Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots open the 2026 NFL season

The 2026 NFL season begins on September 9 with a Super Bowl LX rematch between the defending champion Seattle Seahawks and the New England Patriots. The league enters the year maintaining its status as the most popular sport in the United States, with NFL broadcasts accounting for 83 of the top 100 highest-rated television programs in 2025. This season features significant roster changes across the league, including the addition of Dexter Lawrence II to the Cincinnati Bengals and the arrival of Myles Garrett and Aaron Donald at the Los Angeles Rams. Quarterbacks such as Josh Allen, Justin Herbert, Joe Burrow, and Lamar Jackson face renewed pressure to secure postseason success. Following the league's viewership dominance last year, the opening matchup serves as the initial test for contending teams looking to define the competitive hierarchy.

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