UNITED STATES NEWS

The Chiefs’ pursuit of a 3-peat is the hot topic among many storylines entering 2024 NFL season

Aug 29, 2024, 10:02 AM

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) throws a pass against the Detroit Lions during ...

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) throws a pass against the Detroit Lions during the first half of an NFL preseason football game Saturday, Aug. 17, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga)
Credit: ASSOCIATED PRESS

(AP Photo/Ed Zurga)

Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs chasing history will be the hottest topic throughout the NFL season.

Kansas City’s three-peat quest is only one of many interesting storylines.

Aaron Rodgers is back in New York after his first season with the Jets lasted only four plays. The 40-year-old four-time NFL MVP is returning from a torn Achilles tendon and aiming to help the Jets end the league’s longest active playoff drought.

No. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams takes over for the Bears, looking to end Chicago’s lengthy search for a franchise quarterback.

Fellow rookie QB Jayden Daniels leads the Commanders, who begin their second season under a new ownership group that saved Washington from Dan Snyder.

Russell Wilson tries to revive his career in Pittsburgh, becoming the third different QB the Steelers turn to since Ben Roethlisberger last played three years ago.

Jim Harbaugh returned to the NFL to coach the Los Angeles Chargers after winning a national title at Michigan. With Justin Herbert under center, Harbaugh doesn’t have to start from scratch.

His brother, John Harbaugh, and the Baltimore Ravens have unfinished business. Two-time NFL MVP Lamar Jackson led the Ravens to the league’s best record, but they couldn’t beat Mahomes and the Chiefs in the playoffs.

The pressure is on Josh Allen to deliver in Buffalo after the Bills lost in the divisional round for the third straight season.

The San Francisco 49ers’ bid to return to the Super Bowl after falling just short against the Chiefs could be derailed by contract disputes. All-Pro left tackle Trent Williams and standout wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk still haven’t resolved their issues.

Nick Sirianni stayed put in Philadelphia despite a late-season collapse that had the Eagles go from 10-1 to blown out by Tampa Bay in a wild-card game. Jalen Hurts is learning a new offensive system again but another playmaker, Saquon Barkley, joined a star-studded cast that surrounds him.

The Cowboys didn’t do much in the offseason after another playoff failure. Coach Mike McCarthy enters the final season of his contract and Dak Prescott is planning to play out the last year of his deal unless he gets an extension. Jerry Jones did open up his checkbook for All-Pro wide receiver CeeDee Lamb, ending a long holdout.

Dan Campbell’s Lions are a popular pick to make their first trip to the Super Bowl after his fourth-down gambles cost Detroit a shot last season.

Jordan Love got paid in Green Bay and looks to build off his successful first season leading the Packers.

Trevor Lawrence also joined the $55 million club (average annual salary) in Jacksonville. The Jaguars have to rebound from a disappointing finish after failing to reach the playoffs despite an 8-3 start.

C.J. Stroud took the Houston Texans from worst to first and now they seek to take another step in a packed AFC.

Deshaun Watson watched Joe Flacco lead the Browns to the playoffs and fans in Cleveland are running out of patience waiting for him to live up to expectations.

A healthy and blonde Joe Burrow is back in Cincinnati, giving the Bengals reason for optimism.

Kirk Cousins joined the Falcons along with new coach Raheem Morris, taking aim at dethroning the Buccaneers in the NFC South.

Tampa Bay is running it back after re-signing Baker Mayfield, Mike Evans and several key players from a team that far exceeded expectations last year.

The Dolphins made Tua Tagovailoa a $53 million a year QB, putting faith in him to lead Miami to its first playoff win in 24 years.

Bill Belichick moved onto a television career with Jerod Mayo starting a new era in New England. The Patriots hope Drake Maye brings a fraction of Tom Brady’s success.

The Broncos turn to rookie Bo Nix, who seems like a fit for Sean Payton’s offense.

Antonio Pierce gets a full season in charge in Las Vegas to show what he can do with the Raiders.

The Colts are counting on Anthony Richardson to stay healthy and put them in playoff contention.

Brian Callahan takes over in Tennessee as the rebuilding Titans give Will Levis a shot to be their quarterback of the future.

Daniel Jones and Brian Daboll have plenty to prove with the New York Giants.

The Vikings lost J.J. McCarthy for the season, assuring Sam Darnold gets yet another chance to be a No. 1 QB. He’s got Justin Jefferson and more talent than he had with the Jets and Panthers.

As for Carolina, new coach Dave Canales is tasked with getting the best out of Bryce Young. He already did it for Mayfield and Geno Smith.

The Saints haven’t been to the playoffs since Payton and Drew Brees left. Dennis Allen and Derek Carr may not get anymore chances in New Orleans if they don’t get it done this season.

Kyler Murray and Marvin Harrison Jr. team up, making the Cardinals a sneaky team in the NFC.

Matthew Stafford remains with the Rams but Los Angeles must replace defensive superstar Aaron Donald. Sean McVay is coming off perhaps his best coaching season and nobody is doubting his ability to keep the team in the playoff mix.

The Seahawks begin a new era without Pete Carroll. Mike Macdonald leads a Seattle team that needed a new defensive approach.

Eighteen weeks and 272 games to determine the teams that’ll play in January to figure out which two face off in February for the Vince Lombardi trophy.

All of it kicks off with the Ravens-Chiefs facing off in a rematch of the AFC championship game. Then it’s the Eagles-Packers playing on a Friday night in the first NFL game in Brazil.

___

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

United States News

Associated Press

All 4 dead aboard plane after weekend crash near runway in rural Alaska

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — The weekend crash of a plane roughly a half-mile from a runway near the southwest Alaska community of St. Mary’s killed all four occupants on board the aircraft, authorities said. Alaska State Troopers said they received a report of an overdue aircraft around 11:15 p.m. Sunday from the Alaska Rescue Coordination […]

9 minutes ago

Associated Press

Outside agency to investigate police recruit’s death after boxing training

A district attorney reviewing the case of a Massachusetts State Police recruit who died after a boxing training exercise said Monday that another agency must investigate because the man had worked in his office as a victim witness advocate. Enrique Delgado-Garcia, 25, of Worcester, died at a hospital last week, a day after the exercise […]

48 minutes ago

This provided by the Louisville Metro Police Department shows Louisville interim Police Chief Paul ...

Associated Press

Louisville interim police chief will lead department in full-time role

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Louisville interim Police Chief Paul Humphrey, a two-decade veteran of the department, was named full-time chief on Monday. Humphrey took over as interim chief in June when former Chief Jacquelyn Gwinn-Villaroel was suspended for her handling of a sexual harassment claim within the department. Before the permanent assignment this week, Humphrey […]

1 hour ago

Associated Press

Disney trips meant for homeless students went to NYC school employees’ kids, officials say

NEW YORK (AP) — Six employees of New York City’s public school system took their children or grandchildren on trips to Disney World, New Orleans and other locations using tickets that were meant for homeless students, investigators said in a newly released report. The trips intended as enrichment for students living in shelters and other […]

1 hour ago

Associated Press

A Waffle House customer fatally shot a worker, police say

LAURINBURG, N.C. (AP) — A Waffle House customer fatally shot an 18-year-old employee in North Carolina, police said. Laurinburg police officers responding to a report of shots fired early Friday found Burlie Dawson Locklear of Red Springs suffering from a gunshot wound, police said in a statement. Locklear died at a hospital. The investigation found […]

1 hour ago

Associated Press

Lawsuit says Alabama voter purge targets naturalized citizens

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — Voting rights groups have filed a lawsuit against Alabama’s secretary of state over a policy they said is illegally targeting naturalized citizens for removal from voting rolls ahead of the November election. Alabama Secretary of State Wes Allen announced last month that 3,251 people who had been previously issued noncitizen identification […]

1 hour ago

Sponsored Articles

...

Sanderson Ford

3 storylines to get you revved up for the 2024 Arizona Cardinals

Arizona Cardinals training camp is just a couple weeks away starting on July 25, and Sanderson Ford is revved up and ready to go.

...

Collins Comfort Masters

Here’s how to be worry-free when your A/C goes out in the middle of summer

PHOENIX -- As Arizona approaches another hot summer, Phoenix residents are likely to spend more time indoors.

...

COLLINS COMFORT MASTERS

Here are 5 things Arizona residents need to know about their HVAC system

It's warming back up in the Valley, which means it's time to think about your air conditioning system's preparedness for summer.

The Chiefs’ pursuit of a 3-peat is the hot topic among many storylines entering 2024 NFL season