National Football League

FOX Sports Year in Review: The best storylines of 2024

Updated Jan. 1, 2025 11:42 a.m. ET

There is no denying it: The sports world was an incredible roller-coaster of a ride in 2024.

It was filled with a host of surprises, dazzling individual performances, stunning hiring and firings, and an endless supply of epic moments on the field.

So before we look ahead to 2025, let's look back and celebrate an unforgettable year.

Here is a summary of the best sports storylines of 2024.

NFL: Surprising stars, a wild MVP race … and the Chiefs just keep winning

In some ways, 2024 began and ended in the exact same spot, with Andy Reid, Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs on top of the football world. They were the road warriors in January as they muscled their way to their second straight Super Bowl championship. And as the clock ticks down on the calendar year, they sure look like good bets to win their third.

But while the Chiefs hovered over the league all year long, they didn't always dominate the headlines across the country. The last 12 months were full of surprises (Sam Darnold can still play?), disappointments (everything about the New York Jets), and a fascinating MVP race (could Saquon Barkley pull it off? Ralph Vacchiano breaks it all down with his Top 10 NFL Storylines of the Year.

Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen and Saquon Barkley: MVP race HEATS UP

College football: Two big stars — and one coaching legend — take center stage

From a host of stunning upsets to dazzling individual performances from generational stars like Ashton Jeanty, and Travis Hunter, the 2024 college football season has been filled with memorable moments — and that doesn't even take us to the coaching changes, like Bill Belichick signing up to lead North Carolina! But what was the single biggest storyline in college football this year? Laken Litman, RJ Young and Michael Cohen answer that question as we get set to flip the calendar to 2025.

Can Bill Belichick do in 2 years what Deion Sanders has done in 2 years at Colorado?

MLB: Yankees vs. Dodgers, Shohei Ohtani, and so much more …

Historic performances in 2024 generated record increases in viewership and MLB's highest attendance in seven years. It all culminated in a classic and unforgettable World Series between the Yankees and the Dodgers. But while the storied franchises entertained us in late October, there were several other fascinating developments throughout the year and across the league. Rowan Kavner and Deesha Thosar look back a the 10 biggest MLB storylines of 2024.

USWNT: Emma Hayes leads USA to gold, but loses several star players

It's been an epic year for the U.S. women's national team.

They were Concacaf W Gold Cup champions, SheBelieves Cup champions and Olympic champions. Emma Hayes took over as the new manager and made an immediate and powerful impact. The "Triple Espresso" emerged and several legends retired. Laken Litman looks back at how it all unfolded, then turns to preparations for the 2027 World Cup.

USMNT: How the roller coaster of 2024 shook out

A Nations League three-peat, a catastrophic major tournament failure and a high-profile coaching change. For the U.S. men's national team, 2024 provided no shortage of drama. Before looking ahead to what should be a fascinating 2025, FOX Sports' Doug McIntyre details the wild ride that was 2024.

Alexi Lalas' wishlist for USMST in 2025

NASCAR: Big wrecks, thrilling finishes and off-track drama!

From close finishes to big wrecks to drama on the track and off of it, NASCAR produced several captivating storylines in 2024. Bob Pockrass counts down some of the top stories (not always the happiest but based on significance and impact on the sport) of the year!