The primary week of the 2025 NFL Preseason is formally within the books, and there may be loads to speak about within the aftermath of the league’s first 16 video games. From spectacular rookie debuts to devastating damage information, and every thing in between, let’s run down the record of essentially the most fascinating storylines to come back out of Week One of many NFL Preseason.
Sensational Shedeur Sanders
In three quarters of gameplay, rookie quarterback and fifth-round draft decide Shedeur Sanders regarded like he belonged within the NFL, finishing 14 of 23 passes for 138 yards and two touchdowns. He additionally tacked on one other 19 yards on the bottom.
After two punts and a turnover on downs, Sanders received on the board by connecting with vast receiver Kaden Davis over three defenders for a seven-yard landing cross. Two drives later, Sanders discovered Davis once more behind the tip zone for a 12-yard TD.
“Happy with Shedeur, happy with the offense,” said Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski after the game. “Once more, not good, loads that we are able to work on. However I believed the blokes did a very nice job with Shedeur and working, the blokes making performs, so, once more, a ton to show off of.”
Anthony Richardson’s damage
The Indianapolis Colts are already coping with an damage to their former number-four total draft decide and quarterback, Anthony Richardson. On the second drive of the sport, Richardson took a giant hit from an unblocked defender and was pressured to go away the competition attributable to an damage. It was later revealed that he suffered a dislocated pinky through the hit, ending his day early.
“It was bizarre,” Richardson told ESPN. “He hit me, then I used to be making an attempt to ensure I had the ball, and I simply regarded down. I noticed my finger in a distinct route. I’m like, ‘Possibly I’m tripping.’ And I checked out it once more. It was undoubtedly like that.”
The excellent news for Colts followers is that Richardson returned to practice two days after suffering the injury. He was in a position to resume organized workforce actions as regular.
Joe Burrow and Tanner McKee get right into a shootout
There was some excellent quarterback play between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Philadelphia Eagles. In simply two collection because the starter, Joe Burrow went 9 for ten passing with 123 yards and two touchdowns, together with a 36-yard TD to vast receiver Ja’Marr Chase.
Nonetheless, it was the Eagles’ starter, Tanner McKee, who actually lit up the scoreboard. The previous sixth-round decide accomplished 20 of his 25 cross makes an attempt for 252 yards and two passing touchdowns in addition to a one-yard dashing landing.
“It felt good. I felt like we have been shifting the ball, which is all the time enjoyable,” McKee said following the win. “Clearly, we’ll watch the movie, you by no means actually know till you watch movie. You by no means actually know till you watch movie and also you’re like, ‘Oh crap, I missed that,’ or no matter. However total, moved the ball properly. Had numerous guys that made nice performs. So, the sensation is nice.”
TreVeyon Henderson Does It All
Though I was admittedly skeptical when the Patriots used the 38th pick in the 2025 NFL Draft on running back TreVeyon Henderson, the previous Ohio State Buckeye was electrical in his first NFL sport. He took the opening kickoff 100 yards to the tip zone on his first NFL contact to place the Pats forward 7-0 after simply 12 seconds of gameplay.
Although he wouldn’t discover the tip zone once more, Henderson nonetheless managed to hurry for 18 yards whereas catching three passes for an additional 12 yards, to convey his scrimmage complete for the sport to 130 yards on simply 5 touches (26 yards per contact).
“Being within the NFL, being a younger man, second-round draft decide, it’s numerous strain, and typically it’s laborious with all that strain being on you, however the greatest factor is, I attempt to maintain my eyes on the Lord,” Henderson told reporters after the 48-18 win. “I do know, it doesn’t matter what occurs, I can come out right here and provides it every thing that I received, and whether or not I’ve a very good follow, dangerous follow, good sport, dangerous sport, I do know God loves me and He’s all the time right here with me. And so, that simply motivates me to maintain going day by day. I’ve my ups and downs as properly. Some practices are good, some practices are dangerous, however I simply attempt to continue to learn and getting higher.”
Russell Wilson and Jaxson Dart each look spectacular
The New York Giants have been in a position to beat the Buffalo Payments 34-25 due to constant quarterback play from Russell Wilson and rookie Jaxson Dart. Although he didn’t rating a landing, Wilson accomplished six of his seven opening-drive cross makes an attempt for 28 yards, which received the Giants shut sufficient to attain a area aim.
After that first drive, Russell Wilson was changed by Jaxson Dart, who picked up 19 yards on his first possession. On the Giants’ subsequent collection, Dart threw a 28-yard cross to vast receiver Lil’Jordan Humphrey for his lone landing of the afternoon. Dart ended up going 12 for 19 passing with 154 yards and a landing.
“It’s about what I believed he would do,” mentioned head coach Brian Daboll. “Environment friendly, efficient, aggressive, assured within the pocket.”
Cam Ward leads a scoring drive in restricted motion
It was an unpleasant loss for the Titans. Nonetheless, the number-one total decide within the 2025 NFL Draft and Tennessee quarterback Cam Ward regarded very promising as he led the Titans on a scoring drive regardless of solely enjoying two possessions.
In his first collection, Ward missed on his first two cross makes an attempt, leading to a three-and-out. On Tennessee’s subsequent drive, Ward performed a lot better, finishing 5 of six passes for 67 yards, which finally led to a one-yard landing run from working again Tony Pollard.
“Cam performed properly within the two collection he received. Form of a bizarre first half, with solely three possessions. Had one three-and-out and led a landing drive. I believed he regarded good, began to really feel somewhat bit snug, was begging to return in, however that wasn’t within the playing cards for tonight, said head coach Brian Callahan after the game. “I believed he did some good issues, and it was encouraging.”
Justin Fields will get on the board
He was solely given one drive to show he has what it takes to steer this workforce, and Justin Fields handed that take a look at with flying colours. He accomplished three of 4 passes for 42 yards and in addition juked his method into the tip zone for a 13-yard landing run in what would find yourself being a beatdown of the Inexperienced Bay Packers because the Jets prevailed 30-10.
“There have been a few shot performs that we known as, and he did a extremely good job simply taking what the protection gave him,” mentioned New York head coach Aaron Glenn. “We love the place he’s at proper now. Does he have a methods to go? Completely, he does. Is he going to proceed to work? Completely, he’ll as a result of that’s simply who he’s. However we all know precisely the place he’s at, we all know precisely the place we’re going, and we’re going to proceed to work our ass off till we get there.”
Has Tyler Shough pulled forward in New Orleans?
The Saints performed all three of their quarterbacks, who’re at the moment vying for New Orleans’ beginning job. Jake Haener was underwhelming, finishing simply 5 of eight passes whereas throwing an interception.
Spencer Rattler stood out within the sport, although. Not solely was he the beginning quarterback on the workforce’s first drive, however he additionally accomplished seven of 11 passes for 53 yards whereas choosing up one other 22 yards on the bottom. Sadly for him, he took three sacks.
Lastly, there was second-round draft decide Tyler Shough, who related on 16 of his 22 passes for 165 yards and a landing. Nonetheless, he threw an interception that was returned for a landing and was additionally sacked twice.
“I feel for all three, there’s going to be some good moments, there’s going to be some moments we need to have again. We get to be taught from these, get higher this week. I believed Spencer did some great things popping out of there, utilizing his ft in some conditions the place he had some prevented zone areas,” said head coach Kellen Moore after the loss. “Tyler performed somewhat bit extra simply between the second and third quarter. An amazing two-minute drive proper earlier than the half. He did some actually good issues there. He felt underneath management if I managed the conditions actually, rather well. You throw a decide, you bought to reply. Clearly, nobody needs to throw an interception. The way in which he responded was actually, actually good for him to come back again and deal with that from an emotional standpoint rather well. I believed that was superior, after which he made a giant play on the tip there.”
Cam Little with (what would have been) a record-breaking kick
I don’t consider these attending the Steelers-Jaguars sport knew that they’d see an all-time kicking second. Placekicker Cam Little hit a 70-yard area aim to finish the primary half, shattering the earlier file of 66 yards set by Justin Tucker in 2021.
There was just one downside: the kick was made through the preseason, which implies it received’t formally go into the NFL file books, so Justin Tucker’s 66-yarder nonetheless stands as the present benchmark for kickers. The unhappy half is that if it had been a 71-yarder, Little nonetheless would have made it. That’s how highly effective his kick was.
“He needed it, so we gave it to him,” Jaguars head coach Liam Coen said at halftime. “That was fairly cool for Cam, you want that one would’ve gone within the file books.”
Possibly, if Little is fortunate, he’ll get to try a 67-yard area aim through the common season, which might break the present file. Though nothing will ever evaluate to that 70-yard bomb Cam Little made on August ninth, 2025, which is unofficially the longest profitable area aim in NFL historical past.
