Aaron Rose is back at Bodog Sportsbook to list some NFL gifts to be thankful for.
American Thanksgiving is here, bringing the classic trifecta of food, family, and football. But let’s be honest—this isn’t just a holiday for our neighbours down south. For NFL fans everywhere, it’s the perfect moment to pause and reflect on what makes this season worth watching. And this year? There’s no shortage of things to appreciate. From jaw-dropping Hail Marys to breakout rookies shaking up the league, and even the behind-the-scenes drama we secretly live for, the NFL has delivered at every turn. Here are four reasons to be thankful for this unforgettable season.
Old Running Backs
The rumours of the running back demise may have been greatly exaggerated. Just look around the league and virtually all the top running backs this season are old-guard running backs, let go by teams convinced their star rushers weren’t worth retaining. Turns out, they might’ve jumped the gun.
Saquon Barkley is having a career year, averaging an eye-popping 126.5 yards per game while looking as explosive as ever. He even debuted a new move in Week 9, hurdling backward over a Jaguars defender as if he were playing a video game. With six games still to play, Barkley has already eclipsed his previous career high in rushing yards and is the driving force behind the Eagles’ legit Super Bowl aspirations.
Josh Jacobs is back to his dominant self, this time as the engine of the Green Bay Packers’ offense after the Raiders let him walk. The sixth year back has silenced doubts and shown last year’s dip was an anomaly, not the beginning of the end.
Joe Mixon’s 112.4 total yards per game are a testament to his versatility, even with missed time earlier this season. Without those absences, he might be leading all running backs in touchdowns.
And then there’s Derrick Henry, the ageless wonder. Set to turn 31 in January, he’s still a freight train, torching the Bills for an 87-yard score in Week 4 and thriving in Baltimore. On a modest two-year, $16 million deal, Henry is making the Ravens look like geniuses.
So much for the “death” of the running back.
Madness at MetLife
Let’s admit it: we secretly love it when the NFL channels its inner reality TV drama—especially when New York takes center stage. And this season? The Jets and Giants are delivering meltdowns worthy of a primetime soap opera.
Take rookie sensation Malik Nabers, who’s already embracing his role as the next great wide receiver diva. After the Giants got dismantled by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Nabers didn’t hesitate to point fingers, but not at himself. It’s not the quarterback’s fault, he said when asked about the offense’s struggles. So, whose fault is it? “I don’t know,” he said, before adding, “Talk to (Giants coach Brian) Daboll that.” Yikes.
Meanwhile, across town, the Jets are spiraling in even more spectacular fashion. Turns out, building the entire franchise around Aaron Rodgers might not have been the masterstroke they envisioned. With everyone else in the organization seemingly taking the fall, the whispers are growing louder: Rodgers could be next. The harsh reality? Catering to Rodgers’ every whim hasn’t aged well, and now the Jets are stuck trying to clean up the mess.
New York football: come for the games, stay for the drama.
Rookie Stars
Caleb Williams might not have lived up to the pre-draft hype just yet, but the rest of this rookie class? They’ve been electric. Jayden Daniels seems to have a direct line to the football gods—let’s just forget that missed extra point—and has turned the Commanders into a team you can’t overlook. Bo Nix? He’s firmly in the race for Offensive Rookie of the Year, carrying the Broncos back to relevancy after eight years without a playoff berth.
Then there’s Brock Bowers, who is redefining what’s possible for rookie tight ends. He’s already putting up record-breaking numbers, and it’s hard not to wonder: what happens when he actually gets a quarterback who can consistently find him downfield?
Nabers is another standout, dazzling on the stat sheet and stirring up drama off the field. But the rookie receiver buzz doesn’t stop there—Brian Thomas, Ladd McConkey, and Marvin Harrison Jr. are already showcasing their star potential, hinting at an NFL future where they dominate the leaderboard year after year.
This rookie class has shown flashes of greatness and plenty of promise for the future. For fans, it’s been a chance to witness the emergence of the NFL’s next wave of stars.
Retread Quarterbacks
Can we take a moment to appreciate the retread quarterbacks? Five of the league’s playoff teams are currently being led by quarterbacks who were, at one point, written off and left on the NFL’s scrap heap. And yet, here they are, proving everyone wrong.
Geno Smith continues his late-career renaissance with the Seahawks, currently leading the league in yards per game and showing no signs of slowing down. Kirk Cousins has silenced the Atlanta fanbase that was itching to see Michael Penix Jr. take the reins, delivering consistent performances week in and week out. Meanwhile, the Vikings stumbled into Sam Darnold after J.J. McCarthy’s preseason injury, and somehow, it’s working.
Then there’s Pittsburgh, where Russell Wilson has rediscovered just enough of his old magic to keep the Steelers competitive in the playoff hunt. And the standout of the group? Jared Goff. Once cast aside by the Rams, Goff has become the driving force behind Detroit’s resurgence, playing at a level that has the Lions dreaming of a Super Bowl for the first time ever. Sometimes, second (or third) chances work out better than anyone expects, and this year’s crop of retread quarterbacks is proof.