In the lead-up to the 2017 NFL season, all 32 clubs are hosting RANDOM ACTS OF KICKOFF fan experiences, ranging from surprise player and celebrity appearances, to team rallies with free merchandise and game tickets, to events supporting non-profit organizations in the community. Visit NFL.com/Kickoff or follow #KICKOFF2017 and #RANDOMACTSOFKICKOFF on social media to view team activations.
These Random Acts of Kickoff will culminate with a free special event at CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS PARK IN BOSTON on Thursday, September 7 at 12:00 PM to commemorate the NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS' SUPER BOWL LI CHAMPIONSHIP. Further details will be released in the days ahead.
"Kickoff marks a time of eternal hope for football fans of all ages and teams," said DAWN HUDSON, NFL Chief Marketing Officer. "Through Random Acts of Kickoff, we wanted to deliver memorable experiences to our fans while sharing in their love of the game and anticipation for the start of the season."
The new season officially begins at 8:30 PM ET ON THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 7 with "2017 NFL Kickoff Driven by Hyundai," when the New England Patriots play the Kansas City Chiefs at Gillette Stadium. The NFL Kickoff Game on NBC will be called by AL MICHAELS, CRIS COLLINSWORTH, and MICHELE TAFOYA.
An hour-long pre-game special hosted by MIKE TIRICO and DAN PATRICK, alongside TONY DUNGY, RODNEY HARRISON, and MIKE FLORIO, will air on NBC and NFL Network starting at 7:30 PM ET. NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app will live stream all NBC NFL games this season to desktops, tablets, and connected TVs. A live broadcast of the Kickoff game will also be available via NFL Mobile from Verizon, along with live audio on Westwood One Radio Sports, SiriusXM's NFL Radio, and TuneIn.
NFL GAMEDAY KICKOFF will air at 5:00 PM ET on NFL Network. RICH EISEN hosts the 2.5-hour show, along with Hall of Famers MARSHALL FAULK, KURT WARNER, and MICHAEL IRVIN, and former NFL head coach STEVE MARIUCCI, breaking down the Kansas City Chiefs-New England Patriots game as well as other Week 1 matchups.
This is the 16TH CONSECUTIVE KICKOFF celebration to begin the season, a tradition which started in 2002. That year, the Patriots were featured as the primetime host for Monday Night Football on September 9 and officially opened Gillette Stadium as Super Bowl Champions. This year, the Patriots will host their fifth such Super Bowl banner-raising ceremony and their fourth as the host in the NFL's showcase Thursday night primetime season premiere.
In addition to presenting sponsor Hyundai, top tier NFL Kickoff partners include Bud Light, Microsoft, Pepsi, Snickers, Verizon, and Visa.
