Notable Moments From the NFL’s Last Decade
There are some sporting events that cannot be missed: soccer enthusiasts are eager for the return of UEFA Champions League and horse racing fans are counting the days for the 2020 Kentucky Derby. For football fans, it’s all about the upcoming Super Bowl, which is sure to start the new decade off with a bang.
As we enter the 2020s, it’s important to look back on some of the biggest moments — both on and off the field — from the past 10 years of NFL action.
№5: Patrick Mahomes MVP
Mahomes was the №10 pick in the 2017 NFL Draft, having been passed on by Chicago, who took Mitch Trubisky instead. Mahomes arrived at the Kansas City Chiefs with a strong pedigree but played second fiddle to Alex Smith in his first year. In 2018, though, the Chiefs put their faith in the Texas Tech product as their starting quarterback.
Mahomes dutifully rewarded them with over 5,000 passing yards, an NFL-best 50 touchdowns, and a spot in the AFC Championship Game. A plethora of awards arrived at his door, though none stood out like his MVP win. For a guy in his first season starting, it was a monumental occurrence.
№4: $500 Million For One Family
The last decade saw NFL contracts go into another stratosphere. And it was one family that took home the most loot: the Manning family. Eli Manning and Peyton Manning have four Super Bowl wins between them, but they also have $500 million combined in career earnings. All told, they’re the two top earners in NFL history. Surprisingly, it’s Eli who ranks №1, though.
№3: Drew Brees Sets TD Record
Maybe it’s a little recency bias because this event just happened, but Drew Brees setting the record for career touchdown passes is something else. Considering all the great quarterback talent this league has seen, it’s remarkable that a 6-foot quarterback is the one with the most touchdown passes (547).
№2: Unsung Hero Steals the Super Bowl
In February 2015 the New England Patriots locked horns with the reigning champions, the Seattle Seahawks, in an epic Super Bowl battle. It was a great game throughout, but the finish was arguably the most exciting in NFL history. Best of all, it came from a guy — Malcolm Butler — most of the world hadn’t heard of before February 1st, 2015.
Butler picked off Russell Wilson on the one-yard line in the closing seconds of the game, making it one of the most highly-scrutinized calls, and most electrifying plays ever. The interception sealed a 28–24 win for New England and put Butler in football’s record books forever.
№1: Colin Kaepernick Takes a Stand
The NFL itself is a game with widespread appeal but it’s hard to think of a time when more people have engaged with the sport than during the Colin Kaepernick kneeling protests. Kaepernick, just a few years after leading the San Francisco 49ers to a Super Bowl, chose to put his career on the line by using his position in the public eye to support the Black Lives Matter campaign.
It shook the NFL to its core, with several stars dropping to their knees in support, and also the world at large. Everyone had an opinion on the protest — including POTUS Donald Trump — and some people even boycotted the league. The message Kaepernick had intended got lost somewhere along the line but regardless of what side you took, you can’t argue the massive impact it had on the NFL and beyond.