In recent years, the Super Bowl winning team has hosted the following season’s opening game on a Thursday night, usually in a marque matchup, before a full slate of games kicks off on Sunday.
So after the New England Patriots again hosted the Lombardi Trophy by defeating the Los Angeles Rams in version LIII of the big game, who could they play to open the season?
The Patriots will face off against AFC North opponents next season, so a opening day matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers could be in the cards.
After two years of the Steelers hosting the Patriots at Heinz Field, the Steelers are set to travel to Gillette Stadium in Foxborough next season.
The matchup up comes with the added drama of the Patriots raising their sixth championship banner in front of the Steelers, the franchise that had previously held the most championship titles since they defeated the Arizona Cardinal in Super Bowl XLIII in 2009.
Though NBC columnist Peter King likes a Cleveland Browns matchup against the Pats to kick off the season, he think the Steelers contest, which he dubs, “Drama Queens at the Model Franchise,” could be good too.
Other marque opponents for the Patriots could be the Kansas City Chiefs or the Dallas Cowboys. The New York Giants are also slated to visit Foxborough.
But there are rumors the NFL might change up the opening day format.
NFL writer Ed Werner, with the New Orleans Times-Picayune, and others are reporting that the NFL may go with an old school approach.
With the new season being the NFL’s 100th, the league may go with an old school approach and feature two of the oldest franchises: Green Bay Packers and the Chicago Bears.
The Packers marked their 100th year in 2018 and Bears will be celebrating their century mark in 2019.
NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero also reported last month that the NFL may change thing up.
Fans will have to wait and see. The official the dates and times for the new season games are usually announced in April.
Frank Carnevale is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Frank at 412-380-8511, fcarnevale@tribweb.com or via Twitter @frnkstar.
