The NFL season opens with some of its most high-profile players serving suspensions, season-ending injuries, or having retired, like former Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning. But here’s the thing: Almost no one expects the tumultuous off-season to cost the NFL its status as a pop-culture juggernaut. For those of you not already immersed full-time in football by this time of year, here is a primer on the NFL as the 2016 season gets underway. The less-punishing pass-and-catch game is producing college receivers more pro-ready than ever before and who can become stars as rookies. It is not a good sign that the league neglected to give the Rams a single prime-time game in 2016.

Source: Wall Street Journal September 08, 2016 22:07 UTC