NFL season kicks off with star-studded Thursday, Friday games on TSN
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The 2024 NFL season kicks off with a bang as TSN will air a total of seven games in Week 1, with NFL RedZone also making its return to TSN+.
Here's a look at the full schedule and where you can find the games.
Baltimore Ravens vs. Kansas City Chiefs
Thursday at 7pm ET/4pm PT on TSN 1/4 and streaming on TSN.ca or the TSN App.
Patrick Mahomes Chiefs
The two-time defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs host Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens as the NFL regular season opens at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City.
The game is a rematch of last season's AFC Championship, in which the Chiefs held Jackson in check and picked up a 17-10 victory. While the Chiefs have enjoyed no shortage of playoff success, the Ravens continue to look to take the final leap to a Super Bowl, having not done so since winning it all under coach John Harbaugh in 2012.
Reaching the conference championship was another step forward for the Ravens and Jackson, who was named NFL MVP for the second time in his career last season.
The Chiefs are seeking a historic three-peat and star quarterback Patrick Mahomes is expecting the team to set a tone for the season in their opening game.
“You don't want to get pushed around. I think that's the biggest thing,” Mahomes told the media of Week 1 games, and playing the Ravens in particular. “Whenever you play teams like this, you want to make sure you match their physicality. We're fast, and we've got guys that run around, but we pride ourselves on being physical as well, so it's going to be a great challenge, man.”
Green Bay Packers vs. Philadelphia Eagles
Friday, Sept. 6 at 8:15pm ET/5:15pm PT across the TSN Network, TSN.ca and the TSN App
Jordan Love Green Bay Packers
The first of five international games this season features a NFC battle between the Green Bay Packers and Philadelphia Eagles from Sao Paulo, Brazil.
The Packers are looking to build on a step forward from last season, while the Eagles are looking to rebound after an ugly end to their 2023 campaign.
In their first year with Jordan Love under centre, the Packers snuck into the playoffs at 9-8 and stunned the Dallas Cowboys 48-32 in the wild-card round. Green Bay challenged the San Francisco 49ers in the divisional round, but ultimately saw their season end with a 24-21 loss.
Expectations are high in Green Bay this season after Love joined the league's top-paid quarterbacks with a four-year, $220 million deal.
For the Eagles, the 2023 season appeared to be meeting or even surpassing expectations amid a 10-1 start to the season. The wheels suddenly fell off, though, as Philadelphia limped into the postseason with just one win their final six games.
Forced to travel on the road in the playoffs after losing out on the NFC East crown to the Cowboys, the Eagles suffered a 32-9 loss in the wild-card round to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
After guiding the Eagles to the Super Bowl just two seasons ago, head coach Nick Sirianni appears to be entering this season on the hot seat after last year's disastrous finish.
Sunday Coverage highlighted by RedZone on TSN+
TSN and TSN+ will carry two games during the 1pm ET slate in Week 1. TSN+ subscribers can watch the Houston Texans take on the Indianapolis Colts, while the all-Florida matchup between the Jacksonville Jaguars and Miami Dolphins will be featured on TSN3.
In the 4pm window, you can watch Bo Nix make his first NFL start as the Denver Broncos visit the Seattle Seahawks on TSN3.
Coverage of Sunday is highlighted by the return of NFL RedZone on TSN+. Subscribe to watch seven hours of commercial-free football, including every touchdown from every game.
Los Angeles Rams vs. Detroit Lions
Sunday, Sept. 8 at 7pm ET/4pm PT across the TSN Network and streaming on TSN.ca or the TSN App
Matt Stafford Los Angeles Rams
The first Sunday Night Football game of the year features a rematch of last season's wild-card playoff clash as Matthew Stafford and the Los Angeles Rams visit his former team in the Detroit Lions.
The Rams returned to the playoffs last season after missing the dance entirely as the reigning Super Bowl champions in 2022. The team has one of the most electric pass attacks in the league, with Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua holding key roles in head coach Sean McVay's offence. Los Angeles enters this season after taking a major loss on defence with the retirement of All-Pro defensive tackle Aaron Donald.
After years in the NFC North basement, the Lions lived up to expectations last season, reaching the NFC Championship and holding an early 24-7 lead over the 49ers before eventually falling 34-31 to miss out on a first-ever trip to the Super Bowl.
Expectations are once again high in the Motor City as Dan Campbell looks to finally lead the Lions to the big game after snapping a postseason win drought of more than 30 years last season.
New York Jets vs. San Francisco 49ers
Monday, Sept. 9 at 8:15pm ET/5:15pm PT across the TSN Network and streaming on TSN.ca or the TSN App
Aaron Rodgers Jets
Veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who tore his Achilles and was lost for the season in last year's Monday Night Football opener, will once again be featured in this year's first MNF game as his New York Jets travel to San Francisco to take on the NFC champion 49ers.
The Jets saw just one series from Rodgers as their new starter last season and were once again forced to turn to multiple starters to try to salvage their season. The team limped to a frustrating 7-10 finish as Rodgers teased a return if the playoffs had remained on the table.
It's been more than 20 months since Rodgers played a full game, dating back to his final performance with the Green Bay Packers. He was held out the preseason but said he believes he'll be game ready when Monday comes around.
"I feel good about where I'm at with my body and what I've kind of put together," he said last week. "I feel like I've done different things throughout camp as far rollouts and pulling up, getting out of the pocket and making plays, throwing back across my body, pump-faking, actually extending plays and getting some yards. So I feel like I've done a lot."
The 49ers are looking to get back to the Super Bowl after a drama-filled off-season that ultimately led to few changes. Contract disputes led to spending training camp without Brandon Aiyuk and Trent Williams, but it remains possible that both could be on the field for Monday's game.
The 49ers have come close to ending their title drought in four of the past five seasons. A 31-20 loss to the Chiefs in Super Bowl LIV was followed by missing the playoffs in 2020, while both their 2021 and 2022 seasons ended in NFC Championship losses. San Francisco held a 19-16 lead with less than two minutes left in the Super Bowl in February before the Chiefs forced overtime and eventually won the game.
“The only thing to do is to go right back at it because I’m going to year eight and it’s not like the opportunity is completely gone,” All-Pro tight end George Kittle said. “I have another shot this entire season. All I can do is focus on this season and what I can do every single day, make myself better, helping this team along. The fun thing too is we have a really good team.”