The future of the NFL?

Even though the NFL has gone through several changes throughout its history, people seem to have "mixed feelings" towards the current and future state of football, along with what to expect going forward...

I've created a list of events and occurrences as of recent:

- Scripted/rigged games

- Inconsistent Officiating (Questionable "Roughing The Passer" calls)

- 1st Tom Brady, then Patrick Mahomes: A potential generational QB pattern that may occur more often in the future:

Tom Brady, Patrick Mahomes, ???

On an extra note, how did you feel about the 2023-24 NFL Season? As a Steelers fan & football fan?

 

Not sure what You are trying to say here

 

As a football fan, the 2023-2024 Season was the most enjoyable yet inconsistent season I have ever watched. Too many questionable calls overall but the overall product was better than it was last season. Highlight for me was the Dolphins smoking the Broncos then Sean Payton having to answer for it as a whole. Another favorite of mine was obviously Pittsburgh defeating Baltimore and peeps enjoy using the dropped passes as a cop out excuse. While true, players still have to do their job. If they cant, the end result is what they make of it; no shenanigan's of course. The playoffs this season were actually a major step up from last season. The Super Bowl was great but only at the end; Kyle's "Offensive Genius" dooming the 49ers yet again.


As a Steelers fan?! I think it is safe to say this season was by far the most frustrating one I have ever witnessed. Mind you, I started watching both the NFL and the Steelers in 2008 so my past experiences with the team is very limited compared to long time fans of the Franchise. That said, much of my statements have been echoed by even fans who have been fans for over two generations... if not more. The lack of Offensive Cohesion was enough to raise many peoples blood pressure. Thankfully though, T.J. Watt saw to it that the season was at least enjoyable to watch despite the troubles.


However, I will say I also have had enough of the lack of playoff success that the Steelers have had; no Playoff Wins dating back to 2016. Put up or shut up time for Tomlin. No exceptions.

 

When you throw a bunch of manure at a wall, some of it is bound to stick?

 

What is the point of this thread? What is there to discuss?

There is no fixing of games. Anyone who says otherwise is an idiot.
There has always been and always will be inconsistent officiating, in every sport. That's nothing new. It's the human factor.
There's been plenty franchise QB's besides Brady and Mahomes. Brady being paired with Belichek and Mahomes being paired with Reid is the main reason for their dominance. Lots of good QB's don't have the coaches or the team around them to get it done year after year.

 

I've always wanted to get some feedback and opinions on the current state of the NFL... since people have mixed feelings towards it... even though I'm still a football & Steeler fan no matter what happens...

 

NFL is trending like all entertainment institutions - wokey and ****ty.

 

NFL is not scripted or rigged. I don’t believe that for a second

The wildly inconsistent officiating is certainly a problem. Referees should be full time well paid professionals IMO, with rigorous training. That should bring standards up but there is always going to be a margin for error.

Apart from that the game has never been healthier as far as I can see

I don’t know what point the OP is making about Brady and Mahomes every sport has great players and they enhance rather that damage the game, even though people do get sick of seeing the same guys lift the trophy.

 

According to tv statistics, alive and well

 

The Chiefs got some help from the officials to beat the Ravens.

Both "NO" call happen late in the 4th QTR preventing the Ravens from winning the game. Someone was helping Taylor Swift get to the Super Bowl.

 

130 million viewers, CBS had the largest TV audience in history for one network. The biggest TV audience was the moon landing but that included every network covering that event.

 

The little girl from Berks County, Pa. sure has the world at her fingertips. Daniel Boone was the most famous person from Berks County but I think Taylor has past him.

 

That little girl is 34, but her songs about breaking up with her boyfriends would make you assume she is a teenager.

 

We know where your bread is buttered.

 

Flag football is the end game and they aren’t even worried about hiding it. In fact it is being promoted very heavily. It’s been trending that way for fifty years now but it is clearly on the fast track now. I doubt I’ll be all that interested in about a decade.

 

I agree with the NFL trending towards flag football. But what is weird, the offenses aren't playing wide open football. There were few high scoring offenses in the league this year. As great as TJ Watt is, officiating can minimize him out of the game by not calling holding. Running the ball is still highly valued, but once tackling becomes obsolete, offenses are going to be about chunk plays and defense is going to be about pass break ups. In 20 years or sooner, you are going to see smaller quicker blockers who screen off the defensive players. It will be interesting to see if football stays 11 vs. 11, or if it changes to 7 vs. 7.

 

NOT DPI on the first video. Where is the ball/play on the second video? No idea what's even going on to answer the question.

 

Stopped reading at scripted/rigged...

Do yourself a favor and toss out the tinfoil hat.

 

If you don't think the refs aren't intent on keeping the games close, then you're kidding yourself.

It's not just a simple case of bad officiating and everything evening out, it's also not a case of "scripting games".

Ever see the Tuck rule called again?

 

I think that is the thing that frustrates fans the most. calls are obviously going to be missed to called wrong, but when blatant things are let go for an entire game, then to call them the last minute or so just raises the suspicion that 'the fix is in'. The league highlights certain areas that they are concentrating on at the beginning of the season and some of those calls are at times outrageous, but the warning was put out and you can reason it out. Seeing TJ mauled series after series (sure other teams can make the same gripe) with obvious holds and then seeing pittance calls when a guy is 1 inch off sides just sucks, lol.

 

No, they really didn't. Bad calls happen. Sometimes the tinfoil hat brigade uses those calls to try to push nonsense like yours. The NFL doesn't need to fix games to have a huge audience. The risk simply is not worth the reward.