NFL 2024 Round Up: Top 5 Controversial Moments From The Past Season Featuring Turf Wars, Chaotic Franchises, ‘Swift’ Reactions & More

Published 02/17/2024, 12:22 PM EST

Every season has its fair share of controversies. In fact, part of the excitement surrounding the NFL is this reason exactly. Sure, the games are interesting but the surrounding drama and related events make the entire affair so much more enjoyable. This year had its own fair share of controversies and side stories.

Here’s a snapshot of the top five controversies that rocked the NFL world this season.

1. NFL turf wars

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On September 11, 2023, Aaron Rodgers, waving the American flag, took to the field in front of a packed crowd. Jets fans hoped it would mark the beginning of a memorable season. However, the season took a devastating turn when Rodgers tore his Achilles tendon on just the fourth snap of the game.

It then led to a turf war. Many accused the artificial turf at MetLife of being the cause of why Rodgers tripped and fell. The NFLPA even came out with a statement throwing their weight behind grass fields. While a change on a larger scale is awaited, the Super Bowl LVIII at Allegiant Stadium was played on the finest quality of natural grass, called “Tahoma 31 Bermuda grass,” shipped from California.

2. Chaotic franchise drama

The Denver Broncos and Russell Wilson were part of a major controversy. Wilson wasn’t exactly playing his best, and then he was benched during the last two games of the regular season. While most thought it was due to his performance, a much more sinister event came to light. The Broncos had threatened to bench him way back in October if he didn’t remove his $37 million injury guarantee from his contract.

He refused to do so, and Sean Payton decided he had had enough of him. He’s now expected to be cut before the March deadline.

3. Taylor Swift’s reactions

In a surprising turn of events, Taylor Swift took center stage on the NFL’s social media accounts in 2023, not for her musical prowess, but for her newfound romance with Travis Kelce. The official acknowledgment of their relationship in September captivated the league. However, fans raised their voice against the coverage the NFL was giving Taylor Swift.

Commentators such as Stephen A Smith and Mike Florio also came out and demanded that the league not take away too much attention from the actual game. At every step of the way, football fans hoped that the Chiefs would not win the Super Bowl, so that they didn’t have to see Taylor Swift and her reaction at every point scored or catch caught by Kelce. However, as we all know, she had the last laugh.

4. Dallas Cowboys throw shade at own QB

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The Dallas Cowboys openly criticized their own QB, Dak Prescott, following their playoff elimination in January. The post highlighted Prescott’s mistakes, particularly his two turnovers in the close loss to the 49ers, suggesting that the outcome could have been different if not for his errors. This public criticism of Prescott by his own team, especially after a pivotal playoff game, deviates from the usual supportive tone that teams often maintain towards their players in public statements.

Dak Prescott gave away the ball twice in the narrow loss to the 49ers, in a matchup the Cowboys had a chance to win if they didn’t again generate self-inflicted wounds.#DALvsSF | #DallasCowboys
— Dallas Cowboys (@dallascowboys) January 23, 2023

“Dak Prescott gave away the ball twice in the narrow loss to the 49ers, in a matchup where the Cowboys had a chance to win if they didn’t again generate self-inflicted wounds”, the captioned post read.

5. Travis Kelce confronts Andy Reid at Super Bowl LVIII

During the Super Bowl Kelce stirred up a commotion when he confronted head coach Andy Reid, visibly expressing his frustration during the first half. Cameras captured Kelce aggressively engaging with Reid, causing the coach to lose his balance after a fumble by the Chiefs. Travis later acknowledged that his emotions had gotten the better of him.

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“I can’t get that fired up to the point where I’m bumping Coach [Reid] and it’s getting him off-balance and stuff. When he stumbled, I was just like, ‘Oh, s**t in my head,” Travis said. However, following the game, the two embraced each other on the podium, with the three-time Super Bowl-winning head coach downplaying the incident.

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Written by:

Jakso James is an NFL Writer at EssentiallySports. Jakso’s analysis takes a reader around the league with a look at the player strategies and stats. An ardent football lover himself, he developed a strong connection with the Denver Broncos as he witnessed Russell Wilson break the barriers.

Edited by:

Mallika Singh

NFL 2024 Round Up: Top 5 Controversial Moments From The Past Season Featuring Turf Wars, Chaotic Franchises, ‘Swift’ Reactions & More

1. NFL turf wars

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2. Chaotic franchise drama

3. Taylor Swift’s reactions

4. Dallas Cowboys throw shade at own QB

5. Travis Kelce confronts Andy Reid at Super Bowl LVIII