NFL season primer 2025: Things fans should know entering Week 1, including notable games, new rules, and more

The 2025 NFL season kicks off on Thursday as the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eaglesplay host to the Dallas Cowboys in the league’s annual kickoff game. The Eagles are seeking to repeat as Super Bowl champions, trying to become the ninth team (Steelers did it twice) in NFL history to accomplish the feat.

This season for the NFL will be an exciting one, even if there aren’t as many historic changes as in years past. The “Tush Push” remained and the kickoff rule was slightly modified, and the league even debuted its own version of “City Edition” jerseys for eight teams this year. Oh, and there’s a tripleheader of games on Christmas too. The league found a new television partner and more international games in different countries are coming.

For all you need to know regarding the 2025 NFL season, here’s a guideline to follow along with all the changes made and the new-look schedule:

SPORTS UPDATE New rules

The NFL installed a few rule changes this offseason, including a modification of the dynamic kickoff rule established last season. The league wants to promote more kickoff returns in 2025 going forward.

Here are the rule changes for 2025:

Modifications to dynamic kickoff

• Modifying the alignment requirements for receiving team players in the setup zone so they may have a maximum of three players in the setup zone not on the restraining line, but never more than one player in each of the three areas within the setup zone bordered by the sidelines and inbounds lines.
• Changing the dead ball spot after a touchback to the 35-yard line if the ball lands in the end zone and is downed in the end zone by the receiving team or goes out of bounds behind the receiving team’s goal line. The previous spot was at the 30-yard line.
• Allowing teams to declare an onside kick at any point during a game as long as they are trailing their opponent, as opposed to only in the fourth quarter.

New overtime rules for regular season

• NFL teams adopted to align the postseason and regular-season overtime rules by granting both teams an opportunity to possess the ball regardless of the outcome of the first possession, subject to a 10-minute overtime period in the regular season. Both teams will get possession in the regular season.
• The postseason overtime period will remain at 15 minutes.

Instant replay assist

• NFL clubs voted to amend instant replay to expand instant replay’s ability to advise the on-field officials on specific, objective aspects of a play and/or to address game administration issues when clear and obvious video evidence is present.
• Replay officials and designated members of the NFL officiating department can advise on-field crews based on clear and obvious video evidence. The expansion of the replay assistance rule facilitates the administration of the game and limits stoppages on certain rulings, reducing the need for challenges and booth reviews by sharing information in real time.

• For the 2025 season, the NFL Competition Committee expanded replay assist to include objective input if a foul is called for:

  • Roughing the passer based only on a hit to the passer’s head or neck area
  • Intentional grounding only if relative to the pocket or ball landing beyond the line of scrimmage
  • Unnecessary roughness based only on:
    • Forcibly contacting a runner when he is out of bounds
    • Forcibly hitting a defenseless player’s head or neck area
  • Twisting, pulling or turning the facemask or helmet opening
  • A horse-collar tackle
  • Tripping
  • Roughing or running into the kicker

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SPORTS UPDATE Rivalries jerseys

Nike and the NFL announced a “Rivalries” uniform program, similar to the “City Edition” jerseys in the NBA or “City Connect” jerseys in MLB. The new designs are for home teams when they play a divisional opponent, and are only to be worn once a season.

The AFC West and the NFC West are the first two divisions to debut the “Rivalries” uniforms. After their on-field debut, the “Rivalries” uniforms will be included in their team’s uniform lineup for three years, in addition to existing alternate uniforms. Additional “Rivalries” uniforms will debut during the 2026, 2027 and 2028 seasons.

Here are when the “Rivalries” uniforms will be worn this season. You can view the 2025 designs here:

• Arizona Cardinals:Sept. 25 vs. Seattle Seahawks
• Miami Dolphins:Sept. 29 vs. New York Jets
• Buffalo Bills:Oct. 5 vs. New England Patriots
• New England Patriots:Nov. 13 vs. New York Jets
• Los Angeles Rams:Nov. 16 vs. Seattle Seahawks
• New York Jets:Dec. 7 vs. Miami Dolphins
• Seattle Seahawks:Dec. 18 vs. Los Angeles Rams
• San Francisco 49ers:Jan. 4 vs. Seattle Seahawks

SPORTS UPDATE Holiday games

The NFL will have its typical holiday games on Thanksgiving this year, having three games on the holiday (which has been the case since 2006). The 12:30 p.m. game (the Detroit game) has been moved to 1 p.m., as the league wanted to have the same game times as the Sunday schedule on holidays.

For the sixth consecutive year, the NFL will hold games on Christmas Day — which falls on a Thursday. Since Christmas is on a Thursday, the league will have a Christmas tripleheader for the first time — the afternoon games on Netflix and the night game on Prime Video.

The league will also hold a Black Friday game for the third consecutive year.

Thanksgiving games

• Green Bay Packers at Detroit Lions1 p.m., Fox(Stream:Fubo— try for free)
• Kansas City Chiefs at Dallas Cowboys4:30 p.m., CBS(Stream on Paramount+)
• Cincinnati Bengals at Baltimore Ravens8:20 p.m., NBC(Stream:Fubo— try for free)

Black Friday game

• Chicago Bears at Philadelphia Eagles, 3 p.m., Prime Video

Christmas games

• Dallas Cowboys at Washington Commanders1 p.m., Netflix
• Detroit Lions at Minnesota Vikings4:30 p.m., Netflix
• Denver Broncos at Kansas City Chiefs, 8:15 p.m., Prime Video

SPORTS UPDATE International games

The league will hold a record seven international games this season, including the first regular-season games in Ireland and Spain. The Brazil game, played at Arena Corinthians in Sao Paulo, is also back and will be played in Week 1 on a Friday.

There will be three games in London and one in Germany as well. Here is the international schedule:

• Week 1:Kansas City Chiefs at Los Angeles Chargers (Sao Paulo, Brazil) — Fri., Sept. 5, 8 p.m. (YouTube)
• Week 4: Minnesota Vikings at Pittsburgh Steelers (Dublin, Ireland) — Sun., Sept. 28, 9:30 a.m. (NFL Network)
• Week 5:Minnesota Vikings at Cleveland Browns (London, England) — Sun., Oct. 5, 9:30 a.m. (NFL Network)
• Week 6:Denver Broncos at New York Jets (London, England) — Sun., Oct. 12, 9:30 a.m. (NFL Network)
• Week 7:Los Angeles Rams at Jacksonville Jaguars (London, England) — Sun., Oct. 19, 9:30 a.m. (NFL Network)
• Week 10:Atlanta Falcons at Indianapolis Colts (Berlin, Germany) — Sun, Nov. 9, 9:30 a.m. (NFL Network)
• Week 11: Washington Commanders at Miami Dolphins (Madrid, Spain) — Sun., Nov. 16, 9:30 a.m. (NFL Network)

SPORTS UPDATE Television contract recap

The NFL has multiple television partners as the league enters the third year of a 11-year television contract. Here are the highlights of the television deal, for those who forgot:

• Sunday afternoon games are split between CBS and Fox. Both networks will continue to carry the Sunday afternoon AFC and NFC packages with CBS having the AFC and Fox having the NFC. CBS and Fox will each have 10 Sunday doubleheaders, with both networks airing them in Weeks 15 and 18. Fox has the early Thanksgiving game while CBS has the late-afternoon Thanksgiving game. Fox also has the rights to a Saturday doubleheader in Week 16 on Dec. 20. CBS has the option for an alternate telecast on Nickelodeon, but hasn’t announced a game for 2025.
• NBC has “Sunday Night Football” and the Thanksgiving prime-time game. Peacock gets an exclusive game onc e again, a matchup to be determined in Week 17 on Saturday, Dec. 27 — which will be a Saturday night game.
• ESPN has “Monday Night Football” and the Week 18 doubleheader on the final Saturday of the regular season. Four “Monday Night Football” games and the Saturday doubleheader will be ESPN/ABC simulcasts. ESPN will air a “Monday Night Football” traditional doubleheader on Sept. 15 (Week 2) and Oct. 20 (Week 7) — picking up a game that was originally scheduled for ESPN+. Sept. 29 (Week 4) and Oct. 13 (Week 6) will feature a split doubleheader with two “Monday Night Football” games airing at the same time on both ABC and ESPN. At least 10 “Monday Night Football” games and the Saturday doubleheader will be simulcast on both ESPN and ABC.
• NFL Network will air the international series games in Europe and the afternoon games on Saturday in Week 17.
• Amazon Prime Video has “Thursday Night Football” and the annual Black Friday game.

SPORTS UPDATE Postseason schedule

All four broadcast partners will air at least one game in the wild card round, with CBS and Fox airing an AFC and NFC wild card game. NBC will air the Sunday night game while ESPN will air the Monday night game in the wild card round. Amazon Prime Video will also have a wild card game. Fox will also broadcast a second wild card game as well, part of a rotation with CBS and NBC (CBS had two wild card games last season).

CBS, NBC, ABC, and Fox each have one divisional round game while CBS airs the AFC Championship game and Fox the NFC Championship game. NBC has Super BowlLX.

The wild card round will be played from Jan. 10-12, with two games on Saturday, three on Sunday, and one on Monday. The divisional round is slated for Jan. 17-18, with two games on Saturday and two on Sunday. The AFC Championship game and NFC Championship game are on Jan. 25. Super Bowl LIX is on Feb. 8 (New Orleans).