The NFL’s 2026 season will kick off with a rematch of the previous Super Bowl. The Seahawks, led by Mike Macdonald and Sam Darnold, will face the Patriots, guided by Mike Vrabel and Drake Maye, on Sept. 9. The game marks just the third time that teams that played in the Super Bowl meet again in Week 1, with the last occurrence in 2016.
The Seahawks defeated the Patriots 29-13 in February to secure their second NFL title. Historically, Super Bowl opponents have met 11 times in the following season, with the defending champions winning eight of those matchups, according to NFL sources. Last year, the Eagles beat the Chiefs in Week 2 after winning the Super Bowl.
The 2026 season will open on a Wednesday for only the second time in league history. The Giants hosted the Cowboys on Sept. 5, 2012, the previous occasion. The season opener will be Vrabel’s first game since he missed Day 3 of the NFL draft to seek counseling after photos of him and reporter Dianna Russini surfaced, leading to her resignation from The Athletic.
The Seahawks will play at least six other stand-alone games, including a Christmas night game against the Rams. The Patriots will also have five other standalone contests. International games will be held across four continents, including the league’s first game in France and matches in Australia, Mexico, London, and Munich.
The season’s international slate begins with a game in Melbourne on Sept. 10 between the 49ers and Rams. Other key international matches include the Jaguars in London and the Cowboys in Rio de Janeiro. The Steelers will meet the Saints in Paris on Oct. 25, marking the league’s first regular-season game in France.
Several teams will be featured prominently in standalone games, with the Eagles leading at eight. The Cowboys, Bills, Packers, Rams, and Seahawks each have seven. The schedule includes prime-time matchups such as the Cowboys hosting the Packers on Oct. 18 and a tripleheader on Christmas Day featuring the Packers and Bears, Bills and Broncos, and Rams and Seahawks.
Jon Ross Myers is the executive editor and publisher of the Mississippi News Network, Mississippi's largest digital only media company. He can be reached at editor@tippahnews.com
