The 2025 NFL season kicks off on Thursday because the defending Tremendous Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles play host to the Dallas Cowboys within the league’s annual kickoff sport. The Eagles are in search of to repeat as Tremendous Bowl champions, attempting to grow to be the ninth workforce (Steelers did it twice) in NFL historical past to perform the feat.
This season for the NFL might be an thrilling one, even when there aren’t as many historic modifications as in years previous. The “Tush Push” remained and the kickoff rule was barely modified, and the league even debuted its personal model of “Metropolis Version” jerseys for eight groups this yr. Oh, and there is a tripleheader of video games on Christmas too. The league discovered a brand new tv associate and extra worldwide video games in several nations are coming.
For all it’s essential know relating to the 2025 NFL season, here is a tenet to observe together with all of the modifications made and the new-look schedule:
New guidelines
The NFL put in a number of rule modifications this offseason, together with a modification of the dynamic kickoff rule established final season. The league needs to advertise extra kickoff returns in 2025 going ahead.
Listed below are the rule modifications for 2025:
Modifications to dynamic kickoff
- Modifying the alignment necessities for receiving workforce gamers within the setup zone so they could have a most of three gamers within the setup zone not on the restraining line, however by no means a couple of participant in every of the three areas inside the setup zone bordered by the sidelines and inbounds strains.
- Altering the useless ball spot after a touchback to the 35-yard line if the ball lands ultimately zone and is downed ultimately zone by the receiving workforce or goes out of bounds behind the receiving workforce’s purpose line. The earlier spot was on the 30-yard line.
- Permitting groups to declare an onside kick at any level throughout a sport so long as they’re trailing their opponent, versus solely within the fourth quarter.
New time beyond regulation guidelines for normal season
- NFL groups adopted to align the postseason and regular-season time beyond regulation guidelines by granting each groups a chance to own the ball whatever the consequence of the primary possession, topic to a 10-minute time beyond regulation interval within the common season. Each groups will get possession within the common season.
- The postseason time beyond regulation interval will stay at quarter-hour.
Immediate replay help
Upset alert in Week 1? Why these 5 NFL favorites might simply drop their season opener
Tyler Sullivan
Rivalries jerseys
Nike and the NFL introduced a “Rivalries” uniform program, much like the “Metropolis Version” jerseys within the NBA or “Metropolis Join” jerseys in MLB. The brand new designs are for dwelling groups once they play a divisional opponent, and are solely to be worn as soon as a season.
The AFC West and the NFC West are the primary two divisions to debut the “Rivalries” uniforms. After their on-field debut, the “Rivalries” uniforms might be included of their workforce’s uniform lineup for 3 years, along with current alternate uniforms. Extra “Rivalries” uniforms will debut throughout the 2026, 2027 and 2028 seasons.
Listed below are when the “Rivalries” uniforms might be worn this season. You may view the 2025 designs right here:
Vacation video games
The NFL could have its typical vacation video games on Thanksgiving this yr, having three video games on the vacation (which has been the case since 2006). The 12:30 p.m. sport (the Detroit sport) has been moved to 1 p.m., because the league needed to have the identical sport instances because the Sunday schedule on holidays.
For the sixth consecutive yr, the NFL will maintain video games on Christmas Day — which falls on a Thursday. Since Christmas is on a Thursday, the league could have a Christmas tripleheader for the primary time — the afternoon video games on Netflix and the evening sport on Prime Video.
The league may even maintain a Black Friday sport for the third consecutive yr.
Thanksgiving video games
Black Friday sport
Christmas video games
Worldwide video games
The league will maintain a document seven worldwide video games this season, together with the primary regular-season video games in Eire and Spain. The Brazil sport, performed at Area Corinthians in Sao Paulo, can also be again and might be performed in Week 1 on a Friday.
There might be three video games in London and one in Germany as nicely. Right here is the worldwide schedule:
- Week 1: Kansas Metropolis Chiefs at Los Angeles Chargers (Sao Paulo, Brazil) — Fri., Sept. 5, 8 p.m. (YouTube)
- Week 4: Minnesota Vikings at Pittsburgh Steelers (Dublin, Eire) — Solar., Sept. 28, 9:30 a.m. (NFL Community)
- Week 5: Minnesota Vikings at Cleveland Browns (London, England) — Solar., Oct. 5, 9:30 a.m. (NFL Community)
- Week 6: Denver Broncos at New York Jets (London, England) — Solar., Oct. 12, 9:30 a.m. (NFL Community)
- Week 7: Los Angeles Rams at Jacksonville Jaguars (London, England) — Solar., Oct. 19, 9:30 a.m. (NFL Community)
- Week 10: Atlanta Falcons at Indianapolis Colts (Berlin, Germany) — Solar, Nov. 9, 9:30 a.m. (NFL Community)
- Week 11: Washington Commanders at Miami Dolphins (Madrid, Spain) — Solar., Nov. 16, 9:30 a.m. (NFL Community)
Tv contract recap
The NFL has a number of tv companions because the league enters the third yr of a 11-year tv contract. Listed below are the highlights of the tv deal, for individuals who forgot:
- Sunday afternoon video games are break up between CBS and Fox. Each networks will proceed to hold the Sunday afternoon AFC and NFC packages with CBS having the AFC and Fox having the NFC. CBS and Fox will every have 10 Sunday doubleheaders, with each networks airing them in Weeks 15 and 18. Fox has the early Thanksgiving sport whereas CBS has the late-afternoon Thanksgiving sport. Fox additionally has the rights to a Saturday doubleheader in Week 16 on Dec. 20. CBS has the choice for an alternate telecast on Nickelodeon, however hasn’t introduced a sport for 2025.
- NBC has “Sunday Night time Soccer” and the Thanksgiving prime-time sport. Peacock will get an unique sport as soon as once more, a matchup to be decided in Week 17 on Saturday, Dec. 27 — which might be a Saturday evening sport.
- ESPN has “Monday Night time Soccer” and the Week 18 doubleheader on the ultimate Saturday of the common season. 4 “Monday Night time Soccer” video games and the Saturday doubleheader might be ESPN/ABC simulcasts. ESPN will air a “Monday Night time Soccer” conventional doubleheader on Sept. 15 (Week 2) and Oct. 20 (Week 7) — selecting up a sport that was initially scheduled for ESPN+. Sept. 29 (Week 4) and Oct. 13 (Week 6) will function a break up doubleheader with two “Monday Night time Soccer” video games airing on the similar time on each ABC and ESPN. Not less than 10 “Monday Night time Soccer” video games and the Saturday doubleheader might be simulcast on each ESPN and ABC.
- NFL Community will air the worldwide collection video games in Europe and the afternoon video games on Saturday in Week 17.
- Amazon Prime Video has “Thursday Night time Soccer” and the annual Black Friday sport.
Postseason schedule
All 4 broadcast companions will air at the least one sport within the wild card spherical, with CBS and Fox airing an AFC and NFC wild card sport. NBC will air the Sunday evening sport whereas ESPN will air the Monday evening sport within the wild card spherical. Amazon Prime Video may even have a wild card sport. Fox may even broadcast a second wild card sport as nicely, a part of a rotation with CBS and NBC (CBS had two wild card video games final season).
CBS, NBC, ABC, and Fox every have one divisional spherical sport whereas CBS airs the AFC Championship sport and Fox the NFC Championship sport. NBC has Tremendous Bowl LX.
The wild card spherical might be performed from Jan. 10-12, with two video games on Saturday, three on Sunday, and one on Monday. The divisional spherical is slated for Jan. 17-18, with two video games on Saturday and two on Sunday. The AFC Championship sport and NFC Championship sport are on Jan. 25. Tremendous Bowl LIX is on Feb. 8 (New Orleans).
