Chiefs vs. Lions to Kick Off NFL Season on Sept. 7, per Report

Kansas City will host the prohibitive NFC North favorites on Sept. 7 to kick off the new season.

The NFL is revealing the full schedule for all 32 teams on Thursday night, but ahead of the complete announcement, it appears that we now know which teams will play in the league’s season opener this fall.

As expected, the Super Bowl champion Chiefs will host the NFL season opener at Arrowhead Stadium on Thursday night, Sept. 7 against the Lions, according to a report from Alex Chippin of The Score.

The Chiefs are no strangers to hosting this game at Arrowhead Stadium as  Super Bowl champion, now doing so for the second time in five seasons after a 38–35 comeback win over the Eagles in February.

The Lions have never played in the NFL’s kickoff game, which began in 2002. Detroit played in only one primetime game last year, a Week 18 game against Aaron Rodgers and the Packers in which Detroit knocked Green Bay out of the playoffs.

In a wide open NFC North, the Lions may be the team to beat entering the season. Detroit has not made the playoffs since 2016, and will be garnering expectations of a special season for the first time in a long time with Rodgers now out of the division.

The Lions went 9–8 last season under Dan Campbell, narrowly missing the playoffs.