The 101st season, which will mark 50 years since the NFL Merger, is slated to begin on Thursday, September 10, 2020 in Kansas City. Currently, it is scheduled to conclude on Sunday, February 7, 2021 in Tampa. For the 15th time since 2004, the season will begin with the defending champions hosting another opponent; this year features the Kansas City Chiefs vs the Houston Texans. For the most part at least, the opening game features a rematch of a notable game from the previous season (if not a notable historic rivalry). The home team/champs winning percentage is at least 80%. Other games scheduled in Week One include 12 Sunday games on Fox and CBS including a CBS/Fox game of the week at 4:25, then the primetime slate with Sunday Night Football on NBC and the annual opening double-header on ESPN.
As of present time, everything is scheduled to start on time, but there is cause for concern given the number of opt-outs added to the mess that has occurred in Major League Baseball. No secondary plans yet, or if there are, they haven't been disclosed to the public.
Pandemic aside, big news post Super Bowl 54 to present time includes this being the first year since the beginning of the Century & Millennium that Belichick and Brady are not on the same team. The Raiders are now in Vegas, and the playoffs have expanded to 7 teams per conference. That rewards the 7-best AFC or NFC team at the expense of the 2nd best AFC/NFC team