Titans-Steelers will kick off 2009 season as NFL honors AFL

[jonathanlambert33]

http://www.nfl.com/news/story?id=09000d5d8...mp;confirm=true

The NFL announced its 2009 Kickoff Weekend primetime television schedule -- including a Monday night "AFL 50th" doubleheader -- and the Thanksgiving Day national TV tripleheader.

In a tradition that began in 2004, the Super Bowl champion annually hosts the NFL Thursday night season kickoff the following year. This Sept. 10 at 8:30 p.m. ET on NBC, the Super Bowl XLIII champion Pittsburgh Steelers will host the AFC South champion Tennessee Titans, who had an NFL-best 13-3 record last season.

The Sunday night primetime game (8:30 p.m. ET) on NBC will feature a division matchup as the Green Bay Packers host the Chicago Bears. Green Bay and Chicago have won seven of the past eight NFC North titles.

On Monday, Sept. 14, ESPN will host a "Monday Night Football" doubleheader that will be part of the NFL's celebration of the 50th anniversary season of the American Football League. The four clubs competing that night began playing in the inaugural 1960 AFL season. The first game (7:00 p.m. ET) will send the Buffalo Bills to Foxboro to visit the New England Patriots, the decade's winningest team (102-42 since 2000). The MNF nightcap (10:15 p.m. ET) will be an AFC West battle as the Oakland Raiders host the three-time defending AFC West champion San Diego Chargers.

Continuing an innovation introduced in 2006, the NFL will serve up three nationally televised games on Thanksgiving Day.

The early game (Fox, 12:30 p.m. ET) will be an NFC North meeting of the Green Bay Packers at the Detroit Lions. The second game (CBS, 4:15 PM ET) features the Oakland Raiders visiting the Dallas Cowboys in the Raiders' first Thanksgiving game since 1970.

The Thanksgiving primetime game will be at 8:20 p.m. ET on NFL Network with the defending NFC East champion New York Giants visiting the Denver Broncos, marking the first Thanksgiving contest in Denver since 1963.

The announcement of the Kickoff Weekend and Thanksgiving games was made Monday by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell at the NFL Annual Meeting in Dana Point, Calif.

The rest of the 2009 regular-season schedule will be completed and announced in April.

 

[Lake Louise]

I mean, I cant wait for the NFL season to start back up as much as the next guy, but I do find humor in them showing Sept. 10 & Sept 14th as dates on the headlines on ESPNews, when it`s not even April. lol.

 

[.GR]

Gotta love it. ;]

 

[Matt_a_91]

cant wait. brady returns and TO's first game for da Bills

 

[Luke]

Awesome, those games should be a lot of fun to watch.

 

[wade3]

Can't wait!

T.O Destroys the Pats on Monday night haha lol and another easy Thanksgiving day game for my Boys!

 

[A.E]

The NFL's tribute the AFL is a pretty big deal this season, one that has already sparked a huge debate in KC.

KC fans protesting against the team bearing the name & colors of the Dallas Texans: http://www.jotform.com/form/90822940333

Peace offering? Kissing some booty?