Quarterback Patrick Mahomes looked as sharp as ever, and rookie running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire will only strengthen among the leagues highest-scoring offenses.
The Chiefs appear like they have not missed a beat, and are the preferred to win everything once again this year and repeat as Super Bowl champs.
Tom Brady in Tampa Bay
CNNs Jill Martin, David Close, Kevin Dotson, Leah Asmelash and Wayne Sterling contributed to this report.
Groups will have the expressions “It Takes All of Us” and “End Racism” painted in each teams end line all season long.
Goodell,
who said last month that he wanted the league had “listened earlier” to Colin Kaepernick when he started objecting throughout the National Anthem back in 2016, also revealed that the leagues gamers will be able to “shine a spotlight on and honor victims of systemic racism and police brutality” with
decals on their helmets that bear the victims names.
The NFLs chief medical officer, Dr. Allen Sills, acknowledged
in an interview with NPR that it is anticipated the league will have more Covid-19 cases during the season.
Gamers will use those decals all season long.
Chiefs start title defense
The Kansas City Chiefs started their Super Bowl title defense by waxing the Houston Texans 34-20 on Thursday.
However, things will be extremely different this year.
There will be no fans in the majority of arenas to begin the year, and you might not see a few of your preferred players match up due to the pandemic.
With a lot of teams playing today, heres what you require to understand with the first NFL Sunday.
Quarterback Tom Brady shook up the football world when he decided to leave the New England Patriots and sign with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as a totally free agent.
With the Buccaneers, Brady will have probably the most talented toolbox of weapons surrounding him on offense. All Pro players Mike Evans and Chris Godwin are 2 of the most talented receivers hes ever played with, and tight end Rob Gronkowski came out of retirement to join Brady.
While the 43-year-old Brady has revealed indications of decline over the last few years, he is extensively thought about the greatest quarterback of perpetuity and could lead the Buccaneers to its first playoff win because the group won the Super Bowl in 2003.
Brady-less Patriots
With Brady in Tampa Bay, Patriots signed quarterback Cam Newton to take his location.
This is a new period for the Patriots without Brady under center. The group will display a completely various offense as Newton is a mobile quarterback.
While the Patriots have actually had a variety of star gamers pull out of playing this season due to issues over Covid-19, its tough to count coach Bill Belichick out.
Can the NFL finish out the season?
There were some doubts that the NFL would have the ability to start its season as arranged due to the pandemic, but the league had the ability to make it through training school and start the season as intended on Thursday night.
Commissioner Roger Goodell
announced a series of social justice initiatives the league has actually planned, consisting of helmet decals, a citizen activation push and phrases stenciled in the end zones.
For a full-contact sport like football– in which its virtually impossible to prevent being close to others, even under the strictest standards– it is all but particular more gamers will test favorable for
the coronavirus, professionals say.
While the league prepares to play out the season as arranged, things could quickly alter with countless new coronavirus cases still being reported across the US.
” We expect to have favorable cases,” Sills stated. “No matter how cautious that we try to be and how lots of procedures we have in location, we know that this disease stays endemic in our societies and our communities, and its highly infectious.”
A break out might easily require the NFL to change its plans, and the league might have no option however to shut down the season if a major outbreak happens.
The NFL will play the song “Lift Every Voice and Sing”– referred to as the Black national anthem– before games on opening weekend, while airing video that showcases the social justice work of teams and players.
Goodell said that a number of players informed him voting was the number one issue that was necessary to them, which helped stimulate NFL Votes, a voting initiative the league released in July.
Its a league-wide, nonpartisan effort that Goodell stated “supports and motivates civic engagement and voting of fans, gamers, legends and club and league personnel.”
The initiative will concentrate on three essential parts of the electoral process: voter education, registration and activation. Education programs have actually been carried out with gamers on all 32 groups, and Goodell stated that the league encouraged groups to use their arenas as ballot.
