A bad first impression in Week 1 could very well be the last impression some NFL teams leave. Whether that’s because a revamped roster needs a win to prove they’re good or a usual contender is looking to bounce back from a disappointing season, early momentum is much more vital for some.
In particular, these five teams are entering must-win matchups to start the long 18-week NFL season.
Kansas City Chiefs
Quarterback Patrick Mahomes and his Kansas City Chiefs are looking to start fresh after the Philadelphia Eagles dominated them in a 40-22 loss in Super Bowl LIX. Mahomes is also looking to prove that he’s still capable of being a leading MVP candidate after throwing for just 3,928 yards in 2024 — the second-lowest total of his career.
A Week 1 loss to their AFC West division rivals, the Los Angeles Chargers, would perhaps signal that the Chiefs’ dynasty is at its most vulnerable point. A win on Friday, in front of a sold-out crowd in Sao Paulo, Brazil, however, could keep Kansas City on track for its eighth AFC Championship Game in eight years.
New York Giants
The New York Giants will start the season against the Washington Commanders — a division rival that swept Big Blue last year. But the 2025 Giants look quite different from the previous season’s 3-14 team.
Veteran quarterback Russell Wilson might be the stabilizing presence under center that the team hasn’t had since Eli Manning. Their pass rush will also feature potential Defensive Rookie of the Year Abdul Carter. Still, potential doesn’t impact the win column; execution does. If the Giants are going to defy expectations, they’ll have to start Week 1 by surprising everyone with a win.
Pittsburgh Steelers
NFL officials couldn’t pass up the drama of quarterback Aaron Rodgers leading his new team against his old one to open the season. However, Rodgers’ return to MetLife Stadium as a Pittsburgh Steeler, not a New York Jet, isn’t the whole story.
Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin is betting that Rodgers, 41, has enough left to elevate the team beyond a perennial first-round exit in the playoffs. The Jets made a similar decision when they signed Rodgers in 2023, and it resulted in two losing seasons of football. The Steelers will need to win to show that their Rodgers experiment has a better chance for success than the last.
Green Bay Packers
When the Green Bay Packers acquired generational defensive end Micah Parsons from the Dallas Cowboys, they became Super Bowl contenders overnight. Of course, that’s still on paper until the Packers open their season at home against the Detroit Lions, an NFC North rival.
In two games last year, the Packers lost to the Lions by just a combined 13 points. Green Bay now has a game wrecker in Parsons, but how the Packers perform in Week 1 will determine if their newfound contender status is the real deal.
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers‘ last-place finish in the NFC West was alarming last year. Injuries to key contributors played a role, but the team’s time as the best in the NFC feels tenuous.
If the 49ers are to regain their contender status, it will have to start with a road win against the Seattle Seahawks. A tall task for any team, but if 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan can still be a difference-making play-caller and put quarterback Brock Purdy in the best position to succeed, the rest of the NFL shouldn’t count the 49ers out.
