Aug 25, 2023; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell in the fourth quarter at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports

What Channel Is the NFL Game Tonight? Chiefs vs. Lions Set to Kick Off Thursday Night Football

September 7, 2023 | 8:45 AM EDT

Six months have passed since the final whistle blew at Super Bowl 57 when the Kansas City Chiefs hoisted the Lombardi Trophy. After the long hiatus, regular season football returns, with the Chiefs hosting the Detroit Lions to kick off the 2023 season.

What is the Thursday Night Football channel, and when is the NFL game tonight? Here’s how to watch the NFL season opener, including the start time, TV channel, and livestream options.

What Channel Airs the NFL Game Tonight?

While most of the Thursday Night Football schedule airs on Amazon, NBC will be tonight’s TV channel for the 2023 NFL opener between the Chiefs and Lions. The game will also be available on Peacock for those without standard cable options. Here’s how to watch Thursday Night Football tonight.

Detroit Lions at Kansas City Chiefs

Start time
8:20 p.m. ET
Channel
NBC
Live stream option
Peacock, FuboTV

Kansas City returns from the offseason with another year of high expectations with QB Patrick Mahomes under center. The Chiefs have won the AFC West for the past seven years and have been to five straight AFC Championship games. No team is on a roll right now quite like Kansas City. However, some late preseason bumps could spoil the Chiefs’ home opener.

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TE Travis Kelce hyperextended his knee during practice Tuesday. While the Chiefs believe the All-Pro TE’s ACL and knee are intact, he will still be out tonight regardless. While RB Isaiah Pacheco has added a necessary punch to the Chiefs run game, when you have Mahomes, you pass the football.

Kansas City led the league in 2022 with 5,247 passing yards. However, 1,765 of those passing yards went to tight ends, also a league-high. If Kelce can’t play, this will massively change Kansas City’s game plan on offense Thursday Night.

This concern may not have been as pressing last season, with Detroit allowing 245.2 passing yards per game, the third-worst in the NFL in 2022. However, this weakness was noted and addressed this offseason as the Lions signed safety C.J. Gardener-Johnson, CBs Cameron Sutton and Emmanuel Moseley, and drafted CB Brian Branch.

Slowing down the Chiefs’ passing offense will be paramount, as Detroit went 0-5 last season against top 10 offenses. While a Kansas City offense without Kelce may not be top 10, they still have the best QB in Mahomes and playmakers. The Lions cannot let up even though the two-time MVP will be without his most lethal weapon.

2023 Week 1 Schedule

With the Chiefs and Lions taking center stage on Thursday Night Football for the NFL game tonight, what does the rest of the Week 1 schedule look like? Let’s take a look.

MORE: NFL Prime-Time Schedule