The National Football League kicked off its season last week to the traditional hype. There were expectations satisfied, rising stars, tragic injuries and controversial calls. Never a dull moment in America’s game. The New England Patriots seek to win back-to-back championships… again. The Oakland Raiders seek to get out of their slump. We picked a song for each team to use as its theme song. We picked some classics and some summer hits. Some of the songs come from rappers from the region. Others are just solid tracks that match the energy of the team. Check out the list and let us know what you think in the comments section.
AFC East
New England Patriots
2014 Record: 12-4
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Theme Song: Drake “Back To Back”
The reigning Super Bowl champions can seek to maintain their title with this Drake track. This song will be especially intriguing when New England hosts Meek Mill’s hometown team the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 13. The Patriots did win it all twice in a row back in 2004 and 2005. The only six other teams have accomplished such a feat. Tom Brady seems like his usual elite self despite the distraction of “Deflategate.” He was 25-of-32 for 288 yards and four touchdowns for the victory in the season opener against the Steelers.
Buffalo Bills
2014 Record: 9-7
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Theme Song: 50 Cent “I Get Money”
The Buffalo Bills are now led by former Ravens backup quarterback Tyrod Taylor. To celebrate his promotion, reportedly Taylor invested in a diamond-encrusted mouthguard. Flashy, huh? Even though the rumors were false, 50 Cent would approve. But the quarterback proved his confidence is more than talk when he led his team to a 27-14 win over Andrew Luck and the Colts. With Percy Harvin at receiver and LeSean McCoy and rookie Karlos Williams at running back, look for this offense to make a statement.
Miami Dolphins
2014 Record: 8-8
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Theme Song: Gunplay “Tell ‘Em”
The Miami rapper released his debut album, Living Legend, in August. After facing a possible life sentence for gun-related charges, Gunplay has found a new sense of purpose and the industry has noticed. In a similar way, the Dolphins need to reignite their passion for the game. After years of mediocrity, Miami is hoping rookie receiver DeVante Parker can heal quickly from a foot injury and rookie linebacker Chris McCain can breakout to make an impact. Ndamukong Suh is a welcome addition to the defense.
New York Jets
2014 Record: 4-12
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Theme Song: A$AP Rocky “Lord Pretty Flaco Jodye Pt 2”
The New York Jets have been less than fantastic for the past few years. We picked an A$AP Rocky song for them last year, and we are gonna toss in one again. Not everybody understands the Harlem rapper’s psychedelic vibes, but he is confident in himself. Defensive-minded head coach Todd Bowles is similar in that he is not your conventional coach in the modern offensive powerhouses of the NFL, but he has confidence in what he does. Darrelle Revis remains a problem for opponents and will continue to be a strong leader. On the offense, look out for running back Chris Ivory.
AFC North
Pittsburgh Steelers
2014 Record: 11-5
Theme Song:Mac Miller “Smile Back”
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The Pittsburgh Steelers were back to their winning ways last season, led by quarterback Ben Roethlisberger’s league-high 4,952 passing yards. The Black and Yellow added Michael Vick just for a little protection. DeAngelo Williams and Antonio Brown help anchor the offense. A close loss to the Patriots was not the best season opener for the Steelers, but look for them to quickly rebound.
Cincinnati Bengals
2014 Record: 10-5-1
Theme Song: Young Butta “Wow”
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The Bengals can use this jam from the Cincinnati rapper, produced by The Bakery and Hi-Tek, to make opponents say, “Wow.” Andy Dalton has done a decent job leading his squad so far. A new four-year, $60 million extension for wide receiver AJ Green should give him the confidence to keep playing at the all-pro level. With the addition of offensive linemen Cedric Ogbuehi and Jake Fisher in the draft, the offense should be running on all cylinders.
Baltimore Ravens
2014 Record: 10-6
Theme Song:Public Enemy “Shut ‘Em Down”
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Before the season started, ESPN’s Jamison Hensley wrote an editorial saying that the Ravens do not rebuild, they reload. And that certainly seems to be the case. Baltimore has not had a losing season since 2007. Elvis Dumervil was third-best in the league last year with 17 sacks. Fellow linebacker Terrell Suggs is out for the season with an Achilles heel injury, but the team quickly signed Jason Babin. The Ravens don’t skip a beat, much like Public Enemy.
Cleveland Browns
2014 Record: 7-9
Theme Song:Bone Thugs-N-Harmony featuring Tupac “Thug Luv”
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The Cleveland Browns are still struggling to just finish over .500. A disastrous 31-10 loss in week one to the Jets is a league-high 11th straight season-opening loss. Quarterback Josh McCown suffered a concussion in the game, which gives Johnny Manziel the reins. Hopefully Manziel is refocused after attending rehab earlier this year. The Browns drafted Miami Hurricanes stud Duke Johnson to bring some horsepower to the offense.
AFC South
Indianapolis Colts
2014 Record: 11-5
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Theme Song:Killer Mike featuring T.I. “Ready, Set, Go”
The Colts finished 11-5 for the third straight season last year. Andrew Luck has masterfully guided his team to the playoffs with a hut one, hut two, but has yet to take Indianapolis to the Super Bowl. Last year, he finished third in the league with 4,761 passing yards. With a new collection of arsenal in wide receivers Andre Johnson and Phillip Dorsett and running back Frank Gore, the Colts offense is ready to go for another high-powered season.
Houston Texans
2014 Record: 9-7
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Theme Song: Slim Thug featuring Paul Wall and Z-Ro “Houston”
Shout out to an anonymous reader who suggested this song on last year’s list. Slim Thug is a Houston veteran and this jam featuring fellow H-Town hitters Paul Wall and Z-Ro will keep the Texans on track. They had a solid turnaround, going from 2-14 in 2013 to 9-7 last season. The team will be powered by the defense, led by J.J. Watt. The offense will miss the departure of wide receiver Andre Johnson and star running back Arian Foster will miss the beginning of the season recovering from groin surgery.
Jacksonville Jaguars
2014 Record: 3-13
Theme Song:Kendrick Lamar “Alright”
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Jacksonville, Jacksonville, Jacksonville. It’s been a while since anything has gone the Jaguars way. Their last winning season was in 2007 when they finished 11-7. With a season under his belt, quarterback Blake Bortles will seek to step up as a leader, but had one touchdown and two interceptions in the opening loss to the Panthers. He was sacked five times, so the offensive line needs to build confidence and strength as well. Hopefully, this inspirational track from Kendrick Lamar can make the Jaguars believe that they gonna be alright.
Tennessee Titans
2014 Record: 2-14
Theme Song:Gangsta Boo “Itching”
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The Titans are itching to get back to their 2008 form when they won the division with a 13-3 record. Since then, Tennessee has been less than spectacular. Look for Oregon rookie quarterback Marcus Mariota to bring some fresh energy to the team. He finished 13-of-16 for 209 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions in the opening win against the Buccaneers. A solid start, I would say.
AFC West
Denver Broncos
2014 Record: 12-4
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Theme Song:Future “Commas”
Demaryius Thomas and the Dallas Cowboys’ Dez Bryant each signed five-year, $70 million deals in the offseason. Now that’s some serious commas. With Bryant out up to 12 weeks with a foot injury, that leaves DT as the highest-paid wide receiver on the field. Peyton Manning is probably past his prime, but DT and Emmanuel Sanders will help continue his success.
Kansas City Chiefs
2014 Record: 9-7
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Theme Song:Tech N9ne “Speedom (WWC2)” featuring Eminem and Krizz Kaliko
Nothing in Hip Hop says Kansas City like Tech N9ne and this Eminem-featured track is sure to fire up the team and the fans, who are just as passionate as Technicians. Defensive end Allen Bailey made some noise when he had two sacks in the opening win against the Texans. Quarterback Alex Smith had three touchdowns in the first half of the game and finished with 243 yards.
San Diego Chargers
2014 Record: 9-7
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Theme Song:Kanye West “All of the Lights” featuring Kid Cudi and Rihanna
“Charged Up” would be a great selection for the Chargers, but only in title. Drake’s first Meek Mill diss track doesn’t exactly pump anybody up. So instead, the Chargers will use this Kanye hit, overwhelming opponents with all of their bolts of lightning. Quarterback Phillip Rivers led the league opening week with 404 passing yards with a win over the Lions. The Bolts added Georgia running back Melvin Gordon to help power the offense and linebackers Denzel Perryman from Miami and Kyle Emmanuel from North Dakota State and cornerback Craig Mager from Texas State to bring some energy to the defense.
Oakland Raiders
2014 Record: 3-13
Theme Song:Paris “Break the Grip of Shame”
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Yes, N.W.A gave the Raiders national exposure when the group wore their gear in the late 1980s and early 1990s. N.W.A is resurging in popularity with Straight Outta Compton, but since the Raiders aren’t in LA anymore, it just doesn’t make sense for us to pick one of their songs. Instead, the Raiders can use this track from Bay Area vet Paris to break out of their shameful ways, having more losses than wins since 8-8 in 2011. They have not broken past the .500 mark since an 11-5 finish in 2002. In the draft, Oakland picked up Alabama wide receiver Amari Cooper and Miami players Clive Walford and Jon Feliciano to help the offense. Quarterback Derek Carr now has his rookie season under his belt and can start to lead this team with confidence.
NFC East
Dallas Cowboys
2014 Record: 12-4
Theme Song:A.Dd+ “The Rhyme & The Rhythm”
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We were given a glimpse of the Dallas rap scene by Compton rapper Justus. This cut from A.Dd+ is the perfect hype track for the Cowboys, who squeaked past the Giants in the season opener. Tony Romo had a solid game with 356 passing yards. Last year’s leading rusher, Demarco Murray, left for the Eagles and left a big hole to fill. Joseph Randle had 65 yards in week one, but it’s not quite the same. Hopefully, the offense can find its rhythm quickly.
Philadelphia Eagles
2014 Record: 10-6
Theme Song:Meek Mill “Amen” featuring Drake
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2012 was a forgettable year for the Eagles, when this track was released. Meek Mill apparently forgot about that year and this jam with Drake when he called the Toronto rapper out this summer for not writing his own raps. It’s still a great song and the Eagles can use it as they say a prayer for this season. Quarterback Sam Bradford made his debut in the green and white after missing the 2014 season with the Rams sitting out with an injury. The Eagles are rolling the dice on the injury-prone quarterback, but also have Mark Sanchez in their arsenal.
New York Giants
2014 Record: 6-10
Theme Song:Jay Z “Big Pimpin’” featuring UGK
Jay Z is currently in court defending the use of the iconic sample in “Big Pimpin’” because the song is larger than life, just like the Giants hope to be. Eli Manning’s 5-year $101 million contract extension did not quite make him the highest paid player in the league like he asked, but he’s still spending cheese. The Giants defense forced three turnovers in the season opener. Even though the game was an L for New York, it was close enough to offer hope for the season.
Washington Redskins
2014 Record: 4-12
Theme Song:Logic “Under Pressure”
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While the DMV area waits for Wale’s go-go album and Logic’s sophomore LP, they can continue to jam to this cut from Logic’s first album. The weight of the Redskins offense falls on Kirk Cousins’ shoulders with Desean Jackson out 3-4 weeks with a hamstring injury and Robert Griffin III just plain struggling. RG3 didn’t even dress for the season opener. Washington took Iowa lineman Brandon Scherff in the draft. The rookie fared well in his first NFL game against the menacing Ndamukong Suh. Let’s just say the team is under pressure this year.
NFC North
Green Bay Packers
2014 Record: 12-4
Theme Song:Rick Ross “MMG Untouchable”
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The Cheese Heads should get pumped to this Rick Ross jam where the rapper talks about his “cheese dripping.” The Packers started the season with a strong win over the Bears after reaching the conference championship last season. Aaron Rodgers was last season’s MVP and went 18-of-23 for 189 yards and three touchdowns. Youngin’ Davante Adams and veteran James Jones team up to be quite the dynamic duo for Rodgers to throw to. And Eddie Lacy put himself on pace for another quality season with 85 yards in the game.
Detroit Lions
2014 Record: 11-5
Theme Song:Eminem “Til I Collapse”
The Detroit Lions made it to the playoffs last year for the first time since 2011. Quarterback Matthew Stafford is continuing to solidify himself as a leader. Tight end Eric Ebron burst onto the scene last year with 25 receptions for 248 yards, an average of 9.9 yards per catch. Nebraska rookie running back Ameer Abdullah hopes to follow in his footsteps transitioning from a successful college career to the pros.
Minnesota Vikings
2014 Record: 7-9
Theme Song:Tedashii “Make War”
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This cut from the Reach Records artist will inspire the Vikings to pillage opponents like their namesake did. Minnesota’s opening game against the 49ers was pretty terrible. Their only score was a field goal in the fourth quarter. 22-year-old quarterback Teddy Bridgewater looked like a deer in the headlights in the primetime game. Adrian Peterson is back after missing all but one game last season because of allegations of child abuse. He had a meager 31 yards in the game, but will hopefully provide some veteran leadership to the team. Anthony Barr set the tone defensively with 12 tackles. Last season, his rookie year, he had 70 tackles and four sacks in 12 games played.
Chicago Bears
2014 Record: 5-11
Theme Song:L.E.P. Bogus Boys “Chicago Niggaz”
This cut from the rap group should encourage the Bears to even hustle in the snow. Chicago the city has its fair share of struggles and the football team has not exactly brought it hope. The Bears went to the Super Bowl in 2007, but haven’t done much since then. This song about facing the realities in the world will motivate head coach John Fox to figure out how to manage the team he was handed.
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NFC South
Carolina Panthers
2014 Record: 7-8-1
Theme Song: Dr. Dre “Talk About It” f. King Mez and Justus
King Mez made his name known on Dr. Dre’s Compton album. The North Carolina emcee is helping to put his state on the map and the Panthers can channel his energy. Just like Dr. Dre’s team worked so fluidly to create the chart-topping album, the Panthers need to work together to get back to winning form. Cam Newton has struggled to keep a consistent offense. But Luke Kuechly, who led the league with 153 tackles last season, will make sure the defense stays stalwart.
New Orleans Saints
2014 Record: 7-9
Theme Song:Lil Wayne “A Milli”
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Lil Wayne is well past his Cash Money glory days, but at the time of his song, he was at the height of his career. This song would have been in heavy rotation when the Saints won the 2010 Super Bowl, bringing hope to the entire community during the recovery process of Hurricane Katrina. Quarterback Drew Brees is still in top shape, finishing with a league-high 4,952 passing yards last season. The running game needs to kick into gear. Mark Ingram and Khiry Robinson combined for a lowly 43 yards in the opening loss to Arizona.
Atlanta Falcons
2014 Record: 6-10
Theme Song: Young Dro “Takeoff” f. Yung LA
Under the leadership of new head coach Dan Quinn, the Falcons should be ready to takeoff to a better season than last year. They went 6-10 in their first season without tight end Tony Gonzalez. A win over the Eagles to open the season should serve as good momentum. Matt Ryan went 23-of-34 for 298 yards and two touchdowns. On the defense, rookies and fellow Clemson teammates Vic Beasely and Grady Jarrett have already proven why they should be on opponents’ radars.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
2014 Record: 2-14
Theme Song:Vince Staples “Señorita”
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The Tampa Bay Buccaneers look to Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston to lead them into the future. It can’t get much worse than last year’s 2-14 effort. Winston has had his fair share of off-the-field troubles, but was able to make light of allegedly stealing crab legs when he posted a picture with them after draft day. Always one to keep it real, Vince Staples details life in the gang-ridden streets of Long Beach when he raps about being a crab in a bucket and being called a crab for his affiliation with the Crips. Staples also referenced Winston when he said he would have free crab legs at a Florida State concert. As the Bucs seek to climb their way out of obscurity, they will hope other teams don’t drag them back down.
NFC West
Seattle Seahawks
2014 Record: 12-4
Theme Song:Mistah F.A.B. “Marshawn Lynch”
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We were thinking of choosing Macklemore’s “Downtown” for the Seattle rapper’s hometown Seahawks…. but naw. With the addition of Jimmy Graham, there is too much swag on this team for that. And with Russell Wilson dating Ciara, Future’s bangers are a no-no. So instead, the Seahawks can get hyped with this track honoring Beast Mode. In last year’s Super Bowl, the world was shocked when, at the 1-yard line, Wilson threw an interception into the end zone instead of handing it off to his superstar running back. Months later, Marshawn Lynch admitted that he expected to be given the ball. But what can you do? This year, the Hawks started with a rough overtime loss to the Rams. This time, Lynch was given the ball on the last play of the game, but was stopped on fourth down. He still got 73 yards on the day and showed why he is considered one of the league’s elite.
Arizona Cardinals
2014 Record: 11-5
Theme Song:The Game “Red Nation”
The only person who wears red more than the Cardinals all-red uniforms is The Game.This song can give the Cardinals a renewed sense of team spirit. Carson Palmer seems fully recovered from an ACL tear that cut his season short last year. He was stellar in the season opener, throwing 19-of-32 for 307 yards and three touchdowns. He has quite the squad around him including running backs Andre Ellington and Chris Johnson, tight end Darren Fells and superstar wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald. Don’t forget the defense anchored by backs Patrick Peterson and Tyrann “Honey Badger” Mathieu. Can we still call him that?
San Francisco 49ers
2014 Record: 8-8
Theme Song:E-40 “Choices (Yup)”
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The Bay Area legend delivers his cut with a music video featuring many celebrities, including 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick. The numbers were not stellar in the season-opening win, but the five-year veteran plays with confidence and poise and that is all new head coach Jim Tomsula needs. The 49ers took a blow when they lost Frank Gore, but Carlos Hyde filled in nicely, gaining 168 yards on 26 carries. Kaepernick is quite mobile as well and San Francisco signed Reggie Bush to give some extra depth at the position.
St. Louis Rams
2014 Record: 6-10
Theme Song: Thi’sl “Flex (Drop 40)” featuring Dee-1
The Rams can use this jam from the St. Louis native to inspire them to a better season than last year. An overtime win over the defending NFC Champion Seahawks certainly sets the right tone. Georgia rookie running back Todd Gurley could make his debut soon after recovering from an ACL tear. The Rams added four offensive linemen in the draft as well. The defense sacked Seattle’s quarterback six times. Two of those came from Aaron Donald, who finished with nine tackles on the day.
