The 2023 NFL schedule hasn't even been released yet, but there's already one huge surprise: The Detroit Lions will be playing in the NFL opener.
The league announced on Thursday morning that the Chiefs will be hosting the Lions in the NFL's annual Thursday night opener that will be kicking off from Kansas City at 8:20 p.m. ET on Sept. 7.
The defending Super Bowl champion has been hosting the first game of the NFL season for most of the past 20 years, so it was pretty clear that the Chiefs would be hosting the opener. However, it's a total surprise to see the Lions playing in this game.
The Chiefs have a loaded home schedule and NFL fans have spent the past three months debating who they might play in Week 1. The NFL could have scheduled a Super Bowl rematch with the Eagles or even an AFC Championship rematch with the Bengals. The league also could have put Bills-Chiefs in Week 1 or even Tyreek Hill's return to Kansas City, but instead, it will be the Lions who will be playing under the national spotlight to open the season (By the way, Tyreek Hill's return to Kansas City won't be even be happening because the Chiefs will be playing the Dolphins in Germany).
The opener is one of the most high-profile games on the schedule so this tells you how the league feels about the suddenly resurgent Lions, who closed out the 2022 season by going 8-2 over their final 10 games.
This game will mark the first time that Patrick Mahomes and Jared Goff have faced each other since 2018, when the Rams beat the Chiefs 54-51 in what still ranks as one of the wildest games in NFL history. If the opener goes anything like that game, then the NFL will be thrilled with its choice to put Detroit in the game.
Also, this game will mark Detroit's first visit to Kansas City in two decades. The last time the Lions visited the Chiefs came back in December 2003. Kansas City was supposed to host the Lions in 2015, but that game got moved to London.
If you're interested in what other NFL games have already been announced, you can find that answer here.
