The downfall of the dominant team of the decade. A massive draft slide for a purported top quarterback prospect. The shocking trade of a generational talent.
Many of the most notable NFL events in 2025 would be best described as stunning or jaw-dropping. There was no shortage of developments that drastically impacted the league in the short term and whose effects will be felt for years to come.
Before we ring in the new calendar year, let’s recap the NFL’s Top 10 Defining Moments of 2025:
10. Bears stun the Packers in overtime thriller
In one of the most stunning regular-season games of the 2025 calendar year, the Bears overcame a 10-point deficit with under three minutes to play to send the contest to overtime. That’s when quarterback Caleb Williams hit veteran receiver DJ Moore with a walk-off, 46-yard touchdown pass, sending Soldier Field into a frenzy. Chicago’s thrilling victory over the NFC North-rival Packers allowed the upstart Bears to take control of its destiny in the division.
Bears QB Caleb Williams finds DJ Moore for the game-winning 46-yard TD against the Packers in OT | NFL Highlights
- Photo Essay: Relive a Packers-Bears Game for the Ages
9. Philip Rivers returns at 44 years old
After losing starting quarterback Daniel Jones to a torn Achilles, the Colts stunned the NFL world by signing 44-year-old Philip Rivers — a grandfather who’d been retired for four-plus seasons — as his replacement in an attempt to keep their playoff hopes alive.
That effort fell short, but Rivers turned out to be more than serviceable in his return. In a Week 16 loss to San Francisco on Monday Night Football, he gave the short-handed Colts a chance by throwing for 277 yards and two touchdowns against one interception. In his first game with Indy this season, his first action since January 2021, Rivers threw a touchdown pass and led a go-ahead field goal drive in the final minute in a narrow Week 15 road loss to the Seahawks, one of the best teams in football.
In three games, Rivers has completed 63.0% of his passes for 544 yards and four touchdowns with three interceptions and an 82.0 passer rating.
Though he’s a little older and a little heavier, Colts QB Philip Rivers showed the football world that he can still sling it while also bringing his trademark intensity. (Photo by Michael Allio/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
8. Josh Allen stuffed in the AFC Championship Game
With the Bills up 22-21 in the fourth quarter of last season’s AFC Championship Game, facing a fourth-and-1 past midfield, Buffalo called a Tush Push with Josh Allen. But the reigning MVP was stuffed by Chiefs linebacker Nick Bolton.
That turnover on downs proved to be costly as Kansas City scored a touchdown on its ensuing possession and never trailed again. The Chiefs went on to make their third straight Super Bowl, while Allen fell to 0-4 against Patrick Mahomes in the playoffs.
7. Shedeur Sanders’ draft slide
In what’s arguably the most stunning draft development in league history, Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders — a projected first-round pick — tumbled to the fifth round, where he was selected by the Browns at No. 144 overall. Early in the spring, Sanders was seemingly in contention to be the No. 1 overall pick but reportedly rubbed teams the wrong way in pre-draft interviews, contributing to his massive slide.
Buried in the Browns’ depth chart to start the season, Sanders ended the 2025 calendar year as Cleveland’s QB1 but has no assurances beyond this season. The former Buffaloes star began his rookie campaign as the third-string quarterback behind veteran Joe Flacco and fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel.
Shedeur Sanders went from projected No. 1 pick to the fifth round and from QB3 to QB1 for the Browns in 2025. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)
6. Jayden Daniels’ memorable playoff run
A historic rookie season by quarterback Jayden Daniels helped the Commanders reach the NFC Championship Game for the first time since 1991. Washington took down Tampa Bay in the wild-card round and stunned Detroit in the divisional round before falling to the eventual champion Eagles in the NFC title game.
The 2024 No. 2 pick, Daniels threw for 3,568 yards and 25 touchdowns against nine interceptions with 891 rushing yards and six rushing scores en route to Offensive Player of the Year honors. The 2023 Heisman Trophy winner was also named to the Pro Bowl and finished seventh in MVP voting.
5. New head coaches change the trajectory of Pats, Jags, Bears
While it’s still early in their head-coaching tenures, Mike Vrabel, Liam Coen and Ben Johnson have been outstanding for the Patriots, Jaguars and Bears, respectively.
All three coaches have their teams among the top-three seeds entering the 2026 calendar year — New England and Chicago are the No. 2 seed in the AFC and NFC, respectively, while Jacksonville is the AFC’s No. 3 seed.
The hires appear to have altered the future of their franchises for the better.
4. Domino effect of the Vikings’ decision to go all-in on J.J. McCarthy
The Vikings invested the No. 10 overall pick in the 2024 draft on J.J. McCarthy, so it’s not surprising that they elected to go with the former Michigan star — who missed all of his rookie season due to injury — as their QB1 entering 2025. But that decision set off a chain of events that impacted several teams this season.
With Minnesota committing to McCarthy, 2024 Vikings QB1 Sam Darnold entered free agency and signed with the Seahawks, who traded Geno Smith to the Raiders days before reaching terms with Darnold. Daniel Jones, who was also in the Vikings’ quarterback room in 2024, after his release from the Giants, signed with Indianapolis and beat out Anthony Richardson Sr. for the Colts’ starting job.
While the Vikings have struggled with McCarthy, Seattle has emerged as a top NFC contender with Darnold and Indianapolis looked like an AFC threat with Jones before he tore his Achilles in midseason. Las Vegas, meanwhile, has had the NFL’s worst offense with Smith.
After J.J. McCarthy missed his rookie season with a knee injury, the Vikings’ decision to go all-in with him in 2025 set off a chain reaction of quarterback moves throughout the league. (Photo by Kathryn Riley/Getty Images)
3. The Eagles’ Super Bowl victory
Philadelphia beat the favored Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX, preventing Kansas City from becoming the first franchise in NFL history to three-peat. What was even more surprising was the final score — a 40-22 Philly blowout. The Eagles led 34-0 late in the third quarter, only allowing points in garbage time. Philadelphia scored 24 points in the first half, highlighted by a 38-yard pick-six by rookie defensive back Cooper DeJean.
The win marked Philly’s second Super Bowl victory and first since the 2017 season.
Cooper DeJean intercepts Patrick Mahomes and returns it for a TD, extending the Eagles’ lead in Super Bowl LIX | NFL Highlights
2. Micah Parsons traded to Green Bay
In one of the most seismic and stunning trades in NFL history, the Cowboys dealt Micah Parsons to the Packers for two first-round picks and Pro Bowl defensive tackle Kenny Clark just days before the 2025 season. Green Bay signed the star edge rusher to a four-year, $188 million extension as part of the deal.
For the Packers, it was a bold and aggressive move, which was a departure from their typical draft-and-develop strategy. In an effort to capitalize on their Super Bowl window, they acquired an in-his-prime superstar at a premium position. Parsons played the part until he tore his ACL in Week 15, ending his 2025 season prematurely. The Cowboys, whose relationship with Parsons grew contentious in the end, acquired draft assets that could supercharge their roster retooling over the next couple of years.
Micah Parsons had the Packers thinking big until he tore his Achilles in Week 15. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
1. Chiefs eliminated, Patrick Mahomes injured
This season marked the unofficial end of Kansas City’s dynasty … at least in this iteration.
Three-time Super Bowl MVP Patrick Mahomes tore the ACL and LCL in his left knee late in the fourth quarter of the Chiefs’ Week 15 game against the Chargers. Minutes later, Kansas City was eliminated from playoff contention for the first time since 2014, three years before the star quarterback was drafted.
At 36 years old, star tight end Travis Kelce could retire this offseason. Coach Andy Reid said he’s not retiring, but the 67-year-old coach may not be on the sidelines for more than a couple more seasons. Mahomes is expected to make a full recovery, so perhaps sooner rather than later, a retooled Chiefs team will be back as a perennial Super Bowl contender.
Ben Arthur is an NFL reporter for FOX Sports. He previously worked for The Tennessean/USA TODAY Network, where he was the Titans beat writer for a year and a half. He covered the Seattle Seahawks for SeattlePI.com for three seasons (2018-20) prior to moving to Tennessee. You can follow Ben on Twitter at @benyarthur.
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