The NFL is back in action

The NFL season officially kicks off tonight at 8:20 pm ET, with the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs taking on the Detroit Lions.

And, in addition to shattered fantasy dreams and Tony Romo accurately predicting each play before it happens, here’s what to expect this year:

• Streaming services are poised to play a larger role. More NFL games will be streamed exclusively on services like ESPN+, Peacock, and Prime Video this year than ever before. It’s also the first season of the NFL’s new $2+ billion/year contract with YouTube TV for “Sunday Ticket,” meaning access to most out-of-market NFL games will be limited to a streaming-only audience.
• Las Vegas is looming. The Raiders’ new $2 billion stadium will play host to this year’s Super Bowl. Off the field, a record-high 73 million Americans plan to wager on the NFL this season, representing a 60% increase compared to last year.
• Washington has a new owner, and potentially another new name. An investment group led by Josh Harris assumed ownership of the Commanders in July, after paying a record $6.05 billion for the franchise. Shortly afterwards, new minority owner Magic Johnson hinted the team could soon change its name for the second time since 2020.

👀 Looking (way) ahead… The Chiefs, led by MVP favorite QB Patrick Mahomes, have the highest odds to win the Super Bowl at 6-1, followed by the Eagles (7.5-1), Niners (9-1), and Bills (9-1).