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          Revisiting moments that defined the 2024-25 NFL season

          Saquon Barkley's reverse hurdle marked one of the more memorable moments in the 2024-25 NFL season (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
          • Brianna WilliamsFeb 4, 2025, 09:59 AM ET

          The 2024 NFL season is winding down, with the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs set for a Super Bowl rematch in New Orleans on Sunday. But before we turn the page to the championship game, let's take a moment to appreciate just how wild this season has been.

          A lot has happened since kickoff in September.

          Remember when Andy Dalton and Joe Flacco went from veteran backups to starting quarterbacks again? Or when the New Orleans Saints didn't quite finish the season the way the pope mistakenly prayed for?

          The New York Giants committed to Daniel Jones -- until they didn't. The first full year of the Aaron Rodgers era with the New York Jets wasn't as promising as fans hoped. And for a brief, shining moment, it looked like the Pittsburgh Steelers had found their quarterback of the future in Russell Wilson.

          While many of those storylines took a turn for the worse, some things went right, too.

          Saquon Barkley pulled off a move so slick it got added to a video game. The Detroit Lions and Minnesota Vikings took fans on a "generational celebrational" run. Jameis Winston finally got to play in some snow. And Jayden Daniels made his mark in ways we won't soon forget.

          All of these moments -- whether thrilling, chaotic or just plain bizarre -- shaped the 2024-25 season in ways that (directly or indirectly) led us to this Super Bowl. Here are some of the most memorable.

          'National Tight End Day' was one to remember

          Since its accidental inception in 2018, the fourth weekend of October has evolved into an annual celebration of the tight end position. This year, tight ends put on a show, racking up 17 touchdowns in Week 8.

          From George Kittle to Tyler Conklin, tight ends not only found the end zone but also made history, hauling in 177 catches -- the most in a single day in the Super Bowl era, according to ESPN Research.

          The 'Hail Maryland'

          With no time left, rookie Jayden Daniels scrambled for nearly 13 seconds before launching a 52-yard Hail Mary from the Washington 35-yard line. The pass deflected off Chicago Bears cornerback Tyrique Stevenson's hands short of the goal line and landed in the waiting arms of Noah Brown, sealing the Commanders' improbable 18-15 victory.

          It marked just the fifth go-ahead Hail Mary touchdown in the final 10 seconds since ESPN began tracking in 2006 and the second-longest of the bunch -- trailing only the Aaron Rodgers-to-Richard Rodgers "Miracle in Motown" in 2015.

          Vikings DBs nail 'Parent Trap' handshake

          During the NFL's first London game of the year, the Minnesota Vikings' defense channeled Disney's "Parent Trap" after a first-quarter interception. Playing at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, defensive backs Camryn Bynum and Josh Metellus re-created Lindsay Lohan's iconic handshake from the 1998 film, complete with hip bumps.

          The moment paid homage to Lohan's character, Annie James, whose signature handshake with her butler, Martin, became a fan favorite scene.

          OBJ? MJ? No, it's GW

          Garrett Wilson delivered an OBJ 2.0 moment on Halloween -- a stunning one-handed touchdown grab that sealed a 21-13 win over the Houston Texans. His 26-yard score drew comparisons to Odell Beckham Jr.'s iconic catch in the same stadium a decade ago.

          After the game, some players even called it reminiscent of Michael Jordan, as Wilson soared midair with his legs split like the Jumpman logo.

          Barkley's reverse hurdle lands over DB -- and in Madden 25

          The Eagles running back pulled off a jaw-dropping reverse hurdle in Philly's 28-23 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars on Nov. 3. In the second quarter, he spun off a catch, leaped over DB Jarrian Jones and instantly created a highlight-of-the-year contender. EA Sports wasted no time, adding the move to Madden 25 in a Nov. 20 update.

          Winston's big snow game

          When Jameis Winston has a microphone, magic tends to happen. Fresh off the Browns' 24-19 upset over the Steelers in a snowy showdown, the veteran quarterback delivered more signature sound bites while breaking down the weather's impact on the game.

          Tampa Bay's good luck duck

          On the day Bucky Irving became the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' first rookie to top 1,000 rushing yards since 2012, fans at Raymond James Stadium found a new star: a duck. The unexpected visitor near the 20-yard line had the jumbotron buzzing and chants shifting from "Bucky! Bucky!" to "Ducky! Ducky!"

          The mallard's timing was impeccable, arriving just as Joe Tryon-Shoyinka blocked a punt that led to a touchdown. The duck became such a sensation that the Bucs teamed up with Ducks Unlimited to bring another mallard to their next game.

          Daniels delivers late-game magic again

          Not quite a Hail Mary, but close. With six seconds left, Daniels hit Jamison Crowder for a 9-yard touchdown, sealing Washington's 36-33 win over Philadelphia in December. Daniels had three fourth-quarter touchdowns and five total, in yet another clutch performance.

          Allen does it all in the snow

          In a snow-covered spectacle, Josh Allen pulled off a memorable feat -- throwing a pass and catching a score on the same play.

          With the Bills up 21-3 in the third quarter, Allen tossed a quick pass to Amari Cooper, who bobbled it before facing two San Francisco 49ers defenders. Seeing Allen still in motion, Cooper flipped the ball back, and the quarterback took off, diving past three defenders and stretching the ball to the pylon for the score.

          From Carolina to California: QB1's Curry moment

          Bryce Young isn't exactly known for flashy plays, but he delivered a Steph Curry-esque moment in the Panthers' season finale. On fourth-and-1, he fired a 12-yard touchdown pass to Tommy Tremble, turning away and signaling the score before the ball even arrived. The no-look celebration drew instant Curry comparisons, with the Warriors star himself posting "Confirmed." on Instagram.

          Highlights from Saquon playoff run(s)

          Barkley has scored plenty of touchdowns, but none like his snow-covered 78-yard sprint in the NFC's divisional round against the Los Angeles Rams. With the Eagles trailing late, he burst through the line and took off to put Philly up 28-22.

          Adding to the moment, Barkley later admitted he had lined up on the wrong side before the snap.

          "Probably my favorite touchdown of my career," he said after the game.

          After Washington drained eight minutes on a 17-play field goal drive, Barkley needed just one play to strike back.

          On Philly's first snap of the NFC Championship Game, he took a pitch from Jalen Hurts, broke multiple tackles and sprinted 60 yards to the end zone.

          Mahomes magic strikes again

          With the Chiefs clinging to a 13-12 lead against the Houston Texans in the AFC divisional round, Patrick Mahomes delivered another jaw-dropping playoff moment.

          Facing third-and-goal from the 11-yard line, he seemed destined for a sack -- until he wasn't. As he fell, Mahomes somehow got the ball off, lofting a perfect touchdown pass to Travis Kelce, turning a near-disaster into a score.

          Tush push like no other

          In a bizarre sequence, the Commanders tried to stop the Eagles' tush push by committing encroachment on three straight plays. Referee Shawn Hochuli warned them that another penalty could trigger a rare NFL rule allowing him to award Philadelphia a touchdown. The very next snap, Hurts punched in a 1-yard score anyway, capping off a rulebook-testing drive.

          ESPN Research contributed to this story.