With a world championship, two coaching changes and a back-to-back last-place finish, 2024 was a year filled with the highest highs and the lowest lows for Boston sports.

But Bostonians aren’t bandwagoners – and Herald readers remained faithful to keeping up with the latest athletic news all year, win or lose.

See here the Herald’s most popular sports stories from every beat in 2024.

Patriots:

The inside story of the Patriots’ fall to rock bottom in the Bill Belichick era. A last-place finish in 2023 with the GOAT Bill Belichick at the helm. What went wrong for the Patriots? The Herald interviewed more than a dozen team sources to find out.
Callahan: Bill Belichick made his first move. So what comes next in New England? In December 2024, we all know what came next for the Patriots after their 4-13 season, but back in January, rumors and speculation were everywhere regarding the Patriots’ future.
Patriots free agency tracker and grades: Every signing, rumor and breaking news. The Boston Herald was a go-to destination for real-time updates and analysis amid NFL free agency.

Red Sox:

Stacy Wakefield, wife of late Red Sox pitcher Tim Wakefield, dies at 53. The Red Sox community was heartbroken to hear that Stacy Wakefield passed away in February from cancer, just months after her husband, late Red Sox pitcher Tim Wakefield, died from cancer as well.
OBF: Resurgent ace Chris Sale painfully added to the ‘WCWGPLT’ list. With Chris Sale doing well in Atlanta, Herald columnist Bill Speros asked the question many had been thinking: Why can’t we get players like that?
Ex-Red Sox target Jordan Montgomery says ‘Boras kind of butchered’ his free agency. Jordan Montgomery eventually signed with the Diamondbacks, but apparently, he would have been interested in the Red Sox, if not for his former agent.

High school:

Long-time official Don McGillicuddy passes away during state tournament game. Tragedy struck during a Watertown girls’ basketball game when veteran official Don McGillicuddy collapsed during the game.
2023 football all-scholastics and league all-stars. The Herald took time to acknowledge standouts from the 2023 high school football season.
Massachusetts all-time high school football leaders. In August, the Herald released an updated list of all-time state football leaders.

Celtics:

Wyc Grousbeck announces he’s selling Celtics. Following the Celtics’ world championship, majority owner Wyc Grousbeck declared he was putting the team up for sale. You can also read our follow-up with everything to know about the decision.
Joe Mazzulla not feeling Celtics pressure because ‘we’re all going to be dead soon’. Head coach Joe Mazzulla loves a soundbite.
Celtics’ Kristaps Porzingis addresses rare injury that may sideline him for NBA Finals Game 3. While Boston now knows they can survive without the big man, Kristaps Porzingis’ injury status loomed over the Celtics’ championship run this year.

Bruins:

David Pastrnak lifts Bruins over Leafs in Game 7 OT , 2-1. A heart-stopping first-round playoff matchup ended in an overtime victory for Boston.
Bruins fire Jim Montgomery, elevate Joe Sacco. Two seasons ago, no Bruin fan would have predicted that Boston would fire their Jack Adams Award winning coach.
Bruins trade Linus Ullmark to Ottawa. The Bruins secured a first-round pick with this trade in June.

Other top stories:

Kyed: Remembering Hallie and covering the Patriots through unimaginable circumstances
After 50 years in New York, Yankees broadcaster Suzyn Waldman still ‘Bleeds Green’
OBF: Bill Russell’s widow touched by overwhelming reaction to her Celtics post

Boston Celtics owners Wyc Grousbeck and Steve Pagliuca with the NBA championship trophy. Grousbeck’s announcement that he was selling the team was one of the Herald’s top stories in 2024. (Nancy Lane/Boston Herald)
Bill Belichick announces his departure as head coach of the New England Patriots during a packed press conference in Foxboro last January. The inside story of Belichick’s last year as coach was one of the Herald’s top stories in 2024. (Nancy Lane/Boston Herald)
Catholic Memorial’s Ryan Doyle (9) tries to tackle King Philip’s Keigan Canto-Osorio during the Division 2 title game at Gillette Stadium. High School sports coverage continued to be among the most clicked stories in the Herald through 2024. (Photo By Matt Stone/Boston Herald)