As hard as it is to believe, the new year is just days away. 2022 has flown by in the blink of an eye, and now it's time to look towards 2023. Before we look ahead though, let's take a trip down memory lane and remember some of the craziest things that happened with this 2022 NFL year in review.
The sports world, and the NFL in particular, had an eventful 2022 to say the least. Some stories were good and others were bad, but the NFL continued to captivate us throughout the entire year. If next year can live up to this year's craziness, football fans are in for a treat once again.
With that said, here are the 10 craziest NFL memories from 2022, and this doesn't even include Aaron Rodgers talking about doing weird drugs!
10. The NFL trade deadline
The NFL trade deadline tends to be pretty tame compared to other leagues, but that wasn't the case in 2022. This year's trade deadline was the craziest in league history, with 10 trades on deadline day alone. However, the fun actually began well in advance.
The first domino to fall was star running back Christian McCaffrey, whom the San Francisco 49ers acquired from the Carolina Panthers on Oct. 20. Other big players, including Robert Quinn, Roquan Smith and Kadarius Toney, moved in the following days. Then on deadline day, Bradley Chubb, T.J. Hockenson, Chase Claypool and more found themselves with new teams.
9. Calvin Ridley gambling suspension
This story seems like a lifetime ago now, but it did indeed happen in 2022. During the 2021 season, Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Calvin Ridley took an extended leave of absence from football for mental health reasons. However, this leave of absence ended up lasting much longer than expected.
On Mar. 7, the NFL suspended Ridley indefinitely, including the entire 2022 season, for betting on games during his leave. Several key figures, including Ridley himself, spoke out against the suspension, but the decision stood regardless.
Once Ridley does return, he will don a different uniform, as the Falcons traded him to the Jacksonville Jaguars at the deadline.
8. Brian Flores vs. the Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins have made a lot of headlines in 2022, but not for the right reasons. From Tua Tagovailoa's concussion to tampering with Tom Brady and Sean Payton, Miami has been no stranger to controversy this year. Of all the stories, though, the Brian Flores situation is easily the most fascinating.
The Dolphins fired Flores in January after three seasons, and the breakup was ugly. On Feb. 1, Flores filed a lawsuit against the NFL, the Dolphins and two other specific teams, alleging racial discrimination. Flores also accused Dolphins owner Stephen Ross of offering him incentives to lose games, and that his refusal to do so contributed to his firing.
7. The Deshaun Watson saga
In a league full of controversy, Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson is easily the most controversial player. That is due to roughly two dozen sexual misconduct lawsuits he has faced over the last two years. Although he settled most of those lawsuits, the controversy still follows him everywhere he goes.
Watson has also been on a roller coaster in the NFL this year as well. The Browns acquired him from the Houston Texans in March, then signed him to a massive, fully guaranteed contract. In August, the NFL suspended Watson for six games, then increased it to 11 games and a $5 million fine after heavy backlash.
Still, many believe the increased punishment was still nowhere near enough. The fact that his first game back was against Houston, his former team, certainly didn't help matters.
6. The woes of Dan Snyder
Dan Snyder has been a hated figure in the NFL for years now, and for good reason. From the refusal to change the team name to suing season ticket holders during the Great Recession, Snyder has always been a magnet for bad headlines. That said, 2022 was a new low for him.
Snyder has truly done it all this year, with sexual harassment allegations and financial scandals being just two of the “highlights.” Snyder has even had to testify in front of Congress multiple times this year, which has usually made the situations worse. Fortunately for Washington fans, the nightmare may be over soon as Snyder is reportedly in the process of selling the team.
5. Davante Adams and Tyreek Hill both find new homes
Now we can get into stories that are actually about football, and not off-field controversy. The free agent wide receiver class was relatively weak this year, with Christian Kirk being the biggest name on the market. However, the trades this offseason more than made up for it.
It all started on Mar. 18, when the Green Bay Packers traded Davante Adams to the Las Vegas Raiders for first- and second-round picks. Then on Mar. 23, the Kansas City Chiefs traded Tyreek Hill to the Miami Dolphins for an even bigger return. Both receivers then signed massive extensions with their new teams, making them the highest-paid receivers in football.
4. NFL offseason quarterback carousel
Quarterbacks dominate the news in the NFL, and this offseason was no different. Several high-profile signal-callers changed teams this offseason, completely turning the league on its head. We already mentioned Deshaun Watson, but others found themselves in new uniforms as well.
The Denver Broncos made the biggest quarterback move, acquiring Russell Wilson from the Seattle Seahawks in a trade that looked a lot better at the time. The Indianapolis Colts also made some big moves, trading Carson Wentz to the Washington Commanders and acquiring Matt Ryan from the Atlanta Falcons to replace him. On the other hand, Aaron Rodgers, who had been in trade rumors throughout the season, wound up staying put.
3. Brian Robinson returns after shooting
Brian Robinson's story is arguably the most inspiring in the NFL this year. On Aug. 28, Robinson was shot twice and had to go to the hospital. Although he missed the first four games of the season, the rookie running back wouldn't let his injuries keep him down for long.
Robinson made his NFL debut in the Commanders' Week 5 matchup against the Tennessee Titans, receiving a standing ovation as he took the field. He then reached more milestones throughout the season, scoring his first touchdown in Week 6 and rushing for over 100 yards in Week 12. For his incredible comeback, Sports Illustrated named Robinson the 2022 Inspiration of the Year.
So this is cool: The Commanders introduced RB Brian Robinson last. He rightfully got a standing ovation as he makes his NFL debut after getting shot twice during an armed robbery attempt six weeks ago. pic.twitter.com/uBUoke2PZ9
— Nicki Jhabvala (@NickiJhabvala) October 9, 2022
2. Tom Brady retires, then unretires
For a brief moment in time, the GOAT's career was over. After 22 NFL seasons, Tom Brady announced his retirement on Feb. 1, prompting many tributes from across the football world. Then just 40 days later, Brady announced he was coming back for another go around with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Brady and the Buccaneers have been on a roller coaster all season, with drama at every turn. He could opt to retire for good after the season, or the 45-year-old could come back for another year. Regardless of what he chooses, no one will ever forget the short time when he hung up the cleats.
1. NFL Divisional Weekend
The 2022 Divisional Round was the greatest weekend of football ever. All four games came down to the final play and most ended in upsets. In the span of just 48 hours, football fans got everything they could have wanted.
The action started on Jan. 23, when the top seeds in both conferences fell. Despite Joe Burrow taking nine sacks, the Cincinnati Bengals upset the Tennessee Titans thanks to three interceptions and Evan McPherson's game-winning field goal as time expired. That same night, the San Francisco 49ers upset the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field behind outstanding defense and special teams.
The next day, the Los Angeles Rams took a 27-3 lead over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in what seemed like a blowout. Then, Brady and the Bucs mounted a furious comeback to tie the game with less than a minute left. It was all for naught, though, as Matthew Stafford's deep ball to Cooper Kupp set up Matt Gay's field goal to send the Rams to the NFC Championship game to eliminate the defending champs.
Then on that night, the Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs gave us arguably the greatest playoff game ever. Josh Allen and Patrick Mahomes both put on a show, and there were four lead changes in the final two minutes. In the end, Mahomes hit Travis Kielce for an 8-yard touchdown in overtime to give the Chiefs an unforgettable win.
The NFL gave fans plenty of excitement in 2022, but nothing came even close to matching the chaos of Divisional Weekend.
Follow Us
Subscribe