NEW YORK — ESPN’s Monday Night Football will kick off the 2026 season with a showdown between Kansas City and Denver on September 14th, the network announced Tuesday morning.
The venue for this AFC West rivalry matchup remains to be determined, as league officials continue working out final details before releasing the complete 2026 schedule this Thursday evening.
A major question mark surrounds Chiefs star quarterback Patrick Mahomes and his availability for the season opener. The two-time MVP suffered torn ACL and LCL injuries to his left knee during the closing moments of Kansas City’s December 14th defeat to Los Angeles Chargers, a loss that knocked the Chiefs out of playoff contention. Mahomes has set a goal of returning by the first week of the season.
Denver’s Bo Nix should be healthy for training camp after sustaining a fractured right ankle bone on January 18th during the AFC playoffs. The Broncos concluded their 2025 campaign with a loss to New England in the AFC championship game.
Additional prime-time matchups will be unveiled over the next several days.
Tuesday’s announcements coincided with upfront advertising presentations by NBC, Fox, and Prime Video. Buffalo will christen their new stadium against Detroit on September 17th for Amazon Prime Video’s Thursday Night Football opener.
Dallas features prominently in the other revealed games, traveling to face the New York Giants for NBC’s Sunday Night Football debut on September 13th, then hosting Philadelphia on Fox’s traditional Thanksgiving Day broadcast November 26th.
