Mid-week football is start the NFL season is tradition, but things will look a bit different this year.
Instead of the typical Thursday kickoff, this season will begin with games on both Wednesday and Thursday.
It’s the perfect appetizer for the full slate ahead on Sunday, when fans are immersed in a sea of games from the early afternoon through the night.
The NFL didn’t always start off with a weeknight game to start the new campaign, though. When did the Kickoff Game first start? Which teams have the most appearances and victories? And has the league ever started the season on a Wednesday?
Here is everything you need to know about the history of the NFL Kickoff Game:
When was the first NFL Kickoff Game?
The first Kickoff Game was held in 2002, when the San Francisco 49ers defeated the New York Giants 16-13. The 2026 game will be the 25th edition.
When is the 2026 NFL Kickoff Game?
The 2026 Kickoff Game is set for Wednesday, Sept. 9, at Lumen Field when the Super Bowl LX champion Seattle Seahawks host the New England Patriots in a rematch of February’s clash.
This will be just the second Super Bowl rematch in the Kickoff Game, and the first in 10 years. Back in 2016, the defending champion Denver Broncos defeated the Carolina Panthers 21-20 after beating them in the Super Bowl seven months prior. Coincidentally, that Broncos-Panthers Super Bowl was also held at Levi’s Stadium, where the Seahawks-Patriots game was in February.
Does the Super Bowl champion always play in the NFL Kickoff Game?
Typically, the Kickoff Game is a home contest for the defending Super Bowl winner to raise their championship banner. But that’s not always the case.
The first two years of the event did not feature the reigning champs, with the Giants hosting in 2002 and Washington hosting in 2003.
From 2004 through 2022, the reigning champion hosted the Kickoff Game – with two exceptions.
In 2013, the Broncos hosted the defending-champion Ravens due to a scheduled conflict at Baltimore’s home stadium.
In 2019, the Chicago Bears hosted the Green Bay Packers to celebrate the NFL’s 100th anniversary with two historic franchises. The defending-champion New England Patriots instead played on NBC’s Sunday Night Football to begin their title defense that year.
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Has the NFL season ever started on a Wednesday?
The Kickoff Game has been on Thursday in every year since 2002, except for 2012 and now 2026.
The defending-champion Giants hosted the Dallas Cowboys on Wednesday, Sept. 5, to begin the 2012 season, with the game moved up one day to avoid a conflict with the last day of the Democratic National Convention.
This season, the Seahawks are hosting the Patriots one day earlier than usual to accommodate for the NFL’s first-ever game in Australia. The San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams will play in Melbourne on Thursday night in U.S. time zones, which is Friday morning at 10:35 a.m. in Australia.
Who has played in the most NFL Kickoff Games?
The beginning of the Kickoff Game coincided with the beginning of the Patriots’ dynasty, so it’s no surprise that New England is tied for the most appearances with four. The Patriots are 3-1 in their appearances, winning in 2004, 2005 and 2015 before losing in 2017. All four games were held at Gillette Stadium, so this season will be their first time as a visitor.
The Kansas City Chiefs’ dynasty has brought them to the Kickoff Game three times under Patrick Mahomes, and once earlier in Andy Reid’s tenure as head coach (when they beat the Patriots in 2017). Kansas City is 3-1 all-time in Kickoff Games, winning in 2017, 2020 and 2024 but losing in 2023.
Four other teams have three Kickoff Game appearances: the Packers (2-1), Pittsburgh Steelers (2-1), New Orleans Saints (1-2), Cowboys (1-2) and Giants (1-2).
Seven teams have a perfect record in Kickoff Games: the Denver Broncos (2-0), Philadelphia Eagles (2-0), San Francisco 49ers (1-0), Seattle Seahawks (1-0), Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1-0) and Buffalo Bills (1-0).
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NFL Kickoff Game all-time results
2002: 49ers 16, Giants 13
2003: Washington 16, Jets 13
2004: Patriots 27, Colts 24
2005: Patriots 30, Raiders 20
2006: Steelers 28, Dolphins 17
2007: Colts 41, Saints 10
2008: Giants 16, Washington 7
2009: Steelers 13, Titans 10 (OT)
2010: Saints 14, Vikings 9
2011: Packers 42, Saints 34
2012: Cowboys 24, Giants 17 (Wednesday)
2013: Broncos 49, Ravens 27
2014: Seahawks 36, Packers 16
2015: Patriots 28, Steelers 21
2016: Broncos 21, Panthers 20
2017: Chiefs 42, Patriots 27
2018: Eagles 18, Falcons 12
2019: Packers 10, Bears 3
2020: Chiefs 34, Texans 20
2021: Buccaneers 31, Cowboys 29
2022: Bills 31, Rams 10
2023: Lions 21, Chiefs 20
2024: Chiefs 27, Ravens 20
2025: Eagles 24, Cowboys 20
2026: Patriots at Seahawks (Wednesday)