The Philadelphia Eagles are the last ones standing. The organization claimed its second Super Bowl title after throttling the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX 40-22. Now that the confetti has fallen and the Lombardi Trophy has been raised, one of the more interesting questions that we’ll be able to ponder over the next few months is who Philadelphia will face in Week 1.
As the Super Bowl champion, the Eagles will host the first game of the 2025 regular season and also unveil their championship banner in the process. Naturally, this is a marquee game to kick off the new season, and the league likes to bring in a worthy opponent. For instance, the Kansas City Chiefs hosted the Baltimore Ravens in the 2024 opener, which was a rematch of the previous AFC Championship.
So, who could the Eagles be welcoming into Lincoln Financial Field to start next season? Let’s roll through our top five possible matchups.
This would be an underrated pick. While it may not have the immediate juice as some other matchups that we’ll discuss, we can expect that there will be an added layer of hype surrounding the Chicago Bears this summer as potentially the next up-and-coming team in the NFC, particularly as first-year head coach Ben Johnson steps into the new job. With Caleb Williams entering Year 2, it could prove to be an intriguing enough matchup to draw in quite an audience while saving some of the more elite opponents for later dates on the schedule.
This matchup could fall by the wayside if the Los Angeles Rams go through a reboot with Cooper Kupp soon to be traded and Matthew Stafford’s status seemingly up in the air as well. If Stafford departs with no suitable quarterback to replace him, we can chuck the Rams off this list. If he’s still alongside Sean McVay, however, this is an intriguing matchup. It gives us a rematch of the divisional round where L.A. gave Philly a run for its money with a near comeback.
There’s just something about the visual of the Eagles unveiling their second Super Bowl championship banner over the last decade while the Cowboys watch from across the field that would be worth the price of admission. Of course, having your division rival in house for banner night adds a fascinating layer to the festivities, and Dallas remains one of the biggest draws that the NFL has to offer, so this would be appointment viewing even more than a typical season opener. It would also be our first look at Brian Schottenheimer as he embarks on his first season as the head coach of the Cowboys.
Throughout the 2024 season, it was the Detroit Lions that most folks had penciled getting to the Super Bowl and lifting the Lombardi Trophy rather than the Eagles. However, injuries and a one-and-done playoff appearance after earning the No. 1 seed in the conference stopped them short. Despite those shortcomings, the Lions are widely expected to again be a contender in 2025, which could make this possible matchup a tremendous tone-setting for the year. From a Lions standpoint, it would also be the first game with Dan Campbell’s revamped coaching staff after coordinators Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn both left for head-coaching jobs.
This has to be the top option, right? Not only is this a rematch of the NFC Championship, but it’s two heated division rivals with two of the more electrifying quarterbacks in the NFL. While Philadelphia got the better of the Commanders in the NFC title game with a 55-23 rout, Washington will, in all likelihood, be a sexy Super Bowl pick by the time next season rolls around due to Offensive Rookie of the Year winner Jayden Daniels stepping into Year 2. Letting him go toe-to-toe with the defending champion Eagles would start the season with a massive bang.
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Author: Tyler Sullivan
February 10, 2025 | 11:50 am
