A Day of Firsts for Many NFL Players and Coaches to Open Season

The first Sunday of the 2024 NFL season is in the books. Among the excitement of the first weekend of the season are the debuts of rookies, offseason pickups, and new head coaches.

Here are the exciting “firsts” that took place on Sunday:

Caleb Williams Earns First Career Win

The No. 1 overall pick in the draft out of USC earned a win in his NFL debut. The former Heisman Trophy winner became the first No. 1 overall quarterback to win in his first game since 2002.

Of course, Williams can thank his defense and special teams for helping him earn a win. The Bears’ two touchdowns came on a blocked punt and interception return, leading the Bears to a comeback victory over the Tennessee Titans.

More News: Bears’ Caleb Williams Does Something No Rookie QB Has Done Since 2002

Justin Fields, Sam Darnold Earn First Wins With New Teams

With Russell Wilson ruled out before the Pittsburgh Steelers game against the Atlanta Falcons, Justin Fields was plugged in as the starter. Fields earned his first win as a Steeler, going 17-23 for 156 yards while also rushing for 57 yards as the Steelers earned an 18-10 win over Atlanta.

Darnold earned a win in his first game as a Viking, leading Minnesota to a dominant 28-6 win over the New York Giants. After spending last season as a backup quarterback, Darnold completed 19 of 24 passes for two touchdowns and one pick.

Arizona Cardinals Scores First Kickoff Return TD Under New Kickoff Rules

One of the biggest talking points of the offseason and preseason was the new kickoff return rules, which aimed to make the kickoff return a more exciting play. The Cardinals were the first team to truly capitalize, with DeeJay Dallas scoring on a 96-yard kickoff return that nearly allowed them to defeat the Bills.

Joe Mixon, Stefon Diggs First TDs as Texans

After making a run to the AFC Divisional Round last winter, the Houston Texans loaded up on weapons over the offseason. Most notably, the Texans added running back Joe Mixon and wide receiver Stefon Diggs. Both players already proved to be major additions and scoring threats for the Texans.

Mixon rushed 30 times for 159 yards and a touchdown, while Diggs caught six passes for 33 yards and two touchdowns in the 29-27 win over the Indianapolis Colts.

Tua Tagovailoa Posts First 300-Yard Game of Season

The first game of the season was not a big day for many quarterbacks. In fact, many good quarterbacks fell short of even throwing for 200 yards this week. Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, who led the NFL in passing yards a season ago, became the first quarterback in 2023 to throw for over 300 yards. He went 23-37 for 338 yards and a touchdown in a 20-17 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars.

First Safety of the Season

The safety is one of the least common scoring plays, yet the Denver Broncos managed to earn two safeties against the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday. This was just the 19th time in NFL history that a team earned two safeties in one game.

Jim Harbaugh, Mike Macdonald, Jerod Mayo Earn First Wins With New Teams

Three new head coaches earned wins in their first games with their teams on Sunday. Jim Harbaugh, who returned to the NFL for the first time in a decade, led the Chargers to a 22-10 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders. In classic Harbaugh fashion, he celebrated the win by exclaiming “Who’s got it better than us? Nobody!” after the win.

First-time head coaches Mike Macdonald and Jerod Mayo starting their head coaching careers 1-0. Macdonald, who was the defensive coordinator for the Baltimore Ravens a season ago, helped the Seahawks earn a 26-20 win over the Denver Broncos.

Mayo orchestrated the biggest upset of the weekend, leading a Patriots team to a 16-10 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals.