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Fans and players have all been looking forward to it: the start of the new NFL season.

When a team is looking to make history, a new crop of quarterbacks emerges and an NFL game is played on a new continent, there’s a lot to pay attention to.

What to watch for in the upcoming NFL season:

The new NFL season kicks off on Thursday, September 5, with the reigning champion Kansas City Chiefs hosting the Baltimore Ravens.

The action kicks off at 8:20 p.m. ET from Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri.

Throughout the NFL season, fans can watch games on TV via CBS, ESPN, FOX, NBC, ABC and NFL Network.

Streaming services NFL+, Sunday Ticket, Peacock, Paramount+, ESPN+, Amazon Prime and Netflix will also broadcast games.

All eyes will be on Kansas City this season. And not just because of Taylor Swift.

The Chiefs have a chance to make history this season as they aim to become the first team in NFL history to win three consecutive Super Bowls.

Led by the trio of head coach Andy Reid, quarterback Patrick Mahomes and tight end Travis Kelce, the Chiefs have been the benchmark for NFL success in recent years, with three titles in the past five seasons.

But despite last year’s success and the addition of a new Lombardi Trophy to the trophy cabinet, there is still room for improvement for Reid and Co.

Last year, the team relied heavily on its impressive defense, led by coordinator Steve Spagnuolo and defensive tackle Chris Jones, while its offense struggled. The offense scored just 39 touchdowns throughout the entire regular season, which ranks it tied for 17th in the league with the Washington Commanders and Minnesota Vikings, both of which missed the playoffs.

To help Mahomes and the aging Kelce, Reid and general manager Brett Veach have gone to work rejuvenating the offense.

They signed wide receiver Marquise Brown as a free agent, while also drafting speedster Xavier Worthy in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft; the Texas graduate set the 40-yard dash record of 4.21 seconds at the 2024 NFL Combine.

With this extra help, the pressure is on Mahomes and Reid to revamp the offense and show magic again.

But Mahomes says that with all the success behind him, it’s all about improving as the season progresses.

“I don’t think last year is on your mind too much. You’re so focused on trying to get better, and we’re playing the best of the best in Week 1,” the 28-year-old quarterback told reporters ahead of the season opener. “We’re going to see where we’re at.

“We’re going to have to go out there early in the season and play our best football. All we can do is go out there and play our best. That’s what it takes to win, and we’re going to have to learn from our mistakes and make adjustments on the sidelines and go out there and find a way to beat a really good football team.”

As in previous years, the Chiefs are the big favorites for the Super Bowl. And who’s to say that they won’t make history with their recent performances?

Sometimes a rookie class is loaded with talent at one position. The 2024 NFL Draft class was rich with quarterback prospects.

Six quarterbacks were selected in the first 12 picks of the April event, with former USC star Caleb Williams kicking things off as the No. 1 overall selection by the Chicago Bears.

Williams has been viewed by many as a transcendent talent for years, and his arrival in the league was eagerly anticipated. The 22-year-old’s adjustment to life in the NFL was a key focus of this offseason’s “Hard Knocks” series, which offered a behind-the-scenes look at Chicago’s preparation for the new campaign.

Williams’ immediate impact on the Bears was so great that he was named one of the team’s eight captains for the upcoming season, the first Chicago rookie to do so.

And his adjustment to life as a professional footballer has impressed his experienced teammates.

“I mean, when you go to work every day like he did and go through the things that he had to grow through, especially against defenses,” Bears wide receiver DJ Moore said, “and you see the work that he put in day in and day out, you can’t help but respect that and want him to be a leader for you.”

No. 2 overall pick Jayden Daniels has already been named the Washington Commanders’ Week 1 starting quarterback after an impressive preseason. But it’s a different story for Drake Maye, selected with the third overall pick by the New England Patriots, with the team instead opting for veteran Jacoby Brissett to start the season.

Eighth-overall pick Michael Penix Jr. will also be the Atlanta Falcons’ backup after Kirk Cousins ​​joined the team on a big contract in the offseason, while No. 10 JJ McCarthy’s rookie season with the Minnesota Vikings has already been cut short after he suffered a season-ending knee injury in the pre-season.

The last of the first-round quarterback picks—Bo Nix, selected 12th overall by the Denver Broncos—was probably the biggest surprise. He put in an impressive performance in the preseason to earn a starting spot in Colorado. He’s the first rookie QB since Hall of Famer John Elway to earn the starting job in Denver.

The NFL is constantly looking for ways to push its boundaries and this season is no exception.

The 2024 season will see the first-ever regular season game played in South America, with the Green Bay Packers taking on the Philadelphia Eagles in São Paulo, Brazil, on Friday.

The Week 1 match between two National Football Conference (NFC) play-off contenders will be played at the Corinthians Arena, home of Brazilian football team SC Corinthians.

It also marks the first time in more than 50 years that the NFL has played a game on the Friday night of opening weekend.

The game is part of the NFL’s growing International Series, five of which will be played overseas this season.

Three matches will be played in London – two at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and one at Wembley Stadium – while another match will be played in Munich, Germany.

That means NFL games have now been played on five of the world’s seven continents.

Thursday September 5th

Baltimore Ravens @ Kansas City Chiefs – 8:20pm ET

Friday September 6th

Green Bay Packers vs. Philadelphia Eagles (Corinthians Arena, Sao Paulo, Brazil) – 8:15 p.m. ET

Sunday September 8th

Carolina Panthers @ New Orleans Saints – 1:00 PM ET

Minnesota Vikings @ New York Giants – 1:00 PM ET

New England Patriots @ Cincinnati Bengals – 1:00pm ET

Pittsburgh Steelers @ Atlanta Falcons – 1:00pm ET

Houston Texans @ Indianapolis Colts – 1:00pm ET

Arizona Cardinals @ Buffalo Bills – 1:00 PM ET

Tennessee Titans @ Chicago Bears – 1:00 PM ET

Jacksonville Jaguars @ Miami Dolphins – 1:00pm ET

Denver Broncos @ Seattle Seahawks – 4:05pm ET

Las Vegas Raiders @ Los Angeles Chargers – 4:05pm ET

Dallas Cowboys @ Cleveland Browns – 4:25pm ET

Washington Commanders @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers – 4:25pm ET

Los Angeles Rams @ Detroit Lions – 8:20 PM ET

Monday September 9th

New York Jets @ San Francisco 49ers – 8:15pm ET