The 2026 NFL schedule will open with one of the most anticipated matchups of the regular season.
The Seattle Seahawks will host the New England Patriots on Sept. 9 in a rematch of Super Bowl 60, the league announced on Thursday, May 14.
It marks the first time since 2016, when the Denver Broncos hosted the Carolina Panthers, that the league is opening a new season by pitting the two reigning conference champions against one another.
The Seahawks will begin their title defense against the group they demolished in a 29-13 rout in Santa Clara, Calif., in February. Though offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak departed to become the Las Vegas Raiders’ head coach and Super Bowl 60 MVP Kenneth Walker III left to sign the Kansas City Chiefs in free agency, the core of the group remains in place as the franchise launches its title defense.
Yet the more intense spotlight might be reserved for the other sideline.
Patriots coach Mike Vrabel stepped away from Day 3 of the NFL draft to attend counseling after the New York Post published photos of him and Dianna Russini, the former NFL insider for The Athletic. Vrabel, who is married and has two adult sons, said in April he had held “difficult conversations” with his family and members of the Patriots organization. He later added that his unspecified actions “don’t meet the standard that I hold myself to.”
New England will be trying to chart a fresh course after its Super Bowl unraveling. Drake Maye, the Patriots’ second-year quarterback and last season’s MVP runner-up finisher, was sacked six times and threw two interceptions. Rookie left tackle Will Campbell came under fire after Next Gen Stats credited him with 14 pressures allowed. Seahawks cornerback Devon Witherspoon, who sacked Maye once and also hit him on the pick-six that all but sealed the outcome, later said Seattle “had a tell” on the Patriots’ protection plan.
In the rematch, things could shape up considerably different for Maye and last year’s No. 2 scoring offense. While Vrabel and executive vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf stood by Campbell amid questions of a move inside, fellow second-year blocker Jared Wilson is set to move to center.
New England also released Stefon Diggs and signed Romeo Doubs to reconfigure Maye’s receiving corps. The most drastic step, however, might be taken in the coming weeks, as the Patriots remain a potential landing spot for Philadelphia Eagles star wide receiver A.J. Brown in a possible post-June 1 trade.
The two teams will occupy a rare Wednesday window due to the complications created by this year’s calendar. Moving up the kickoff game a day early was necessary to facilitate the Week 1 standalone slot for the league’s first Australia game, which will be held between the Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers on Sept. 10.
2026 NFL schedules
- Arizona Cardinals
- Atlanta Falcons
- Baltimore Ravens
- Buffalo Bills
- Carolina Panthers
- Chicago Bears
- Cincinnati Bengals
- Cleveland Browns
- Dallas Cowboys
- Denver Broncos
- Detroit Lions
- Green Bay Packers
- Houston Texans
- Indianapolis Colts
- Jacksonville Jaguars
- Kansas City Chiefs
- Las Vegas Raiders
- Los Angeles Chargers
- Los Angeles Rams
- Miami Dolphins
- Minnesota Vikings
- New England Patriots
- New Orleans Saints
- New York Giants
- New York Jets
- Philadelphia Eagles
- Pittsburgh Steelers
- San Francisco 49ers
- Seattle Seahawks
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Tennessee Titans
- Washington Commanders
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 2026 NFL schedule: Seahawks, Patriots to open in Super Bowl rematch