Lamar Jackson, Ravens vs. Mahomes, Chiefs Set as Season Opener of 2024 NFL Schedule

The first regular-season game of the 2024 NFL season will be a rematch of last season's AFC Championship Game.

The Kansas City Chiefs will host the Baltimore Ravens on Thursday, Sept. 5, the NFL announced Monday.

Kansas City hosting the season opener was a virtual lock, as it's become a yearly tradition for the reigning Super Bowl champion to host the first game of the next regular season.

The NFL has also made a point of choosing marquee non-divisional opponents for these games, which made Baltimore a natural choice on the Chiefs' schedule. Kansas City narrowly escaped Baltimore with a 17-10 win in the 2024 AFC Championship Game, with the Ravens shutting out the Chiefs in the second half but failing to take advantage themselves.

Reigning MVP Lamar Jackson was essentially forced to put the Ravens on his back, accounting for 326 total yards while his running backs combined for only 23 yards on the ground. The Ravens believe they fixed their running back spot this offseason by signing Derrick Henry in free agency.

Baltimore will also welcome back Zay Flowers for a second NFL season with high expectations. Flowers accounted for 77 receptions for 858 yards and five touchdowns as a rookie, but he'll have to be the unquestioned WR1 on the depth chart this season.

The Chiefs were forced to retool their championship roster, losing cornerback L'Jarius Sneed and a number of other notable contributors from last year's group. While their cornerback depth chart will look a little shaky this season without Sneed, Kansas City did vastly improve Patrick Mahomes' supporting cast on offense.

The Chiefs signed wideout Hollywood Brown in free agency and traded up in the first round for Texas receiver Xavier Worthy, giving them two speedsters that they've desperately been missing since Tyreek Hill's departure. They also used three draft picks on the offensive line, including second-round selection Kingsley Suamataia.