NFL 2026 Is Almost Here: Mahomes’ Comeback, a Rams Superteam, Burrow’s Confidence and a Wild Week 1
September 3, 2026
The helmets are polished. Fantasy managers are lying to themselves about their draft genius. Coaches are saying everybody had a “great camp.” And somewhere, a fan has already looked at an 0-0 team and confidently announced, “We’re going 13-4.”
Yep. NFL season is almost back. 🏈🔥
The 2026 regular season officially begins Wednesday, September 9, when the defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks host the New England Patriots in a Super Bowl LX rematch. From there, the NFL immediately jumps continents for 49ers-Rams in Australia, gives us Cowboys-Giants under the Sunday night lights, and closes Week 1 with Patrick Mahomes potentially returning against the team that knocked Kansas City off its AFC West throne.
And after digging through the latest NFL coverage, training-camp reports, season previews and today's headlines, one thing is obvious:
There is no shortage of storylines this year.
Today's NFL Buzz: Joe Burrow Says Cincinnati Feels Different
Joe Burrow isn't exactly whispering about Cincinnati's expectations.
The Bengals have missed the playoffs three straight seasons, but Burrow said this year's team feels different from recent Cincinnati squads. After injuries derailed much of his 2025 season, he enters 2026 surrounded by Ja'Marr Chase, Tee Higgins and Chase Brown, while the Bengals spent heavily rebuilding their defense.
Cincinnati acquired Dexter Lawrence II, then added veterans including Boye Mafe, Jonathan Allen and Bryan Cook.
That is significant because nobody has really questioned whether Cincinnati can score when Burrow is healthy. The question has been whether the rest of the roster can keep the Bengals from needing 38 points every Sunday.
Burrow's basic message heading into this season?
Forget individual numbers. He wants to win.
And when a quarterback with his résumé starts talking like he can feel something different about his team, people listen.
Translation:
The AFC North might want to lock the doors.
The Rams Have Built Something Ridiculous
If you want to know which team is causing football analysts to stare at depth charts and mutter, “Come on, man,” look toward Los Angeles.
The Rams already had reigning league MVP Matthew Stafford running Sean McVay's offense.
Then they added Myles Garrett.
Then Aaron Donald came out of retirement.
Yes, that Aaron Donald.
FOX Sports ranked the Rams' defensive line the best positional group in football entering the season. The front includes Garrett, Donald, Byron Young, Braden Fiske, Kobie Turner and Poona Ford.
Good luck drawing up protection for that.
“Double Myles Garrett.”
Cool.
And Aaron Donald?
“Well...uh...”
Exactly.
NFL scouts interviewed by FOX disagree over whether 35-year-old Donald can still perform at his old Hall of Fame level after spending two years away from football. Some expect him to become a major rotational weapon quickly, while others believe age and the layoff will limit his snaps.
But even a reduced version of Aaron Donald playing beside Garrett creates a deeply unpleasant afternoon for offensive coordinators.
FOX's broader season preview describes Los Angeles as the heavy preseason Super Bowl favorite, with Donald joining a defense that also added Garrett, Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson while returning an offense that ranked No. 1 last season.
The Rams aren't flying under anybody's radar.
They're flying around with stadium lights attached to them.
Patrick Mahomes Has a Revenge Season Sitting Right There
And then there's Patrick Mahomes.
This isn't the familiar storyline of Kansas City entering another season as defending champion.
It's almost the opposite.
Mahomes suffered a torn ACL late last season, and the Chiefs missed the playoffs for the first time during his run as Kansas City's starter. Now he is attempting to come back from the first major injury of his career.
Kansas City also has Eric Bieniemy back as offensive coordinator, Rashee Rice healthy again and former Seattle running back Kenneth Walker III joining the offense.
And who does Kansas City draw on Monday night in Week 1?
Denver.
The Broncos ended Kansas City's nine-season run as AFC West champions and came within a game of reaching the Super Bowl last season.
So Mahomes' comeback doesn't start against a rebuilding team in a quiet Sunday afternoon slot.
It starts under the lights against the division rival that took the crown.
The NFL schedule-makers knew exactly what they were doing.
🍿
Seattle Begins Its Title Defense With a Super Bowl Rematch
The Seahawks didn't receive the usual enormous offseason parade of national hype despite winning Super Bowl LX.
That's probably just fine with Seattle.
Mike Macdonald's defense remains the heartbeat of this team. FOX Sports ranks Seattle's defensive line among the league's elite units, led by Leonard Williams and Byron Murphy II.
Quarterback Sam Darnold and receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba return on offense, although Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III departed for Kansas City.
And the NFL wasted absolutely no time creating drama.
Seattle's first opponent?
New England.
The Patriots team it just beat in the Super Bowl.
And New England arrives with another delicious subplot: A.J. Brown's Patriots debut after Philadelphia traded the star receiver during the offseason.
Forget easing into the season.
We're jumping into the deep end wearing shoulder pads.
The 49ers Might Be Getting Healthy at Exactly the Right Time
San Francisco's biggest opponent lately hasn't necessarily been Seattle or Los Angeles.
It's been the injury report.
But there's encouraging news.
Nick Bosa returned to full practice Wednesday for the first time since tearing his ACL last season, and George Kittle has also made progress while recovering from his Achilles injury. Both traveled with the team to Melbourne for its Week 1 meeting with the Rams.
Whether both stars actually play remains uncertain.
But San Francisco desperately needs health because its first assignment is borderline rude.
Travel halfway around the planet.
Then block Myles Garrett and Aaron Donald.
Welcome to Week 1.
Raiders Make the Veteran Call: Kirk Cousins Is QB1
Las Vegas made one of the league's most interesting quarterback decisions this week.
New Raiders coach Klint Kubiak named Kirk Cousins the Week 1 starter over rookie Fernando Mendoza, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
That makes Mendoza the first No. 1 overall quarterback since Baker Mayfield in 2018 who won't open his rookie season as the starter.
There's nothing wrong with letting a rookie quarterback watch football before throwing him into the blender.
The real question will come later.
If Las Vegas starts losing games and Mendoza keeps developing, how long before Raider Nation starts chanting for the rookie?
Quarterback controversies don't need gasoline.
They manufacture their own.
Aaron Rodgers Gets One More Ride
One of the strangest and most fascinating stories of the entire season belongs in Pittsburgh.
Aaron Rodgers is entering what is expected to be his 22nd and final NFL season, playing for the Steelers under Mike McCarthy, his longtime former coach in Green Bay.
Pittsburgh also added receiving help, including Michael Pittman Jr.
So this isn't simply a ceremonial farewell tour.
The Steelers expect to compete.
Rodgers playing one final season with McCarthy sounds like somebody dug an old NFL storyline out of a storage unit, dusted it off and somehow got it greenlit for another season.
And yes, I'm watching.
Don't Sleep on Minnesota and Kyler Murray
Here's another sentence that sounds strange:
Kyler Murray is the starting quarterback of the Minnesota Vikings.
After Arizona released him, Murray signed with Minnesota and beat out J.J. McCarthy for the starting job. FOX believes a return to Pro Bowl form could make Minnesota a legitimate dark-horse NFC contender, especially with Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, T.J. Hockenson and Jauan Jennings surrounding him.
McCarthy is expected to remain on Minnesota's roster and continue developing.
The Vikings open against Green Bay.
Because apparently Week 1 wasn't already crowded enough.
Caleb Williams and Chicago Now Have Expectations
Last year, Chicago was the fun surprise.
This year?
Nobody is surprised anymore.
The Bears won 11 games, captured the NFC North and earned their first playoff victory since the 2010 season during Ben Johnson's first year as head coach. Caleb Williams engineered seven victories in games Chicago trailed during the final two minutes, the most such comeback wins since the AFL-NFL merger.
That's electric.
It's also difficult to repeat.
Chicago enters 2026 with higher expectations but injuries in its rebuilt secondary.
The Bears aren't sneaking up on anybody now.
Welcome to Phase Two of becoming good: everybody circles your game.
Jordan Love Is Becoming Scarier Than His Fantasy Numbers Suggest
Green Bay quarterback Jordan Love has quietly become one of the league's most efficient players against pressure.
FOX's film breakdown found that Love tied Matthew Stafford last season in expected points added per dropback against the blitz. The quarterback who once struggled badly with pressure early in his career has developed into one of football's better pre-snap problem solvers.
That's the kind of development that matters in January.
The Packers open against Minnesota, giving us Love versus Kyler Murray immediately.
Yes, please.
Young Players People Around the NFL Are Talking About
This is where season previews get really fun.
The stars are obvious. The players who become stars over the next four months are not.
Sports Illustrated spoke with more than a dozen NFL coaches and front-office sources about young players generating buzz. Several names jumped out.
David Bailey, Jets DE: The No. 2 overall pick has been terrorizing blockers since camp.
Ja'Kobi Lane, Ravens WR: The 6-foot-4 rookie has generated major buzz and could give Lamar Jackson another legitimate outside weapon.
Matthew Golden, Packers WR: Green Bay's former first-round pick is receiving strong reviews after a quiet rookie year.
R Mason Thomas, Chiefs DE: Kansas City's rookie pass rusher produced pressure throughout preseason and could earn immediate snaps.
Anthony Hill Jr., Titans LB: The former Texas linebacker flashed throughout preseason and could become an important piece of Tennessee's rebuild.
Remember those names.
Every season starts with famous players on magazine covers and ends with somebody nobody drafted in fantasy football suddenly becoming unavoidable.
And Then There's Lamar and Josh Allen
Both Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen remain in that uncomfortable category of quarterbacks who have already accomplished enough to be considered great but haven't yet reached a Super Bowl.
Kansas City's absence from last year's postseason appeared to create a massive opportunity.
Neither got there.
Buffalo lost in overtime to Denver in the divisional round, while Baltimore missed the playoffs altogether.
So the pressure enters another level this season.
Nobody doubts whether Allen or Jackson can dominate September.
The conversation has moved to January.
My Early 2026 NFL Watch List
I'm not calling these predictions. September predictions have a habit of becoming comedy material by November.
But these are the storylines I'd put at the top of the board:
The Rams are the monster everyone is chasing.
Kansas City has the most fascinating comeback story with Mahomes.
Seattle gets the difficult job of proving last season wasn't a one-off.
Cincinnati becomes dangerous immediately if Burrow stays healthy and its rebuilt defense works.
Denver has a chance to prove last year's AFC West takeover was a genuine power shift.
Baltimore and Buffalo are reaching the point where regular-season greatness isn't enough.
Chicago has moved from lovable surprise to legitimate expectation.
And keep one eye on the Packers, Vikings, Cowboys and Texans, because none would shock me as teams sitting near the top of their conferences midway through the season.
Week 1 Is Loaded
The NFL isn't giving us much time to settle in.
Wednesday, Sept. 9: Patriots at Seahawks
Super Bowl rematch.
Thursday, Sept. 10: 49ers at Rams in Melbourne
Aaron Donald and Myles Garrett against San Francisco.
Sunday, Sept. 13: Bills at Texans
Josh Allen against one of football's nastiest defenses.
Sunday afternoon: Packers at Vikings
Jordan Love versus Kyler Murray.
Sunday night: Cowboys at Giants
Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens meet an ambitious New York team.
Monday, Sept. 14: Broncos at Chiefs
Bo Nix versus Patrick Mahomes, and the AFC West immediately gets personal.
Football Is Back
That's the real story.
For months we've analyzed draft picks, trades, comeback attempts, depth charts, training-camp clips and preseason snaps.
Now the speculation gets a scoreboard.
Can Seattle repeat?
Is Los Angeles actually as terrifying as the roster looks?
Does Mahomes come roaring back?
Can Burrow finally stay healthy?
Is Caleb Williams entering superstar territory?
Does Aaron Donald still have one more dominant run in him?
Can Lamar or Allen finally reach the Super Bowl?
And which rookie are we barely talking about today who will be on every highlight show by Thanksgiving?
We finally get answers beginning next week.
Sunday afternoons are about to feel normal again. 🏈🔥
Sources and Full Links
NFL.com, Complete 2026 Week 1 Schedule
https://www.nfl.com/news/2026-nfl-schedule-release-complete-slate-of-week-1-games
NFL.com, Most Anticipated Week 1 Player Debuts
https://www.nfl.com/news/2026-nfl-season-s-most-highly-anticipated-week-1-debuts-newly-acquired-players-spice-up-all-16-games
FOX Sports, Joe Burrow Says the 2026 Bengals Feel Different
https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/joe-burrow-2026-bengals-schedule
FOX Sports, 20 Best NFL Position Groups Entering 2026
https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/20-best-positions-groups-season-nfl-headlined-rams-d-line
FOX Sports, 13 Storylines That Will Define the 2026 NFL Season
https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/13-storylines-define-2026-nfl-season
FOX Sports, Aaron Donald Return: NFL Scouts Weigh In
https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/will-aaron-donald-play-hall-fame-level-again-after-return-scouts-differ
FOX Sports, Raiders Name Kirk Cousins Starter and Latest NFL News
https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/nfl-catchup-raiders-name-kirk-cousins-starting-qb-cowboys-bring-back-joe-milton
FOX Sports, Jordan Love's Development Against the Blitz
https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/packers-qb-jordan-love-turned-biggest-weakness-into-ultimate-weapon
Sports Illustrated, NFL Executives and Coaches Identify 2026 Breakout Players
https://www.si.com/nfl/nfl-execs-coaches-identify-10-breakout-players-2026
CBS Sports, 10 Games That Could Define the 2026 NFL Season
https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/10-games-that-will-define-the-2026-nfl-season/
Reporting and season analysis compiled from NFL.com, FOX Sports, Sports Illustrated and CBS Sports coverage available September 3, 2026. Rosters, injuries and player availability can change before Week 1.