The NFL schedule release is already leaking on the internet, as usual, so we know the Lions are opening the season in primetime.
NBC confirmed on Thursday that your Detroit Lions will face the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead on Sept. 7 -- a Thursday night game on Local 4 -- to open the entire NFL season.
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That’s a pretty incredible jump in credibility.
Last season, the Lions had zero primetime games until they were flexed into Sunday night in Week 18 vs. Green Bay. Zero primetime games. Now, they’re opening the entire season slate on the road against the defending Super Bowl champs.
Finally, the NFL is showing Detroit some respect.
No, the Lions are probably not ready to compete with the likes of the Chiefs for a championship, but the league is saying -- hey, they’re close. And it’s time to showcase the Lions on a bigger stage.
I can’t remember a time in the last two decades where the NFL showed any sort of belief or respect for the Lions. They’ve had some primetime games here and there, but usually, they were for the team they were playing, not them.
The full schedule will probably show multiple primetime games for the Lions, including their usual national showcase on Thanksgiving.
Now they just have to live up to the schedule hype. Easy, right?
---> Live updates: Here’s what we know about the Detroit Lions’ 2023 schedule so far