Who might the 2024 season opener for the Super Bowl champion Chiefs be?
Kansas City wins another Lombardi Trophy after another season.
The Chiefs defeated the San Francisco 49ers 25–22 in overtime to win their third Super Bowl in five seasons and become the first team to win the championship twice since the New England Patriots in 2003–2004.
After his incredible performance on Sunday, it is undeniable that Patrick Mahomes is the player you want most on your side when the game is close.
Even on Sunday, the offense was unsteady for extended periods of time due to the receivers’ poor ball reception rates, but Mahomes, Travis Kelce, and a ruthless defense managed to win the Lombardi Trophy. Give Andy Reid and his team credit for squeezing every last bit of talent from the roster, but having the greatest player on the planet certainly helps.
With this most recent Lombardi lifting, we will begin another campaign at Arrowhead Stadium. It’s never too early to speculate about the Chiefs’ opponent for that September 2024 opener.
Traditionally, the NFL Kickoff game takes place at the home of the Super Bowl victor. The Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Denver Broncos, Houston Texans, Las Vegas Raiders, Los Angeles Chargers, New Orleans Saints, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers are scheduled to visit Washington, D.C. in 2024.
Now let’s examine our top four games to begin the 2024 season:
Ravens of Baltimore
A matchup between the defending champions and the reigning MVP would provide storylines for months. Lamar Jackson’s incredible season came to an end at the hands of the outstanding Chiefs defense. Jackson was forced to make mistakes by Steve Spagnuolo’s team towards the end of the AFC Championship Game. You can assume that Jackson’s off-season goal will be to improve on those errors. He can test the development right away in this case. The Chiefs and Ravens have the infrastructure to last for many years as AFC leaders. A fierce rivalry to begin the season would be a fantastic way to begin 2024.
Bengals of Cincinnati
Joe Burrow’s injury robbed the now-annual matchup in 2023 of some of its sparkle; let’s make sure that doesn’t happen again by matching the rivals in the 2024 season opener. In the previous five postseasons, the Chiefs have only been defeated by one AFC team, the Bengals. “Burrowhead” talk in the offseason may begin with the back-to-back champions opening the season at home against the Bengals. Everyone recalls how much fun that was. The Bengals would add star power in Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase to match Mahomes, Kelce, and the dynastic Chiefs, even with the unavoidable offseason moves.
Chargers of Los Angeles
Divisional matches are typically postponed by the NFL, but Jim Harbaugh’s return to the team may cause them to reconsider. A coach who has his sights set on “multiple championships” of his own would find a delicious start against Mahomes and the three-time Super Bowl champion Chiefs at Arrowhead on the Chargers’ first game under coach Harbaugh. Although there will be more roster changes for L.A. this offseason, there is intriguing potential in this matchup. Harbaugh versus Andy Reid. Justin Herbert versus Mahomes. Now let’s move!
The Houston Texans
The NFL’s rationale for including the Detroit Lions in the kickoff game in 2023 is comparable to this matchup. The Texans are an up-and-coming young team. They have two standout players: Will Anderson, the defensive rookie of the year, and C.J. Stroud, the offensive rookie. DeMeco Ryans, the coach of Houston, is a dynamic figure who is starting to establish a formidable AFC team. A rookie quarterback and first-year coach led the Texans to an unexpected AFC South championship in 2023. If the Texans face Mahomes in the 2024 season opener, it would be a sign that the league thinks the team won’t regress and could be a Chiefs postseason rival for many years to come.
