Explore the top 11 burning questions heading into the 2025 NFL season, from rule changes and quarterback controversies to coaching changes and rising rookie stars poised to make an impact.
Wesley Thompson
Several notable rule tweaks are in play this season, poised to shake up strategies. For one, overtime has been modified – both teams are now guaranteed a possession in regular-season OT (just like postseason), ending the sudden-death TD wins of years past. Additionally, kickoff touchbacks now come out to the 35-yard line instead of the 25, incentivizing returners to take the safe yards and potentially giving offenses shorter fields. This could drastically reduce high-speed kickoff returns and change how coaches approach special teams. Meanwhile, a hotly debated ban on the Eagles’ infamous “Tush Push” QB sneak was tabled, meaning the tactic survives for now. These rule changes matter because they could lead to more late-game drama (no cheap OT wins) and higher scoring (better field position off kickoffs), while keeping a controversial short-yardage play in offenses’ toolkits. Everyone will be watching to see which teams adapt quickest – and whether these changes truly benefit player safety and excitement as intended.
The past few seasons have seen defenses adjust and offensive production dip, raising the question of whether 2025 will swing the pendulum again. NFL scoring peaked in 2020 and then declined three straight years as defenses learned to counter high-flying passing attacks (think ubiquitous two-high safety shells limiting big plays). Offenses responded this offseason with urgency – the 2024 draft opened with a record 14 straight offensive players picked as teams stocked up on playmakers and protection to reignite scoring. The league also outlawed tactics like the dangerous “hip-drop” tackle to help offenses stay healthy. Now the question is whether these adjustments will pay off. Will we see a resurgence of high-scoring games and gaudy QB stats, or will innovative defenses stay one step ahead? This storyline matters because it speaks to the ebb and flow of NFL strategy – fans are eager to see if 2025 becomes the year offenses strike back or if we’re truly in a new era of defense-first football.
After looking unstoppable, the Kansas City Chiefs enter 2025 with something unfamiliar: a chip on their shoulder. Their bid for a historic three-peat was shattered in Super Bowl LIX, where the Philadelphia Eagles blew them out 40-22. The rout shocked everyone (one headline called it “the only result that didn’t seem possible”) and served as a wake-up call for Andy Reid’s squad. Now all eyes are on Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs – how will they respond to being knocked down a peg? The offseason brought introspection and minor retooling rather than wholesale changes, indicating Kansas City still trusts its championship core. But questions abound: Can the Chiefs shore up an exposed defense? Who steps up as Mahomes’ next go-to weapon? And will that Super Bowl setback reignite their hunger or reveal cracks in the dynasty? This storyline matters not just to Chiefs Kingdom but to the entire league – Kansas City has been the NFL’s standard-bearer, and their response will help define the balance of power (especially with the Eagles now ascendant). The road to the Super Bowl in the AFC still goes through Arrowhead, but the rest of the league smells blood in the water for the first time in years.
Minnesota faces a franchise-defining choice at quarterback. Veteran Sam Darnold revitalized his career with a magical 2024 season in Minnesota, leading the Vikings on a playoff run after joining on a one-year deal. But Darnold is now a free agent, and waiting in the wings is J.J. McCarthy, the highly touted first-round pick from 2024. The Vikings’ entire offseason conversation has revolved around this dilemma – “Will Sam Darnold or J.J. McCarthy be the Vikings’ starting quarterback in 2025?”. It’s a classic win-now vs. future play scenario. Darnold showed he can win with Kevin O’Connell’s offense (especially throwing to Justin Jefferson), but at 28, he’ll command significant money for essentially one great year of production. McCarthy, meanwhile, is seen as the potential QB of the future with a strong arm and mobility, but he missed his rookie season (likely sitting and learning) and remains unproven under NFL fire. Why it matters: the Vikings have a talented roster and don’t want to waste Jefferson’s prime. Sticking with Darnold could maximize 2025’s chances, yet if he regresses, they risk delaying McCarthy’s development. Going with McCarthy might incur early growing pains, but it could set the team up for sustained success if he’s the real deal. This quarterback battle has dominated Minnesota’s news cycle and rumor mill for months, and whichever way the decision goes will have a huge impact on the NFC North race. Vikings fans are anxiously awaiting clarity – and the rest of the league is curious to see if Minnesota can maintain momentum after parting with longtime QB Kirk Cousins.
Few quarterbacks carry expectations like Joe Burrow, who has already led the Cincinnati Bengals to multiple deep playoff runs. Yet the elusive Super Bowl title still evades Burrow and the Bengals. The mantra in Cincinnati this offseason: get Joey B. the help he needs to get over the hump. Burrow himself pushed for it – he even indicated he’d restructure his own contract to help retain weapons like Tee Higgins. The good news for Bengals fans is the front office delivered on a big part of that: Cincy locked down both Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins with extensions, ensuring Burrow’s top two receivers remain by his side for the next four seasons. Burrow was credited as a “big help” in getting those deals done and expressed confidence that keeping the core together allows them to “take a step forward in chasing a Super Bowl ring”. However, there are still questions on whether it’s enough. Pass protection has long been a sore spot – the Bengals added some veteran O-line pieces in free agency, but will that truly fortify an offensive line that struggled in past playoffs? And on defense, a key pass rusher (Trey Hendrickson) was granted permission to seek a trade, raising concerns about the pass rush. In a stacked AFC, the margin for error is thin. This storyline matters because Burrow is a superstar in his prime, and the Bengals are acutely aware that these championship windows don’t stay open forever. If the supporting cast improvements pay off (better blocking, an intact receiving corps, etc.), Cincinnati could finally bring home its first Lombardi Trophy. If not, the narrative of “Burrow needs more help” will only grow louder.
Yes, you read that right – the Detroit Lions and Super Bowl in the same sentence. After decades in the wilderness, Detroit has methodically built a winner that has the fanbase and experts buzzing entering 2025. They broke through with a playoff appearance last season and now expectations are soaring. In fact, one ESPN analytics ranking even projected the Lions as the top overall team heading into 2025, citing Detroit as having the league’s best defensive unit and a top-5 offense. Dan Campbell’s squad has a young core that’s clicking: Jared Goff distributing to Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams, a thunder-and-lightning backfield with David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs, and an aggressive defense led by Aidan Hutchinson. The burning question: can they meet these high expectations and truly contend for a championship? It’s uncharted territory for a franchise that hasn’t won its division since 1993. The pieces seem to be in place, and they’ve even made savvy veteran additions to provide leadership for a postseason run. Why it matters: the Lions have become a lovable underdog nationally – a long-suffering team on the rise – and a legit contender would be a huge shakeup for the NFL landscape. The NFC North is theirs for the taking after Green Bay’s reign ended, but Detroit now must handle the pressure of being favorites, not hunters. If they start hot, “Honolulu Blue” hype will go into overdrive. But if they stumble, skeptics will wonder if 2024 was a mirage. Either way, how Detroit handles the heat will be one of 2025’s most intriguing storylines.
Change is afoot in Big D, and it’s a bold (if somewhat puzzling) one. Dallas parted ways with Mike McCarthy after continued playoff disappointments, only to promote his offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer to head coach. It’s a move that even Cowboys loyalists found shocking – Jerry Jones bypassed the trendy big-name candidates and instead chose continuity within a regime he deemed not good enough. Schottenheimer’s hire was called a “conservative” choice that “doesn’t move the needle” much, especially given the fierce competition in the NFC East. Why this matters: the Cowboys have a roster capable of winning now – a franchise QB in Dak Prescott, Defensive Player of the Year talent in Micah Parsons, and plenty of stars – but the clock is ticking on this core. The question is whether a new voice (but same system) can push Dallas over the hump. Can Schottenheimer succeed where his predecessor failed, perhaps by making tweaks to play-calling or emphasis? Or will the decision to keep it in-house prove to be a mistake that wastes another year of a talented team’s prime? The context is a division where their rivals are thriving: the Eagles just won a Super Bowl in dominant fashion, the Commanders made a surprising run last year, and even the Giants have a respected coach in Brian Daboll. Dallas opting for status quo in that environment is a high-risk play. The fan base will be vocal – either giddy if the Cowboys finally return to NFC supremacy, or livid if another season ends short of the NFC Championship (a stage they haven’t reached since the 1995 season). Keep an eye on Dallas early; their performance might tell us if Jerry’s gamble was a stroke of loyalty or a lapse in judgment.
The 2025 offseason featured a coaching carousel spinning at full tilt, with seven teams changing head coaches – and some big names in new places. Perhaps most seismic: the end of the Bill Belichick era in New England. After 24 seasons, the Patriots have a new leader in former linebacker Mike Vrabel, who owner Robert Kraft lured from Tennessee. Vrabel brings a defensive mindset and toughness that Pats fans know well, and he’ll aim to maximize a young roster – starting with second-year QB Drake Maye at the helm. In Chicago, the Bears also went the ex-player route, hiring 38-year-old offensive whiz Ben Johnson from Detroit. Johnson was the architect of the Lions’ top-5 offense, and Chicago is hoping he can do the same for Caleb Williams, last year’s No. 1 pick, to spark a big Year 2 leap for their franchise QB. Out west, two renowned coaches have entered the AFC West arms race: Pete Carroll shocked everyone by leaving Seattle to coach the Las Vegas Raiders at age 73, and Jim Harbaugh returns to the NFL on the Los Angeles Chargers sideline (reuniting in a division with Carroll, his old Pac-12 rival). Both elder statesmen carry heavy expectations: Las Vegas is counting on Carroll’s championship pedigree to steady a perennially underachieving team, while the talent-loaded Chargers are banking on Harbaugh to finally get them over the playoff hump (and maximize Justin Herbert). Also on the coaching radar: The New Orleans Saints nabbed youthful play-caller Kellen Moore, the New York Jets brought home former star DB Aaron Glenn as head coach, and the Cowboys (as mentioned) promoted Brian Schottenheimer. Each of these hires raises its own questions – Can Moore fix the Saints’ stagnant offense? Will Glenn solve the Jets’ woes and decide their QB predicament? Can Schottenheimer handle the pressure in Dallas? This influx of new coaches matters because it could dramatically reshape multiple playoff races. Often, a coaching change is the catalyst for a team’s leap from mediocre to contender (or vice versa). By midseason, we’ll have a sense which of these gambits is paying off – and which franchises might be second-guessing their choices.
The league’s next generation of quarterbacks is arriving – who will seize the spotlight this season? There’s a wave of youthful passers either entering their prime or just starting their careers, and 2025 could be when a few emerge as household names. Obvious candidates include 2024’s top draftees: Caleb Williams in Chicago and Drake Maye in New England. Both flashed as rookies and now, with new head coaches and improved supporting casts, their teams are hoping for the kind of Year 2 leap that turns struggling franchises into contenders. In Tennessee, all eyes will be on the No. 1 overall pick of the 2025 draft – a quarterback the Titans surprised many by selecting despite having a young QB on roster. Whether it’s the strong-armed Cam Ward or another top prospect, Tennessee’s new rookie will be under pressure to ignite a stagnant offense and justify the franchise’s reset. We’ll also be watching second and third-year QBs like Atlanta’s Desmond Ridder and Indianapolis’ Anthony Richardson. Richardson, especially, is a fascinating case: a freak talent coming off an injury-marred rookie year, now back healthy – can he become the dual-threat star the Colts envisioned? And let’s not forget last year’s breakout, C.J. Stroud in Houston, who will try to continue his rise and maybe even crash the MVP conversation. The quarterback landscape is truly shifting; Tom Brady is long gone, Aaron Rodgers is winding down, and even veterans like Russell Wilson and Matthew Stafford face uncertainty. That means the league needs new stars under center, and fan bases are anxious to see if their young QB is the one. By season’s end, we could be talking about a fresh face (or two) joining the Mahomes/Allen/Burrow tier of elite quarterbacks – and that chase starts now, in training camps and Week 1 performances. Keep an eye on these youngsters, as their development (or lack thereof) will shape not just team futures but the NFL’s next decade of storylines.
Every new NFL season brings a fresh crop of rookies who could shift a team’s trajectory – and 2025 is no exception. This year’s draft class carries high expectations, especially at the top. The Tennessee Titans’ choice at No. 1 overall looms large: if they did draft a quarterback, will he start from Day 1 and inject life into an offense that badly needs it? Titans fans are hoping for a franchise savior, but the learning curve for rookie QBs can be steep (just ask recent prospects). Beyond the quarterbacks, several blue-chip prospects are being counted on to deliver early. Defensive rookies are a big storyline – 2025’s class was touted for its loaded defensive line talent coming out of the combine. A player like edge rusher Shemar Stewart (if his freakish combine numbers translate) or another pass-rushing phenom could step in and harass quarterbacks from day one, much like Micah Parsons and Nick Bosa did in their rookie seasons. Offensively, keep an eye on skill-position rookies landed in advantageous spots: a polished wide receiver who joined a playoff-caliber team late in Round 1, or a running back with a clear path to carries (always a fantasy and fan favorite topic). And then there’s the intrigue of the unknown gems – mid-round picks who wow in training camp and earn key roles. Every year a few rookies surprise everyone, like a third-round linebacker who becomes his team’s leading tackler or an undrafted slot receiver who catches 70 balls. The question of which newcomers will shine early matters because immediate contributions from cheap, young talent can elevate a good team to great (or flip a rebuilding team’s timeline). Plus, the fan excitement around rookies is palpable – jerseys have been bought, college highlights watched, and now it’s time to see if the hype is real. From the first-round quarterbacks to the Day 2 sleepers, the 2025 rookie class will undoubtedly fuel debate and optimism across the league as we find out who’s NFL-ready right out of the gate.
Each of these questions touches on a narrative that will fuel debates on sports radio, dominate Reddit threads, and keep fans refreshing their feeds for updates. The beauty of the NFL is how quickly the storylines can change – by mid-season, we’ll have new answers (and likely new questions) we never saw coming. For now, as training camps loom and predictions fly, these are the burning questions setting the stage for what promises to be an unforgettable 2025 season.
