You should always be open to learning something new, right? No matter how many years you watch football and play fantasy sports, there are still lessons out there. Here are a few I learned this season.
I learned that close Super Bowls aren’t the only entertaining ones. I’m not a fan of Kansas City of Philadelphia, but watching the Eagles dismantle the two-time defending champions was impressive. They pressured Patrick Mahomes without blitzing once. They were aggressive when they could have played it safe. And Jalen Hurts avenged a tough loss a couple years earlier, earning MVP honors along the way. And it’s hard not to feel good for Saquon Barkley, who left a hopeless situation with the Giants and achieved his goals in one season with Philadelphia. Congratulations to the Eagles.
I learned that sports media can turn on you quickly. Yes, the GOAT debate should be put to rest for a while, but Mahomes still has three rings and five Super Bowl appearances before age 30. He was mediocre at best for fantasy teams, but he’s still among the very best to ever play quarterback in the NFL. Oh, and he should have several years left to pad his resume. Bad game from a Hall of Fame lock.
I learned that the Super Bowl commercials aren’t the must-see event they used to be. There was a funny one with sloths, but I have no idea what they were advertising. The rest weren’t memorable. I used to look forward to seeing them, but now I treat them like every other commercial.
I learned that you should go with your gut in fantasy football, but it can really cost you. I was convinced that free agent running backs would be duds in 2024. The position wasn't considered as important, and I didn't see them making the impact others expected. That meant no Saquon Barkley for me. Or Derrick Henry. Or even Joe Mixon. It felt like I was always facing one of these guys I passed on, and often paying the price. It's one thing to be wrong, but these were record-breaking seasons. Guys were casually averaging six yards a carry. I'm still going to trust my gut, but I might have an upset stomach if it goes the other way.
I learned that sometimes going with your gut can really help you, too. I whiffed on the running backs, but I was right about staying away from Jets. I also avoided whatever was going on in New Orleans. Avoiding those pitfalls helped me survive missing out on a lot of top players mentioned earlier.
I learned that you don't always need the best players to win a title. I won a league without Barkley, or Henry, or Josh Allen, or Lamar Jackson. I didn't have Ja'Marr Chase or Justin Jefferson, either. What I did have was some solid producers and a lot of luck. I avoided some of the bigger performances and even caught some opponents on their off weeks. Tee Higgins helped a lot, too. But really, luck played a major role. Sometimes it helps you, and sometimes it hurts you. I'll try to remember that mantra if it burns me next year.
I learned that the old "sit and learn" approach doesn't apply to quarterbacks anymore. They can produce results immediately. Jayden Daniels is the obvious example, but Bo Nix also led his team to the playoffs in a competitive conference. Michael Penix and Drake Maye also showed real potential in year one, and although Caleb Williams caught a lot of criticism, he finished with good numbers. I used to discount younger quarterbacks, but I'll do a better job of giving them due consideration. They don't need to sit and learn.
I learned that a weird exception might be Bryce Young. He sat for a few weeks while the Panthers tried an Andy Dalton experiment, and he came back a totally different guy. He made good decisions and Carolina was competitive. I don't know what he learned in those few weeks, but if it's a permanent lesson the Panthers might have found their quarterback after all.
I learned that conspiracy theories are more common than ever, but no more realistic. If the NFL was rigged, the Jets and Giants would be good enough for prime time games, and the Super Bowl would be an annual LA-NY contest. And what egotistic billionaire owner would go along with their team enduring years of losing just so a secret agenda could be realized? The NFL isn't always fun or even interesting, but it isn't rigged.
I learned that a player could spend months building a resume for a huge contract, only to lose a lot of it in a couple weeks. Sam Darnold was probably expecting a huge free agent deal after a stellar regular season. But duds in a playoff-type game against the Lions, and an actual playoff game against the Rams, have tempered those expectations. He'll still get offers if the Vikings don't keep him, but how many millions of dollars did he lose after those two games?
Finally, I learned that football never really ends. For alternative football, the UFL and AF1 (the new Arena Football League) start their seasons soon. And NFL free agency is only about a month away. Then there’s the draft, a little summer, and training camps open. We’ll be right back at it before you know it. In the meantime, re-introduce yourself to your family, watch a little hockey, and appreciate that no matter how poorly you fared in 2024, you get a contract extension to do it all again in a few months.
And thanks for reading this column since 1999! Jalen Hurts was a baby back then, and Jayden Daniels wasn’t even born yet, so I appreciate the support. See you in the summertime.
What did you learn this year? What did you think of the Super Bowl? Do you take a break from football, or do you dive right into free agency and draft speculation? Share your thoughts below.