Feb. 7, 2026, 7:00 a.m. MT

If the New England Patriots upset the Seattle Seahawks in the Super Bowl on Sunday, they will be poised to play in the NFL’s season opener in 2026. And there would be a perfect opponent for that matchup.

The Denver Broncos are slated to play the Patriots on the road in 2026, and that would be an ideal choice for the NFL’s season opener — if New England’s hosting the opener after winning the Big Game.

The Patriots defeated the Broncos 10-7 in the AFC Championship game to reach the Super Bowl, but Denver was without Bo Nix, who was sidelined with a broken ankle. Broncos players have made it so secret that they believe they would have won that game with Nix, and they’re undoubtedly looking forward to a rematch.

Nix’s return for a rematch of the AFC title game in the NFL’s season opener would be a perfect narrative for the league. It would also mark the first showdown between Maye and Nix since they entered the league together as members of the 2024 NFL draft class.

First things first, though, if the Patriots are going to host the 2026 opener, they need to beat the Seahawks.

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