The Detroit Lions are set to kick off the 2026 NFL season with a home game that carries extra emotional weight—they'll host the New Orleans Saints at Ford Field on September 13. For head coach Dan Campbell, this matchup is more than just a season opener; it's a reunion with one of his former teams.

Campbell, entering his sixth season at the helm in Detroit, has deep ties to the Saints organization. He played his final season as an NFL tight end with New Orleans in 2009, earning a Super Bowl ring. He later served as the team's assistant head coach and tight ends coach for five years before taking the Lions job. Now, he'll face a Saints squad led by another familiar face: former Lions quarterback Kellen Moore, who is in his second year as head coach of New Orleans.

The Lions' full 2026 schedule drops tonight, but several key matchups are already locked in. After the opener, Detroit will travel to Buffalo in Week 2 to help christen the Bills' new stadium. They'll make a trip overseas in November, hosting the New England Patriots in Germany on the 15th. The annual Thanksgiving tradition will see the Lions face the Chicago Bears on November 27, and they'll close out the regular season against the Green Bay Packers in Week 18—a divisional showdown that's become a staple of the NFL calendar.

Both teams are looking to bounce back from disappointing 2025 campaigns. The Lions finished 9-8 and last in the NFC North, while the Saints went 6-11, also landing in the cellar of the NFC South. With familiar faces on both sidelines and a fresh season ahead, this opener promises to set the tone for redemption.