What are the best games in NFL season opener history? The 2024 NFL kickoff game will be on Thursday Night Football as the Kansas City Chiefs, the defending Super Bowl Champions, begin their title defense against the Baltimore Ravens. That Thursday night at Arrowhead will be broadcast live on NBC’s Peacock app, kicking off the NFL regular season.
There have been memorable opening week games that weren’t the regular season opener. Last year, Aaron Rodgers lasted five plays and his season ended against the Buffalo Bills in the Jets’ season opener. He’ll get another chance this season as the Jets kickoff game is again on Monday Night, this time against the San Francisco 49ers.
Kickoff games are a time of excitement for the NFL and its fans. The NFL schedule begins in earnest and the league gets underway. Let’s take a look at some of the best kickoff games in NFL history, featuring some of the most memorable games played.
NFL Season Opener History: 10 Memorable Kickoff Games
Though Thursday Night Football became a regular season game in 2006, it wasn’t until a few years later that the first NFL kickoff game was officially played. Traditionally, the NFL schedule started on the first Sunday with Monday Night Football being the first primetime game of the season.
Now, the NFL has made a tradition of having the defending Super Bowl champion play in the NFL kickoff game. Each Thursday to start the season, the NFL kickoff game pits two teams of significance against one another in primetime. Here are some of the biggest moments to kick off the NFL season.
NFL Season Opener History: NFL Kickoff Game in 2013
1. Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Tennessee Titans (2009) – Record Breaking Overtime
When the Pittsburgh Steelers hosted the Tennessee Titans in 2009, games between the two had become a battle. That proved to be the case in this one as both offenses struggled mightily, playing an ugly brand of football in front of the primetime crowd.
In the NFL kickoff game, the Steelers struck first on a 34-yard touchdown pass from Ben Roethlisberger to Santonio Holmes. Justin Gage answered just 36 seconds later to tie the game heading into halftime. Little did anyone know they had seen just about all of the offense.
The two teams played a tight game in the second half, trading field goals in the fourth quarter. Jeff Reed nailed a 33-yard field goal in overtime to give the Steelers the 13-10 edge. It became remembered as a game played with fierce defense and a raucous Steelers crowd.
2. New England Patriots vs. Kansas City Chiefs (2017) – Champions Defeated
The reigning champion New England Patriots returned to Gillette Stadium to face the Kansas City Chiefs for the 2017 NFL kickoff game. It would be the second-to-last Super Bowl championship for the Patriots under the legendary Tom Brady.
The official start of the season could not have started with more fireworks. A home game for the Patriots was an automatic win at that time but running back Kareem Hunt had other ideas. His play was at another level, racking up three touchdowns (two on the ground, one through the air) as the star of the game.
The two teams combined for 73 points as the Kansas City Chiefs pulled away late in the fourth quarter. Despite their success in the playoffs and the winning history they had created, the Patriots were outplayed on their home field.
3. Green Bay Packers vs. New Orleans Saints (2011) – Most Combined Points
In 2011, the Green Bay Packers and New Orleans Saints were two of the most dynamic teams in the league. Little did we know, the Green Bay Packers would go on to become the Super Bowl champion later in the season, but this NFL kickoff game was nearly as memorable.
The play of quarterbacks Drew Brees and Aaron Rodgers was at another level as both were among the best in the league. The Thursday opening kickoff game featured fireworks like no other – Green Bay and New Orleans combined for a record 76 points on the night, the most in the history of opening NFL games.
Rodgers threw for 312 yards and three touchdowns, but Brees from New Orleans was even better. He threw for 419 yards and three touchdowns, though it wasn’t enough to put them on the winning side of the ledger that night.
4. Denver Broncos vs. Baltimore Ravens (2013) – Peyton Manning Ties NFL Record
Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos were a force when the NFL kickoff game came around in 2013. Facing the Baltimore Ravens, the spotlight was on The Sheriff as he attempted to play his way to an elusive second run at a Super Bowl.
The night could not have gone better for Manning, who played out of his mind. In a Thursday NFL kickoff game that won’t be forgotten, Manning couldn’t be stopped. So much so that he tied an NFL record.
Manning threw a record-tying seven touchdowns that night. He also tied Brett Favre’s NFL record by throwing for at least four touchdowns for the 23rd time, and Drew Bree’s NFL record with his seventh five-touchdown game. There was no stopping the Sheriff in what would be his final MVP season.
5. New England Patriots vs. Oakland Raiders (2005) – The Champs are Here to Stay
When the 2005 NFL schedule was released, the New England Patriots were the defending champion once again. The reigning champions had just won their third Super Bowl in four years and had officially entered dynasty status when the Oakland Raiders (before their Las Vegas move) came to town.
The Raiders, one of the better teams in the AFC at the time, played the reigning champs closely for the first half of the game. But just like the previous season, there was no beating the champs. The Patriots played well in the second half, eventually pulling away for the 30-20 victory.
Though we would come to remember the Patriots for their postseason history, this is one of several opening games that they would make memorable. The NFL kickoff game is meant to showcase two of the best teams in the league and this game fits that bill.
6. Dallas Cowboys vs. New York Giants (2012) – Wednesday NFL Kickoff?
This is the first and probably the only time that the NFL kickoff game would be on a Wednesday. The Dallas Cowboys faced off against their division rival, the New York Giants. A scheduling conflict resulted in the game being moved, one of the only times the NFL schedule included play in the middle of the week.
The Giants came into the season as the defending Super Bowl champion, having defeated the New England Patriots for the second time the previous February. On the opening night of the NFL schedule, all eyes were on the reigning champion.
The Giants hosted the game, but Tony Romo was the star of the night. He connected twice with Kevin Ogletree, throwing three touchdowns against the defending champion Giants. Though the Giants cut the deficit late with a Martellus Bennett touchdown reception before the two-minute warning, the defending champion couldn’t finish the comeback. The Giants ultimately fell to their rivals 24-17.
7. Carolina Panthers vs. Denver Broncos (2016) – Super Bowl Champions Come Back to Win by One
In Super Bowl 50, the Denver Broncos defeated the Carolina Panthers in an exciting game. In the 2016 NFL kickoff game, the two teams would meet again in one of those games that will live on in the memory of NFL fans everywhere.
Not every kickoff game on the NFL schedule is a memorable one, but this one lived up to the hype. With Peyton Manning gone to retirement, the Broncos leaned on their dominant defense once again. Former MVP Cam Newton had a great first half, accounting for a pair of touchdowns.
A late C.J. Anderson touchdown run would be the difference, his second touchdown of the game. In the end, the defending Super Bowl champions managed to hang on for the 21-20 win.
8. Indianapolis Colts vs. New England Patriots (2004) – Brady Edges Manning Once Again
By 2004, Manning and the Indianapolis Colts had fallen into the shadow of the New England Patriots and Tom Brady. Kicking off the NFL schedule that year was one of the most anticipated matchups of the year featuring two of the most dynamic teams in the league.
Both quarterbacks dueled in the first half, throwing for a touchdown each. The teams battled throughout the remainder of the game, though the Patriots took over in the third quarter. Despite Manning’s best efforts, the Colts fell short in the opening game of the season.
If anything, it underscored the narrative at the time that Brady owned Manning. Though Manning would go on to win a pair of Super Bowl championships and best Brady several times, this was a crucial point in the building of Brady’s legacy.
9. Dallas Cowboys vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2021) – Bucs Win with 2 Seconds on the Clock
Brady is back but this time after leading the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to a Super Bowl the previous postseason. Facing the electric offense of the Dallas Cowboys, the two teams combined to create a memorable NFL kickoff game.
Brady had three passing touchdowns in the first half while Dak Prescott answered with two of his own. Brady would wind up with four on the night, including two to tight end Rob Gronkowski to put the Bucs up late.
A Greg Zuerlein 48-yard field goal seemed to be the winning play with 1:24 to go. But a kick from Ryan Succop with just two seconds left would propel the champs over the time, sealing an exciting start to the NFL schedule.
10. Detroit Lions vs. Kansas City Chiefs (2023) – Detroit Defeats the Super Bowl Champions
The 2023 NFL schedule kickoff game was an interesting juxtaposition. The Kansas City Chiefs, defending Super Bowl champions, were riding high and hosting the game at Arrowhead Stadium. The Detroit Lions, a historically bad franchise, missed the playoffs the previous season but finished on a winning streak.
The Lions needed to come out and prove that they were for real and did just that. Patrick Mahomes answered a first quarter touchdown pass from Jared Goff with a pair of his own in the second quarter to put the champs up 14-7 heading into the locker room.
The Lions battled back in the second half, getting a 50-yard interception return from Brian Branch. They trailed 20-14 until about halfway through the fourth quarter when David Montgomery punched it in from eight yards out. The Lions defense held strong in the face of a late push by the champs and the Lions walked away with one of the biggest wins in franchise history and a memorable beginning to the 2023 NFL schedule.
Conclusion
The 2024 NFL schedule has some major games on the horizon. Exciting teams like the Buffalo Bills, San Francisco 49ers, Miami Dolphins, Indianapolis Colts, Los Angeles Rams, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Minnesota Vikings will make primetime appearances.
The Chiefs and Ravens are two of the best teams in the NFL and a great choice for the NFL kickoff game. Can the Ravens unseat the defending champion and start the season off the right way? It is no doubt going to be one of the more memorable games from the 2024 NFL schedule.
Cam Newton, Teddy Bridgewater, Dwayne Haskins, Lamar Jackson, Patrick Mahomes, Kyler Murray, Dak Prescott, Tyrod Taylor, Deshaun Watson, Russell Wilson
10 Black starting QBs in Week 1 — the most in a season opener in NFL history 🙌🏾 pic.twitter.com/k0tyBrAb3k
— Andscape (@andscape) September 13, 2020
