Chiefs’ 2023 NFL schedule release: Dates, times, primetime games, instant analysis and more

The 2023 Kansas City Chiefs' regular-season schedule is here!

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The biggest game on the schedule

What could possibly be bigger than a Super Bowl rematch at Arrowhead Stadium?

Super Bowl rematches during the following year's regular season aren't guaranteed in the NFL; the league has to be fortunate enough to have the reigning AFC champion and NFC champion match up during that season.

It will indeed happen for the first time in six years in 2023, with the reigning Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs hosting last year's runner-up: the defending NFC champion Philadelphia Eagles.

The Chiefs will host the Eagles in Week 11 on "Monday Night Football," coming off their Week 9 matchup against the Miami Dolphins in Germany and Week 10 bye week.

As always, the teams won't look exactly the same as they did when they last played in February. Kansas City lost wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster (and his Eagles trash talk) to free agency — and they are expected to feature two new starting tackles: Donovan Smith and Jawaan Taylor. The Chiefs selected pass rusher Felix Anudike-Uzomah and wide receiver Rashee Rice with their first two draft picks.

Philadelphia lost defensive tackle Javon Hargrave and safety CJ Gardner-Johnson to free agency, while they retained cornerbacks James Bradberry and Darius Slay. New running backs D'Andre Swift and Rashaad Penny are expected to front the running back room, which lost Miles Sanders to Carolina. The Eagles selected defensive tackle Jalen Carter and pass rusher Nolan Smith with their first two draft selections.

While considering the changes, the marquee matchup remains the same: Patrick Mahomes vs. Jalen Hurts — which did not disappoint in Super Bowl LVII. Hurts may have been the best player on the field as the teams battled for the championship, finishing with 27 of 38 for 304 yards and a passing touchdown to go along with 15 carries for 70 yards (and three touchdowns) on the ground. Mahomes won Super Bowl MVP with a strong second half, completing the game with 21 of 27 for 182 yards and three touchdowns — scrambling on the ground for 44 yards despite a high-ankle sprain.

Oh, and the "New Heights" podcast — featuring Jason and Travis Kelce — will once again be a must-listen heading into this game.

Close behind: The Chiefs play their biggest recent AFC rivals — the Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals — four weeks apart and in the final stretch of the NFL season. After hosting Buffalo in Week 14, Kansas City hosts Cincinnati in Week 17. Both games are scheduled to start at 3:25 p.m. Arrowhead Time.

Odds and ends: The Chiefs begin the NFL season on Thursday night, September 7, at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium against the Detroit Lions (they have opened as 7-point favorites, according to DraftKings Sportsbook).

Need tickets? Try StubHub.

Rapid analysis

The Chiefs have six scheduled primetime games — and every team has a maximum of seven. That means Kansas City can only be flexed into one more primetime game.

Kansas City sees three primetime games before its Week 10 bye week and another three after it. Unlike in recent years, the league has scattered the AFC West games a bit more throughout the schedule. However, Kansas City has a key stretch of three consecutive division games — from Weeks 6 to 8 — when they host the Broncos and Chargers before traveling to Denver.

In Chiefs head coach Andy Reid's first year in Kansas City, the club had 10 games with a Noon start time and two primetime games. Between Reid's franchise turnaround and the arrival of quarterback Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City has two Noon games in 2023 and six primetime games — with more likely to come.

Strength of schedule

The Chiefs play the 16th toughest schedule in the league in 2023, according to their opponents' 2022 records.