How the Defending Champs Have Fared in the NFL Kickoff Game Since 2016

The NFL season is almost here; we're just one day away from the NFL Kickoff, which features a rematch of last year's Super Bowl. The defending champion Seattle Seahawks are hosting the New England Patriots. Last year, Seattle dominated the Patriots 29-13. So I figured it would be interesting to see how the defending champions have done in the NFL Kickoff since 2016. Denver Broncos vs Carolina Panthers – 2016 We'll start off with another Super Bowl rematch as the Denver Broncos opened their season against the Carolina Panthers. It was their first game after Peyton Manning retired, and they started Trevor Siemian at quarterback. The Panthers took a 17-7 lead into the fourth quarter, but a pair of C.J Anderson touchdowns gave them a 21-17 lead. The Panthers added a field goal late to cut the lead to 21-20 but were not able to score again, giving Denver the win. New England Patriots vs Kansas City Chiefs – 2017 The Patriots were celebrating their 28-3 comeback win over the Atlanta Falcons, and in many ways this was the start of a passing of the torch in the AFC. Quarterback Alex Smith had a standout day, passing for 368 yards and four touchdowns. Kareem Hunt added 148 yards and a touchdown on the ground, and Tyreek Hill caught 7 receptions for 133 yards and a touchdown. Kansas City would go on to win 42-27. The torch wouldn't officially be passed until Patrick Mahomes took over, but this was the first real indication that the Chiefs were going to be a problem for the next decade. Atlanta Falcons vs Philadelphia Eagles – 2018 The Philadelphia Eagles opened the season with the Atlanta Falcons, the two most recent Super Bowl teams from the NFC. The teams had faced off in the divisional round the year prior, with Philadelphia winning. This was no different, as the Eagles won 18-12. Running back Jay Ajayi had a solid game with 62 rushing yards and both of the Eagles' touchdowns. Kansas City Chiefs vs Houston Texans – 2020 The 2019 season marked the NFL's 100th anniversary, so the league featured a historic matchup between the Green Bay Packers and the Chicago Bears. So the next time we got to watch the defending champions open the season was in 2020, with a rematch of the divisional round between the Chiefs and Texans. That one was notable as the first game during the COVID era. The Chiefs were dominant, taking a 24-7 lead into the fourth quarter. The Texans would fight back with 13 points in that fourth quarter, but the Chiefs added 10 more points and won 34-20. Patrick Mahomes opened the season in style with a 211-yard, three-touchdown performance. Dallas Cowboys vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers – 2021 The defending champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers, led by Tom Brady, welcomed the Dallas Cowboys to Raymond James Stadium to open the 2021 season. This was an exciting way to start the season as it came down to a Ryan Succop field goal with 2 seconds left to give the Buccaneers a 31-29 victory. Brady had 379 yards and four touchdown passes to get his season started. Buffalo Bills vs Los Angeles Rams – 2022 The Rams welcomed the Bills to their home in a matchup that many thought could be a potential Super Bowl preview. The game was close in the first half, with the teams tied 10-10. The second half was all Bills, however, with Bills quarterback Josh Allen passing for two touchdowns and rushing for another. He finished the game with 297 yards and 4 total touchdowns. Ultimately, neither team would make the Super Bowl this season. Detriot Lions vs Kansas City Chiefs – 2023 This was the game that made many of us believe in the potential of the Dan Campbell-led Lions. The Chiefs led the Lions 14-7 at halftime, but the Lions put up two touchdowns in the second half, including an eight-yard rush by David Montgomery in the fourth quarter to give them a 21-20 lead. That would be the final score as the Lions shocked the defending champions. Baltimore Ravens vs Kansas City Chiefs – 2024 The Chiefs came into the season as back-to-back champions, and the Ravens wanted to prove that they could hang with the best team in the AFC. The Chiefs won 27-20, with Mahomes putting up a solid day: 291 passing yards and a touchdown. This one is probably best remembered for Isaiah Likley being unable to get both feet in bounds on a Dallas Cowboys vs Philadelphia Eagles – 2025 Finally, we have last season's opener between the champion Eagles and their rivals, the Cowboys. This game is probably most remembered for Eagles' defensive tackle Jalen Carter being ejected from the game for spitting on Dak Prescott before the game could even begin. That move didn't end up costing the Eagles, as they were able to win 24-20 off the back of Jalen Hurts' two rushing touchdowns. Seattle Seahawks vs New England Patriots – 2026 Over the past decade, the defending champions have gone 6-3, and I expect the Seahawks to add to that win total. The Patriots may get a boost with the newly extended Christian Gonzalez returning and new receiver A. J. Brown making his Patriots debut, but I still think Seattle gets the victory. This story was originally published by Men's Journal on Sep 8, 2026, where it first appeared in the Sports section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here. 2026 The Arena Group Holdings, Inc. All rights reserved. This story was originally published September 8, 2026 at 9:19 AM.