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For two decades, the defending Super Bowl champion has kicked off the following NFL season, with the game typically taking place on Thursday night. Since 2004, with two exceptions, the team that last hoisted the Lombardi had a home game to begin the next season and celebrate their recent championship.
In 2013, the defending champion Baltimore Ravens’ first game was on the road due to a scheduling conflict with the city’s MLB team, the Orioles. In 2019, the New England Patriots did not play in the NFL Kickoff Game despite being defending champs. Instead, the league scheduled the Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers to begin the season for the league’s 100th season.
Since the Kickoff Game began in 2004, the home team has won all but six times.
Winning the first game after winning the Super Bowl is one thing, but winning it all again is not something easily done. In NFL history, just nine teams have won back-to-back Super Bowls. The most recent team to win it back-to-back? The current defending champion Chiefs, who won it all in 2022 and 2023. No team has ever won three consecutive Super Bowls; K.C. is trying to change that this season.
Here is a look at how each Super Bowl champion did the following year:
SB-winning season Super Bowl champion Next season’s Week 1 opponent Next season’s Week 1 result Next season’s final record (finish)
2004
Patriots
Raiders (2005)
Win
10-6 (lost in divisional round)
2005
Steelers
Dolphins (2006)
Win
8-8 (missed playoffs)
2006
Colts
Saints (2007)
Win
13-3 (lost in divisional round)
2007
Giants
Washington (2008)
Win
12-4 (lost in divisional round)
2008
Steelers
Titans (2009)
Win
9-7 (missed playoffs)
2009
Saints
Vikings (2010)
Win
11-5 (lost in wild card round)
2010
Packers
Saints (2011)
Win
15-1 (lost in divisional round)
2011
Giants
Cowboys (2012)
Loss
9-7 (missed playoffs)
2012
Ravens
Broncos (2013)
Loss
8-8 (missed playoffs)
2013
Seahawks
Packers (2014)
Win
12-4 (lost Super Bowl)
2014
Patriots
Steelers (2015)
Win
12-4 (lost AFC Championship)
2015
Broncos
Panthers (2016)
Win
9-7 (missed playoffs)
2016
Patriots
Chiefs (2017)
Loss
13-3 (lost Super Bowl)
2017
Eagles
Falcons (2018)
Win
9-7 (lost in wild card round)
2018
Patriots
Steelers (2019)
Win
12-4 (lost in wild card round)
2019
Chiefs
Texans (2020)
Win
14-2 (lost Super Bowl)
2020
Buccaneers
Cowboys (2021)
Win
13-4 (lost in divisional round)
2021
Rams
Bills (2022)
Loss
5-12 (missed playoffs)
2022
Chiefs
Lions (2023)
Loss
11-6 (won Super Bowl)
2023 Chiefs Ravens (2024) TBD TBD
The 2024 NFL season kicks off Thursday, Sept. 5 when the champion Chiefs host the Ravens in an AFC title game rematch.
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