The NFL is picking up where it left off.
The 2025 season came to a conclusion with the Seattle Seahawks dismantling the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LX, and the 2026 season will kick off with a rematch.
Drake Maye, A.J. Brown and the Patriots will head to Seattle to visit Sam Darnold, Jaxon Smith-Njigba and the Seahawks for the annual NFL Kickoff Game on NBC and Peacock.
The Seahawks are flying high after their second Super Bowl title in franchise history. Head coach Mike Macdonald will command one of the league’s best defense, while Darnold, Smith-Njigba and the offense will have to adjust following the departures of Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III and offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak.
The Patriots, meanwhile, had an eventful offseason. On the field, the team landed Brown in a trade with the Philadelphia Eagles and signed Romeo Doubs in free agency to give Maye a pair of new weapons. Off the field, head coach Mike Vrabel missed the final day of the NFL draft for counseling after photos were released of him with former NFL reporter Dianna Russini at a resort in Arizona. The team is also in the midst of “frustrating” contract negotiations with star cornerback Christian Gonzalez.
Will the Seahawks begin their road to repeating with a win, or will the Patriots get some revenge to open the season? Here’s everything to know for the Week 1 Super Bowl rematch:
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When is the Patriots vs. Seahawks NFL Kickoff Game?
The Patriots and Seahawks will play on Wednesday, Sept. 9, at Lumen Field in Seattle.
It marks just the second time in the Super Bowl era that the NFL season will start on a Wednesday. The last time was 2012, when the Dallas Cowboys visited the defending Super Bowl champion New York Giants on a Wednesday instead of the traditional Thursday to avoid conflicting with that year’s Democratic National Convention.
What time is the Patriots vs. Seahawks NFL Kickoff Game?
Kickoff for Patriots-Seahawks is set for 8:20 p.m. ET.
How to watch the Patriots vs. Seahawks NFL Kickoff Game game on NBC and Peacock
Patriots-Seahawks will air on NBC and Peacock. Mike Tirico (play-by-play), Cris Collinsworth (analyst), Melissa Stark (sideline) and Terry McAulay (rules analyst) will be on the call for the game and every Sunday Night Football matchup throughout the 2026 season.
Pregame coverage on NBC and Peacock starts at 7 p.m. ET with “Football Night in America,” as Maria Taylor, Jason Garrett, Devin McCourty, Mike Florio and Mike Tomlin get you ready for the game.
How to live stream the Patriots vs. Seahawks NFL Kickoff Game
Mobile app: Peacock mobile app on Apple/Android, NBC mobile app
The Seattle Seahawks defeated the New England Patriots 29–13 in Super Bowl LX behind a dominant performance that produced a Super Bowl record-tying seven sacks and a record-breaking five field goals from Jason Myers.