Preseason games rarely make headlines, but a few have managed to stand out. Whether due to breakout performances, high-profile debuts, unexpected drama, or franchise turning points, certain matchups have left an imprint on NFL history. These games didn’t just fill the calendar ahead of Week 1, they provided unforgettable moments.

From stunning rookie plays to unforeseen rivalries and team-defining shifts, this list ranks the most iconic NFL preseason games to ever grace the field. At the time, each game offered a preview of talent or drama that would echo into the regular season and beyond.

1. Browns vs. Lions, 1959: Jim Brown’s Dominance

In a time when the preseason held more weight, this game delivered fireworks. Jim Brown, already feared by defenses, ripped through the Lions with unmatched strength. His performance set the tone for the Browns’ identity that year.

Fans left the stadium realizing they had witnessed something rare, even in a preseason setting. Brown’s dominance marked a shift in how running backs were used. The game also received unusual media attention, turning it into one of the earliest celebrated preseason performances.

2. Cowboys vs. Raiders, 1978: Staubach’s Last Preseason

Roger Staubach had already earned legendary status, but his final preseason carried emotional weight. Facing a rough-and-ready Raiders squad, Staubach showed he could still compete with younger talent, delivering efficient throws in a gritty, high-effort game.

The matchup also signaled a changing of the guard. Danny White began taking more reps, and Staubach’s presence was seen as symbolic rather than strategic. Though the Cowboys lost, the game served as a tribute to one of the sport’s most respected leaders.

3. Saints vs. Oilers, 1979: Earl Campbell Unleashed

Earl Campbell’s reputation as a power runner was already growing, but his performance against the Saints took it further. He tore through defenders, shedding tackles and bulldozing for long gains. New Orleans had no answer.

Fans and analysts alike pointed to this moment as proof that the Oilers were legit contenders. Campbell’s raw force made headlines, and his back-to-back touchdowns turned a preseason game into a must-watch event. Few backs ever ran with more fury in August.

4. Bears vs. Dolphins, 1985: A Glimpse of What Was Coming

This preseason clash hinted at the chaos the 1985 Bears would soon unleash. Even without Walter Payton, the Bears’ defense overwhelmed Dan Marino early, forcing multiple turnovers and delivering hard hits all night.

While Chicago’s offense stayed quiet, the tone set by their front seven grabbed national attention. Critics began wondering if this was a Super Bowl-level unit. Weeks later, those suspicions would be confirmed.

5. Patriots vs. Giants, 2001: Brady’s First Spark

In the second half of this game, Tom Brady, the unheralded sixth-rounder, calmly stepped in and shaped up. He showed rhythm, footwork, and composure beyond his years. His throws weren’t flashy, but they were precise.

That poised performance didn’t go unnoticed. Bill Belichick began trusting Brady more, and after Bledsoe’s injury weeks later, the rest became history. This game quietly launched one of the NFL’s most dominant eras.

6. Seahawks vs. Packers, 2008: Favre vs Rodgers Tension

This game was soaked in drama. Brett Favre, recently traded to the Jets, watched from afar while fans packed Lambeau in mixed jerseys. Some were still loyal to No. 4; others were curious about No. 12. Aaron Rodgers took the field amid pressure few quarterbacks ever face.

The Seahawks were quickly forgotten as Rodgers took command and silenced early doubters. The post-Favre era had officially begun. While the scoreboard meant little, the energy around this matchup made it one of the most emotionally charged preseason openers in memory. 

It also became a defining moment in how NFL teams and players handle leadership transitions, media scrutiny, and the pressure to perform under legacy-sized expectations.

7. Rams vs. Titans, 1999: A Super Bowl Preview

At the time, this game seemed routine. Kurt Warner wasn’t a household name, and the Titans were a physical but overlooked squad. Both teams showed signs of what would come later: poise, aggression, and chemistry.

Warner’s accuracy stood out, and Steve McNair led confident drives. Neither team knew they’d meet in February, but coaches later pointed to this preseason matchup as the first spark of their eventual title run showdown.

8. Steelers vs. Eagles, 2004: Big Ben’s First Steps

Ben Roethlisberger was meant to sit and learn, but when he took over early, he looked polished. He hit short routes and handled pressure well. Against an elite Eagles defense, his quick decisions stood out.

The fanbase noticed, and so did Pittsburgh’s front office. He wouldn’t start right away, but this game planted the seed. Within weeks, he’d be leading the Steelers to a win streak that made rookie QBs a real threat again.

9. Buccaneers vs. Bengals, 2021: Burrow’s Return

Coming off knee surgery, Joe Burrow didn’t play much, but his presence was enough to spark excitement. Every sideline shot, every throw in warmups, was broadcast with intense focus.

Tampa’s backups played well, but all eyes stayed on Burrow walking confidently. For fans, this felt like a step toward recovery. The Bengals’ confidence grew, and within months, they’d find themselves in a Super Bowl. That optimism started here.

2025 Preseason Spotlight: Chargers, Lions, and Rising Stars

The 2025 preseason kicked off on July 31 with the Hall of Fame Game between the Chargers and Lions, offering an early look at key returns and rookie debuts. NFL Network will air 21 live games, featuring names like J.J. McCarthy and Shedeur Sanders. Strong camp performances have already shifted preseason odds, especially for teams showing early cohesion.

Training buzz is building fast. Caleb Williams is under pressure in Chicago, while Joe Burrow looks sharp in Cincinnati. With injuries and surprises emerging, 2025’s preseason is already shaping narratives leading up to Week 1.

The Impact Behind Each Preseason Classic

While regular season games carry the weight of standings, preseason matchups sometimes deliver rare insight. They reveal rising stars, shifting team dynamics, and changing eras. 

Though most are forgotten by September, the best ones continue to echo in NFL history. These iconic NFL preseason games didn’t just fill airtime; they helped shape the trajectory of legends, teams, and even Super Bowl storylines.

It is with great pleasure that we have brought back the Notinhalloffame MLB Regular Cup, and let us explain how this works:

For every regular-season game, we anointed the top five players with the most points, in descending order: 5-4-3-2-1. 

We know the following:

• The top players for the MLB NIHOF Cup are not always the best in the league, as injuries keep players out of games, and a premium on staying healthy can help pile up points. It also does not hurt to be a top player on an average or mediocre team, as they can amass Cup points more easily than elite players on loaded squads.
• In Baseball, it is more common than in Basketball and Hockey for a player to accrue points with a single Home Run in a game, which favors position players. Starting Pitchers have a hard time with approximately 30-35 Starts and throwing fewer innings than previous generations. This is also true for closers not made for this process.
• Please remember that this is NOT necessarily who we think were the best players this year and does not reflect overall consistency. Treat this the way we did: as a fun process and more of a compilation of temporary statistical domination.

Here is the current top ten after games concluded on July 31.

1. Aaron Judge, New York Yankees: 156 Cup Points in 103 Games. (#1 Last Week).  6.6 bWAR, 90 Runs, 129 Hits, 37 Home Runs, 85 Runs Batted In, .342/.449/.711 Slash Line, 1.160 OPS & 216 OPS+.

2. Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Dodgers:  136 Cup Points in 107 Games.  (#2 Last Week).  4.7 bWAR, 100 Runs, 113 Hits, 38 Home Runs, 73 Runs Batted In, .269/.373/.605 Slash Line, .978 OPS & 171 OPS+.

3. Pete Alonso, New York Mets: 130 Cup Points in 109 Games. (#2 Last Week).   2.4 bWAR, 54 Runs, 105 Hits, 22 Home Runs, 81 Runs Batted In, .259/.351/.491 Slash Line, .842 OPS & 142 OPS+.

4. Cal Raleigh, Seattle Mariners: 128 Cup Points in 107 Games. (#5 Last Week).   5.3 bWAR, 72 Runs, 103 Hits, 42 Home Runs, 88 Runs Batted In, .257/.364/.611 Slash Line, .975 OPS & 177 OPS+.

5. Manny Machado, San Diego Padres: 127 Cup Points in 109 Games. (#4 Last Week).   3.6 bWAR, 64 Runs, 127 Hits, 20 Home Runs, 71 Runs Batted In, .302/.362/.510 Slash Line, .871 OPS & 140 OPS+.

6. Riley Greene, Detroit Tigers:  112 Cup Points in 107 Games.  (#7 Last Week).  2.5 bWAR, 59 Runs, 115 Hits, 26 Home Runs, 84 Runs Batted In, .277/.324/.525 Slash Line, .850 OPS & 132 OPS+.

7 (TIE). Kyle Schwarber, Philadelphia Phillies: 114 Cup Points in 108 Games.  (#10 Last Week).  3.7 bWAR, 76 Runs, 101 Hits, 37 Home Runs, 86 Runs Batted In, .253/.380/.576 Slash Line, .957 OPS & 159 OPS+.

7. (TIE). Bobby Witt Jr., Kansas City Royals: 115 Cup Points in 108 Games. (#5 Last Week).  4.3 bWAR, 66 Runs, 123 Hits, 15 Home Runs, 60 Runs Batted In, .288/.339/.492 Slash Line, .831 OPS & 128 OPS+.

9. Francisco Lindor, New York Mets: 112 Cup Points in 107 Games. (#9 Last Week).   2.8 bWAR, 68 Runs, 107 Hits, 20 Home Runs, 59 Runs Batted In, .246/.311/.430 Slash Line, .741 OPS & 113 OPS+.

10 (TIE). Jose Ramirez, Cleveland Guardians:  108 Cup Points in 105 Games.  (#8 Last Week).  4.6 bWAR, 68 Runs, 118 Hits, 21 Home Runs, 56 Runs Batted In, .298/.371/.520 Slash Line, .891 OPS & 143 OPS+.

10 (TIE). Juan Soto, New York Mets: 108 Cup Points in 107 Games.  (Not in the Top Ten Last Week).  4.2 bWAR, 75 Runs, 94 Hits, 25 Home Runs, 62 Runs Batted In, .248/.382/.488 Slash Line, .871 OPS & 151 OPS+.

Nobody fell out of the Top Ten.

Notably, 1,011 baseball players have earned at least 1 point, up from 992 last week.

Yes, we know that this is taking a while!

As many of you know, we at Notinhalloffame.com are slowly generating the top 50 of each major North American sports team. That being said, we maintain and update our existing Top 50 lists annually.  As such, we are delighted to present our post-2024 revision of our top 50 Los Angeles Rams.

As for all of our top 50 players in football, we look at the following: 

1.  Advanced Statistics.

2.  Traditional statistics and how they finished in the National Football League.

3.  Playoff accomplishments.

4.  Their overall impact on the team and other intangibles that are not reflected in a stat sheet.

Last year, the Chargers had a strong season, finishing 10-7 and advancing to the playoffs, and made it to the Divisional Round, falling to the eventual Super Bowl Champions, the Philadelphia Eagles.  There was one new addition to the list and one elevation on our Top 50.

As always, we present our top five, which remain unchanged. 

1. Aaron Donald
2. Merlin Olsen
3. Deacon Jones
4. Jack Youngblood
5. Orlando Pace

You can find the entire list here.

Cooper Kupp, who is now with the Seattle Seahawks, was unable to move from #31.

Quarterback Matthew Stafford makes his debut at #41.

We thank you for your continued support of our lists on Notinhalloffame.com.

NFL: Three Teams in Disarray as 2025 Season Begins to Loom

The 2025 NFL season is just a matter of weeks away. Following their demolition of the Kansas City Chiefs at Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans back in February, the reigning champion Philadelphia Eagles will kick off the new campaign on September 4th as they host the Dallas Cowboys at Lincoln Financial Field. But that isn't the only mouth-watering clash in week one. 

The opening weekend boasts several heavyweight bouts. The Buffalo Bills will square off against the Baltimore Ravens in a blockbuster rematch of last season's Divisional Round game, a game in which Josh Allen reigned supreme over Lamar Jackson. Meanwhile, the Lambeau Field faithful will witness the Green Bay Packers battling their division-rival Detroit Lions in a contest sure to have NFC North ramifications. 

Even so, though, it's the aforementioned champion Eagles that online gambling sites make the team to beat. The latest odds from the popular Bovada gambling site have Nick Sirriani's men listed as the +700 joint favorite to claim the Lombardi again next season, as well as making them a 6.5-point favorite to beat Dallas on the opening day. 

But while the champs are certainly in good standing, some teams head into 2025 in disarray. Here are three teams that need to get their acts together fast if they are to hit the ground running in the new season. 

Bengals

For a franchise with Super Bowl ambitions, the Bengals’ situation is far from plain sailing. Joe Burrow dazzled last season, leading the NFL in both passing yards and touchdowns despite being protected by statistically the worst O-line in the entire league. With his superstar wideouts Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins tied down to new, money-spinning contracts, Cincy’s aerial attack will strike fear across the league. But football is a game of two sides, and on the defensive front, cracks are showing.

40 TD’s on the year now for Joe Burrow ✅ pic.twitter.com/hhiOAyAotI

— Bovada (@BovadaOfficial) December 28, 2024

Last season's sack leader, Trey Hendrickson, is entrenched in a holdout, demanding either a new contract or a trade. The timing couldn’t be worse, and it doesn't look like the situation will be resolved any time soon. Meanwhile, prized rookie Shemar Stewart, drafted in the first round to bolster the defensive line, should difficulties arise with Hendrickson, remains unsigned due to disputes over contractual language. 

Team president Mike Brown described the situation as “foolishness,” yet mismanagement of these two key defensive players threatens to turn the Bengals’ title desire into a distant dream. Can Burrow and the offense shoulder the load? They came close to doing exactly that last season before missing out on the playoffs on the final day. Or will the defensive disruptions - which have rendered the defense looking even weaker than it was last season - unravel a golden opportunity?

Jets

It’s hard to sugarcoat the struggles of the Jets. A 14-year playoff drought has become an unwelcome tradition, and despite hopes of change, ESPN ranks the team’s 2025 roster as the third weakest in the entire league. The Aaron Rodgers experiment was supposed to end that decade-plus barren spell, but the four-time MVP's two-year stint at MetLife Stadium ended up being an unmitigated disaster. 

Still, hope springs eternal in Gang Green, primarily because of quarterback Justin Fields. After a rocky tenure in Chicago, the mobile QB arrives in the Big Apple somewhat rejuvenated after a decent year in Pittsburgh last term. Yet, even if he can somehow find his best form and remain consistent, his supporting cast is undeniably thin, and his success hinges on carrying the franchise’s offensive spark alone. 

The Jets have locked in emerging talents like All-Pro corner Sauce Gardner and wide receiver Garrett Wilson, reassuring fans that foundational pieces remain intact. However, does this team have enough firepower to snap their tormenting playoff drought? Early signs say… almost certainly not.

Falcons

Quarterback controversies are season killers, and the Falcons find themselves embroiled in one before the regular-season drumbeat begins. Established veteran Kirk Cousins is rumored as potential trade bait, signaling diminishing confidence in his leadership following a disappointing debut campaign in Georgia. Now, all eyes are on Michael Penix Jr., who enters his second year with plenty to prove. 

Rumbled whispers of dissatisfaction within the Falcons’ coaching ranks exacerbate the issue. Consistency, a hallmark of playoff-worthy sides, remains glaringly absent from Atlanta’s locker room. Even the usually dependable kicker Younghoe Koo finds himself battling for his starting role in camp. 

While undisputed talent exists across the Mercedes-Benz Stadium, a muddled vision is apparent. Add to that the fact that they crumbled throughout the back end of last season, losing six of their last eight games to fall from 6-3 to 8-9 and missing the playoffs altogether. With rivals ready to exploit every weakness, Atlanta must regroup quickly or risk another wayward campaign, especially with their divisional rival, Carolina Panthers, looking much improved throughout the last three games of last term.