As the countdown to NFL kickoff and Thursday Night Football between the Kansas City Chiefs and Baltimore Ravens ticks down, there's another side of the gridiron equation that fans will be eager to see play out this season: what new culinary offerings are coming to stadium concession stands across the country.
While coaches prepped their playbooks and updated rosters, hospitality and culinary staffs for football arenas added a new slate of what they believe will become fan-favorite bites for the 2024 NFL season.
Whether you're a diehard fanatic ready to cheer on the 49ers at Levi's Stadium or the Saints at Caesars Superdome, "Good Morning America" took a peek around the league to share a few first-tastes of new savory and sweet bites added to the NFL venues this year.
From team logo-shaped soft pretzels to over-the-top nacho boxes, check out some of the new culinary creations for fans of teams in the AFC.
Kansas City Chiefs, GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium
A smattering of new offerings from Levy Restaurants are headed to the stands for fans of the defending Super Bowl champs, which will also hold the World's Largest Tailgate on Thursday as hosts Rob Riggle and Hayley Lewis oversee an array of food-related festivities complete with a sauce relay, cheeseburger assembly challenge and a large format riff on flip cup.
"If tailgating is an art in America then tailgating at Arrowhead is the Louvre," Riggle told "GMA." "Kansas City barbecue is the greatest in the world, and it's on full display during home games in KC. I have countless, wonderful memories in the heat, the cold, the rain and the snow of tailgating with friends and family over the decades. It's a happy place -- It's my happy place."
The city known for its barbecue scene will sell two new smoked brisket concessions this season, a sandwich with smoked brisket, provolone cheese, onion straws, and barbecue sauce on a toasted bun, and smoked brisket nachos topped with sausage queso and fresh corn salsa.
Other menu newcomers include Carne Asada Waffle Fries with ancho-rubbed tri-tip and queso blanco, Bang-Bang Chicken Bowls, and an all-beef KC Dog topped with brisket dip and jalapeno caviar.
Baltimore Ravens, M&T Bank Stadium
A new crab-shaped soft pretzel is served in a crab cage box with a side of crab dip for a taste of the classic Maryland appetizer.
With multiple snack options, the new B'More Nachos portable kiosks will plate-up stacks of nacho creations including the loaded Evermore Nachos, which are served in a giant book-shaped box inscribed with a poem.
Los Angeles Rams, Los Angeles Chargers, SoFi Stadium
SoFi Stadium, home to both the Los Angeles Rams and and Los Angeles Chargers, is tapping into a melting pot of cuisines with Mexican street food favorites like the Sinoloan-style snack chicken vampiros, mediterranean falafel cigars with a yogurt sauce and pickled red onion, as well as grilled corn on the cob and sweet churro bites for dessert.
Indianapolis Colts, Lucas Oil Stadium
Lucas Oil Stadium has a full slate of new food hitting digital menu boards for the 2024-25 season created by its hospitality partner Sodexo Live!.
Some highlights include The Ringer, a footlong corn dog lightly coated in honey and rolled in blue Taki crumbs; an Indiana hot chicken and waffle sandwich with roasted jalapeno apple slaw; and a Jumbo Colts Horseshoe soft pretzel served with Elysian beer cheese, local bourbon mustard and brisket jalapeno popper dip.
For dessert, there's a new riff on s'mores made with sweet potato fries, chocolate hazelnut drizzle, toasted marshmallow and a graham cracker crumble.
Waffle fries are a recurring staple among stadiums in the NFC this season, as are regionally-specific staples like Tabasco Chipotle Pepper Sauce in New Orleans and an Italian beef hot dog topped with hot giardiniera in Chicago.
Carolina Panthers, Bank of America Stadium
A popular loaded savory snack is joining the menu for Carolina Panthers fans this season in the form of Carne Asada Fries Waffle cut fries topped with queso blanco, ancho marinated steak, pico de gallo and lime crema.
Also available are the new Loaded Premium Nachos, which come with your choice of pulled pork or chicken, nacho cheese, pico de gallo, roasted corn, cotija cheese and chipotle crema. The new nachos can be found in the stadium's Carolina BBQ Stands section.
Seattle Seahawks, Lumen Field
The First N Goal Nacho Box comes in a 12-inch container filled with a bed of chips that's topped with queso blanco, barbecue pulled pork, pico de gallo and pickled jalapenos.
The new Footlong Dog, made with a Fletchers hot dog, is topped with braised short ribs, crispy onions and pickled shimeji mushrooms.
Easy snacks for football season: Chef Shota Nakajima's umami popcorn, Japanese corn dogs and nachos
New Orleans Saints, Caesars Superdome
Executive chef Lenny Martinsen from the Sodexo Live! team at Caesars Superdome, which will host Super Bowl LIX in February, told "GMA" he's most excited to see fans taste the new stuffed baked potatoes.
"New Orleans is synonymous with football and food, and it's on us to bring out the best flavors of the bayou each and every year," he said. "Our new loaded potatoes, whether topped with local Louisiana Crawfish or our own Housemade Turducken, are going to be a hit this fall."
There are four variations of the new Jumbo Stuffed Baked Potatoes: Steak and Mushroom with cheddar and green onion; Louisiana Favorite Crawfish with Parmesan cheese and green onion; Turducken Potato with cheddar and green onion; and a vegetarian option with wild mushroom, vegan cheese and green onions.
The Superdome will also serve up a BBQ Chicken Waffle Club Sandwich with smoked golden barbecue chicken, coleslaw, Tabasco Chipotle Pepper Sauce, toasted waffles and broccoli slaw served with french fries; a Hand Breaded Fried Shrimp Platter served with fries and Cajun remoulade; a triple-stack American Burger; a Burnt Ends Barbecue Burger; and a Mushroom Swiss Burger.
Chicago Bears, Soldier Field
The new Odunze Dog was crafted in collaboration with the team's new wide receiver, Rome Odunze, and the rookie's culinary introduction to the Windy City was inspired by an Italian Combo. A charred jalapeno-cheddar dog sits on a bed of slow cooked Italian beef, topped with hot giardiniera, cheddar cheese crumbles and a drizzle of Levy's secret sauce in a French roll. The new item will be available at concession stands in section 134.
The new Bear Claw Pretzel, meanwhile, will be served with a homemade beer cheese dip, whole grain mustard and cinnamon cream cheese icing. For fans who prefer savory or sweet, there's a taste of both. This pretzel is available at the United Club South Market and in suites.
Finally, the sweet new Bear Paw Donut, a chocolate-iced bear paw-shaped donut is topped with vanilla ice cream, caramel sauce, toffee pieces, orange and blue chocolate candies and whipped cream.
