Samwise NFL Newsletter
Monday, September 7, 2026
Seahawks Host Patriots in Historic Wednesday Night Super Bowl LX Rematch
The reigning Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks open the 2026 NFL season Wednesday night at Lumen Field, hosting the New England Patriots in a rematch of Super Bowl LX. The Wednesday kickoff — first since 2012 — airs nationally on NBC and Peacock at 8:20 p.m. ET, with Jim Nantz on play-by-play and Cris Collinsworth providing color analysis. Seattle dominated the 2025 season with a 17–3 overall record before defeating New England 29–13 in February’s championship game. The Seahawks will raise their Super Bowl LX championship banner in a pregame ceremony at Lumen Field before the opening whistle of their title defense.
Sources: NBC Sports
49ers and Rams Open 2026 Season in Melbourne as NFL Debuts in Australia
The San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams will make NFL history Thursday, opening the 2026 season at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in the first regular-season NFL game ever played in Australia. Kickoff is set for 8:35 p.m. ET on September 10, streaming exclusively on Netflix in the United States — Friday morning local time in Melbourne. The two NFC West rivals arrive with contrasting travel strategies: the 49ers headed overseas more than a week early to adjust to the time change, while the Rams flew just one day before kickoff, betting a brief stay will keep jet lag from setting in before the opening snap.
Sources: San Francisco 49ers
Atlanta Enters Week 1 as NFL’s Only Team Without a Named Starting Quarterback
The Atlanta Falcons enter Week 1 as the only NFL team yet to name a starting quarterback, leaving Pittsburgh unable to fully prepare for their September 13 opener at Acrisure Stadium. Head coach Kevin Stefanski has not declared between Tua Tagovailoa and Michael Penix Jr., the league’s most prominent unsettled quarterback competition. Tagovailoa dealt with a back injury early in training camp, while Penix — recovering from torn ACL surgery — returned to full team drills only recently and did not play in the preseason. The Steelers remain the sole team in the NFL heading into Week 1 without knowing which opposing quarterback they will face.
Sources: Steelers Depot
Myles Garrett Set to Make Regular Season Debut as a Ram in Australia
Defensive end Myles Garrett will make his first regular-season appearance in a Los Angeles Rams uniform Thursday when Los Angeles opens the 2026 season against the San Francisco 49ers at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Australia. Garrett arrived via an offseason blockbuster trade from Cleveland, with the Browns receiving pass rusher Jared Verse and draft picks in 2027, 2028, and 2029. The two-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year brings one of the most dominant pass-rushing résumés in recent league history to a Los Angeles roster widely regarded entering 2026 as among the most dangerous Super Bowl contenders in the NFC.
Sources: Los Angeles Rams
Khosla Family Closes Record $9.6 Billion Seahawks Purchase Ahead of Season Opener
The Seattle Seahawks officially completed their sale to the Khosla family on September 3, closing at a record $9.612 billion — the highest price ever paid for an NFL franchise. Silicon Valley venture capitalist Vinod Khosla, wife Neeru, and son Neal finalized the purchase from Jody Allen’s estate, becoming the fourth ownership group in the franchise’s 51-year history. NFL owners voted unanimously to approve the transaction. The record-setting price surpasses the previous NFL franchise sale record and closes just days before the Seahawks open 2026 as defending Super Bowl champions and one of the league’s marquee franchises.
Cardinals Lock Up Michael Wilson with Three-Year, $75 Million Extension
The Arizona Cardinals secured wide receiver Michael Wilson through the 2029 season on September 3, agreeing to a three-year, $75 million contract extension. The deal is worth up to $78 million, includes $47 million guaranteed, and carries an $18 million signing bonus. Wilson, who had been scheduled to reach free agency at season’s end, recorded his first 1,000-yard campaign in 2025, catching 78 passes for seven touchdowns on a career-high 126 targets. The agreement locks up one of the Cardinals’ most productive offensive weapons at $25 million per year, keeping him in Arizona through at least the 2029 season.
NFL Roster Cutdowns Complete: 1,184 Players Released, Practice Squads Take Shape
All 32 NFL teams finalized their 53-man rosters by Sunday’s 6 p.m. ET deadline, releasing a total of 1,184 players as teams shaped their squads ahead of the 2026 season opener. The Miami Dolphins were among the most aggressive on the waiver wire after the cutdown, claiming seven players. Waiver claims for players with four or fewer years of NFL experience were due by Monday at 1 p.m. ET. Teams immediately turned to building their 16-player practice squads Monday, with most clubs re-signing several of their own weekend cuts at the standard practice squad salary of $13,750 per week.
Sources: CBS Sports
Green Bay Packers Place Micah Parsons on Reserve/PUP, Out At Least Four Games
The Green Bay Packers officially placed edge rusher Micah Parsons on the Reserve/Physically Unable to Perform list as part of their final 53-man roster, ruling him out for at least the first four games of 2026. Parsons sustained a torn ACL and meniscus damage in December 2025 while pursuing Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix and underwent surgery that month. The former Dallas Cowboy — now in his first full season with Green Bay — has said his most optimistic return target is Week 5 or Week 6, when the Cowboys visit Lambeau Field and offer what he calls a meaningful homecoming matchup.
Sources: Fox Sports
AFC Standings (Season begins Sept. 9)
| Team | W | L | T |
|---|---|---|---|
| AFC East | |||
| Buffalo Bills | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Miami Dolphins | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| New England Patriots | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| New York Jets | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| AFC North | |||
| Baltimore Ravens | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cincinnati Bengals | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cleveland Browns | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| AFC South | |||
| Houston Texans | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Indianapolis Colts | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jacksonville Jaguars | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tennessee Titans | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| AFC West | |||
| Denver Broncos | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Kansas City Chiefs | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Las Vegas Raiders | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Los Angeles Chargers | 0 | 0 | 0 |
NFC Standings (Season begins Sept. 9)
| Team | W | L | T |
|---|---|---|---|
| NFC East | |||
| Dallas Cowboys | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| New York Giants | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Washington Commanders | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| NFC North | |||
| Chicago Bears | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Detroit Lions | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Green Bay Packers | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Minnesota Vikings | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| NFC South | |||
| Atlanta Falcons | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Carolina Panthers | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| New Orleans Saints | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| NFC West | |||
| Arizona Cardinals | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Los Angeles Rams | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| San Francisco 49ers | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Seattle Seahawks 🏆 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
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Curated by JD · samwise.agency