DANA POINT, Calif. — The Steelers get their opening-night showcase as Super Bowl champions. The oldest rivalry in football has a first-week renewal in prime time. An old AFL-style doubleheader closes out the weekend.
That’s how the NFL will begin the 2009 season, starting with as juicy a matchup as possible: Pittsburgh hosting the Titans, who had the league’s best record in 2008.
Opening kickoff is Thursday night, Sept. 10, on NBC, which also gets the 178th meeting between the Bears and Packers, in Green Bay on Sunday night, Sept. 13.
For those surprised the Cowboys, who open their palatial new stadium this season, are not featured in a night game in Week 1, well, baseball got in the way. So Dallas, the NFL’s biggest TV draw, which is moving to Arlington, Texas, near the Rangers’ ballpark — the Rangers are home that weekend — will have to wait until the second week, when the Cowboys are expected to host the Sunday night game.
“We’re having to work with the league on some things,” Cowboys vice president Stephen Jones said.
The Cowboys and Lions get to keep their traditional Thanksgiving hosting slots.
The Lions go back to meeting the Packers that day, a matchup that occurred every year from 1951-63 and will happen for the 19th time. The Raiders will be at the Cowboys following that, and the NFL Network night game will feature the Giants at Denver.
The Monday night doubleheader on ESPN on Sept. 14 will feature Buffalo, with Terrell Owens, at New England, with, the Patriots hope, a returning Tom Brady. That game will be followed by San Diego at Oakland — all original AFL franchises.
Footnotes.
Receiver David Patten has rejoined the Browns, signing a free- agent deal with his former team (2000).
• The Dolphins traded center Samson Satele to the Raiders for an undisclosed draft pick.
• The Packers re-signed defensive end Michael Montgomery.
• Steelers Hall of Fame receiver John Stallworth was among three new partners added to Pittsburgh chairman Dan Rooney’s ownership group, one that may expand further before it is finalized in several months.
The Associated Press
