There were plenty of big storylines going on in the 2021 NFL season. From a legendary quarterback retiring (?) to a star-studded lineup worthy of Hollywood winning it all, there was no shortage of topics. Here are the main takeaways from this memorable season.
The More Things Change... The more they stay the same. That's certainly the case in Arlington, Texas, where the Dallas Cowboys made a premature playoff exit. This time, it was at the hands of the San Francisco 49ers, who upended the 'Boys in Jerryworld, 23-17. Dak Prescott choked in that game, barely completing over 50% of his passes while throwing an interception. This included a draw play with 14 seconds left and no timeouts, which was curiously drawn up by Kellen Moore. Such debauchery has been routine for the Cowboys, who are going over 25 years strong since their last Super Bowl. Jerry Jones is intent on keeping Mike McCarthy. Unfortunately, that isn't the right move, especially with the talented roster that Dallas has.
Have a Happy Retirement, Tom? The legendary quarterback hung up his cleats after the 2021 season. His career accolades are more than HOF-worthy: the New England legend won seven Super Bowls (NFL record), five Super Bowl MVPs (NFL record), three MVPs, 15 Pro Bowls, and even a Comeback Player of the Year. Aside from breaking countless records, he also turned the Patriots into a dynasty. Of course, there are the comeback rumors floating around. That includes a potential trade to San Francisco, where concerns of Trey Lance not being ready loom. As Brady has said, "never say never."
A Hollywood Ending: Stan Kroenke made it an objective to make the Rams into the ultimate football team for the City of Angels. That included building a $5 billion stadium and filling the roster with stars like Von Miller, Matthew Stafford, and Jalen Ramsey. The moves paid off with Los Angeles beating Cincinnati in Super Bowl LVI, 23-20. Kroenke wins his second Super Bowl as a part of the Rams, bringing the first Super Bowl to Hollywood. It's not to say that there are some people unhappy with the Walmart billionaire winning it all, though. St. Louis has plenty of disdain for Kroenke after the Rams left town. Still, Los Angeles winning the Super Bowl had the makings of a Hollywood ending, rife with theatrics and drama.
