NFL: New England Patriots OTA
Jun 2, 2026; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots tight end Eli Raridon (82) looks on during the team's OTA at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images Credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect (Reuters)
The NFL season is underway, with the Seattle Seahawks beginning their title defense in a Super Bowl grudge match against the New England Patriots. The quest for Super Bowl LXI has officially begun in Seattle.
Fans often enjoy predicting not only who will win the first game of the season. They also predict which players will hit various props. One of those popular questions is who will score the first touchdown of the NFL season.
Will it be A.J. Brown? Jaxon Smith-Njigba? On Wednesday night, the answer was someone few fans likely expected.
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In the second quarter, the Patriots scored a touchdown when quarterback Drake Maye connected with tight end Eli Raridon. He isn’t yet a household name, but he made his mark in NFL history by scoring the first touchdown of the 2026 season.
Eli Raridon with the FIRST TD of the NFL season 👀
(via @Patriots)pic.twitter.com/rY1rNirp5e
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) September 10, 2026
Who is Eli Raridon?
Raridon was selected 95th overall by the Patriots in this year’s draft after a standout career with the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. Despite his college success, he did not record a touchdown during his final season in South Bend.
The rookie tight end entered the NFL with plenty of family history behind him. Raridon is a third-generation Notre Dame football player, following in the footsteps of both his father and grandfather.
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His father, Scott Raridon Jr., played for the Fighting Irish, while his grandfather, Scott Raridon Sr., also played at Notre Dame before continuing his career in the NFL. Raridon Sr. was selected by the Philadelphia Eagles in the 1984 NFL Draft.
Tight end Eli Raridon during Notre Dame football's Pro Day at Irish Athletic Center on Tuesday, March 24, 2026, in South Bend.
Tight end Eli Raridon during Notre Dame football’s Pro Day at Irish Athletic Center on Tuesday, March 24, 2026, in South Bend. Credit: USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect (Reuters)
That background makes Raridon’s first NFL touchdown even more notable. After going without a touchdown during his final college season, the rookie needed only one regular-season game to find the end zone at the professional level.
While the touchdown may not have come from one of the biggest stars fans expected to make history. However, Raridon now owns a memorable distinction. His first NFL touchdown came on the league’s opening night, making him the first player to find the end zone in the race toward Super Bowl LXI.