NFL
2025 NFL Kickoff Game: Who Should The Eagles Play To Open Season?
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The Philadelphia Eagles are Super Bowl champions. After their victory in Super Bowl LIX, the Eagles will host the first game of the 2025 season. Who should the Eagles play in the 2025 NFL Kickoff Game?
Who Will The Eagles Face In The 2025 NFL Kickoff Game?
The Super Bowl Champion Philadelphia Eagles will open the 2025 NFL season at home on Thursday night. Who will they face? Here are the options:
🏈Commanders
🏈Cowboys
🏈Giants
🏈Bears
🏈Lions
🏈Raiders
🏈Rams
🏈Broncos— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) February 10, 2025
Per tradition, the defending Super Bowl champion hosts the first game of the following season on Thursday night.
Since 2004, the current Super Bowl champion has played in the Kickoff Game except the 2018 New England Patriots. For the 2019 NFL Opening Kickoff Game, the league scheduled a game between the Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears to celebrate the league’s 100th season.
In 2025, the Eagles will host the 2025 Kickoff Game. The list of the Eagles’ home opponents for next season includes:
- Chicago Bears
- Dallas Cowboys
- Denver Broncos
- Detroit Lions
- Las Vegas Raiders
- Los Angeles Rams
- New York Giants
- Washington Commanders
Who Should The Eagles Face In The 2025 NFL Kickoff Game?
SUPER BOWL CHAMPIONS!
THIS ONE’S FOR YOU PHILLY! pic.twitter.com/tWxrzozMQU— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) February 10, 2025
When determining the Super Bowl champion’s opponent, the NFL typically looks for one of these components: a star quarterback, an elite team, a team projected to take the next step, a playoff rematch, or a division rival.
Here are the last five NFL Kickoff Games
- 2020: Kansas City Chiefs vs. Houston Texans — playoff rematch
- 2021: Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Dallas Cowboys — elite team
- 2022: Los Angeles Rams vs. Buffalo Bills — elite team
- 2023: Kansas City Chiefs vs. Detroit Lions — a team projected to take the next step
- 2024: Kansas City Chiefs vs. Baltimore Ravens — playoff rematch
Bold = Super Bowl champ
Using the criteria, the Eagles will likely play one of three opponents: Lions, Cowboys, or Commanders.
The Lions and Eagles were the two best teams in the NFC. Many predicted Detroit would host Philadelphia in the NFC Championship game. However, the Lions were eliminated in the Divisional Round.
The Cowboys are one of the Eagles’ fiercest rivals. Dallas also has a new coach in Brian Schottenheimer, so throwing him into the fire to play the Super Bowl champs is an intriguing storyline.
However, the team that should play the Eagles on opening night is Washington. The Commanders unexpectedly reached the NFC Championship game before falling to the Eagles.
By scheduling the Commanders in the Kickoff Game, the league has a playoff rematch and an exciting young quarterback in Jayden Daniels.
