How did we get here so fast? We’re 10 weeks into the 2024 NFL season, just over halfway, and we have a good share of surprises. Of course, some things remain the same: the Kansas City Chiefs are dominating again, standing undefeated at 9-0. Their latest win came down to the wire against the Denver Broncos, with the Chiefs blocking a last-second field goal attempt to seal a gritty 16-14 victory. Even with offensive hiccups, they look like a team of destiny.
What was shocking—but didn’t quite make our top surprises list—are the Dallas Cowboys. Despite being “all in” for the season, their struggles have been hard to ignore. With Dak Prescott now out for the year, the team has struggled to stay competitive, and even Cowboys die-hards are wondering what went wrong.
Speaking of the NFC East, the G-Men are one of the season’s biggest surprises, but not for the right reasons. Their year has been a rollercoaster, with Brian Daboll operating as a lame-duck head coach and the quarterback position plagued by inconsistency. While Giants’ ownership has publicly stated there won’t be any coaching changes, the team is reportedly considering benching Daniel Jones. With a season full of struggles, the Giants are now in the race for the No. 1 overall pick.
But the surprises aren’t limited to these heavyweights. There’s a team in the AFC East, expected to be a contender, whose season has unraveled in unexpected ways. Let’s dive into the biggest surprises through these first 10 weeks of the NFL season.
1. Aaron Rodgers couldn’t save the New York Jets
The New York Jets’ 2024 season was supposed to be the year of Aaron Rodgers, the long-awaited savior for a franchise desperate for a turnaround. But fast-forward to Week 10, and what fans have instead is a full-blown Jets soap opera. With a disappointing 3-7 record, the Jets have now fired head coach Robert Saleh, only to hand the reins to defensive coordinator-turned-interim coach Jeff Ulbrich, hoping he can somehow stop the bleeding. Spoiler: It’s not working.
Despite reuniting Rodgers with Davante Adams in a blockbuster trade, the offense has sputtered, managing just 19 points per game (good for a lowly 25th in the league). Even a splashy midseason signing of pass rusher Haason Reddick didn’t do much to rescue a defense that’s been nothing special, giving up 20.3 points a game and missing that spark fans expected.
And if the coaching drama isn’t enough, there’s still the question of general manager Joe Douglas, whose contract runs out after this season. With the future of the front office and coaching staff up in the air, the Jets are left with a lot of high expectations, big moves, and—well—not much to show for it. Let’s just say that, as usual, being a Jets fan isn’t for the faint of heart.
2. Mike Tomlin’s bold decision
The Pittsburgh Steelers are easily one of the most surprising teams of the 2024 season. After a hot 4-0 start with Justin Fields at quarterback, head coach Mike Tomlin made a gutsy call—some called it crazy, when he pulled Fields and put Russell Wilson under center, betting that the veteran’s experience could take them to the next level. And, wow, has it worked.
Since taking over, Wilson has looked revitalized, hitting on deep passes that Fields just wasn’t connecting with. He’s been putting the ball right on the money, and George Pickens is absolutely thriving because of it. Pickens is averaging 15.7 yards per catch and already has over 500 receiving yards in eight games. That deep-ball connection has given the Steelers’ offense the spark it needed.
Wilson’s stats back up the success: in just his first three starts, he’s thrown for 542 yards and three touchdowns with a solid passer rating of 99.6. And it’s not just the offense pulling its weight—the Steelers’ defense has been dominant, holding opponents to an average of 10 points per game, the second-best in the league.
With this balanced attack, the Steelers are sitting pretty as a playoff lock and look ready to challenge the undefeated defending Super Bowl champs. Tomlin’s bold move to bring in Wilson has Steelers fans thinking big.