Point of View: A photo essay of the 2024 season | Part I

Photographer Jeff Bennett shares his perspective of the 2024 season as he breaks down five of his favorite photos.

There is crying in football

The realization of winning the NIAA 3A Division State seemed to set in for SLAM! Academy coach Mike Cofer after shaking the hands of coaches and players from Truckee High School. Tears started to fill Cofer's eyes before he took a knee and buried his head in his hands.

To me, the best photos from the state championship games aren't taken during the game but right after when emotions are at their highest. Players are yelling and jumping up and down with excitement, helmets flying and lots of hugs between coaches and players. Usually, it's the seniors crying in the arms of their coaches after winning their last high school contest, but it was nice to see the emotions taking over a coach and seeing how passionate he is for the game and his team.

Flag football takeover

Flying through the air on a cloudy day, Apex Predator Black quarterback and wide receiver Kaylie Phillips held onto the ball for a touchdown to help her team claim victory and eventually go on to win the high school girls division in the NFL FLAG Regional Tournament. By winning, the Apex Predators Black team went on to represent the Las Vegas Raiders in the NFL FLAG Championship.

Even before flag football was announced as an Olympic sport, the Las Vegas Raiders have been all in on the game. The Raiders sponsor the Silver and Black flag football leagues while also supporting local high school flag teams. With smaller sports normally not getting much love, it's been great seeing the Raiders give so much support an up-and-coming sport.

Bring your kids to work

It was smiles all morning long for Raiders wide receiver DJ Turner's kids as they got to explore Fire Station 11. The day started with meeting the firefighters, then they got a tour of the fire station where the kids got to sit in the fire truck. Their smiles were the biggest when Turner got to help his sons spray a fire hose.

One of the best parts of working for a sports team is getting to see who the players are off the field. The joy they get at the end of a training camp practice when their kids come running onto the field to greet them to the smiles on the sideline before games as they give their kids a hug and the special handshakes they share with their wives and girlfriends before heading back to the locker room. It's great to see that no matter what is going on, the players always prioritize their families.

New citizens

Tears of joy flowed down the faces of some of the 195 future Americans and their families during a Naturalization Ceremony at Allegiant Stadium on August 20, before the doors where open to fans for a Raiders training camp practice. After taking the Oath of Allegiance, those 195 new Americans waved their flags with pride as "God Bless America" played throughout the stadium.

A normal photo assignment for me relates to football in some way or another. One day I can find myself out at a football game and the next I'm at an event where fans are excited to meet their favorite players or Alumni. It's not often that an assignment takes me away from football and I get to experience something bigger than the game. Raiders fans will remember that day for the autographs they got or players they got to meet. But for those 195 people, that day will be remembered as the day their dreams came true.

The wait is over

All eyes were glued to the TV screens around OMNIA Nightclub after "The Pick Is In" graphic replaced a clock in the bottom corner of the screen. Fans at the Raiders' 2024 NFL Draft Party waited in anticipation for NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell to take the stage and announce, "With the 13th pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, the Las Vegas Raider select Brock Bowers, tight end, Georgia." Fans started cheering and confetti fell from the celling as one of the best tight ends in college football history was on his way to the Silver and Black.

Everyone had high expectations for Bowers as the team's No. 1 pick, but no one could have expected just how good his rookie year would be. With his name in the mix for Offensive Rookie of the Year, Bowers wowed the NFL with 112 receptions for 1,194 yards and five touchdowns on his way to becoming a Pro Bowler and fan favorite.