When does the 2025 NFL season start? Everything to know about Week 1
After a summer hiatus and months of waiting, football is back – for real this time.
It will no longer be about the players in the best shape of their lives at training camp. It will no longer be about the preseason battles for roster spots. It will no longer be about the things that don't count in the real standings.
Soon, the Philadelphia Eagles will look to fly high and defend their Super Bowl 59 championship in Week 1, in just a few short months. Before that, preseason gets underway, and the Detroit Lions and Los Angeles Chargers
Here's what to know about when the NFL season starts in 2025, as well as the rest of the Week 1 schedule.
When is the first NFL game in 2025?
The 2025 NFL regular season begins on Thursday, Sept. 4, as the Philadelphia Eagles host the Dallas Cowboys.
Jalen Hurts and the birds will open their title defense in front of a raucous Lincoln Financial Field crowd in South Philadelphia – their first time seeing the Eagles play a game at home since the NFC Championship Game. The visiting Cowboys add a little extra flavor to an already highly anticipated game, especially with their new-look in 2025.
Dak Prescott returns from injury, CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens will debut as a receiving duo and Brian Schottenheimer will make his first appearance on the sidelines as an NFL head coach.
On the Philadelphia sideline, it's all about the high-flying Eagles, many of which have returned from last season.
The NFC East figures to be a competitive division, with the Cowboys serving as somewhat of a wild card. One of these teams will land the first punch in a season-long battle.
Can the Eagles soar to new heights on a night of celebration or will the Cowboys ground the birds? The 2025 NFL season will give us an answer to that question soon enough.
When is the first NFL preseason game?
The Detroit Lions take on the Los Angeles Chargers in the Hall of Fame Game on Thursday, July 31, at 8 p.m. ET in Canton, Ohio. Preseason Week 1 in gets underway in earnest on Aug. 7.
NFL Week 1 schedule 2025
Thursday, Sept. 4, 2025
Friday, Sept. 5, 2025
Sunday, Sept. 7, 2025
Monday, Sept. 8, 2025
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