The Las Vegas Raiders were not one of the NFL's premier teams during the 2024 season.
In fact, they had one of the league's worst records, and even though primetime games typically involve the top-tier teams, the Raiders have a chance to kick off the season on Thursday Night Football in Week 1.
Because the Philadelphia Eagles won Super Bowl LIX on Sunday against the Kansas City Chiefs, they have the honors of hosting an opponent at their home stadium on the first night of the 2025 NFL season. The Eagles only play eight home games this year, and they face the following opponents:
Dallas Cowboys
Washington Commanders
New York Giants
Las Vegas Raiders
Denver Broncos
Chicago Bears
Detroit Lions
Los Angeles Rams
The Raiders will play in Philadelphia this season at Lincoln Financial Field, but the exact date will not be finalized until the NFL releases the schedule this summer. That means that the team has a one-in-eight chance of opening the season on Thursday Night.
While it is incredibly unlikely that the NFL would choose the Raiders to open up the season, it is not impossible. The Lions were chosen for opening night by the Chiefs in 2023 and they were far from one of the league's best teams the year prior.
In reality, it will likely be the Washington Commanders who will face the Eagles after the two battled in the NFC Championship in 2024. The Lions and Rams have a chance as well due to their recent success and playoff matchups against the Eagles.
But the NFL loves a storyline for opening night, and legendary coach Pete Carroll returning to the gridiron with former Eagles head coach Chip Kelly on staff could be enough to intrigue the masses. The worry would be that the Raiders are not competitive enough to keep the game close, but nobody knows what this Carroll-led Raiders team will look like.
There's only one way to find out.