When is NFL Week 1? Starting date, schedule, matchups, how to watch
That hope is rampant in the sports world, especially in the NFL. This time of the year is when fanbases across the league are most optimistic about how things could turn out in 2025. Free agency additions, coaching changes and highly-regarded draft picks; they're all the elements of a positive outlook on the upcoming season.
The summer marching on means the NFL draft and free agency are far behind us. Teams will have cut rosters down from more than 70 players to 53 ahead of the regular season.
Preseason action will help in those roster decisions. Three games - four for the Los Angeles Chargers and Detroit Lions, thanks to the Hall of Fame Game - will provide teams with the tape needed to make their best moves in preparing for 2025.
It's almost time for the real action to get underway. Here's everything to know about the NFL's Week 1 slate:
When does NFL Week 1 start?
Week 1 of the 2025 NFL season begins on Thursday, Sept. 4.
As is tradition, the reigning Super Bowl champions will host the opening game of the new season. For the 2025 season, the Philadelphia Eagles will host NFC East foe Dallas at home in prime time. These teams faced off twice in 2024, with the Eagles winning both matchups by a combined score of 75-13.
Over the previous 10 seasons, defending Super Bowl winners are 6-3 in their Week 1 matchups (the 2019 season opener did not feature the defending champion Patriots). Two of those three losses came in the last three years: Kansas City in 2023 and the Los Angeles Rams in 2022.
NFL Week 1 schedule, how to watch
The opening week of NFL action in 2025 will span four days, starting with the Eagles-Cowboys game. Here's a complete look at the schedule:
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Travis Hunter to play both ways during Jaguars' preseason opener against Steelers
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Tennessee Titans training camp: Sights and sounds from joint practice with Bucs
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Mahomes, Chiefs starters to play in preseason opener against Cardinals
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (AP) — Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes is glad that coach Andy Reid is sending him onto the field with the rest of their starters when Kansas City visits the Arizona Cardinals for their preseason opener Saturday night. 'I don't necessarily look forward to getting hit,' Mahomes added with a smile Thursday. Getting hit is exactly why some teams have eschewed playing starters at all in the preseason. When coaches finally decided it wasn't worth the risk to their most valuable players, they began sitting them for one or two games, and last year, teams such as the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles sat them for the entirety of their exhibition slate. That has never been Reid's preference, though. Nor has it been that of Mahomes, who believes it does him some good to get hit — once, at least — so that he can get into the right mindset for the rest of the preseason and ultimately the regular season. 'There's always a little shock,' Mahomes said. Now, don't get any misconceptions. The Chiefs might only have those starters on the field for a single series in Arizona, especially if it goes well. But the plan, at least after their final practice before their opener, was that each quarterback will get a full quarter — Mahomes the first, Gardner Minshew the second, Bailey Zappe the third and Chris Oladokun the fourth. The rest of the offense would presumably follow suit. There are certainly things that the three-time defending AFC champions want to see out of their preseason opener. Tops on the list is their new-look offense line, where first-round pick Josh Simmons has already turned some heads as the new left tackle and Kingsley Suamataia has the inside track on replacing two-time All-Pro Joe Thuney at left guard. The Chiefs have invested heavily in their offensive line, both in draft capital and financial resources, over the past couple years, and the need to upgrade the left side in particular became evident in their Super Bowl loss in February. There is also some competition for the final spots at wide receiver, and some different names could get some extended looks with the first-team offense. That's because Rashee Rice is sidelined with a groin injury and Marquise Brown with an ailing ankle. 'I think (my advice) is go out there and do what they're doing this camp,' Mahomes said. 'It's going to be a bigger stage going up against another team, but I think Coach Reid prepares us better than anybody else in the league to go out there and play your best football. We practice hard and we practice fast so when it gets to the game, it's not that huge step up.' It's still a substantial one, especially given Arizona is taking the same approach as Kansas City this year. Cardinals coach Jonathan Gannon, who held out quarterback Kyler Murray and others his first two years and barely played any starters in the preseason last year, said this week, 'I told them (Monday) night that they are going to play.' 'It's the best thing for our team this year, honestly,' Gannon explained. 'We are at a good point with our health, we're at a good point with our development, and I think this year with our team it's the best thing to do for our guys.' NOTES: Hall of Fame WR Terrell Owens watched the Chiefs practice at Missouri Western on Thursday. He played two seasons for Reid in Philadelphia. 'Just watching people grow, I'm in a great position to see that,' Reid said. ... Former Raiders coach Antonio Pierce also has been in camp, helping longtime friend and Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo. 'Maybe we'll ask him about some Las Vegas Raiders stuff,' Spagnuolo said with a smile. ... CB Kristian Fulton (knee) came off the PUP list and took part in individual drills Thursday. LB Drue Tranquill (back) also returned to practice. ___ AP NFL:
