Don't worry, the 2024 NFL season will be here before you know it.
While the Super Bowl just ended and the regular season action is still seven months away, it's never too soon to look ahead.
Now that we know the Kansas City Chiefs are champions, fans can begin to speculate who they might face on opening night when the franchise raises its fourth Super Bowl banner. The kickoff game is set for Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024, with the Chiefs likely playing host.
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While the 2024 schedule won't be released until May, there are some spicy matchups set to be played at Arrowhead Stadium next season -- including several star-studded quarterback matchups and rivalry games.
Here's a ranking of the eight teams scheduled to play the Chiefs in Kansas City next season, based on which club would be the best matchup for Week 1:
8. New Orleans Saints
It's tough to make this statement before any offseason moves, but don't expect to see the Saints on opening night. Dennis Allen's team went 9-8 and missed the playoffs last season with Derek Carr at quarterback. Carr, who went 1-8 at Arrowhead Stadium as a member of the Raiders, is under contract next season and is expected to be the Saints' starter. There's not much that could change in the next three months for New Orleans to get the nod here.
7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Bucs won the NFC South over the Saints due to a tiebreaker, so they get a slight edge here. But let's face it -- there's not much intrigue in a potential Chiefs-Bucs matchup. Even though it is a rematch of Patrick Mahomes' only Super Bowl defeat, Tom Brady isn't on the other side anymore. Baker Mayfield is a free agent but seems likely to return after a turnaround effort in 2023. Still, there are plenty of other options to keep the Bucs away from Arrowhead in Week 1.
6. Las Vegas Raiders
This might be too low for the Raiders, who will enter the 2024 season as the most recent team to defeat the Chiefs. Last Christmas, the Raiders held Mahomes and Co. to 14 points in an impressive win at Arrowhead. Las Vegas then watched Kansas City win six straight games -- including the final one at their home stadium -- to lift the Lombardi Trophy. As heated as this rivalry has been at points, the Raiders could enter next season with Aidan O'Connell or a rookie at quarterback -- let's save this matchup for a late October afternoon.
5. Denver Broncos
Another AFC West rival with some intrigue, Denver enters an offseason of uncertainty that keeps them at No. 5. Russell Wilson is likely out at quarterback, and his replacement is completely unclear. Will it be a veteran free agent? Do they draft a rookie in the first round? Or could Sean Payton stick with Jarrett Stidham? The Broncos get the edge over the Raiders because of Payton's star power as a coach -- his Saints played in the kickoff game three times.
4. Houston Texans
If the NFL follows last year's blueprint, Houston could get the nod here. In 2023, the upstart Lions were tabbed to play the defending champion Chiefs on opening night -- with an upset win for Detroit. The Texans could similarly be the offseason darling in 2024 after a strong finish to last season -- led by Offensive Rookie of the Year C.J. Stroud and Defensive Rookie of the Year Will Anderson Jr. Interestingly enough, this would be a rematch of the 2020 kickoff game following the Chiefs' first Super Bowl under Mahomes.
3. Los Angeles Chargers
We see this matchup twice a year -- and twice a year, Mahomes and the Chiefs typically get the better of Justin Herbert and the Chargers. So, why are the Chargers at No. 3? Simple: Jim Harbaugh. The Chargers' new head coach will add a layer of juice to this rivalry. During his time with the 49ers, he quickly stirred up controversy against a divisional powerhouse in Seattle. With a similar challenge ahead in Los Angeles, a Chargers-Chiefs game in Week 1 could kickstart something special.
2. Baltimore Ravens
The Ravens' final game of the 2023 season was an AFC title game loss at home to the Chiefs. There's no better way to put that result behind you than to face the defending champions in Week 1. While the Ravens were stymied offensively in that game, they have the pieces to avenge that defeat and two-time MVP Lamar Jackson will be out to prove he can perform on the big stage. The only thing keeping this matchup out of the top spot is that we just saw these teams play in a game that wasn't all that exciting.
1. Cincinnati Bengals
This is the one. The Bengals are coming off a disaster season filled with injuries and ineffective play. But Joe Burrow will be back to try and reclaim his place among the NFL's elite. Let's not forget, Burrow and the Bengals are the only AFC team outside of the Brady's Patriots to defeat Mahomes in the playoffs. A year later, it took a last-second field goal for the Chiefs to beat the Bengals in the AFC title game. Burrow, who is 3-1 against the Chiefs in his career, is the perfect opponent for Mahomes on opening night, especially given the heated rivalry between these teams.