With the conclusion of Super Bowl LIX, another NFL season has come and gone. Let’s take a look back at how the season fared for the Cyclones in the NFL.

Brock Purdy

Purdy and the San Francisco 49ers experienced a season full of ups and downs. 

Statistically speaking, Purdy had a very solid season. The third-year quarterback threw for 3,864 yards with 20 touchdowns and 12 interceptions in 15 games played. On top of the passing stats, Purdy also ran for an additional 323 yards and five touchdowns, both of which were career highs.

Despite Purdy’s solid season, his numbers didn’t quite stack up to the lofty standards he set in the 2023 season and neither did the 49ers record. 

The 49ers went from coming just short in the Super Bowl to missing the playoffs altogether in 2024 after going 6-11. However, a lot of this regression can be attributed to injuries, as the 49ers were missing many of their key players for large chunks of the season.

If the 49ers can come back healthier in 2025, there should be no reason why Purdy can’t lead them to a bounce-back season. 

David Montgomery

Montgomery and the Detroit Lions enjoyed a very successful 2024 season. 

Montgomery ran the ball for 775 yards and 12 touchdowns while also adding 341 yards through the air in 14 games played. 12 touchdowns is the second most Montgomery has had in a season in his career, and if not for the knee injury he suffered which kept him out for the final three regular-season games, he almost certainly would have set a new career-high.

Montgomery’s 12 touchdowns also ranked eighth in the league among running backs.

Montgomery and the Lions had the greatest regular season in franchise history, going 15-2, winning the NFC North for the second year in a row, and earning the No. 1 seed in the NFC playoffs.

Unfortunately for Montgomery and the Lions, their season ended earlier than many expected after suffering a 45-31 defeat to the Washington Commanders in the Divisional Round. 

Despite the loss, the Lions don’t look like they will be going away anytime soon, and there’s a good chance Montgomery and Detroit will have another great season in 2025.

Breece Hall

The New York Jets had a very disappointing season, to say the least. In the offseason, it was widely thought the Jets, with a healthy Aaron Rodgers, would make the playoffs and possibly be a Super Bowl contender. 

Unfortunately, the Jets could not come close to living up to those expectations. They went on to go 5-12 and never even came close to playoff contention, finishing with the seventh-worst record in the league.

However, this didn’t stop some Cyclones from having some productive seasons.

Hall had a slight dip in production from his 2023 output but had a solid season nonetheless. The third-year running back ran for 876 yards and five touchdowns while also adding 483 yards and three touchdowns through the air.

Hall was a bright spot on an offense that struggled throughout many parts of the season and projects to be one of the focal points on the Jets offense once again in 2025.

Will McDonald IV

Hall wasn’t the only Iowa State alum who played well for the Jets despite the team’s struggles. McDonald, a second-year edge rusher, had a breakout 2024 season. 

McDonald recorded a career-high 10.5 sacks after having just three in his rookie season. McDonald’s 10.5 sacks ranked 12th in the NFL and led the Jets, with the second-highest total by a Jet being six. 

The former first-round pick showed why the Jets selected him so high in the 2023 draft, but there is still room for improvement. McDonald had just 2.5 sacks in his final 10 games after having eight in his first seven games. 

If McDonald can become more consistent, he’ll be a problem for NFL offensive linemen for a long time.

Allen Lazard

Lazard had a very solid season by his standards in 2024. The seventh-year receiver hauled in 37 passes for 530 yards and six touchdowns on a career-high 14.3 yards per reception in 12 games. 

If it weren’t for an injury that kept him out for five games, there is a chance that Lazard could’ve set career highs in yards (788) and receiving touchdowns (eight).

Lazard has proven year after year that he can be a reliable target at wide receiver but with the Jets expected to part ways with Rodgers, who Lazard has played with for the majority of his career, whether with the Green Bay Packers or the New York Jets, it will be interesting to see how his career continues to play out.

Charlie Kolar

Kolar has seen more production year after year in his three-year career with the Baltimore Ravens. Kolar hauled in nine passes for 131 yards and one touchdown, averaging 14.6 yards per reception.

Kolar’s best game of the season — and his career — came in week five against the Cincinnati Bengals. Kolar hauled in three passes for 64 yards and a touchdown, which proved important in the Ravens’ 41-38 overtime win over the Bengals.

The Ravens had a very successful 2024 season, but it was ended by the Buffalo Bills in the Divisional round of the NFL Playoffs. 

Kolar showed flashes of his potential throughout the season despite being behind Mark Andrews and Isaiah Likely, two talented tight ends on the depth chart.

If Kolar can find a way to get onto the field more in 2025, there’s a chance he can make a name for himself.

Xavier Hutchinson

Hutchinson had the most productive season of his two-year career in 2024 with the Houston Texans. 

Hutchinson saw his playing time increase largely, due to injuries in the Texans wide receiver core. Hutchinson saw action in 16 games, hauling in 12 passes for 117 yards on 9.8 yards per reception.

Hutchinson did go on to have a bigger role in the playoffs. In the Texans’ 32-12 Wildcard win over the Los Angeles Chargers, Hutchinson had one catch for 34 yards.

In the Texans’ game against the Chiefs in the Divisional Round, Hutchinson had the most productive game of his career, catching four passes for 52 yards.

Unfortunately for Hutchinson and the Texans, they would have their seasons ended by the Chiefs in a 23-14 loss.

Jake Hummel

Hummel saw action in all 17 of the Los Angeles Rams’ regular season games, contributing mostly on special teams. 

The third-year linebacker recorded 17 tackles in the regular season and a blocked punt that led to a touchdown in the Rams’ thrilling 44-42 victory over the Buffalo Bills. 

Hummel also appeared in both of the Rams’ postseason games, recording one tackle.

The Rams defeated the Minnesota Vikings 27-9 in the Wild Card round before having their season ended by the eventual Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles in the Divisional Round.