The 2024 NFL season was the 105th season of the National Football League (NFL). The season began on September 5, 2024, with reigning Super Bowl champion Kansas City defeating Baltimore in the NFL Kickoff Game. The regular season concluded on January 5, 2025. The playoffs started on January 11 and concluded with Philadelphia defeating Kansas City in Super Bowl LIX, the league's championship game, at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana, on February 9.
Player movement The 2024 NFL league year and trading period started on March 13. On March 11, teams were allowed to exercise options for 2024 on players with option clauses in their contracts, submit qualifying offers to their pending restricted free agents, and submit a Minimum Salary Tender to retain exclusive negotiating rights to their players with expiring 2023 contracts and fewer than three accrued seasons of free agent credit. Teams were required to be under the salary cap using the "top 51" definition (in which the 51 highest paid-players on the team's payroll must have a combined salary cap). On March 13, clubs were allowed to contact and begin contract negotiations with players whose contracts had expired and thus became unrestricted free agents.
This season's salary cap increased to $255.4 million per team, up from the previous high of $224.8 million in 2023.
Free agency
Free agency began on March 13, 2024. Notable players to change teams included: Quarterbacks Jacoby Brissett (Washington to New England), Kirk Cousins (Minnesota to Atlanta), Gardner Minshew (Indianapolis to Las Vegas), and Russell Wilson (Denver to Pittsburgh). Running backs Saquon Barkley (New York Giants to Philadelphia), Austin Ekeler (Los Angeles Chargers to Washington), Ezekiel Elliott (New England to Dallas), Derrick Henry (Tennessee to Baltimore), Josh Jacobs (Las Vegas to Green Bay), Aaron Jones (Green Bay to Minnesota), Zack Moss (Indianapolis to Cincinnati), Tony Pollard (Dallas to Tennessee), Devin Singletary (Houston to New York Giants), and D'Andre Swift (Philadelphia to Chicago) Wide receivers Odell Beckham Jr. (Baltimore to Miami), Marquise Brown (Arizona to Kansas City), Gabe Davis (Buffalo to Jacksonville), Darnell Mooney (Chicago to Atlanta), Calvin Ridley (Jacksonville to Tennessee), and Mike Williams (Los Angeles Chargers to New York Jets) Tight ends Zach Ertz (Detroit to Washington), Gerald Everett (Los Angeles Chargers to Chicago), Hayden Hurst (Carolina to Los Angeles Chargers), and Jonnu Smith (Atlanta to Miami) Offensive linemen Trent Brown (New England to Cincinnati), Lloyd Cushenberry (Denver to Tennessee), Robert Hunt (Miami to Carolina), Jonah Jackson (Detroit to Los Angeles Rams), Damien Lewis (Seattle to Carolina), Tyron Smith (Dallas to New York Jets), Jonah Williams (Cincinnati to Arizona), and Kevin Zeitler (Baltimore to Detroit) Defensive linemen Arik Armstead (San Francisco to Jacksonville), Calais Campbell (Atlanta to Miami), Danielle Hunter (Minnesota to Houston), Sheldon Rankins (Houston to Cincinnati), D. J. Reader (Cincinnati to Detroit), Christian Wilkins (Miami to Las Vegas), and Chase Young (San Francisco to New Orleans) Linebackers Jadeveon Clowney (Baltimore to Carolina), Jonathan Greenard (Houston to Minnesota), Bryce Huff (New York Jets to Philadelphia), Eric Kendricks (Los Angeles Chargers to Dallas), Patrick Queen (Baltimore to Pittsburgh), and Bobby Wagner (Seattle to Washington) Defensive backs Jamal Adams (Seattle to Tennessee), Chidobe Awuzie (Cincinnati to Tennessee). Kevin Byard (Philadelphia to Chicago), Quandre Diggs (Seattle to Tennessee), Kendall Fuller (Washington to Miami), C. J. Gardner-Johnson (Detroit to Philadelphia), Stephon Gilmore (Dallas to Minnesota), Marcus Maye (New Orleans to Miami), Xavier McKinney (New York Giants to Green Bay), Jordan Poyer (Buffalo to Miami), Justin Simmons (Denver to Atlanta), Tre'Davious White (Buffalo to Los Angeles Rams), and Geno Stone (Baltimore to Cincinnati) Punters Cameron Johnston (Houston to Pittsburgh) and Tommy Townsend (Kansas City to Houston)
Trades The following notable trades were made during the 2024 league year:
March 13: New England traded QB Mac Jones to Jacksonville in exchange for a 2024 sixth-round selection. March 13: Cincinnati traded RB Joe Mixon to Houston in exchange for a 2024 seventh-round selection. March 13: Carolina traded LB Brian Burns and a 2024 fifth-round selection to the New York Giants in exchange for 2024 second- and fifth-round selections, and a 2025 conditional fifth-round selection. March 13: Pittsburgh traded WR Diontae Johnson and a 2024 seventh-round selection to Carolina in exchange for CB Donte Jackson and a 2024 sixth-round selection. March 13: Tampa Bay traded CB Carlton Davis, and 2024 and 2025 sixth-round selections to Detroit in exchange for a 2024 third-round selection. March 13: Baltimore traded OT Morgan Moses and a 2024 fourth-round selection (No. 134) to the New York Jets in exchange for a 2024 fourth- and sixth-round selection (Nos. 113 and 185). March 14: The Los Angeles Chargers traded WR Keenan Allen to Chicago in exchange for a 2024 fourth-round selection. March 14: Washington traded QB Sam Howell and 2024 fourth- and sixth-round selections to Seattle in exchange for 2024 third- and fifth-round selections. March 14: Atlanta traded QB Desmond Ridder to Arizona in exchange for WR Rondale Moore. March 15: Pittsburgh traded QB Kenny Pickett and a 2024 fourth-round selection to Philadelphia in exchange for a 2024 third-round selection and two 2025 seventh-round selections. March 22: Kansas City traded CB L'Jarius Sneed and a 2024 seventh-round selection to Tennessee in exchange for a 2024 seventh-round selection and a 2025 third-round selection. March 29: Philadelphia traded LB Haason Reddick to the New York Jets in exchange for a conditional 2026 second or third-round selection based on Reddick's performance. April 3: Buffalo traded WR Stefon Diggs, a 2024 sixth-round selection (No. 189 overall), and a 2025 fifth-round selection to Houston in exchange for a 2025 second-round selection. August 9: Minnesota traded CB Andrew Booth Jr. to Dallas in exchange for CB Nahshon Wright. August 14: New England traded LB Matthew Judon to Atlanta in exchange for a 2025 third-round selection. August 22: Washington traded WR Jahan Dotson and a 2025 fifth-round selection to Philadelphia in exchange for a 2025 third-round selection and two 2025 seventh-round selections. August 22: Carolina traded LB Michael Barrett to Seattle in exchange for CB Mike Jackson. October 15: Las Vegas traded WR Davante Adams to the New York Jets in exchange for a conditional 2025 second or third-round selection based on Adams' performance. October 15: Cleveland traded WR Amari Cooper and 2025 sixth-round selection to Buffalo for a 2025 third- and 2026 seventh-round selection. October 24: Tennessee traded WR DeAndre Hopkins to Kansas City in exchange for a 2025 fourth or fifth-round selection based on Hopkins' performance. October 29: Carolina traded WR Diontae Johnson and a 2025 sixth-round selection to Baltimore in exchange for a 2025 fifth-round selection. November 5: The Los Angeles Rams traded CB Tre'Davious White and a 2027 seventh-round selection to Baltimore in exchange for a 2026 seventh-round selection. November 5: New Orleans traded CB Marshon Lattimore and a 2025 fifth-round selection to Washington in exchange for 2025 third-, fourth- and sixth-round selections. November 5: Cleveland traded LB Za'Darius Smith and a 2026 seventh-round selection to Detroit in exchange for a 2025 fifth-round selection and a 2026 sixth-round selection. November 5: Carolina traded WR Jonathan Mingo and a 2025 seventh-round selection to Dallas in exchange for a 2025 fourth-round selection.
Retirements Notable retirements
DT Fletcher Cox – Six-time Pro Bowler, four-time All-Pro (one first-team, three second-team), and Super Bowl LII champion. Played for Philadelphia during his entire 12-year career. DT Aaron Donald – Ten-time Pro Bowler, eight-time first-team All-Pro, three-time Defensive Player of the Year (2017, 2018, and 2020), 2014 Defensive Rookie of the Year, and Super Bowl LVI champion. Played for the St. Louis/Los Angeles Rams during his entire 10-year career. Donald later came out of retirement in 2026, rejoining the Rams. QB Nick Foles – One-time Pro Bowler and Super Bowl LII champion and MVP. Played for Philadelphia, the St. Louis Rams, Kansas City, Jacksonville, Chicago, and Indianapolis during his 11-year career. CB Chris Harris Jr. – Four-time Pro Bowler, three-time All-Pro (one first-team, two second-team), and Super Bowl 50 champion. Played for Denver, the Los Angeles Chargers, and New Orleans during his 12-year career. C Jason Kelce – Seven-time Pro Bowler, six-time first-team All-Pro, and Super Bowl LII champion. Played for Philadelphia during his entire 13-year career. QB Matt Ryan – Four-time Pro Bowler, one-time first-team All-Pro, 2008 Offensive Rookie of the Year, 2016 Offensive Player of the Year, and 2016 NFL MVP. Played for Atlanta and Indianapolis during his 15-year career. WR Matthew Slater – Ten-time Pro Bowler, eight-time All-Pro (five first-team, three second-team) as a special teams player, and three-time Super Bowl champion (XLIX, LI, and LIII). Played for New England during his entire 16-year career.
Other retirements
Draft The 2024 NFL draft took place around Campus Martius Park and Hart Plaza in Detroit, Michigan, on April 25–27. Chicago held the first selection via a trade from Carolina, who posted the league's worst record in 2023, and selected quarterback Caleb Williams out of USC. Five other quarterbacks — Jayden Daniels, Drake Maye, Michael Penix Jr., J. J. McCarthy, and Bo Nix—were taken in the first round, tying the 1983 draft for the most in league history.
2024 deaths Pro Football Hall of Fame members Larry Allen Allen played 14 seasons in the NFL as an offensive guard with the Dallas Cowboys and San Francisco 49ers, and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2013. He was an 11-time Pro Bowler, seven-time All-Pro (six first-team, one second-team), Super Bowl XXX champion, and was selected to the 1990s and 2000s NFL All-Decade teams and NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team. He died on June 2, age 52. Jimmy E. Johnson Johnson played 16 seasons in the NFL as a cornerback with the San Francisco 49ers, and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1994. He was a five-time Pro Bowler, eight-time All-Pro (four first-team, four second-team), and won the George Halas Award in 1972. He died on May 9, age 86. Jim Otto Otto played 15 seasons in the AFL and NFL as a center with the Oakland Raiders, and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1980. He was a nine-time AFL All-Star and three-time Pro Bowler, 12-time All-Pro or All-AFL (nine first-team All-AFL, one first-team All-Pro, second-team All-Pro, and second-team All-AFL), was selected to the NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team and the AFL All-Time Team, and was a 1967 AFL Champion. He died on May 19, age 86. Joe Schmidt Schmidt played 13 seasons in the NFL as a linebacker with the Detroit Lions, and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1973. He was a 10-time Pro Bowler, 10-time All-Pro (eight first-team, two second-team), two-time NFL champion (1953 and 1957), and was selected to the NFL 1950s All-Decade Team and NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team. He also served as head coach of the Lions for six seasons. He died on September 11, age 92. Billy Shaw Shaw played nine seasons in the AFL a guard with the Buffalo Bills, and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1999. He was an eight-time AFL All-Star and seven-time All-AFL (five first-team, two second-team), two-time AFL champion (1964 and 1965), and was selected to the AFL All-Time Team. He died on October 4, age 85.