Honestly, there is nothing quite like that first Thursday in September. You know the feeling. The air gets a little crisper, the fantasy drafts are finally in the books, and suddenly your Sunday afternoons aren't just for chores anymore. But the NFL schedule for week 1 in 2025 has some weird wrinkles that most people are going to miss until they’re staring at their TVs wondering why their team isn't playing at the usual time.
We've got the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles raising another banner at Lincoln Financial Field. We have a historic trip to South America. We even have a Monday night matchup that feels like a throwback to a 1980s black-and-blue division rivalry.
Basically, it's a lot. If you're trying to plan your life around the opening weekend, you've come to the right place. Let's break down the madness.
The Thursday Night Kickoff: A Massive NFC East Rivalry
The league didn't play it safe this year. Usually, the NFL likes to avoid divisional matchups for the big Thursday opener, but for 2025, they threw that rule out the window. The Philadelphia Eagles will start their title defense against the Dallas Cowboys on September 4th.
It's a bold move.
The Eagles absolutely dominated Dallas last year, winning both matchups by a combined score of 75-13. That's not just a win; that's a statement. Now, Dak Prescott is back from injury and the Cowboys have a new head coach in Brian Schottenheimer. Is it enough to ruin the Eagles' party? Probably not, but the drama is going to be through the roof.
Game Details:
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- Matchup: Dallas Cowboys at Philadelphia Eagles
- Time: 8:20 PM ET
- Where to watch: NBC / Peacock
The Eagles are 20-5 in these kickoff games since 2000. History says they win, but the Cowboys just added George Pickens to their roster, which gives them a vertical threat they desperately needed last season.
Friday Night Football in Brazil?
This is the one that's going to trip people up. If you're looking for games on Friday, September 5th, you aren't looking at a high school field. You're looking at São Paulo, Brazil.
The Kansas City Chiefs are taking on the Los Angeles Chargers at Corinthians Arena. This isn't just a regular game; it's the NFL’s first-ever foray into South America for a regular-season opener.
You've got Patrick Mahomes vs. Justin Herbert on a Friday night. It's wild. It's basically the NFL saying, "We own the entire weekend now." Because the game is in Brazil, the broadcast is a bit different too—it's heading to YouTube for a massive global stream.
The Sunday Slate: Chaos and New Beginnings
Sunday, September 7th is when the real "NFL schedule for week 1" experience kicks in. We have the usual 1:00 PM ET explosion of games, followed by a very heavy afternoon window.
The Early Window (1:00 PM ET)
Most of these games are regional, but a few stand out as must-watch TV.
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- Steelers at Jets: Pittsburgh travels to the Meadowlands. Both teams are coming off seasons where the quarterback play was, well, let's call it "inconsistent."
- Bengals at Browns: An early Battle of Ohio. Joe Burrow is healthy, and the Browns' defense is still scary.
- Dolphins at Colts: Speed vs. Power. Watching Anthony Richardson try to keep up with the Miami track stars will be a blast.
The Late Window (4:05 PM / 4:25 PM ET)
This is where the heavy hitters live.
- Lions at Packers (4:25 PM ET): This might be the best game of the day. Detroit was the top-scoring offense last year, but Jordan Love and the Packers are the trendy pick to win the NFC North this time around.
- 49ers at Seahawks (4:05 PM ET): A classic West Coast slugfest. The 49ers are still the class of the NFC, but Lumen Field is never an easy place to play in September.
- Texans at Rams (4:25 PM ET): C.J. Stroud vs. Matthew Stafford. Expect a lot of points. A lot of points.
Sunday Night and the Monday Finale
To wrap up Sunday, the Baltimore Ravens head to Orchard Park to face the Buffalo Bills. This is a massive AFC clash. Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen are basically the two most dangerous dual-threat QBs in the league. If you like seeing 250-pound athletes run like deer and throw 60-yard lasers, don't miss this one at 8:20 PM ET on NBC.
Finally, we have Monday Night Football on September 8th.
The Minnesota Vikings are visiting the Chicago Bears. This one is interesting because the Bears are under a new head coach, Ben Johnson, who formerly ran that high-octane Detroit offense. It’s a "new look" Chicago team against a Vikings squad that always seems to play close games.
Monday Night Details:
- Matchup: Minnesota Vikings at Chicago Bears
- Time: 8:15 PM ET
- Network: ABC / ESPN
What Most People Get Wrong About the Schedule
People think the home-field advantage is everything in Week 1. It isn't.
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Statistically, visiting teams actually cover the spread more often in the opening week because the lines are based on last year's hype, not this year's reality. The NFL schedule for week 1 is designed for TV ratings, which means big-market teams often get overvalued.
Look at the Dallas vs. Philly game. Everyone is talking about the Eagles' "banner night," but divisional games are historically grinds. Don't assume a blowout just because the Eagles looked better on paper back in January.
The "International" Factor
One thing to keep an eye on is the travel fatigue. The Chiefs and Chargers are flying thousands of miles to Brazil. That kind of travel can mess with a team's rhythm for Week 2. When you're looking at the NFL schedule for week 1, you also have to look at how it impacts the following week.
Teams that travel internationally usually get a bye week, but not always immediately. In this case, they're starting the season with a massive travel hurdle. It's a huge test of coaching and logistics.
Actionable Next Steps for Week 1
- Check your streaming subs: Since the Brazil game is on YouTube and the Thursday game is on Peacock, make sure your logins are actually working before kickoff. There is nothing worse than missing the first quarter because of a "forgot password" loop.
- Adjust your fantasy roster early: With a Friday game, your lineup locks much earlier than usual. If you have Mahomes or Herbert, you can't wait until Sunday morning to make a move.
- Monitor the injury reports for Dallas: Since they are the first game of the year, their practice reports on Tuesday and Wednesday are the first real "data" we get for the 2025 season.
- Plan for the double-header: Monday night is a single game this week, but the Sunday afternoon window is stacked. If you have a multi-game setup (like NFL Sunday Ticket), make sure your "quad-box" is ready for that 4:25 PM ET window.
The 2025 season is going to be a wild ride. Between the Brazil trip and the divisional slugfests, Week 1 is less of a "warm-up" and more of a full-speed collision. Get your snacks ready.