The NFL regular season is one of the most anticipated events in the sports world. Fans eagerly await the release of the schedule, which reveals when their favorite teams will face off against their rivals, and when they can catch the most exciting matchups of the year. But when does NFL regular season start in 2023? And what are some of the key dates and games to look out for? Here is everything you need to know.
NFL Regular Season Start Date
The 2023 NFL regular season is scheduled to start on Thursday, September 7, 2023, with defending Super Bowl LVII champion Kansas City hosting the NFL Kickoff Game. The season will span 18 weeks, with each team playing 17 games and having one bye week. The regular season will end on Sunday, January 7, 2024, with all 32 teams playing on the same day.
The NFL has not yet announced the full schedule for the 2023 season, but it has revealed the opponents for each team. The schedule is expected to be released in May, after the NFL Draft, which will take place from April 27-29 in Kansas City.
NFL Preseason Schedule
Before the regular season starts, the NFL will have a four-week preseason schedule, which will feature 65 games in total. The preseason will begin with the Hall of Fame Game on Friday, August 4, 2023, as part of the festivities for the Pro Football Hall of Fame induction ceremony. The game will feature the New York Jets and Cleveland Browns, who will honor their former players Joe Klecko, Darrelle Revis, and Joe Thomas, who are among the nine inductees headed into the Hall of Fame this year.
The preseason will continue with three more weeks of games, which will give teams a chance to evaluate their rosters and prepare for the regular season. The preseason will end on Thursday, August 31, 2023.
NFL Regular Season Highlights
The NFL regular season will feature some of the most intriguing and exciting games of the year. Some of the notable games that fans can expect to see include:
- The New Orleans Saints and Las Vegas Raiders will have a rematch of their thrilling overtime game in 2021, with a new quarterback in Derek Carr facing his former team, and two top running backs in Alvin Kamara and Josh Jacobs.
- The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will welcome back former quarterback Baker Mayfield as he faces off against Tom Brady and the two teams with strong defenses. The Buccaneers and the Los Angeles Rams. Are expected to be top contenders in the NFC.
- The Baltimore Ravens have revamped their receiving corps with free agent signings and rely on MVP quarterback Lamar Jackson to lead them to a deep playoff run against tough defenses like the Buffalo Bills, Los Angeles Chargers, and San Francisco 49ers.
- The Carolina Panthers have a new trio of offensive weapons with running back Miles Sanders and wide receivers D.J. Chark and Adam Thielen joining forces with Christian McCaffrey and D.J. Moore, hoping to challenge the NFC South dominance of the New Orleans Saints and Tampa Bay Buccaneers while developing young quarterback Sam Darnold.
- The Green Bay Packers face tough competition in their quest to win another NFC North title, with strong division rivals and facing some of the best teams in the league like the Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Rams, Seattle Seahawks, and Tennessee Titans.
NFL Playoffs Schedule
The playoffs are scheduled to start on Saturday, January 13, 2024, with six games in the wild-card round. The divisional round will follow on January 20-21, and the conference championships on January 28. The season will culminate with Super Bowl LVIII. Which will be played at Allegiant Stadium in Paradise, Nevada, on Sunday, February 11.
The playoffs will feature the top seven teams from each conference, with the top seed in each conference getting a bye in the first round. Playoffs will follow a re-seeding format, meaning that the highest-seeded team in each conference will face the lowest-seeded team that advances from the previous round.
The playoffs will also feature some of the most exciting and talented players in the league, such as Patrick Mahomes, Aaron Rodgers, Josh Allen, Russell Wilson, Derrick Henry, Dalvin Cook, Travis Kelce, George Kittle, Jalen Ramsey, T.J. Watt, and many more.
The Super Bowl will be the biggest spectacle of the year, as it will showcase the two best teams in the league fighting for the ultimate prize. The Super Bowl will also feature a star-studded halftime show and a variety of commercials and entertainment.
Conclusion
This blog has answered the question of when does the NFL regular season start in 2023. It has also provided some of the key dates and games to look out for in the upcoming season. The NFL regular season is one of the most anticipated events in the sports world, and fans can expect to see some of the best teams and players in action. The season will start on September 7, 2023, and end on January 7, 2024. The playoffs will follow from January 13 to February 11, with Super Bowl LVIII being played at Allegiant Stadium in Paradise, Nevada.
