The NFL season is shaping up to be an absolute thriller, and it all kicks off with a blockbuster showdown on opening weekend. The Denver Broncos and Kansas City Chiefs are set to collide on ESPN's first "Monday Night Football" of the 2026 season, scheduled for September 14. While the venue hasn't been locked in yet as the league finalizes its full schedule—expected to drop Thursday night—the anticipation is already electric.
All eyes will be on Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who is racing to recover from a torn ACL and LCL in his left knee suffered on December 14. The two-time NFL MVP's injury sidelined Kansas City's playoff hopes last season, but he's aiming to be back under center for Week 1. On the other side, Broncos quarterback Bo Nix is expected to be ready for training camp after breaking a bone in his right ankle on January 18. Denver ended last season with a loss to the New England Patriots in the AFC championship game, who then fell to the Seattle Seahawks in the Super Bowl.
The opening weekend isn't the only highlight. The Buffalo Bills will christen their new stadium on September 17 against the Detroit Lions, kicking off Amazon Prime Video's "Thursday Night Football" slate. Meanwhile, the Dallas Cowboys are locked into two marquee spots: a "Sunday Night Football" visit to the New York Giants on September 13 (NBC) and a Thanksgiving Day clash with the Philadelphia Eagles on November 26 (Fox). Dallas has dominated its Thanksgiving games, winning the last four, including a 31-28 thriller over the Chiefs last year. The late afternoon Thanksgiving game remains the most-watched regular-season event, with last year's CBS broadcast averaging a record 57.23 million viewers.
For the Eagles, this marks their second straight season in the Thanksgiving spotlight. Jalen Hurts and company hosted last year's Black Friday game, falling 24-15 to the Chicago Bears. With the Cowboys now knowing dates for three of their 17 games—including a Week 3 trip to Rio de Janeiro to face the Baltimore Ravens—the countdown to kickoff is officially on.