From Caitlin Clark to Olympic records, the 30 greatest sports moments of 2024

The year 2024 will be remembered for many things. It was an awesome Olympic Games in Paris, our first non-pandemic Games in eight years. The city was perfect, the moments were plentiful, and the stars delivered. We had a Super Bowl that went into overtime, a World Series that pitted the two biggest American cities against each other, a Stanley Cup going to the Sunshine State, and Boston extending its championship lead in the NBA. Outside these big wins, there were unforgettable moments. 

We saw some things in sports that may never be repeated, and we have records that may never be broken. We saw the end of legendary careers and the start of the journeys of our future stars. It was an incredible year in sports, but there were some moments that will stand the test of time. When we look back at the history books, these moments will be written for decades.

30. Pommel Horse Guy

We have to start with the Paris Olympics. There were so many viral athletes across all sports. Yusuf Dikec was giving real nonchalance when he won the silver medal in the air pistol mixed team competition. Nada Hafez won an Olympic medal in fencing while pregnant. France’s Leon Marchand had the ultimate home-pool advantage when he won the 400-meter medley. The South Sudan basketball team gave Team USA a scare. However, there was no more viral superstar at the Olympics than Stephen Nedoroscik.

If the name doesn’t sound familiar, he’s the “pommel horse guy.” He is the American gymnast who sat by himself wearing his glasses while the rest of the team competes together, but he would take off his glasses and completely dominate the pommel horse. He helped the team win bronze for their first medal in men’s gymnastics since 2008.

Nedoroscik came home a famous man. He appeared on multiple late-night and daytime talk shows. He went to the Primetime Emmy Awards and was a presenter. He appeared on season 33 of Dancing with the Stars and made it to the final four. Now, he’s the star of the Dancing with the Stars tour. 

29. Saquon Barkley jumps over a dude

There is so much to love about Saquon Barkley’s season. His first season in Philadelphia has led to one of the best seasons by a running back ever. He has an outside chance to beat Eric Dickerson’s rushing record, and he has a nonzero chance to win the MVP. Barkley has been the reason why an Eagles team that left last season with more questions than answers is once again a title contender. 

As of this writing, Barkley has 11 touchdowns. He also has 13 runs that broke 20 yards and six that broke 40 yards. He has so many big plays this season, showing his break-neck speed that we knew existed on the New York Giants, but it felt wasted. However, there is only one play that will stand out when looking at Barley’s season. 

We've seen running backs make massive leaps over defensive players. It is always impressive to see the sheer height these players, who are offering pushing 230 lbs, are able to get on these leaps. It almost seems ridiculous that Barkley did that backwards.

Barkley is having a great season. He's one of the best players in the NFL, and he has the Eagles in a phenomenal position. This one run is a good rundown of his entire year. It was insanely impressive, seemed like something that couldn't be done, but at the same time, we're trying to figure out when we will ever see it again.

28. Alabama takes down UNC in basketball

The first and second days of the NCAA tournament are two of the greatest days in sports. It’s wall-to-wall basketball, and thanks to those brackets, everyone has a reason to watch. Whether you spent hours diving into spreadsheets and analytics to pick your team or if you picked them based on colors and mascot or because the coach “sounds nice,” the day is equally fun. Yet, that’s not something that sticks out. What does stick out is when an upset happens. The biggest upset was Oakland taking down Kentucky, which ended up costing John Calipari his job, but it wasn’t epic. 

What was epic was the matchup between North Carolina and Alabama in the Sweet Sixteen. The top-seeded team in the West Region was a big favorite against Bama. UNC was up by three with about 90 seconds left, but the Crimson Tide would not lie down for the Tar Heels. 

The drama was palpable. Alabama scored seven consecutive points before North Carolina finally got a bucket to bring them within two points. They fouled with 0.9 seconds left, and Alabama missed both free throws. North Carolina threw up a prayer, and it was blocked by Grant Nelson, who made multiple huge plays in the final seconds of the game. 

Alabama made the Elite Eight for the first time in two decades thanks to the miraculous run at the end of the game. They would go on to beat Clemson to make it to the Final Four, where they would lose to the eventual champions.

27. Lebron James teams with his son Bronny

For argument’s sake, we’ll go to that first game where Lebron James and his son Bronny James joined forces for the Los Angeles Lakers. When Bronny came into that October 22nd game, it was the first time a father and son played on the same court together. It’s not a big surprise, as James is the rare player who is still dominating in his 40s. It takes a lot to go right for Bronny to play alongside his father, especially after his underwhelming college career. 

James and James Jr. checked into their season-opening game against the Minnesota Timberwolves with about four minutes left in the second quarter. The crowd was abuzz when it looked like they’d join the lineup together, and there was a big cheer when the warmups came off. 

Bronny James let a huge three-pointer go in their first shift, but it wasn’t meant to be. It wasn’t the results that got it on this list. It was the moments. Bronny is now in the G League, and he’s playing pretty well. However, the moment that James played with his son is something he said he will never forget. 

Let’s not ignore the obvious. The Lakers took Bronny James because he’s Lebron’s son. There is no other reason. He didn’t do enough in college or the run up to warrant a draft spot, but nepotism still breeds fun moments.

26. Michael Penix shocks the world, as do the Falcons

The NFL Draft often brings a lot of crazy moments. Think Aaron Rodgers and Brady Quinn watching themselves quickly fall down draft boards. We’ve seen teams surprise everyone with their picks in the top 10, but there may have never been as big a surprise as the Atlanta Falcons selection at this year’s draft. After signing Kirk Cousins to a massive contract to be their quarterback for the next four years, the Falcons, who still have a ton of flaws especially defensively, used their eighth-overall pick to take Michael Penix Jr. out of the University of Washington.

Penix is an interesting prospect, and teams were high on many quarterbacks in this draft. That’s why five went in the first 12 picks. Penix is the most volatile of all those picks. He’s older than most draft picks, already 24 years old as of this writing. He could be amazing, but he also has an injury history. 

What makes this pick so insane is Penix feels like a player who needs to play right away to see his highest ceiling. If Penix starts in three years and is a top-five quarterback, then sure, it was a worthwhile pick. That’s asking a lot. It’s more likely that he’s a good QB when he eventually gets to be the starter, which could be sooner rather than later with how the Falcons season is going.

The pick brought headlines for the entire offseason, and it’s caused conspiracy theories still today. Some say the Falcons saw Kirk Cousins’ rehab from Achilles tendon surgery and made the decision that a good option was necessary. Either way, the Falcons welcomed this conversation and these theories when they shocked the draft and went quarterback at eighth overall.

25. Florida wins the Little League World Series

The United States is on a huge winning streak in Little League baseball. They’ve won every Little League World Series since 2018. That streak didn’t end this year, as Lake Mary, Florida won it for the Americans, taking down Taoyuan, Taiwan by a score of 2-1. While it was a trend for the U.S., this was the first time ever that a team from Florida won the LLWS. It also ended a terrible losing streak, as teams from Florida made it to the World Series eight times before that and lost every single time. 

These two teams got into a pitcher’s duel. Lake Mary had to work its way back into the tournament after losing in the third round to Texas. They had to work their way through the “lower” tournament to get another chance, and it happened to be against that same Texas team. Florida won the U.S. Championship by a score of 10-7, a rousing come-from-behind win that included five runs in the final inning.

Taiwan scored a run in the first inning, and held onto that slim lead for most of the game. Florida was unable to get one to cross home plate. In the bottom of the six, with one out remaining in their LLWS chances, a shot in the gap by DeMarcos Mieses scored the runner from second base. That score meant the Little League World Series winner would be decided in extra innings for the first time since 2007.

Florida started the inning with the rules-mandated player on second base. As this was the bottom of the inning, a bunt and sacrifice fly would end the game. So, Florida tried it, and it went way better than expected. Taiwan’s infielder sailed the ball over the first baseman’s head, and Lathan Norton scored. He missed the previous game after he spiked a 102 fever, but he recovered just in time to have a moment he will never forget.

24. Max Holloway at UFC 300

When we discuss moments, it’s hard to leave out mixed martial arts, and especially the UFC. There are few things less thrilling than a knockout in the octagon. When we get to those nice round numbers for UFC events, Dana White does his best to put out all the shots. At UFC 300, there were many things that got in everyone’s way, but we don’t remember that. All we remember is the knockout by Max Holloway. 

Holloway is a UFC legend. He was the rising star in the greatest division in UFC history. His fights at Featherweight with Connor McGregor, Frankie Edgar, Brian Ortego, and Jose Aldo are legendary. He had amazing fights across his career. This fight at UFC 300 for the BMF title (terrible concept, but we digress) will likely be what we remember about his career.

Now the veteran in the twilight of his career, Holloway took on Justin Gaethje. It was a great back-and-forth fight, with more than 200 punches landed between the two fighters. Fast forward to the fifth round, and Holloway looks like he might take the fight either way. Still, with about 15 seconds left in the fight, Holloway challenged Gaethje to go one-on-one, and they threw haymakers. 

With one second left in the fight, Holloway dropped Gaethje to guarantee the win. He stood up, and Holloway got an overhand right that hit him right on the chin. That will end any fight, and they ended up winning Fight of the Year for this.

23. Denver beats Macklin Celebrini, BU in overtime to advance to the championship

Macklin Celebrini is currently doing special things for the San Jose Sharks. The reigning number-one overall pick in the NHL Draft has 20 points in 21 games as an 18-year-old kid. He’s been electric as a professional, but that all started in college. Celebrini was by far the best player in college hockey last season, putting up 64 points in just 38 games. He averaged almost a goal per game. He also played at Boston University, which doesn’t exactly play an easy schedule every year. They made a run all the way to the Frozen Four, rolling through the NCAA Tournament. 

There, they faced off against the Denver Pioneers. They have the best coach in college hockey in David Carle, and they just won the title two years prior. This was a battle of goliaths, and it was exactly what we wanted to see in our National Championship.

Boston came into the game as the number-two overall seed in the tournament. Denver was looking to win its 10th title, which would pass Michigan with the most of all time. They ended up besting Boston University 2-1 in an extraordinary matchup. Both teams are full of stars, but the only players who scored in regulation were Luke Tuch (who scored shorthanded) and Tristan Lemyre. 

That 1-1 score kept until overtime when Pittsburgh Penguins prospect Tristian Broz sent an absolute rocket past the BU goalie. Denver would go on to face Boston College, where they did secure that 10th championship. 

22. Michigan beats Alabama in OT

Of course, the biggest “moment” for Michigan was winning the National Championship, finally securing that one goal they had been chasing since replacing Lloyd Carr with Rich Rodriguez back in 2008. Bringing in Jim Harbaugh in 2015 was when it really ramped up, and years of top recruiting classes finally paid the ultimate dividend. The only issue here is the National Title Game was terrible. Michigan wiped the floor with Washington, and many fans went to bed early if they didn’t have a dog in the race. 

The game before between Michigan and Alabama was an all-timer. This is how we started our year, with an epic matchup on New Year’s Day. Alabama was able to sneak into the four-team Playoff despite losing a game during the season. 

From the beginning, these two teams made it known they were ready for a heavyweight matchup. Both teams scored a touchdown in the first quarter. There were way too many big plays to recount them all. The defenses played a stellar game, with the two teams going into the fourth quarter with Michigan up 13-10. Alabama hit a field and scored a touchdown to go up by seven. Michigan responded, scoring a touchdown with 94 seconds left. It still looked like the Crimson Tide held the advantage since they had enough time to make a drive, but they stalled and sent it to overtime.

Michigan got the ball first, and Blake Corum scored another touchdown for the Wolverines. The pressure was now on Alabama to respond. Jalen Milroe was creeping down the field, and it all came down to a 4th and Goal play on the three-yard line. We’re not sure if this was the called play, but a low snap led to Milroe running straight ahead, trying to get into the end zone himself. He went nowhere, and the Wolverines went to the National Championship.

21. Juan Soto signs for $765 million with the New York Mets

So much about this baseball season was a win for MLB. We’ll get to some of it later on this list, but it’s been a long time since baseball was in the national lexicon as much as it was in 2024. Great teams in traditional markets, incredible storylines from April through October, record breakers, international sensations, dramatic scandals, and interesting rule changes have America’s pastime back in the present. One storyline might have the longest impact, and that is the negotiation for Juan Soto.

The New York Yankees superstar just came off a World Series appearance where he outplayed the American League MVP Aaron Judge and helped the most popular team in the sport to a pennant for the first time in 15 years. He was sensational all season, and he didn’t let up in the playoffs like Judge did. 

Then, after teams in the biggest markets in the sport (Los Angeles, Boston, Toronto, New York) got into the negotiations, the New York Mets came out victorious. They gave him a 15-year, $765 million deal. 

This obviously isn’t an “on-field” moment, but it was one of the most impactful in all of sports. The negotiation was covered across all platforms. The price was the talk of every big sports show for an entire week. This is what baseball wants. 

20. Knicks crazy comeback

There are many last-minute moments in basketball during the 2024 NBA Playoffs, but there was nothing like the Knicks comeback against the Philadelphia 76ers in Game 2 at Madison Square Garden. Down five with less than a minute left, the Knicks had a disastrous start to the next possession. Jalen Brunson lost the ball, but Donte DiVincenzo came out of the scrum for the ball. He foung Brunson in the corner, and he got the craziest bounce off the rim to cut the Sixers' lead to two.

The 76ers threw the ball in to Tyrese Maxey, but the Knicks immediately swarmed him. We won't get into the fact that the referees swallowed their whistle in this moment, but we did think it was at worst a 50-50 call as Maxey had the ball stripped. After a Knicks missed three and offensive rebound, DiVencenze hit a long three from the top of the key.

That intense sequence gave the Knicks a lead they'd never relinquish. Maxey raced down the court and got what looked like a wide open look for a layup to give the Sixers the lead, but Isaiah Hartenstein was able to get up and block it. The Knicks recovered the ball and hit some foul shots.

This moment likely led to the downfall of the 76ers we're even seeing today. Yes, they were able to get the series to six games, but there was a level of dejection from this comeback (and the thwarted comeback in Game 6).

19. Boston Bruins keeps Toronto Maple Leafs' first-round woes going in Game 7 OT

If you’re not a big hockey fan, just know that the Toronto Maple Leafs are the “Dallas Cowboys” of the NHL. They are the most popular team in the league, and it’s not particularly close. This is despite failing constantly in the playoffs. It has become a running joke that the Leafs will always fail come playoff time. The Leafs haven’t won a Stanley Cup since 1967, back when there were literally six teams in the entire league.

Going into last year’s playoffs, the Maple Leafs were one of the most star-studded teams in the league. Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, William Nylander, and John Tavares are as formidable, and expensive, a top four as anyone has in the NHL. Unfortunately, they have been together for exactly one second-round win during their tenure. Not a second-round series win, mind you. In the six seasons since the Maple Leafs signed Tavares, they’ve made it to the second round once, and they lost in five games to the Panthers.

This put a lot of pressure on the Leafs to finally show something. They once again had a formidable foe in the first round, taking on the Boston Bruins. They brought it all the way to Game 7, but the demons were too much.

The two teams fought to a 1-1 tie in regulation, but in overtime, a matchup between stars was easily won by Bruins sniper David Pastrnak. He completely fooled Marner and got behind him for a breakaway towards the net. Pastnak doesn’t miss those. The goal continued the Maple Leafs’ woes, got head coach Sheldon Keefe fired, forced the Leafs to remove the captaincy from Tavares, and now has their entire philosophy in doubt. All because Marner lost his man in overtime.

18. Bow to Andrade

Sometimes, these moments don’t take much. It’s just a reaction by beloved athletes in an instant that lasts a lifetime. We often get a picture of these moments, and they are shared widely on social media, in newspapers, and in other journalistic outlets, including Fansided. When we look back and wonder what some of the images are that will stand the test of time at the Paris Olympics, there are few that will do better than American gymnasts Jordan Chiles and Simone Biles bowing to Brazilian gymnast Rebeca Andrade. 

Andrade had an amazing Olympics, giving the Americans everything they could handle in every competition. She competed in all five events and the team event, so she was busy. She started her Games with a silver medal on the vault. She ended up winning silver during the all-around, and she lifted Brazil to bronze as a team. However, her moment came with her floor routine, Simone Biles’ specialty, where she was given the gold.

When Andrade came to collect her medal and stand at the top of the podium to hear the Brazilian national anthem, Biles and Chiles were already on bended knee. They both wanted to give her the adulation she deserved for an amazing routine. 

The moment loses a little steam because of what happened after, where the Olympic committee took Chiles bronze medal from her for a judging error. However, the image will always remain. 

17. The return of Lewis Hamilton the winner at British Grand Prix

Lewis Hamilton was the man to watch as F1 grew and grew in popularity. His rivalry with Max Verstappen started really ramping up in 2021 and continued as Verstappen got better and better. Now, Verstappen is the superstar who wins most races while Hamilton hasn’t been as relevant as he was. 

Mercedes as a team failed to adjust to new regulations, and they didn’t win a race with Hamilton behind the wheel in 2022 or 2023. Hamilton, who originally signed a deal with Mercedes through the 2025 season, announced he was utilizing an exit clause to finish with the racing company this past season. With that looming, it looked like another lost season for Hamilton.

However, the Brit saw a resurgence on the Europe leg of the tour, and he did something in Britain he hadn’t in years; he won. The emotions he showed at the end of the race were rare for F1. It was as if he won a championship. Hamilton had gone so long without winning a race that it likely felt like that portion of his career might be over. 

That’s why this victory lap was so sweet. It was more than 900 days since Hamilton had won a race. Other drivers were the face of the sport, but Hamilton remained a fan favorite. Many fans wanted to see him succeed, and the British fans were incessant when he finally did it in front of them. We’ll see if Hamilton can become more of a threat to Red Bull and Verstappen when he joins Ferarri next season, but this win was the biggest moment in F1 in 2024. 

16. We say goodbye to Rafael Nadal

There are few rivalries like the one we saw between Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer. By far the two greatest tennis players alive for about a decade, every time they’d face off, it became must-see TV. Federer has been retired for a few years as a new crop of stars take over tennis, but we continue to love seeing Nadal hit the court, especially when that court is clay. This year, we learned it would be the end for Nadal as a full-time professional tennis player. 

His last match wasn’t legendary like John Elway or emotional like Derek Jeter. Nadal had said he was done after the Davis Cup tournament in his home country of Spain, and he was knocked out in straight sets to Botic van de Zandschulp in his last single’s match ever. 

The outpouring of love for Nadal was palpable. Of course, we heard from Federer, talked about the bond they built on and off the court. Nadal will go down as the greatest tennis player on clay in history. His 14 French titles are six more than second place all-time (Max Decugis). Nadal won his first French Open in 2005 and his last in 2022. It was an incredible run of dominance that covered two decades. 

There are few athletes as universally loved as Nadal. Even in the context of his rivalries, Nadal’s quirks made him instantly unique beyond his tennis greatness. He never left someone feeling bad and always knew how to put his impact in context. Saying goodbye is bittersweet, but we know Nadal will find more greatness to come.

15. Xander Schauffele’s major breakthrough

The year 2024 would be the 10th year of Xavier Schauffele’s professional golf career. He has done quite a bit during his time on the big stage. He won the Olympic gold medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. He put together a Rookie of the Year season between 2016 and 2017, including a bogey-free round of 66 at the U.S. Open. He had done a lot, including wins across the tour, but it seemed like he needed to make a change to get a win at a major. So, he made the hard decision to change coaching staffs, which is much harder when it’s your dad who is your coach. 

Schauffele didn’t get his first major win easy. He had to put together a historic performance at the PGA Championship in Valhalla. He was neck and neck with golf superstar Bryson DeChambeau. When DeChambeau hit a birdie putt on the 18th hole, all the pressure was on Schauffele to do the same. He was one stroke ahead, but anything other than a birdie himself would force a tiebreaker. Schauffele walked up to the six-foot putt and drilled it in the hole.

The crowd erupted, as not only did Schauffele finally break the major drought, he did it with the lowest score in the history of majors. He shot 21 under par for the tournament. In most years, that would dominate the field, but this was not a normal tournament. 

Schauffele would go on to win another major tournament, taking home the Open Championship in July. It all started with the first monkey off his back in epic fashion.

14. Pete Alonso beats the Brewers

Before the New York Mets broke the collective MLB universe by signing Juan Soto, they made an epic run to the National League Championship Series. There was a lot that had to happen before Steve Cohen’s franchise got there. In the first half of the MLB season, the Mets might have been the biggest disappointment in baseball. And that’s saying something because there were a lot of disappointments this year. On June 1st, the Mets were 15.5 games back of the Phillies for the division lead. That was after two months!

The Mets roared back, finding the right starting pitchers and seeing their hitters finally start to produce. They went from afterthought to competitive until the very end, when there was a three-way tie between the Mets, Braves, and Diamondbacks to make the playoffs near the end of September. The Mets made the playoffs in a game that could very well make this list, with multiple lead changes against the Braves after the seventh inning and finished off with a Francisco Lindor home run to win the game in the ninth inning.

However, that’s not what makes this list. In the playoffs, the Mets took on the Milwaukee Brewers in the NL Wild Card Series. After trading wins in Games 1 and 2, it all came down to a winner-take-all Game 3. The Brewers were dominating the Mets on the mound, and they entered the ninth inning with a 2-0 lead thanks to solo home runs from Jake Bauers and Sal Frelick. 

With two men on in the ninth, Pete Alonso stepped up to the plate with one of the best closers in the game on the mound. Devin Williams was as reliable as they come, but Mr. Alonso walked up with ice in his veins. He smashed a three-run shot over the outfield wall, giving the Mets an improbable 3-2 lead. The Mets extended the lead to 4-2, and the game ended at the bottom half of the inning. The home run continued the magic of the Mets season, and left fans incredibly happy with where this team is headed.

13. UConn wins the NCAA Men's Basketball title

UConn basketball holds a legacy that’s becoming harder and harder to beat. We all know how dominant the women’s team has been over the years, but the men’s team is now catching up. With back-to-back championships, UConn’s men now have six NCAA Championships all-time. 

There are moments that are hard to explain, and watching the UConn Huskies in the tournament is one of them. We’ve seen dominance in the tourney before, but this one we didn’t exactly expect. Yes, the defending champions were the number-one seed, but there were teams many thought could compete. Nobody did, as UConn rolled through the tournament. 

UConn beat Purdue in the championship by 15, Alabama in the Final Four by 14, Illinois in the Elite Eight by 25, San Diego State in the Sweet Sixteen by 30, Northwestern in the Second Round by 17, and Stetson in the first round by 39. There was never a game that was even remotely close. The Huskies rolled over the competition.

And that’s what made this tournament so interesting to watch. We love to see greatness, and UConn was producing that at a level we haven’t seen since John Calipari could actually win a championship. UConn became the first back-to-back champion since Florida did it in 2007. There was so much to love about this team, as UConn players represented four of the five all-Final Four team. 

12. USA Rugby wins bronze thanks to incredible final play

For those who don’t know much about the game of rugby, the Paris Olympics were a perfect introduction to this beautiful game. Yes, it’s known as one of the toughest sports in existence, but the flow of the sport in amazing. The way the game is structured opens the door for epic moments, and as the U.S. Women’s Rugby team was looking to make an improbable run at a medal, we learned just how epic these moments can be. 

The Americans were taking on Australia, with the winner taking the bronze medal in Rugby 7s. Australia was on the doorstep of a score that would put the U.S. out of reach, but then the impossible happened. Alex “Spiff” Sedrick found a seam in the defense and went coast to coast with no one to stop her. 

The U.S. quickly went from down 12-7 to up 12-12 with no time remaining. The insane ending did not end on the score, as the U.S. normal kicker was subbed off. So, Sedrick had to kick her own conversion, and she delivered to make it 14-12 to end the game. 

As far as moments go, this might be the top one from the Olympics when it comes singular plays. It was as exciting a 10 seconds as we’ve seen this summer. If it was for a gold medal, it would definitely be in the top 10.

11. Detroit Lions win first playoff game in 30+ years

The year was 1992. The Silence of the Lambs changed how we look at horror thrillers, winning Best Picture in the process. Barney & Friends debuted on PBS to large acclaim for children’s programming. The first issue of Goosebumps is published, and the Mall of America opens its doors. Barry Sanders has Detroit Lions fans thinking they might finally be back to their winning ways that many of them weren’t even alive to see. 

The Lions won their first playoff game since the NFL-AFL merger in 1991-92. They dominated the Cowboys 38-6. The Lions wouldn’t win another playoff game for more than three decades. Fast forward to 2023-24, and this was a different Lions team. Jared Goff found a way to be one of the top signal callers in the NFL. A dynamic offense was doing enough to hide any flaws on defense. And Dan Campbell was becoming everyone’s favorite head coach.

Ironically enough, the Lions would take on the Los Angeles Rams in the Wild Card Round. Their second playoff win would not come nearly as easy as their first post-merger. The Rams were the team that gave up on Goff, selling him to the Lions in the deal that brought them Matthew Stafford. 

The Lions took a commanding lead in the first quarter, but a 50-yard touchdown to Puka Nacua and a 38-yard touchdown to Tutu Atwell brought the score to 21-17 Detroit going into halftime. The Rams made amazing halftime adjustments on defense, holding the Lions to just a field goal in the second half. But the Lions found a way to keep themselves in it on defense, and a timely holding penalty forced Los Angeles to punt late in the fourth quarter. The Lions held on for that 24-23 victory, never letting LA see the ball again. 

10. USA wins gold in basketball

What happens when you connect some of the greatest players to ever play the game of basketball on the same team? Dominance. Seeing LeBron James, Steph Curry, and Kevin Durant connect for a star-studded engagement in Paris was incredible, even at their advanced ages. Yes, this is a team that often wins, as the Star Spangled Banner has played at the end of the men’s basketball Olympic tournament for five straight Games, but this one felt special.

This is the last time we’ll see most of these players wear red, white, and blue, and we got to see them play alongside some of the future greats of the sport. Anthony Edwards, Joel Embiid, Jayson Tatum, and Devin Booker joined James, Curry, and Durant as drivers of offense. 

Another aspect of this tournament that made it great was the stars that represented all the countries. Giannis Antetokounmpo led the tournament in points per game as a member of Greece. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was second as a member of Team Canada. Nikola Jokic is largely considered the best player on planet Earth, and he’s representing Serbia. Of course, the hometown France team faced off against the Americans in the gold medal game with Victor Wembanyama representing what’s to come for the sport.

In that game, Curry put up a vintage performance, hitting eight of his 12 three-point attempts. James was named tournament MVP with his 14 points with six rebounds and 10 assists in the final. Durant became the first American basketball player to secure four gold medals. Overall, it will be a long time before we see this many legends on one team, and we got exactly what we hoped for in Paris.

9. Vandy beats Bama in biggest upset of the season

"The only place you play in the SEC that's not hard to play is Vanderbilt."

- Nick Saban, former Alabama head coach

Those comments were made by former Alabama head coach Nick Saban on the Pat McAfee Show. It was clear bulletin board material, giving a college team in the SEC all the motivation it needed to attack the Crimson Tide with ferocity. Saban would go on to say that the environment and the fans from Vandy just didn’t have as many fans in the stands like other SEC stadiums. 

The stadium sure was loud when the clock hit zero on October 5th. The scoreboard read 40-35 with Vanderbilt on top. After the game, the scoreboard played those comments from Saban to another roar from the Commodores fans. 

It was an all-encompassing effort from Vanderbilt, as they had the lead for most of the game. They won on big plays, including a pick-six in the first quarter and a 36-yard touchdown pass on fourth down in the third quarter. The offense did not let Alabama feel comfortable, as Diego Pavia outplayed Jalen Milroe.

It was the first time Vanderbilt beat the number one team in the country, and it was the first Vanderbilt win over Alabama since 1984. That’s why the fans stole one of the goalposts and brought it to the Cumberland River. It felt like the appropriate reaction for a school waiting a long time for this. 

8. Shohei Ohtani steals 50th base, becoming first 50-50 player ever

Hitting 50 steals and 50 home runs in one season was unfathomable coming into this season. Stolen bases had fallen out of favor, as teams felt it wasn’t always worth the risk of possibly getting thrown out. Star players were rarely stealing bases, especially those who were mainly home run hitters. There were less singles, too, as players are prioritizing extra-base hits and home runs. 

It’s even crazier that this record was broken by a guy who’s also one of the best pitchers in the league. Of course, Shohei Ohtani didn’t pitch this season as he was recovering from an injury, but it showed what he could be if he focuses on one thing. He is the best at whatever he decides to do. It’s that simple. He was such a good hitter than he won MVP despite never playing the field, and not one person really had a problem with it. 

Ohtani hit this milestone on September 19th. The night was one of the greatest hitting performances in the history of the sport. Ohtani came into the night with 48 home runs, and he already passed the 50 steals mark. Six-hits, three-homers, two-steal and 10 RBIs all in one game is an insane statline. It was a destruction of the Miami Marlins, with his last home run (his 51st of the year) coming off a position player in a 20-4 rout.

There is no way we’ll see this happen again. We just can’t fathom anyone even trying to make it happen. The 40-40 club is rare enough, but upping the ante like Ohtani did is going to live on forever. We know records are meant to be broken, but baseball has been around for more than a century and nobody has come close to 50-50. We don’t see it happening again.

7. Timberwolves comeback from 20 down to beat Nuggets in Game 7

The Denver Nuggets came into the postseason as the Big Bad Wolf of the Western Conference. It didn’t seem like anyone was going to have an answer for Nikola Jokic, the player most agree is by far the best in the NBA. Jokic and the Nuggets faced the Minnesota Timberwolves in the second round, coming off possibly their best regular season ever. Anthony Edwards was clearly a star, and this was a team that was finally falling into place.

They went back and forth for this series. Minnesota punched Denver in the mouth, winning the first two games of the series on the road. It looked like they might roll and possibly figure out Denver. Then, the Nuggets won three straight games. Minnesota finally won a home game, forcing a Game 7.

In Game 7, the Nuggets dominated. They went into halftime with a 15-point lead, and they ballooned that lead to 20 points in the second half. This was going to be one of those nights where we acknowledged a good season from Minnesota, but at the same time we see they aren’t ready for the bright lights that come with Game 7.

The Wolves rode their defense in the third quarter to get back into the game. They went on a 28-9 run to finish the quarter, putting them down by just one with the fourth quarter to decide who was moving onto the next round. The Wolves were up 85-82 with just a few minutes left, and they went on a flurry that quickly sent the defending champs hope. Two free throws, a dunk, and an Edwards three in quick succession made it 92-82 with three minutes left. That was the end of that, and Jokic showed he does have a weakness, or at least the Nuggets do.

6. Caitlin Clark sets the single-game assist record with 19

Some of these moments are the accumulation of bigger moments. Caitlin Clark is to basketball as Mia Hamm was to soccer. She is bringing interest to a woman’s sport that hadn’t been seen at these levels ever. People are coming in droves to women’s basketball, and it’s a beautiful thing. There have been great women’s basketball players, and we hope future generations appreciate what they’ve done. 

There are many moments in Clark’s Rookie of the Year campaign, but the one that stands out most is the one where she broke the record for most assists in a game. Clark was a great scorer for the Indiana Fever, but it was the night where she recorded 19 assists against the Dallas Wings.

It did come in a loss, so we don’t love that, but this moment is bigger than the result of this game. It was a coming out party for those who still weren’t convinced that WNBA was must-see TV. 

No matter what happens in sports and the moments ahead of this, the biggest thing that can come out of 2024 is the rise of women’s sports. The PWHL is doing well on the hockey side. Women’s sports at the Olympics had just as much interest as most men’s sports. Women’s soccer is once again at the forefront with the USA women looking to avenge their World Cup loss with an Olympic triumph. The rise of the WNBA is at the top of the list, and a lot of it can be attributed to the intrigue and popularity that Clark brings to the league.

5. Spain wins Euro 2024

Spain’s win at Euro 2024 was the biggest soccer moment of the year. There were some great moments at the Olympics, some memorable moments at Copa Americano, and more moments in the Premier League, MLS, and other huge soccer/football organizations deserve their own list. But nothing even comes close to Spain winning the Euro. 

We’re not far off from Spain dominating these tournaments. They came out on top in back-to-back tourneys, in 2008 and 2012. However, they’ve seen other countries take over, especially Italy and Portugal who took the last two instances of the tournament. England found itself in the tournament final for the second time in a row, and they felt it was finally their time. England hadn’t won since… ever. England had never won the Euro despite their worldwide acclaim for soccer prowess. 

This made the result especially heartbreaking for the Brits. Spain put the pressure on in the first half, but the two teams remained scoreless going into the break. Then, Spain finally broke through in the 47th minute. Cole Palmer scored a goal from deep to even the score in the 73rd minute, but Spain had a plan. Mikel Oyarzabal tapped home a cross into the box from Marc Cucurella just 13 minutes later, and that would be the game-winning goal.

England had a few close chances in the final minutes of the game, but they couldn’t break through, and Spain won the championship. 

4. Noah Lyles wins by a hair in the 100m

The 100-yard dash is one of the most iconic events in Olympic history. There are so many years where this event became the most important of that year’s Olympics. Of course, the Usain Bolt years made the 100-yard dash the most important event at each Games. Carl Lewis had Americans glued to their TVs for his runs in 1984 and 1988. Jesse Owens brought this country together at a time when it needed it most in 1936. However, the U.S. history at this event was weak as of late, with no American getting the gold in this event in 20 years. The last time it happened was Justin Gatlin in 2004.

Noah Lyles was considered the U.S.’s best chance to take gold in the race in a long time. He seemed like the fastest man at the Games, but there was some stiff competition. And boy, was there competition. This might be the closest race we’ve ever seen from a field in Olympics history. 

3. Kansas City Chiefs beat San Francisco 49ers in OT to win Super Bowl

Only once in history has the Super Bowl gone to overtime prior to the clock turning to the year 2024. It was the New England Patriots against the Atlanta Falcons, and it’s famous for so much more than just that overtime period (28-3 is still a set of numbers that haunts the city of Atlanta). This year, there were clearly two great teams in the NFL. The Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers were the top of the top, and they ended up playing in the Super Bowl. Not only did we get the matchup we were hoping for, but that matchup was tied after the clock hit 0:00 in the fourth quarter. 

After a relatively quiet first half with just 13 total points, the Chiefs and Niners started to go back and forth in the second half. The Chiefs scored 10 points in the third quarter, and they traded scores. A missed extra point to start the fourth quarter set the stage for a possible tie at the end of regulation. 

With the game tied, the 49ers were given a chance to end the game without giving the ball to Patrick Mahomes. They spent eight minutes conducting an impressive drive down the field, but they stalled in the red zone and kicked a field goal. That was a mistake.

We all knew what was going to happen next. The Chiefs didn’t make any mistakes and chose to make small plays to get down the field. They faced a fourth down (which was converted thanks to a Patrick Mahomes run), and two other third downs along the way, but it all ended with an unlikely hero. With the Chiefs on the three-yard line, Mahomes found a wide open Mecole Hardman for the Super Bowl-winning touchdown. It gave the Chiefs back-to-back Super Bowl wins, and now they are pushing for a three-peat.

2. Freddie Freeman does Kirk Gibson impression with World Series home run

Baseball has this knack for special moments. There’s something about the one v. one aspect of the game that makes it special. It’s one great pitcher against one great hitter. Of course, there are other nuances to the game, but this part is really what’s impactful. That’s why some of these moments last in our memory for decades. The Los Angeles Dodgers still talk about that Kirk Gibson at-bat at the 1988 World Series. 

This season, we thought too much about that at-bat because we might have seen the modern version of it. Let’s set the scenery. The Dodgers and Yankees, the two biggest teams in baseball, were facing off in the World Series. This was the 12th time these two have met to decide that year’s champion, but it’s the first time they’ve met in more than 40 years. It was also the first Yankees World Series appearance in 15 years. 

The Dodgers were down 3-2 in Game 1 at home. There were two outs in the 10th inning with usual starter Nelson Cortes on the mound. The bases were loaded after the Yankees intentionally walked Mookie Betts. Problem is, behind him was Freddie Freeman, possibly the hottest hitter in the postseason. Cortes sent a four-seam fastball down the middle, and Freeman swung for the fences.

Walk. Off. Home. Run. A walk-off home run is one of the most exciting plays in all of sports. For it to happen in the World Series to set the precedence for the rest of the series has to be very high on everyone’s list. The moment brought in viewers. It sent the home team home happy. It put the Yankees on their heels. And it will be the moment from this championship series. 

1. Simone Biles wins gold… again

The 2020 Olympic Games (which took place in 2021) had multiple clouds of negativity around it. It was a COVID Games, so there was no crowd and very few spectators overall. The big takeaways weren’t the athletics, but it was Sha’Carri Richardson getting dinged for a positive marijuana test, Belarusian sprinter Krystsina Tsimanouskaya was forced to seek asylum in Poland after criticizing her coaches, and some very nefarious bribery claims. However, the biggest storyline out of Tokyo was Simone Biles, who taught all non-gymnasts about the Twisties, and she was forced to step away from many of the events. 

Come 2024, most gymnasts would be long retired if they were Biles’ age. She’s 27 years old, while most gymnasts end their careers not long after they turn 21. Many were intrigued to see if Biles still “had it.” We learned pretty quickly we are still looking at possibly the best athlete in any sport across the world. 

Biles dominated in multiple events, taking home three gold medals and a silver. The most impressive was her continued dominance in the All-Around event. It’s basically taking an aggregate score of all the events. 

Biles actually made an uncharacteristic mistake on the uneven bars to put her behind, but she nailed the floor exercise, usually her best event, and was her usually dominant self on the vault. That was what pushed her past Sunisa Lee, her teammate and the reigning gold medalist, and Rebeca Andrade of Brazil to win the gold.