Every NFL Team's Captains in 2025

The 2025 NFL season kicks off Thursday with the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles taking on their longtime hated rivals, the Dallas Cowboys.

Before the Eagles' quest to defend their title begins, NFL teams had one final piece of business to attend to.

After cutting down their rosters to 53 players, most teams have spent the days leading up to the season announcing which players would be their captains this year. Teams typically leave that decision to a player vote, although there's no fixed number of captains that each team must have, as you'll soon see.

Who made the cut this year? We've gathered the captains for every team here.

Arizona Cardinals

AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin

Kyler Murray and James Conner

QB Kyler Murray
RB James Conner
S Budda Baker
LB Calais Campbell
LB Mack Wilson Sr.
C Hjalte Froholdt
S Joey Blount

The big story here is Campbell.

After spending the first nine years of his NFL career with the Cardinals, he split the last eight between the Jacksonville Jaguars, Baltimore Ravens, Atlanta Falcons and Miami Dolphins. He returned to the desert this offseason and quickly won over his new teammates.

Murray and Baker have been named Cardinals captains for six straight years, while this is Conner's fourth consecutive nod. Wilson, Froholdt and Blount are all first-time captains.

Atlanta Falcons

AP Photo/Danny Karnik

Matthew Judon, Jessie Bates III and Kaden Elliss

QB Michael Penix Jr.
RG Chris Lindstrom
LT Jake Matthews
S Jessie Bates III
ILB Kaden Elliss
P Bradley Pinion

After he supplanted Kirk Cousins as the Falcons' starting quarterback late last season, Penix was named a captain for the first time this year. Joining him are two of his offensive linemen (Lindstrom and Matthews), both of whom were captains in 2023 as well. This is Matthews' fifth straight year being named a captain.

Bates, who earned his lone Pro Bowl nod and a second-team All-Pro spot in 2023, has been named a captain three years running. Elliss and Pinion are both first-time captains.

Baltimore Ravens

AP Photo/Adam Hunger

Lamar Jackson and John Harbaugh

The Ravens select weekly captains under head coach John Harbaugh.

Buffalo Bills

AP Photo/Erin Hooley

Josh Allen

QB Josh Allen
LB Terrel Bernard

Whereas other teams name as many as 6-8 captains, the Bills aren't messing around. They went with the league's reigning MVP (Allen) and their green-dot linebacker (Bernard), both of whom were captains last year as well.

This is Allen's seventh straight year being named a captain. As long as he stays healthy, the Bills might as well pencil him for 2026, too.

Carolina Panthers

AP Photo/Rusty Jones

Derrick Brown

QB Bryce Young
DT Derrick Brown
LS JJ Jansen

What a drastic turnaround for Young, who was benched midseason last year for veteran Andy Dalton.

When Dalton suffered a thumb injury in a car accident, Young returned under center and showed the flashes that convinced the Panthers to trade up for the No. 1 overall pick in 2023.

It's far less surprising to see Brown here, as the standout defensive tackle was named a captain last year as well. Jansen, who is the Panthers' franchise leader in games played (260), was named captain for the third time in his career.

Chicago Bears

AP Photo/Ed Zurga

Caleb Williams

QB Caleb Williams
LG Joe Thuney
DT Grady Jarrett
S Kevin Byard
K Cairo Santos

After running with eight captains in 2024, the Bears trimmed their list down to two players on offense, two on defense and one on special teams this year.

Williams got the nod for his second straight season after the Bears took him with the No. 1 overall pick in 2024, while Thuney and Jarrett earned it in their first year in Chicago.

Byard was a captain last year, while Santos is a captain for the first time in his career.

Cincinnati Bengals

AP Photo/Jeff Dean

Joe Burrow and Ja'Marr Chase

QB Joe Burrow
WR Ja'Marr Chase
C Ted Karras
OT Orlando Brown Jr.
DE Trey Hendrickson
DT B.J. Hill
LB Logan Wilson

The Bengals' offense carried them last year, so it's only fitting that four of their seven captains come from that side of the ball.

Burrow, Karras and Brown were all captains last year as well, but Chase is joining them as a captain for the first time in his career.

On defense, Hendrickson, Hill and Wilson are all first-time captains. Hendrickson is the NFL's reigning sack leader, and he recently came to terms with the Bengals on a reworked contract that ended his hold-in.

Cleveland Browns

AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson

Myles Garrett and Denzel Ward

QB Joe Flacco
LG Joel Bitonio
Edge Myles Garrett
CB Denzel Ward
P Corey Bojorquez

Flacco won the Browns' quarterback battle two years after guiding them to an improbable playoff run. He'll be representing the offense alongside Bitonio, who was a captain last year and has been named to the Pro Bowl in each of the past seven seasons.

Garrett and Ward are among the best players at their respective positions leaguewide, so they were no-brainer selections for captains. Bojorquez earned his first captain nod this season.

Dallas Cowboys

AP Photo/Jeffrey McWhorter

Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb

QB Dak Prescott
WR CeeDee Lamb
DT Osa Odighizuwa
S Donovan Wilson
CB C.J. Goodwin
K Brandon Aubrey

The Cowboys named two captains on offense, two on defense and two on special teams, and they plan to add a "captain of the week" beginning in Week 2.

First-year head coach Brian Schottenheimer originally planned on only having four, but he changed his mind after seeing how the voting played out.

On offense, Prescott and Lamb were no-brainers. With Micah Parsons now in Green Bay, Schottenheimer is counting on Odighizuwa and Wilson to assert themselves as some of the new leaders on defense. And Goodwin and Aubrey earned the nods for special teams.

Denver Broncos

AP Photo/Kareem Elgazzar

Courtland Sutton and Bo Nix

QB Bo Nix
RG Quinn Meinerz
WR Courtland Sutton
DT D.J. Jones
S Talanoa Hufanga
ILB Alex Singleton
K Wil Lutz

The Broncos kept it simple by going with three captains on offense, three captains on defense and one on special teams. Six of their seven captains this year were also captains in 2024.

The one exception is Jones, who spent the first five years of his NFL career with the San Francisco 49ers before landing in Denver ahead of the 2022 campaign. Jones signed a three-year, $39 million extension with the Broncos in March and added a captain's patch to his jersey six months later.

Detroit Lions

AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

Jared Goff and Amon-Ra St. Brown

QB Jared Goff
WR Amon-Ra St. Brown
RT Penei Sewell
Edge Aidan Hutchinson
LB Alex Anzalone
LB Grant Stuard

The Lions largely ran back their same captains from last year, only with Stuard replacing Jalen Reeves-Maybin (who departed in free agency) as the special teams representative.

According to Richard Silva of The Detroit News, Goff and Anzalone have been named captains in each of their five years with the Lions. Sewell and St. Brown have been selected three times each, and this is Hutchinson's second straight nod.

Green Bay Packers

AP Photo/Derik Hamilton

Matt LaFleur and Jordan Love

Head coach Matt LaFleur told reporters that the Packers formed a leadership council this year and could "potentially" have captains.

We'll update this slide if they do announce them.

Houston Texans

AP Photo/Jerome Miron

Nico Collins and C.J. Stroud

QB C.J. Stroud
RB Dare Ogunbowale
WR Nico Collins
DE Will Anderson Jr.
LB Azeez Al-Shaair

After going with seven captains in 2024, the Texans dropped down to five this year. Stroud and Anderson have been captains for each of the past three seasons, while Al-Shaair has been for two years running.

Ogunbowale and Collins are making their debut as Texans captains. Ogunbowale was also captain with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2019.

Indianapolis Colts

AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack

Zaire Franklin, DeForest Buckner, Grover Stewart and Kenny Moore II

QB Daniel Jones
DT DeForest Buckner
LB Zaire Franklin
CB Kenny Moore II
G Quenton Nelson

The Colts didn't have any real surprises with their captain picks. Nelson, Moore, Franklin and Buckner have all been captains in at least each of the past four seasons, while Jones was a captain for six years running with the New York Giants before landing with the Colts this offseason.

According to Amanda Foster of the team's website, Jones "has impressed his teammates and coaches alike with his work ethic and determination to assimilate with his teammates as quickly as possible." When he won the quarterback battle over 2023 No. 4 overall pick Anthony Richardson, he earned his captain spot as well.

Jacksonville Jaguars

AP Photo/John Raoux

Foyesade Oluokun

QB Trevor Lawrence
DE Josh Hines-Allen
LB Foyesade Oluokun
P Logan Cooke
CB Jourdan Lewis
C Robert Hainsey

The Jaguars are hoping new head coach Liam Coen can help Lawrence and the rest of their offense reach new heights. But for now, they'll rely on defensive standouts such as Hines-Allen and Oluokun to set the tone for the team as captains.

According to John Oehser of the team's website, Coen also plans to name a seventh "rotating" captain each week.

Kansas City Chiefs

AP Photo/Reed Hoffmann

Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid

Last year, the Chiefs only selected captains for the playoffs.

Can Taylor Swift get an honorary nod this year?

Las Vegas Raiders

AP Photo/Rick Scuteri

Maxx Crosby

QB Geno Smith
Edge Maxx Crosby
P AJ Cole

The Raiders kept it simple with their captain picks, choosing only one on offense, one on defense and one on special teams.

Although the Raiders figure to lean heavily on tight end Brock Bowers and running back Ashton Jeanty, they gave the nod on offense to their new starting quarterback. Crosby is one of the most feared edge-rushers in the NFL and has been a captain for five straight years, while Cole has been a captain each of the past four seasons.

Los Angeles Chargers

AP Photo/Greg M. Cooper

Bradley Bozeman and Justin Herbert

QB Justin Herbert
LT Joe Alt
C Bradley Bozeman
LB Daiyan Henley
S Derwin James Jr.
Edge Khalil Mack

The Chargers chose three offensive captains and three defensive captains, along with an alternate on each side of the ball.

Veteran wide receiver Keenan Allen is the alternate on offense, while linebacker Denzel Perryman is the alternate on defense.

Picking two offensive linemen underscores how important their jobs are in keeping Herbert upright this season.

James and Mack are among the best at their respective positions in the NFL, while Henley is a first-time captain after leading the team with 147 total tackles last season.

Los Angeles Rams

AP Photo/Chris Szagola

Matthew Stafford and Kyren Williams

QB Matthew Stafford
RT Rob Havenstein
RB Kyren Williams
DE Kobie Turner
ILB Nate Landman
S Quentin Lake
P Ethan Evans

The Rams went with three captains on offense, three on defense and one on special teams. Stafford and Havenstein have been captains for at least each of the past four years, but Williams is making his debut as one this year.

On defense, Turner and Lake were both captains last season as well. Landman, who signed with the Rams in free agency this offseason, appears to have quickly won over his teammates.

Miami Dolphins

AP Photo/Lynne Sladky

Zach Sieler and Bradley Chubb

QB Tua Tagovailoa
C Aaron Brewer
FB Alec Ingold
LB Jordyn Brooks
DL Zach Sieler
Edge Bradley Chubb

The Dolphins went with three captains on offense and three on defense. Tagovailoa, Ingold and Sieler were captains last year as well, while Brewer, Brooks and Chubb are all first-timers.

Notably absent from that group is veteran wide receiver Tyreek Hill, who was not voted a captain for the first time since he joined the Dolphins in 2022, according to ESPN's Marcel Louis-Jacques.

Although he later apologized for his end-of-season meltdown, it's clear he still has work to do to regain the trust of his teammates.

Minnesota Vikings

AP Photo/Abbie Parr

Aaron Jones and Justin Jefferson

QB J.J. McCarthy
RB Aaron Jones Sr.
WR Justin Jefferson
RT Brian O'Neill
OLB Jonathan Greenard
S Joshua Metellus
S Harrison Smith
LS Andrew DePaola

The Vikings are tied with the Philadelphia Eagles with their NFL-leading eight captains. Smith, O'Neill, Metellus and Jefferson have all been captains for at least each of the last three seasons, while DePaola earned his second straight nod.

McCarthy, Jones and Greenard are all making their debut as Vikings captains this year. They're each heading into their second season with the organization.

New England Patriots

AP Photo/Charles Krupa

Drake Maye and Hunter Henry

QB Drake Maye
TE Hunter Henry
LB Robert Spillane
CB Marcus Jones
Edge Harold Landry III
S Brenden Schooler

Henry is the Patriots' only repeat captain from last year. They're otherwise introducing plenty of fresh blood to the mix, including second-year quarterback Maye, who wound up making the Pro Bowl as a rookie.

Spillane arrived in New England this offseason after spending the past two seasons with the Las Vegas Raiders, where he was a captain both years. Jones, Landry and Schooler are all first-time captains along with Maye.

New Orleans Saints

AP Photo/Brynn Anderson

Demario Davis and Cameron Jordan

WR Brandin Cooks
K Blake Grupe
S Justin Reid
RB Alvin Kamara
LS Zach Wood
LB Demario Davis
C/G Erik McCoy
DE Cameron Jordan

The Saints are the only team that did not name their starting quarterback as one of their captains. Instead, they went with a blend of established veterans on both sides of the ball.

Davis, Jordan, Kamara, Wood and McCoy have each been captains for at least three years. Cooks, Grupe and Reid are first-time Saints captains.

New York Giants

AP Photo/Frank Franklin II

Kayvon Thibodeaux, Bobby Okereke and Dexter Lawrence

QB Russell Wilson
WR Darius Slayton
OLB Brian Burns
DL Dexter Lawrence
ILB Bobby Okereke

Okereke and Lawrence are the only repeat captains for the Giants, although Wilson and Burns were captains on their previous teams.

In fact, Wilson has been a captain for 13 straight years between the Seattle Seahawks, Denver Broncos, Pittsburgh Steelers and now the Giants.

Slayton, the Giants' longest-tenured player on offense, earned a captain nod for the first time in his career.

New York Jets

AP Photo/John Amis

Quinnen Williams

QB Justin Fields
RG Alijah Vera-Tucker
WR Garrett Wilson
LB Jamien Sherwood
DT Quinnen Williams
LB Marcelino McCrary-Ball

Other than Williams, the Jets have an entirely new set of captains this year.

Fields is replacing Aaron Rodgers both as a captain and as starting quarterback, while this will be Wilson's first time as a team captain.

Vera-Tucker, Sherwood and McCrary-Ball are all first-time captains as well.

Philadelphia Eagles

AP Photo/Matt Slocum

Jalen Hurts and Saquon Barkley

QB Jalen Hurts
RB Saquon Barkley
WR A.J. Brown
RT Lane Johnson
LT Jordan Mailata
LB Zack Baun
S Reed Blankenship
K Jake Elliott

When you win the Super Bowl, you're allowed to have more captains than almost any other team.

Fresh off only the ninth 2,000-rushing-yard season in NFL history, Barkley was named a captain for the first time with the Eagles.

Baun and Blankenship are the other first-time captains, while Hurts, Brown, Johnson, Mailata and Elliott have all been captains before.

Pittsburgh Steelers

AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar

Cameron Heyward and T.J. Watt

QB Aaron Rodgers
DT Cameron Heyward
Edge T.J. Watt
S Miles Killebrew

There aren't any surprises here. Heyward has been a team captain for 11 years running (!), while Watt and Killebrew were captains each of the past three seasons as well.

Rodgers is making his debut as a Steelers captain this year, although he was a captain with the Green Bay Packers 12 times and was twice with the New York Jets as well.

San Francisco 49ers

AP Photo/Abbie Parr

Christian McCaffrey and Brock Purdy

QB Brock Purdy
RB Christian McCaffrey
TE George Kittle
LT Trent Williams
FB Kyle Juszczyk
LB Fred Warner
Edge Nick Bosa
CB Deommodore Lenoir

The 49ers ran back seven of their eight captains from the 2024 season, although Lenoir is making his debut as a captain this year. Kittle has been a captain for each of the past eight years, while Warner and Williams each have been for six straight.

Purdy, fresh off signing a massive five-year, $265 million extension, earned his third straight captain nod, as did Bosa. McCaffrey landed his second, although he was also a captain with the Carolina Panthers from 2019 through 2022.

Seattle Seahawks

AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson

Sam Darnold and Mike Macdonald

The Seahawks named captains on a weekly basis last year and figure to do the same this season.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

AP Photo/Peter Joneleit

Baker Mayfield and Mike Evans

QB Baker Mayfield
LT Tristan Wirfs
WR Mike Evans
LB Lavonte David
DT Vita Vea
S Antoine Winfield Jr.

The Buccaneers ran back the exact same captains they had both in 2023 and 2024.

David has been a Buccaneers captain for 12 straight years, while Evans has for nine years and Vea has for four years. Mayfield, Winfield and Wirfs have been captains for each of the past three seasons.

Tennessee Titans

AP Photo/Brynn Anderson

Calvin Ridley and Cam Ward

QB Cam Ward
RB Tony Pollard
WR Calvin Ridley
DT Jeffery Simmons
S Amani Hooker
LB Cody Barton
LS Morgan Cox

Five of the Titans' seven captains are new this year. Simmons, who's been a captain for five straight years, and Cox, who's been one for three straight years, are the only two holdovers.

The newcomers include Ward, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft, and Barton, who signed with the Titans as a free agent in March.

Washington Commanders

AP Photo/Adam Hunger

Dan Quinn and Jayden Daniels

The Commanders named captains on a weekly basis last year.

Zach Selby of the team website believes they'll use the same approach this year.