The countdown to the 2025 NFL season has officially begun.
After a few days of teaser matchups, the full 2025 regular-season schedule dropped on Wednesday, marking the start of anticipation season.
All eyes are on Week 1 — a historically strong indicator of future playoff success. The opening week has become known for marquee matchups, often previewing the postseason landscape. In fact, last year’s Week 1 slate included several games between eventual playoff contenders.
Since the NFL expanded to 14 playoff teams in 2020, postseason-bound teams have won 70% of their Week 1 games, going 49-21, per NFL Research.
In 2024, nine of the 14 teams that reached the postseason started their campaigns with a victory. Among the five who lost, four fell to fellow playoff teams. Only the Denver Broncos lost to a non-playoff opponent — the Seattle Seahawks, who still finished a respectable 10-7. Despite that loss, Denver went on to make the playoffs.
Meanwhile, both the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles kicked off their 2024 seasons with wins over future playoff squads and ultimately met in Super Bowl LIX.
Will the opening week of 2025 provide a similar springboard?
The season kicks off with a high-stakes NFC East showdown as the Philadelphia Eagles begin their title defense against the Dallas Cowboys.
These two division rivals have alternated division crowns over the last four years — Philly in 2022 and 2024, Dallas in 2021 and 2023 — but the Eagles are aiming to break the cycle and become the first repeat NFC East champion since their early-2000s run from 2001 to 2004.
It’s a tall order for rookie head coach Brian Schottenheimer, whose first game at the helm of the Cowboys will come against the reigning champions. Dallas was thoroughly outplayed by Philadelphia last season, getting swept by a combined score of 75-13.
Quarterback Dak Prescott returns after missing most of the 2024 campaign with a hamstring injury, and he’ll have a new weapon in recently acquired wide receiver George Pickens, joining forces with star pass catcher CeeDee Lamb.
For the Eagles, their first game since dismantling the Chiefs 40-22 in the Super Bowl brings back a familiar, talented core: Jalen Hurts, Saquon Barkley, A.J. Brown, a dominant offensive line, and key defenders like Zack Baun and Cooper DeJean — all set on making another championship run.
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