The 2025 season kicks off on Friday (1.30am Irish time) when the defending Super Bowl Champions Philadelphia Eagles host the Dallas Cowboys in the opening game of the 106th season of the NFL.
The Philadelphia Eagles can become the 10th team ever to repeat as Super Bowl champions. Since 2000, the defending Super Bowl champions have started the following year with a win on Kick-off Weekend in 20 of the past 25 seasons.
Kansas City Chiefs at Los Angeles Chargers
Week One will see the first of the 2025 NFL regular season games played internationally as the reigning AFC champion Kansas City Chiefs and the Los Angeles Chargers meet on Saturday (1.20am Irish time) at Corinthians Arena in São Paulo, Brazil. This game will be streamed for free on YouTube.
The Chiefs have won seven consecutive games against the Chargers, with each of the last three wins featuring the game-winning go-ahead score in the final seven minutes of the fourth quarter.
New starting quarterbacks
Twelve teams are expected to have a different starting quarterback in Week 1 than started for them to open the season last year: Atlanta (Michael Penix Jr.) Cleveland (Joe Flacco), Indianapolis (Daniel Jones), Las Vegas (Geno Smith), Minnesota (J.J. McCarthy), New England (Drake Maye), New Orleans (Spencer Rattler), the New York Giants (Russell Wilson), the New York Jets (Justin Fields), Pittsburgh (Aaron Rodgers), Seattle (Sam Darnold) and Tennessee (Cam Ward).
Detroit at Green Bay
Since 2021, when Dan Cambell was hired as head coach, the Lions have a 6-2 record against the Packers, including three consecutive wins at Lambeau Field.
Houston at the Los Angeles Rams
The reigning AFC South champion Texans and reigning NFC West champion Rams are set to meet for the first time since 2021. Houston running back Nick Chubb and Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Davante Adams are expected to make their club debuts on Kick-off Weekend.
Baltimore at Buffalo
The only game on Kick-off Weekend that is a rematch from the 2024 postseason, the Bills and Ravens are set to meet for the fifth time in the past six seasons, including the playoffs.
In the 2024 AFC Divisional playoffs, the Bills defeated the Ravens at home, 27-25, while Baltimore earned a 35-10 home win over Buffalo in the regular season in Week 4.
When two-time Most Valuable Player Lamar Jackson (2019 and 2023) and the Baltimore Ravens visit reigning MVP Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills on Sunday, it will mark the fifth time ever that the two most recent MVPs will meet in Week 1.
Tampa Bay at Atlanta
Tampa Bay wide receiver Mike Evans leads all active players with 105 touchdown receptions and ranks second with 12,684 receiving yards entering the 2025 season. This year, Evans can become the first player in NFL history with at least 1,000 receiving yards in each of his first 12 career seasons.
Cincinnati at Cleveland
Cincinnati wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase, in 2024, became the fifth player in NFL history to lead the league in receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns, joining Pro Football Hall of Famers Jerry Rice (1990) and Sterling Sharpe (1992) as well as Steve Smith (2005) and Cooper Kupp (2021).
Since 1970, only three players have led the NFL in receiving yards in consecutive seasons: Pro Football Hall of Famers Andre Johnson (2008-09), Calvin Johnson (2011-12) and Rice (1989-90, 1993-95).
Pittsburgh at the New York Jets
Pittsburgh quarterback Aaron Rodgers enters the 2025 season leading all active players with 503 regular-season touchdown passes and 548 touchdown passes, including the postseason.
This season, he needs five touchdown passes to surpass Pro Football Hall of Famer Brett Favre (552 touchdown passes) for the fourth-most touchdown passes, including the postseason, in NFL history and six touchdown passes to surpass Favre (508 touchdown passes) for the fourth-most regular-season touchdown passes all-time.
Tennessee at Denver
The Tennessee Titans selected Cam Ward with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. Since 1967, 19 quarterbacks have been selected with the first pick in the NFL Draft and started in Week 1 of their rookie season, including each of the past five quarterbacks chosen No. 1 overall [Caleb Williams (2024), Bryce Young (2023), Trevor Lawrence (2021), Joe Burrow (2020) and Kyler Murray (2019)].
Minnesota at Chicago
Minnesota quarterback J.J. McCarthy, the No. 10 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, is expected to make his first NFL debut on Kick-off Weekend. McCarthy can become the fifth quarterback since 1990 to make his first career start on a Monday, joining Sam Darnold (September 10, 2018 at Detroit, with the New York Jets), Aaron Rodgers (September 8, 2008 vs. Minnesota, with Green Bay), Philip Rivers (September 11, 2006 at the Oakland Raiders, with San Diego) and Brian Griese (September 13, 1999 vs. Miami, with Denver).
