Who could the Kansas City Chiefs open against in 2023?

It was a playoff run filled with adversity and challenges, but the Kansas City Chiefs managed to win the Super Bowl in February 2023. The NFL usually likes to have the defending champions open the season at home on a Thursday night, where they officially receive their rings. Here are a few opponents we’d like to see them open the new campaign against.

In what was a thoroughly entertaining game, the Chiefs were able to hold on against a Philadelphia Eagles team that gave everything they could. There would be something special about having the Eagles watch Kansas City’s pregame celebration in person, to add fuel to their quest to get back to the big game.

There were many NFL enthusiasts who doubted whether the Chiefs would be able to maintain their level of excellence after they traded superstar wide receiver Tyreek Hill to the Miami Dolphins. It would be fitting to slot the Dolphins into the opening game, considering that Hill was so integral to KC's success when he was a Chief.

The Chiefs have played thrilling games with the Cincinnati Bengals dating back a couple of years, and the NFL would be well served leading off the season with this budding rivalry. The Bengals beat the Chiefs in the AFC title game in 2022, and Kansas City got their revenge in 2023. Joe Burrow and Patrick Mahomes play their best when the lights shine the brightest.

The Denver Broncos were expected to compete with the Chiefs in the AFC West last season after they executed their blockbuster trade for Russell Wilson. Those expectations were not met, and they brought in accomplished head coach Sean Payton. We may get to see just how far Denver has come in Week 1 if they play the Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium.

The NFL could also opt for the Las Vegas Raiders to play Kansas City Week 1, who signed Jimmy Garoppolo to be their quarterback. Garoppolo was under center for the San Francisco 49ers in 2020, and lost to the Chiefs in the Super Bowl that year. Had Garoppolo been able to complete a deep pass to Emmanuel Sanders in that game, Kansas City might have one less Lombardi Trophy.

Most NFL fans believed that the Buffalo Bills would be the Chiefs’ biggest challenger in the AFC last year, but it never came to fruition. The Bills lost a disappointing home playoff game to the Bengals, and a looking to pick up the pieces in 2023. Quarterback Josh Allen remains as talented as any player in the game, and feasted in last year’s season opener against the Los Angeles Rams.

The Los Angeles Chargers are hoping to take another step during the 2023 season after their campaign came to a humbling end in last year’s postseason. Quarterback Justin Herbert has played well in primetime against the Chiefs, and would likely relish a chance to put the demons of their playoff loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars behind him.