A Titanic clash between the biggest names in pro football will highlight the best programming scheduled for this season on NBC's “Sunday Night Football,” officials announced Wednesday.
Although the opponents each NFL team would play have been known since the end of the regular season, the dates and times for nearly all games were not announced until Wednesday night.
NBC's Sunday primetime lineup opens on September 8 with a matchup of quarterbacks, Matthew Stafford of the Los Angeles Rams and Jared Goff of the Detroit Lions, traded in a 2021 deal that benefits both parties. We will compete against each other.
Next Sunday night, September 15th, Chicago Bears No. 1 draft pick Caleb Williams will take on the Houston Texans and last season's Rookie of the Year, quarterback CJ Stroud.
New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who missed most of 2023 with a Week 1 injury, wears Jets green during the team's visit to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Oct. 20. He will be appearing on “Sunday Night Football” for the first time.
Gang Green will produce another “SNF” on Nov. 17 against the Indianapolis Colts.
Other important points
- The Jets lost again with 7 wins and 10 losses, but somehow tied for the most in prime time. They will join the Dallas Cowboys and San Francisco 49ers for six prime-time appearances in front of a national audience.
- The Chiefs, Lions, Rams, Buffalo Bills, Green Bay Packers, Cincinnati Bengals, Baltimore Ravens, Philadelphia Eagles, and Miami Dolphins all have five prime-time games.
- The Carolina Panthers finished a disastrous season with a 2-15 record and were completely shut out of prime time.
- In terms of pure star power, the biggest marquee game might be the first game of the regular season. The world champion Kansas City Chiefs will face off against the Baltimore Ravens in a Thursday night game aired on NBC on September 5th. Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes has led the team to three Super Bowl championships, and Ravens signal-caller Lamar Jackson has won two MVP awards.
- The first NFL game in Brazil is the next day, when the Philadelphia Eagles take on the Green Bay Packers in Sao Paulo.
- The Jets will play the NFC champion 49ers on Monday Night Football on opening weekend. Rodgers suffered a season-ending ACL tear during the Jets' 2023 season opener, also at MNF. He was waived by Leonard Floyd of the Buffalo Bills, who coincidentally left Buffalo for San Francisco.
Best schedule release
Every year, teams get more and more creative and publish their complete schedules. Some of the best announcements are listed below.
