling in the sport, to the Jaguars ultimately showing out as utterly unstoppable down the stretch.

The storyline of the 2025 NFL season that no one saw coming was Daniel Jones playing so good that the Colts made an all-in trade to bring in Sauce Gardner to make a playoff run. Jones’ season was eventually derailed by injury, but that led to the next storyline no one saw coming: Grandfather Phillip Rivers returns to the NFL. From there, the Colts' season disappointingly tapered off despite Jonathan Taylor running wild all year and Rivers filling in admirably for a 44-year-old who hasn’t played in over 4 years.

In the process, the Texans' defense shut down any and everything in their path, holding over an offense waiting for Stroud to get back to health so that side of the ball could work through their problems. Teammates Will Anderson and Danielle Hunter led the NFL in hurries while Derek Stingley held down the back end in true All-Pro form.

For the Jaguars, Trevor Lawrence started the year looking like his normal average self again, but despite Brian Thomas taking a tremendous step back and rookie phenom Travis Hunter never getting too mixed into the offense before season-ending injury, new head coach Liam Coen had his fingerprints all over a dominant second half and Lawrence’s turnaround. Largely thanks to the wiz kid play design from Coen, Lawrence finished his year combining for a career-best and Jaguars single-season record 38 total touchdowns, and threw only one interception in their final six games to lead Jacksonville to a 13-win season. Their 51 touchdowns finish as the most in team history, and adding Jakobi Meyers to the receiver room at the trade deadline was another big turning point. The Jaguars’ defense was no slouch either. First-year defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile led one of the most effective units in pass coverage and arguably the top run defense in football. Their 85.6 rushing yards allowed per game was the best in football and the first time in team history that they led the league in rushing defense.

HISTORY

Local Cleveland Browns alien Myles Garrett claims the NFL single-season sack record, taking down Joe Burrow for his 23rd sack.

Coming in the final week of the recently added week 18 game, there will remain debate around whether T.J. Watt’s and Michael Strahan’s 22.5 sack seasons were more impressive, seeing that theirs came in a 17-game schedule. Watt might have accomplished his 22.5 sacks on fewer pass rush snaps, but Garrett was double-teamed at a higher rate, had a higher pass rush win rate, and a better pressure rate. No matter, his season was nothing short of historically dominant, and it’s a damn shame he chose the bag in Cleveland instead of getting paid slightly less generation wealth with an actual contender to help bolster his legacy. His season would have absolutely been a part of the MVP chatter with even a .500 club.