by Matt Rosenthal ’22

The NFL’s 100th season was one for the ages. For starters, the Patriots didn’t make the Super Bowl. The referees are still absolutely awful. The new ability to challenge a pass interference call failed miserably. Ravens’ quarterback Lamar Jackson won the MVP. He became the youngest player to do so and the second unanimous winner. With Cam Newton out for the season with a foot injury, Panthers running back Christian McCaffery took over the offense and never let go of it. McCaffery joined Marshall Faulk and Roger Craig as the only running backs in NFL history to gain 1,000 rushing and receiving yards in a single season. While all of these stories could fill up a book, none of them are near the top 5 from the year. 

5) Derrick Henry running through the entire NFL 

6’3” 240 pounds. Sounds like a linebacker right? Nope, it’s Derrick Henry. Henry took home the rushing title this year with 1,540 yards. The freak of a running back that became the first player in NFL history to rush for over 180 yards in 3 consecutive games. Derrick Henry was unstoppable this year, even with the worst ranked offensive line in 2019.

Excluding the AFC Championship against the Chiefs, Henry ran for 1,273 yards in an 8 game stretch, the second most in NFL history. Henry and the Titans eventually fell short in the AFC Championship, losing to the Chiefs 35-24.

4) What is wrong with Antonio Brown?

When the name Antonio Brown was mentioned a year ago, he was considered a top five wide receiver in the NFL and future Hall of Famer. Mention his name now and he is considered by many a disgrace to the NFL. His 2019 went from a fresh start from the Steelers, to facing multiple felonies. 

After being acquired in the off-season by the Oakland Raiders, Brown was in multiple grievances with the NFL and forced Oakland to release him prior to the start of the season. Who else but the New England Patriots signed him to a one-year prove-it deal with a potential second year option. He played all of one game with the evil empire and had 4 receptions for 56 yards and a touchdown. Then Brown was accused of sexual assault and promptly released, again

Brown then engaged in a wild Twitter rant, badmouthing the NFLPA and Patriots owner Robert Kraft. Brown later apologised because he wants to play in the NFL again. 

Next came the tryout with the Saints. New Orleans kindly asked Brown to not bring his entourage. In classic diva form, he brought six people and a camera. When the Saints chose not to sign Brown, he called the tryout a publicity stunt.    

Brown’s January was an eventful one. It started off when he threw a bag of male body parts at the mother of three of his five kids. His agent Drew Rosenhaus promptly terminated his services with Brown until he seeked mental help. Lastly, AB turned himself into the Broward County Jail on January 23. His warrant stemmed from refusing to pay a mover the necessary $4,000 and throwing rocks at his truck. He is now facing three charges including felony burglary with battery. Brown was granted a $110,000 bond the following morning.

This is where Brown stands now. He is facing serious charges and almost any chance of Brown returning to the NFL is gone. 

3) Where did the Rams and Todd Gurley go?

While the 2018 LA Rams lost Super Bowl LIII to the Patriots, they looked like the next team to be atop the NFC for the next five or so years to come. Once the 2019 season kicked off, it only took a few weeks for fans to realize that the Rams weren’t going back to the Super Bowl, or even the playoffs. 

The season started off well, and LA won their first three games of the year. However, an embarrassing week 4 home loss to Jameis Winston and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers was the first of 3 straight losses. After a week 16 loss to the eventual NFC champions, the San Francisco 49ers, the reigning NFC champions were eliminated from the playoffs. 

The true shock of the Rams’ season was Todd Gurley’s severe decline. Gurley was the 2017 Offensive Player of the Year, and he was a top five running back in the league. Despite missing two games due to injury in 2018, Gurley still looked like he was a top back. 2019 did not treat Gurley so well. In the off-season, he was diagnosed with arthritis in his knees, a devastating diagnosis for a 25 year-old running back ready to enter his prime. Gurley’s stats were across the board. He played 15 games, rushed for 857 yards, 12 touchdowns on 223 attempts. 

Just two years ago, Gurley looked like the next top back in the NFL. Now, Gurley may not even be a member of the Rams in 2020. 

2) The 2019 Off-Season Champions: The Cleveland Browns

The Browns’ 2019 offseason was one to remember. It was highlighted by trading for star wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. Yes, the Browns lost Olivier Vernon, Jabril Peppers, Kevin Zeitler, and 1st and 3rd round picks, but they got OBJ, one of the flashiest wideouts in the NFL. 

On top of the Beckham trade, Freddie Kitchens was hired as head coach. Kitchens was originally hired by the Browns as a running backs coach prior to the 2018 season. After the firing of Hue Jackson in the middle of the 2018 season, Kitchens was promoted to offensive coordinator. 

At the start of the 2019 season, the Browns had Super Bowl aspirations. Then drama ensued and quickly Cleveland was 2-6, making the playoffs seemed unlikely to happen. Then the Browns won three straight. Right in the middle of that streak, with eight seconds left in a 21-7 win against the struggling Steelers, standout defensive end Myles Garrett ripped off quarterback Mason Rudolph’s helmet and hit him on the head with it. This sparked a brawl for the ages. Garrett was suspended indefinitely and will meet with Commissioner Roger Goodell in the off-season to discuss his suspension.  

The Browns finished the season 6-10 and Freddie Kitchens was promptly fired after a truly embarrassing loss to the number one overall pick-holding Cincinnati Bengals. 

What’s next for Cleveland? Baker Mayfield took a step back from his rookie campaign. Jarvis Landry had an okay year but still made the Pro Bowl. Beckham is unhappy because he was not getting the ball. The Browns are still hoping to reach their first Super Bowl and end a playoff drought dating back to 2002. 

1) The Super Bowl LIV Champions: The Kansas City Chiefs

After a crushing defeat to the Patriots in the AFC Championship at home, the Chiefs rebounded and won the Super Bowl. The win did not come easily to Kansas City. Reigning MVP and Offensive Player of the Year Patrick Mahomes dislocated his kneecap in week 7. Mahomes missed two games, and the Chiefs won one and lost one. After a week 10 loss to the Titans, the Chiefs sat at 6-4 and the Oakland Raiders were on their heels for the lead in the AFC West. Then, Kansas City did what Kansas City does. They won out the rest of the season and finished 12-4 with a first round bye, with some aid from the Dolphins upsetting the Patriots in week 17 to knock New England out of a bye.  

In the divisional round against the Houston Texans, they quickly went down 24-0 deep into the second quarter. Then Andy Reid and Mahmoes scored 28 unanswered to go get the lead at halftime. They dominated the second half for a 51-31 win.

The Tennessee Titans gave KC a run for their money in the AFC Championship too. KC was down again, 17-7 in the second quarter. Perusal the Chiefs came back and won 35-24 and were off to Miami.

Mahomes and company were facing one of the best defenses in the NFL, the San Francisco 49ers. The 49ers took a commanding lead after a 10-10 halftime tie. San Fran was leading  20-10 late into the fourth quarter. All hope looked lost for the Chiefs. Then Mahomes and Reid rallied to score 21 unanswered in the last five minutes of the game to win Kansas City their first Lombardi Trophy in 50 years. Mahomes was named Super Bowl MVP for his comeback. He is now the youngest player in NFL history to win an MVP and a Super Bowl.