2024 Pro Football Journal All-Rookie Team

 By Chris Willis, NFL Films

Jaylen Daniels (left) and Jared Verse (right)

Once again, we present our annual All-Rookie team, selected by Chris Willis, the Head of the NFL Films Producer, the Head of the Research Library, and the resident historian there as well.

OROY – Jayden Daniels, QB, Washington Commanders

DROY – Jared Verse, EDGE, Los Angeles Rams

Up, Up and Good, Bears Defeat Packers

 By Eric Goska

(photos by Eric Goska)

Who thought the latest installment of Packers-Bears would come down to a kicking competition in the final two minutes?

If so, raise both arms. You, clairvoyant one, and the kicks are good!

Green Bay and Chicago placed the outcome of their latest meeting in the legs of their kickers. Both men delivered, but Chicago prevailed 24-22 at Lambeau Field because its special teams unit had last wraps.

The longest-running rivarly in the NFL is often defined by a seemingly endless roster of iconic players: Nagurski, Nitschke, Butkus, Taylor, Singletary, Favre. Rarely, if ever, do those who apply foot to pigskin merit a mention.

Yet Sunday, the stage was all theirs. When 58 minutes of blocking and tackling failed to separate winner from loser, out trotted Brandon McManus of the Packers and then Cairo Santos of the Bears.

McManus was summoned after Emanuel Wilson was dumped for a 2-yard loss on third down by DeMarcus Walker and Tremaine Edmunds at the Chicago 37. Matt Orzech snapped the ball to holder Daniel Whelan and McManus blasted a 55-yard bomb that put Green Bay ahead 22-21 with 58 seconds remaining.

The kick was the longest successful field goal in the final two minutes by any player in Packers history.

Cue the Bears.

Starting from the Chicago 20, Caleb Williams marshaled his team to the Green Bay 33 in five plays. The rookie quarterback's last act was to spike the ball with two seconds remaining.

Santos’ turn. Scott Daley snapped the ball to holder Tory Taylor and No. 8 drilled a 51-yard field goal as time expired.

And just like that, the Packers’ 11-game winning streak over the Bears went pfttt!

Green Bay has played more than 1,400 regular-season games since joining the professional ranks in 1921. Sunday’s kicking duel was only the 10th time the Packers and their opponents both connected on a field goal in the final two minutes of the same game.

Surprisingly, perhaps, the Bears have been involved in three of those contests. The first, won by Chicago 26-24, took place on Nov. 8, 1987.  Al Del Greco hit from 47 yards out with a minute left and Kevin Butler came through from 52 as time expired. The second, won by Green Bay 30-27, occurred on Dec. 18, 2016. Connor Barth was good from 22 with 1:19 to play before Mason Crosby nailed a 32-yarder at the buzzer.

For McManus, his 55-yard parting shot was his 15th successful field goal in a row. This season he was good on 20 of 21 field goal attempts (95.2 percent), the highest percentage in team history by a player with a minimum of 20 attempts.

For Santos, he atoned for his last-minute failure against the Packers, a 46-yard effort deflected by Karl Brooks on Nov. 17. He finished 2024 having made his last seven field goal attempts and 21-of-24 for the season.

Doubling Up On Success!

Since 1921, the 10 games in which the Packers and their opponent each made a field goal in the final two minutes of the same game.

						Comb.
Date	Opp.	GB Kicker	Dist.	Opp.   Kicker	Dist.	Dist.
Jan. 5, 2025	Bears	B. McManus	55	C. Santos	51	106
Nov. 8, 1987	Bears	A. Del Greco	47	K. Butler	52	99
Oct. 23, 2005	Vikings	R. Longwell	39	P. Edinger	56	95
Sept. 20, 2009	Bengals	M. Crosby	45	S. Graham	40	85
Dec. 3, 1989	Bucs	C. Jacke	47	D. Igwebuike	36	83
Oct. 20, 2024	Texans	B. McManus	45	K. Fairbairn	35	80
Oct. 11, 1987	Lions	M. Zendejas	45	M. Prindle	27	72
Oct. 14, 1996	49ers	C. Jacke	31	J. Wilkins	28	59
Dec. 18, 2016	Bears	M. Crosby	32	C. Barth	22	54
Oct. 13, 1985	Vikings	A. Del Greco	22	J. Stenerud	18	40