Getty
FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS - JANUARY 04: Drake Maye #10 of the New England Patriots and Head coach Mike Vrabel of the New England Patriots look on in the second half against the Miami Dolphins at Gillette Stadium on January 04, 2026 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Winslow Townson/Getty Images)
The NFL Schedule release is almost here, which means that there are continued leaks and rumors coming out all throughout the week.
And with that, there is a new report regarding the New England Patriots‘ season opener.
Barstool’s Kirk Minihane reports that the Patriots “will open the season in Seattle.” And with that, they will be doing so on Wednesday, September 9, which would be the first regular-season game of the 2026 NFL Season.
And, it’s fitting as it will be a Super Bowl LX rematch. But this time, New England will be looking to get the win after falling to the Seahawks in February.
However, nothing is official yet, with NFL Insider Mike Garafolo saying that he is “not feeling a SB rematch so early.”
“Has long felt like Chicago to me,” he added regarding who Seattle will open the season against. “We’ll find out soon.”
The official schedule will be released on Thursday, May 14, at 8 p.m. ET.
Reactions To This Schedule Rumor
Patriots will open the season in Seattle on 9/9, per sources.
“The NFL’s Kickoff game should be a #Patriots vs. Seahawks Super Bowl rematch,” Sports Illustrated’s Mike Kadlick wrote.
“Would be awesome to see a Super Bowl rematch right away,” one person posted.
“Patriots vs Seahawks to open the season is the NFL’s way of saying ‘we know what we’re doing.’ two revenge-fueled fanbases, September prime time. instant chaos,” another person shared.
“I actually want to play Seattle again cause I think the patriots could win that game. First week of the season they’ll be rusty and they won’t be focus. And the patriots will be better and the Seahawks lost a lot pieces,” someone commented.
“I love it. Put Drake Maye right back on the hottest of seats. Let’s see what you got,” 98.5’s Mark Dondero said.
“Super Bowl rematch should always be the opener imo,” a fan stated.
“Kirk could be telling the truth, or he could be messing with everyone. It can be very hard to tell. Super Bowl rematch would be wild,” another fan expressed.
Where Do The Patriots Land In Comparison With Other Teams Regarding Strength of Schedule
GettyDrake Maye of the New England Patriots
Sharp Football Analysis released its strength of schedule chart, with the Patriots seemingly catching a bit of a break as opposed to where many thought they would be. Based on Vegas’ projected win totals, the Patriots come in at No. 12 out of 32 teams, with No. 1 being the easiest and No. 32 being the hardest.
The teams with the easiest schedule this season are the Detroit Lions, New Orleans Saints, Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, and New York Jets. As for those with the hardest schedule, it’s the Arizona Cardinals, Miami Dolphins, Carolina Panthers, Dallas Cowboys, and Los Angeles Rams.
New England’s 2026 win total is set at 9.5, and here are their opponents:
- HOME: Buffalo Bills, Denver Broncos, Green Bay Packers, Las Vegas Raiders, Miami Dolphins, Minnesota Vikings, New York Jets, and Pittsburgh Steelers
- AWAY: Buffalo Bills, Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Chargers, Miami Dolphins, New York Jets, Seattle Seahawks, and Jacksonville Jaguars
Sophie Weller Sophie Weller is a sports reporter covering the NFL for Heavy.com. She also works for Patriots Wire, and previously spent time with A to Z Sports and MassLive. She is based out of Boston, Massachusetts, and loves all things football! More about Sophie Weller