On Thursday, September 5, the Chicago Bears will host the Green Bay Packers as the National Football League (NFL) celebrates its centennial season. 

After winning their sixth Super Bowl this century in a 13-3 victory over the Los Angeles Rams, the New England Patriots will once again look to compete for the Lombardi Trophy, striving for their record-breaking seventh title. In addition to the Patriots, the Rams, Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Chargers, Philadelphia Eagles, among others, are primed to be contenders.

A new team to the winning mix will be the Cleveland Browns, as they look to end their record long 16 season-long playoff drought. After only win a total of one game from 2016-2017, the team went 7-8-1 last season under rookie quarterback Baker Mayfield. With an extra year of development of Mayfield, as well as the acquisition of star wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. and new head coach Freddie Kitchens, Cleveland should be towards the top of the standings in the American Football Conference (AFC) North division. 

Joining Beckham on the list of stars in new locations is former Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown. After an eventful offseason, featuring a brief holdout due to Brown’s attachment to a specific helmet, he will look to help his new team, the Oakland Raiders, re-enter the playoff picture. 

On August 25, Indianapolis Colts’ quarterback Andrew Luck shocked fans by retiring from football at the age of 29. The former first overall pick from Stanford battled various injuries throughout his seven-year career, but was still considered a Most Valuable Player (MVP) candidate at the time of his retirement. The Colts will turn to Jacoby Brissett as they aim to stay relevant in the AFC. 

In addition to the competition for Super Bowl XIV, unsuccessful teams will turn to the quarterback-heavy 2020 Draft Class, featuring the likes of Alabama’s Tua Tagaviloua, Oregon’s Justin Herbit, and Georgia’s Jake Fromm. 

To commemorate its 100th year of existence, the NFL is launching “NFL100,” a year-long celebration to bring generations of football fans, players, communities, and all 32 clubs together for a unique line-up of programming and activities.   

“With fans at the center, NFL100 will be a big family reunion for all those across the country, and around the world, whose lives have been enriched by the sport of football. Over nearly 100 years, the NFL and the game of football has continued to evolve and grow. NFL100 is a chance to celebrate how far we’ve come and look ahead to the next 100 years,” Commissioner Roger Goodell said.