NFL schedule’s best grudge games
The release of the NFL’s 2024 schedule seems imminent based on recent history. And while we do know all of next season’s matchups — including the typically nasty division rivalry pairings — it’s currently unclear when they’ll land on the calendar.
Yet, regardless of where they’re slotted, there are quite a few (temporary, at minimum) grudge-style matches — whether they’re between teams with an ax to grind or a player facing a former club — that will be unique to this year’s docket.
Here are 15 that should be highly anticipated and almost certain to wind up in an exclusive broadcast window or, at least, a late-afternoon Sunday placement:
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1. Baltimore Ravens at Los Angeles Chargers, Harbowl II.
It’s been nearly a dozen years since Ravens HC John Harbaugh (barely) defeated hyper-competitive brother Jim in Super Bowl 47 — aka the “Harbowl.” Probably premature to suggest the Bolts are ready to contend in 2024 under their new boss, but they’ll doubtless carry extra motivation in this game given GM Joe Hortiz, OC Greg Roman, DC Jesse Minter and RBs Gus Edwards and J.K. Dobbins are among the Ravens alumni who have gone west.
● 2. Kansas City Chiefs at San Francisco 49ers.
Well, a grudge match for Niners HC Kyle Shanahan anyway? He’s 0-4 against counterpart Andy Reid’s Chiefs, three of those losses by double-digit margins, and two most memorably occurring in Super Bowls 54 and 58 — including last season’s overtime heartbreaker.
● 3-4. 2023 championship game rematches.
While hosting their first AFC title game in January, the Ravens came up short against the eventual champion Chiefs. Beating them at Arrowhead this year won’t make Baltimore’s players whole … though it might be a little sweeter if they get their shot in Week 1.
● 5. Buffalo Bills at Houston Texans, can you Diggs it?
The trade of Pro Bowl WR Stefon Diggs
from Buffalo to Houston was the most notable of the offseason.
● 6. Houston Texans at Dallas Cowboys.
Could “America’s Team” be Texas’ second best in 2024? Definitely possible, even if the Cowboys have won the Lone Star battle in four of its previous five iterations. But this could be quite an opportunity for Houston.
● 7. Las Vegas Raiders at New Orleans Saints, Carr collision.
Though the regime that unceremoniously kicked the Silver and Black’s alltime leading passer to the curb at the end of the 2022 season has largely been swept out, you know this one’s going to have significant meaning for Saints QB Derek Carr. In 2021, he pledged, “I am a Raider for my entire life” and said he’d quit playing football rather than play for another NFL franchise.
● at New York
8. Denver Broncos Jets, Hackett Bowl II.
You might (or might not) recall the NYJ beat the Broncos 31-21 in Denver last season, getting a small measure revenge for ex-Broncs HC Nathaniel Hackett, currently New York’s offensive coordinator. You might (or might not) recall that Jets
QB Aaron Rodgers clapped back at current Denver HC Sean Payton after he panned the tenure of his predecessor, Hackett, in an exclusive to USA TODAY Sports in 2023.
● Orleans
8a. Denver Broncos at New Saints, Payton comes dome.
Let’s acknowledge this without overhyping it. But it will be Payton’s first game at the Superdome since he “retired” as coach of the Saints more than two years ago. Hard to believe that the greatest coach in New Orleans history will receive anything other than a warm welcome.
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9. Los Angeles Rams at Detroit Lions, Stafford Bowl III.
Yes, LA QB Matthew Stafford has now returned to Motown — the Rams unexpectedly encountering the team he led for a dozen seasons in January and losing a 24-23 wild-card round thriller to the Lions. Maybe this season, Stafford — he beat Detroit in Hollywood in 2021 — can enjoy a more laid-back visit to Ford Field in the rubber game.
● 10. Philadelphia Eagles at New York Giants, Saquon’s return.
Pro Bowl RB Saquon Barkley not only bolted Big Blue after six turbulent years, he took the short trip down Interstate-95 to join the Giants’ most bitter rivals.
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11. Minnesota Vikings at Green Bay Packers, Aaron’s return (the other one).
Sorry, TV networks, but the Pack’s second-half surge in 2023 precluded a 2024 visit from Rodgers. However, free agency precipitated perhaps the nextbest thing after a March whirlwind of roughly 24 hours when Green Bay signed RB Josh Jacobs, then cut ties with Aaron Jones, a beloved mainstay for seven seasons, before he turned around and joined the NFC North rival Vikings for the 2024 campaign.
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12. Atlanta Falcons at Minnesota Vikings, Captain Kirk’s return?
A month ago, this projected as one of the season’s better homecoming subplots – QB Kirk Cousins, after a half-dozen years as the Vikes’ starter, heading back to U.S. Bank Stadium with his Falcons in tow.
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13. Pittsburgh Steelers at Denver Broncos, Russ’ return?
No guarantee that Russell Wilson will still be in Pittsburgh’s QB1 “pole position,” to use HC Mike Tomlin’s metaphor, whenever these teams meet.
● 14. Washington Commanders at Dallas Cowboys, Quinn comes back.
The NFC East could be extra spicy in 2024. These once bitter enemies have a chance to revive a fairly dormant rivalry after former Dallas DC Dan Quinn took the head job in D.C.
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14a. Washington Commanders at Arizona Cardinals, Kliff comes back.
Quinn’s new offensive coordinator, Kliff Kingsbury, gets to go home, too and face a Cards organization that fired him in 2023.
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15. Chicago Bears at Washington Commanders, Caleb vs. Jayden.
The top two picks of the 2024 draft, Bears QB Caleb Williams and Commanders QB Jayden Daniels, respectively, never met on a college field. But they will almost certainly gear up this season.
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15a. Caleb Williams vs. the NFL’s next-gen QBs.
Daniels is far from the only fellow upand-comer Williams will see as a rookie. He’s set to meet fellow No. 1 picks Young, Kyler Murray (2019), and Trevor Lawrence (2021).