In a sense, it’s true that the NFL has no real “offseason.” That’s a tribute to how the league has managed to eventize things like its annual draft, as well as the schedule release. Social media platforms have even lent intrigue to mandatory mini-camps and OTAs, to say nothing of actual training camps in late summer. The league has managed to whittle down its true quiet period to about 4 weeks in late June and early July, and I’m sure it will find a way to capture viewer attention in that span in the future.

But it’s finally time to put the offseason to bed. No more pouring through training camp practice reports for scraps of news, and no more preseason games. This week, the NFL regular season finally kicks off with some monster spotlight games, and it’s probably the week I look forward to more than any other of the year.

Things start off on Wednesday for the NFL season this year, the first time the league has kicked off on a Wednesday since 2012. The inaugural game of the 2026-27 season will see a rematch of Super Bowl LX starting at 8:20 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock, and the New England Patriots will have to hope they can show a little better against the Seattle Seahawks defense than they did in the Big Game.

As a Denver Broncos fan, there was unquestionably a large part of me that enjoyed watching the Seahawks dismantle a Patriots team that I felt got a lucky break when Bo Nix broke his ankle in the 2025 AFC Divisional round. But I fully expect the Patriots to be ready for the Seahawks this season, and the game will answer some questions about two teams that figure to be contenders this year, while raising plenty more.

Things keep rolling on Thursday night, when the San Francisco 49ers will face the Los Angeles Rams in the first-ever regular-season NFL game played in Australia. NFC West divisional tilts are always entertaining, and the Rams aren’t planning to arrive in Australia until 24 hours ahead of kickoff, despite the major time difference. I think that’s bonkers, but I can’t wait to see how it plays out on Netflix on Thursday night at 8:35 p.m. ET.

As mentioned, Wednesday evening’s Patriots vs. Seahawks game will be played on NBC. Former Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin will join the “Football Night in America” broadcast team on NBC for the first time this season, and I can’t wait to see how it goes; Tomlin was always an entertaining press conference host in his coaching days.

On Sunday, I’ll sit back, relax, and enjoy whatever games end up on CBS or Fox in my region. That’s another great thing about the NFL’s opening weekend — I’m excited to watch any game, even tilts that would attract little more than a yawn later in the season. It’s not about the matchups; it’s about enthusiasm — football is back!

Until my Broncos take the field in Kansas City to face the Chiefs on Monday, Sept. 14, I’ll be able to bask in the joy of knowing that the NFL season has returned. After that, considerably more stress will be added to the experience, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. Check out Patriots vs. Seahawks on Wednesday, Sept. 9 at 8:20 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock, as well as Rams vs. 49ers on Thursday, Sept. 10 at 8:35 p.m. on Netflix, then see the rest of the NFL slate unfold on Sunday and Monday night on CBS, Fox, NBC, and ESPN.