The National Football League has endured an offseason full of unflattering headlines, courtroom drama and player misbehavior that has sullied the league’s image in the eyes of many fans.

As the regular season opener pitting the Pittsburgh Steelers against the Super Bowl champion New England Patriots approaches, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell must surely be eager to put the focus back on the field. Here are five key questions that many will be looking for answers to once the regular season gets underway on Sept. 10:

Will the Jets’ dysfunction continue without Rex Ryan?

Their flamboyant former coach has moved on to Buffalo, but the Jets apparently can’t stay out of the headlines. In their locker room, projected starting quarterback Geno Smith had his jaw broken by a “sucker punch,” in the words of new coach Todd Bowles, from reserve linebacker IK Enemkpali. Smith could be out for up to 10 weeks, and it’s not guaranteed that his starting job will be waiting for him when he returns. For now, New York’s offense is in the hands of journeyman Ryan Fitzpatrick — currently employed by his sixth team in 10 pro seasons. Fitzpatrick perhaps unintentionally summed up the atmosphere on this team when, speaking about the meandering path his career has taken, he told a reporter, “My normal is craziness.”

Are the Bills the new Raiders?

Ryan landed on his feet when, less than three weeks after being dismissed by the Jets, he signed a five-year, $27.5 million contract with Buffalo in early January. In the seven months since, Ryan has opened the Bills’ doors for the aforementioned Enemkpali, as well as offensive lineman Richie Incognito — who had been out of the league since 2013 after allegedly bullying and otherwise harassing former Dolphins teammate Jonathan Martin — and wide receiver Percy Harvin, who reportedly had several locker room altercations with teammates during his time with the Seattle Seahawks. Ryan’s roster decisions remind some of the way former Raiders owner Al Davis tried to build his team’s roster with players of questionable character throughout the ‘80s and ‘90s. Davis, many would argue, enjoyed mixed on-field success in cultivating a “bad boy” image for his teams while jousting with the NFL in court for years. Will Ryan’s approach revitalize the Bills and land them their first playoff appearance since 1999?

Is Adrian Peterson back?

The Vikings’ star running back, who missed all but one game last season while serving a suspension connected to a legal case in which he was indicted by a grand jury in Texas on child abuse charges, turned 30 earlier this year — the age when the rigors of one of the most demanding positions on the field begin to take their toll on many running backs. Questions about the health of the 2012 NFL MVP cropped up again in training camp, when he missed time with a leg injury. When he did participate, Peterson looked sharp, suggesting that a return to his Pro Bowl form of 2013 is likely. The Vikings could use that if they hope to return to the playoffs for the first time since 2012.

How bad can it get for the 49ers?

Only two years removed from a Super Bowl appearance, San Francisco has seen unprecedented roster turnover — including head coach Jim Harbaugh bolting for the University of Michigan only two days after the conclusion of a disappointing 8-8 season last year. Besides Harbaugh, San Francisco lost no fewer than four defensive starters to free agency or retirement. In early August, the team also released linebacker Aldon Smith following his fifth arrest in three years. With weapons like wide receiver Michael Crabtree (Raiders) and running back Frank Gore (Colts) also moving to different teams, quarterback Colin Kaepernick will have his work cut out for him to keep the 49ers’ offense on the field and take some of the heat off a suddenly porous defense that could be among the worst in the team’s history.

What about “DeflateGate?”

The NFL’s biggest — and to some, most irritating — offseason storyline seems destined to bleed over into the regular season, which opens with the Patriots (with or without quarterback Tom Brady) hosting the Steelers on Sept. 10. As it stands right now, Brady will miss New England’s first four games — vs. Pittsburgh, at Buffalo, vs. Jacksonville and at Dallas — while serving a suspension for his alleged involvement in the team’s use of underinflated footballs in January’s AFC Championship Game. Assuming no last-minute appeals gain any traction with the league, the Patriots will begin defense of their Super Bowl title with a starting quarterback — Jimmy Garoppolo — who has thrown all of 27 regular season passes in the NFL. Putting the off-the-field intrigue aside, New England needs a quick start, because its schedule toughens considerably down the stretch, with three of the last four regular season games away from Foxborough.