From way-too-early Super Bowl odds to top story lines and rule changes, here’s everything you need to know.
Early Super Bowl favorites
Depending on which betting site you consult, the odds for which team will lift the Lombardi Trophy may look slightly different. But there seems to be a consensus about the top-five favorites to win Super Bowl LX. Here they are, with odds according to ESPN BET.
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Eagles: The reigning champs open the season as co-favorites to win Super Bowl LX, as ESPN has them at +650 to repeat.
Ravens: With Lamar Jackson leading the way and the majority of the key players from last season returning, the Ravens are well-tooled for another AFC North title. Baltimore enters the year at +650 to win the Super Bowl.
Bills: After coming up just short against the Chiefs in the 2025 AFC Championship game, reigning MVP Josh Allen and the Bills (+700 to win it all) are once again the team to beat in the AFC East.
Chiefs: The Chiefs, who battled offensive injuries in 2024, got steamrolled in last season’s Super Bowl but will begin this season at +750 to win their fourth Super Bowl since 2019.
Lions: Last year’s NFC North champions lost both coordinators to head coaching jobs in the offseason but open the year at +1000 to win the Super Bowl. The blockbuster trade that sent Parsons to Green Bay could mean stiffer competition in the division, as the Packers made a big leap in the Super Bowl odds and now sit just behind the Lions (+1400).
Micah Parsons has found a new home: A contract dispute between Parsons and the Cowboys came to a fiery end last Thursday, as Dallas traded him to Green Bay in a blockbuster move that sent the Packers flying up the oddsmakers’ charts to Super Bowl contender. The Packers signed the linebacker to a four-year, $188 million contract with $120 million fully guaranteed, per reports, hoping he’ll be a difference-maker in one of the league’s toughest divisions.
Big expectations for second-year quarterbacks: A record six teams selected quarterbacks in the first round of the 2024 draft, and while Drake Maye (New England) and Jayden Daniels (Washington) thrived in their rookie years, many will face prove-it seasons — most notably former No. 1 pick Caleb Williams, who was flat in Year 1 and will look to make strides under new Bears coach and offensive guru Ben Johnson. The rest of the QB class also has some work to do: J.J. McCarthy (Minnesota) suffered a season-ending injury in the 2024 preseason, Bo Nix (Denver) had just begun to find his stride at the end of last season, and Michael Penix (Atlanta) made just three starts but showed flashes of potential.
The return of the bona fide two-way player: Smaller roster sizes in the early days of football meant many NFL pioneers played on both sides of the ball, but that practice has largely gone by the wayside. While some players in the Super Bowl era have taken a handful of snaps on offense and defense (Mike Vrabel and Julian Edelman among them), few have played both ways to the extent that No. 2 pick Travis Hunter, a wide receiver/cornerback, hopes to with the Jaguars. Jacksonville hasn’t publicly specified how many snaps he’s expected to take on each side, and first-year general manager James Gladstone said the unpredictability gives his team a competitive advantage.
Patriots newcomers to watch
The Patriots’ roster underwent a near-complete overhaul in the offseason following consecutive 4-13 seasons. Here are some of the newcomers to keep an eye on:
RB TreVeyon Henderson: One of the most electrifying rookies in the preseason, Henderson drew comparisons to game-breaking running back Curtis Martin. He was a force in his final season with Ohio State, winning a national championship while rushing 144 times for 1,016 yards and 10 touchdowns.
OL Morgan Moses: The Patriots’ offensive line last season was among the worst in the league, but New England invested heavily in the position in the offseason. They signed Moses, 34, from the Jets, and he offers a veteran presence to anchor the group alongside Mike Onwenu while rookie tackle Will Campbell finds his footing.
DT Milton Williams: Williams landed a massive free agent contract from the Patriots and has showed early signs of chemistry with Christian Barmore.
WR Stefon Diggs: Coming off an ACL injury that sidelined him for most of 2024, can Diggs, acquired from Houston in the offseason, return to his Pro Bowl form?
Along with a new season comes new rules and clarifications. Here are the biggest changes:
Dynamic kickoff changes: The NFL amended the dynamic kickoff introduced in 2024, moving the touchback to the 35-yard line in hopes that it will increase the number of returns.
Another sneaky kickoff change that may have gone unnoticed by fans is teams can now declare an onside kick at any point as long as they are trailing, while in 2024 they could only declare onside kicks in the fourth quarter.
Overtime modifications: Overtime in the regular season and postseason will look largely the same, as both teams will have an opportunity to possess the ball regardless of the outcome of the first possession.
Regular-season overtime will be limited to one 10-minute period, while in the postseason the teams will play as many overtime periods as necessary to determine a winner.
Instant replay assist: Teams voted to expand instant replay’s ability to advise on-field officials on specific, objective aspects of a play and address game administration issues when clear and obvious video evidence is present. Instant replay can now be used to assist on-field officials in evaluating certain instances of roughing the passer, intentional grounding, unnecessary roughness, and more.
Sunday, Sept. 7 vs. Las Vegas (1 p.m.)
Sunday, Sept. 14 at Miami (1 p.m.)
Sunday, Sept. 21 vs. Pittsburgh (1 p.m.)
Sunday, Sept. 28 vs. Carolina (1 p.m.)
Sunday, Oct. 5 at Buffalo (8:20 p.m.)
Sunday, Oct. 12 at New Orleans (4:25 p.m.)
Sunday, Oct. 19 at Tennessee (1 p.m.)
Sunday, Oct. 26 vs. Cleveland (1 p.m.)
Sunday, Nov. 2 vs. Atlanta (1 p.m.)
Sunday, Nov. 9 at Tampa Bay (1 p.m.)
Thursday, Nov. 13 vs. NY Jets (8:15 p.m.)
Sunday, Nov. 23 at Cincinnati (1 p.m.)
Monday, Dec. 1 vs. NY Giants (8:15 p.m.)
BYE WEEK
Sunday, Dec. 14 vs. Buffalo (1 p.m.)
Sunday, Dec. 21 at Baltimore (1 p.m.)
Sunday, Dec. 28 at NY Jets (1 p.m.)
TBD vs. Dolphins (time TBD)
Emma Healy can be reached at emma.healy@globe.com or on X @ByEmmaHealy.