Chiefs and Broncos to play on 'Monday Night Football' in Week 1
· Yahoo Sports
The Week 1 finale is set.
Leaks and announcements continue to trickle out in advance of the 2026 NFL schedule release, filling up the fall calendar with plenty of football games. ESPN and ABC will play a big role in that calendar, which begins in Week 1 on Monday, Sept. 14 and will run all the way to Super Bowl 61 this year.
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The network announced on May 12 that it will be the Kansas City Chiefs and Denver Broncos to kick off the "Monday Night Football" slate – a marquee matchup with no shortage of storylines to finish off Week 1.
Patrick Mahomes hopes to make his return from a torn ACL on that September night. Bo Nix should be making his return from a fractured ankle that ended his playoff run after a divisional round win. Fans will also get a look at the Super Bowl 60 MVP, Kenneth Walker III, for the first time in a Chiefs' jersey. The same can also be said of Jaylen Waddle, who will make his Broncos debut.
Of course, it will also be a first look at Travis Kelce, who opted to pass on retirement and return for a 14th NFL season.
The location of the contest is still to be determined, but one team will try to start the season strong with a big win over a division rival.
In an AFC West race that figures to be close, someone is going to gain an early advantage.
Patrick Mahomes injury update
Mahomes continues on the road to recovery, with an eye towards returning in Week 1.
Chiefs general manager Brett Veach gave an update on the quarterback during a radio interview on May 2.
"He's in our building every single day," Veach said in an interview with SiriusXM NFL Radio. "And even when he goes away for a few days, say to Dallas for a weekend with his family, he takes one of our trainers with him.
"So, needless to say, he’s way ahead of schedule ... we’re in a really good place right now."
The updates continue to be positive for the star quarterback, who will now have a few extra days to get ready for the season opener.
Bo Nix injury update
Nix had a second ankle procedure after suffering a fractured ankle in the divisional round, but his Week 1 status doesn't appear to be in jeopardy.
Broncos head coach Sean Payton spoke about the quarterback's recovery effort on May 9.
"[Nix]'s doing great. He'll be well ahead of time for training camp," Payton said. "I think there's a good chance we see him in this offseason program in June. We're gonna be the ones kind of holding him back."
That update came on the heels of a somewhat concerning update on April 28, when it was revealed Nix had a clean-up procedure on the injured ankle. While reports indicated that was an expected follow-up, it didn't stop many from speculating.
Nix is still expected to be ready for training camp and the regular season, even if the Broncos are cautious with the quarterback during offseason workouts.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NFL schedule release leak: Chiefs, Broncos to play on MNF in Week 1