Less than a month after the Green Bay Packers broke with one of their recent traditions by selecting a wide receiver in the first round as the NFL’s annual draft made its first visit to Lambeau Field, the storied franchise will once again be taking a fresh approach when it opens the 2025 season.
Packers add pair of Wisconsin natives as undrafted free agents
The league released its complete schedule for the upcoming campaign on Wednesday night, revealing the Packers will open the season at home for the first time in coach Matt LaFleur’s seven-year tenure when they host the reigning NFC North champion Detroit Lions in Week 1 on Sept. 7.
The last time the Packers opened the regular season at home came in 2018, when they pulled out a thrilling win over the rival Chicago Bears as then-starting quarterback Aaron Rodgers threw three second-half touchdown passes after returning from a first-half injury in a dramatic Sunday night battle.
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Packers schedule photo
Receiver Geronimo Allison celebrates his touchdown catch during the second half of the Packers' 2018 season-opener against the rival Chicago Bears. Green Bay will open this season at home for the first time since its thrilling victory over Chicago to kick off the 2018 campaign. Morry Gash, Associated Press archives
After taking on the Lions in its opener, Green Bay stays at home for a Thursday night Week 2 matchup just four days later, when it will host a much-improved Washington Commanders squad on Sept. 11.
The Packers hit the road the next two weeks, visiting the Cleveland Browns on Sept. 21 and the Dallas Cowboys on Sept. 28 before getting a Week 5 bye.
After the bye, Green Bay’s schedule is as follows: vs. Cincinnati (Oct. 12), at Arizona (Oct. 19), at Pittsburgh (Oct. 26), vs. Carolina (Nov. 2), vs. Philadelphia (Nov. 10), at New York Giants (Nov. 16), vs. Minnesota (Nov. 23), at Detroit (Nov. 27), vs. Chicago (Dec. 7), at Denver (Dec. 14), at Chicago (TBD), vs. Baltimore (TBD), at Minnesota (TBD).
Elsewhere in the league, Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce and the Kansas City Chiefs will be featured in at least eight stand-alone games during the upcoming NFL season.
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Their Super Bowl rematch against the Philadelphia Eagles won’t be one of them.
The teams will meet Week 2 in Kansas City in the late afternoon game on Fox.
Jalen Hurts, Saquon Barkley and the Eagles dominated the Chiefs 40-22 to capture their second Vince Lombardi Trophy in February. Philadelphia is getting seven stand-alone games.
There won’t be a long wait for a Josh Allen-Lamar Jackson showdown. Allen and the Buffalo Bills visit Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens in Week 1 on “Sunday Night Football.” Allen edged Jackson for the NFL MVP award last season while Jackson was the AP’s first-team All-Pro quarterback.
No waiting for Aaron Rodgers to face his former team if he does end up signing with Pittsburgh. The Steelers will visit the New York Jets — who now have former Pittsburgh quarterback Justin Fields — in Week 1.
After the Eagles raise their championship banner, they’ll kick off the league’s season against the NFC East rival Dallas Cowboys on Sept. 4. The Chiefs will take on the Los Angeles Chargers in the league’s second game in Brazil, on Sept. 5 at Corinthians Stadium in Sao Paulo.
The Chiefs are visiting Dallas on Thanksgiving Day and hosting the Denver Broncos on Christmas night. Dak Prescott, Micah Parsons and the Cowboys also will play on both holidays. They’ll visit Jayden Daniels and the Washington Commanders to kick off a tripleheader on Christmas.
The Chiefs are scheduled for three games on Sunday night: at the New York Giants in Week 3; vs. the Detroit Lions on Oct. 12; vs. the Houston Texans on Dec. 7. Kansas City has two Monday night games in the same month: at the Jacksonville Jaguars on Oct. 6 and vs. the Commanders on Oct. 27.
All of those prime-time games give Taylor Swift more opportunities to share the NFL spotlight. The 14-time Grammy Award-winning superstar has been dating Kelce since the 2023 season.
The Chiefs-Bills AFC championship rematch will be in Buffalo on Nov. 2. The NFC championship rematch between the Eagles and Commanders will take place in Washington on Saturday, Dec. 20. The teams meet again two weeks later in Week 18.
Packers focus on defense on final day of hometown NFL Draft
The NFL schedule has become a weeklong event with various networks revealing select marquee games each day leading up to Wednesday night’s full release.
Netflix, which is streaming the first two games of a Christmas triple-header, announced earlier that the Lions will face the Vikings in Minnesota in the late afternoon game.
Six of the record seven international contests were announced Tuesday.
The Vikings are playing consecutive games in Ireland and Britain, facing the Pittsburgh Steelers at Croke Park in Dublin on Sept. 28 in Ireland’s first NFL regular-season game. They’ll become the first team to play two international games in two different countries when they go to London to face the Cleveland Browns at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium a week later on Oct. 5.
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In other international games, the Broncos play the Jets on Oct. 12 at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, the Los Angeles Rams face the Jaguars a week later at Wembley Stadium in London, the Atlanta Falcons take on the Indianapolis Colts on Nov. 9 at the Olympic Stadium in Berlin and the Commanders play the Miami Dolphins on Nov. 16 at Santiago Bernabeu Stadium in Madrid.
Philadelphia visits the Giants on “Thursday Night Football” on Oct. 9 and hosts the Lions on Sunday night Nov. 16.
New Bears coach Ben Johnson, who was the offensive coordinator for the Lions, will face his former team for the first time in Week 2 in Detroit.
No. 1 overall pick Cam Ward could make his NFL debut with the Tennessee Titans against Bo Nix and the Broncos in Denver on Sept. 7.
Former Titans coach Mike Vrabel faces his former team in Week 7 when the New England Patriots visit Tennessee.
Besides Chiefs-Cowboys, the Thanksgiving Day slate includes the Packers-Lions in the early game and the Cincinnati Bengals at Baltimore in prime time.
Photos: Packers first-round draft pick Matthew Golden in action
Houston UTSA Football
Houston wide receiver Matthew Golden runs past UTSA linebacker Dadrian Taylor after a catch during their 2022 game in San Antonio. Eric Gay, Associated Press
Rice Houston Football
Houston wide receiver Matthew Golden breaks the tackle attempt by Rice safety George Nyakwol enroute to a touchdown during their 2022 game in Houston. Michael Wyke, Associated Press
Houston Rice Football
Houston wide receiver Matthew Golden catches a pass as Rice safety Gabriel Taylor defends during their 2023 game in Houston. Eric Christian Smith, Associated Press
Georgia Texas Football
Texas receiver Matthew Golden signals a first down after catching a pass during a game against Georgia last season in Austin, Texas. Michael Thomas, Associated Press
Florida Texas Football
Texas wide receiver Matthew Golden celebrates his touchdown against Florida during their game last season in Austin, Texas. Eric Gay, Associated Press
Kentucky Texas Football
Texas wide receiver Matthew Golden runs against Kentucky defensive back Maxwell Hairston after a catch during their game last season in Austin, Texas. Eric Gay, Associated Press
Kentucky Texas Football
Texas wide receiver Matthew Golden runs against Kentucky during their game last season in Austin, Texas. Eric Gay, Associated Press
APTOPIX SEC Championship Football
Texas wide receiver Matthew Golden makes the catch against Georgia defensive back Daniel Harris during the first half of last season's Southeastern Conference championship game in Atlanta. Mike Stewart, Associated Press
CFP Arizona ST Texas Football
Texas wide receiver Matthew Golden celebrates his 2-point conversion against Arizona State during overtime in the quarterfinals of last season's College Football Playoff game in Atlanta. Brynn Anderson, Associated Press
CFP Arizona ST Texas Football
Texas wide receiver Matthew Golden makes the catch for a 2-point conversion against against Arizona State during overtime in the quarterfinals of last season's College Football Playoff in Atlanta. Brynn Anderson, Associated Press
CFP Arizona ST Texas Football
Texas wide receiver Matthew Golden makes the catch against Arizona State defensive back Keith Abney II during the quarterfinals of last season's College Football Playoff in Atlanta. Brynn Anderson, Associated Press
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