The final dress rehearsals are done, the casting cuts are complete and the stage is set for the 2009 NFL season to begin. Rounding out the cast of characters are some familiar faces. Topping the list of quarterbacks is Michael Vick, back after two years in prison and going from the Falcons to the Eagles; Tom Brady with the New England Patriots after missing one year with a knee injury; and the venerable one, Brett Favre, un-retired again, and now with the Minnesota Vikings.
There are nine rookie head coaches in the league, and of those, three are African American: Raheem Morris, Tampa Bay Buccaneers; Jim Caldwell, Indianapolis Colts; and Mike Singletary, San Francisco 49ers. Caldwell replaces the retired Tony Dungy, the first African American head coach to appear in a Super Bowl and win. That historic feat paved the way for the defending Super Bowl champion Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin, who became the youngest head coach to win a Super Bowl. Tomlin, who also won Coach of the Year honors, will have 20 of 22 starters from the Super Bowl XLIII team.
The biggest trade of the off-season came when Lovie Smith and the Chicago Bears traded quarterback Kyle Orton and draft picks for Jay Cutler from the Denver Broncos. It was the first time in 30 years that two starting quarterbacks were traded by two teams, (Dan Pastorini for Ken Stabler, 1980). Smith and the Bears will face Tomlin and the Steelers in week two at Soldier Field in Chicago.
Other major trades and acquisitions in the off-season included Terrell Owens from the Cowboys to the Bills, T.J. Houshmandzadeh from the Bengals to the Seahawks, and Tony Gonzalez from the Chiefs to the Falcons.
The Pittsburgh Steelers are the odds-on favorites to repeat as Super Bowl champions. Tom Brady and the Patriots are legitimate challengers in the AFC. The last season Brady finished, the Patriots were 18–1. In 2008, the Patriots were 11–5 without Brady and did not make the playoffs. In the NFC, “Purple Jesus” Adrian Peterson and the Minnesota Vikings will look to go deeper in the playoffs with future Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre. But, the dynamic duo of Donovan McNabb and Michael Vick could change the game of football as we know it if head coach Andy Reid can figure out a way to use the two creatively. –lenn durant
