The NFL season begins on Thursday night when the two-time defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs host the Baltimore Ravens.

Here are a couple of big storylines as the games that count in the standings rapidly approach:

WHEN DOES THE NFL SEASON BEGIN?:

The Chiefs-Ravens game kicks the season off on a Thursday night and then the Philadelphia Eagles and Green Bay Packers meet in Sao Paulo on Friday night for the first regular season game played in Brazil. It’s the first time since 1970 that the NFL has had a Friday night game as part of its opening week schedule.

Most of the Week 1 games will be on Sunday, Sept. 8, followed by the season’s first Monday night matchup between the New York Jets and San Francisco 49ers.

IMPORTANT EARLY GAMES

Sept. 8, Rams at Lions: The game features the quarterback matchup of Jared Goff vs. Matthew Stafford. Stafford was the longtime QB for the Lions before getting traded to the Rams for Goff and then leading L.A. to a Super Bowl title in 2022. Goff led the Lions past the Rams in the playoffs last season. Both QBs performed well in last year’s playoff matchup and more fireworks are expected in Week 1.

Sept. 9, Jets at 49ers: This should mark the return of New York quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who lasted just three official snaps last year before an Achilles injury cut his 2023 season short. The four-time MVP will face a tough test against a 49ers defense that’s been among the league’s best for the past few seasons.

Sept. 15, Bears at Texans: If all goes well, this should be the second NFL game for rookie quarterback Caleb Williams, who was taken by the Bears with the No. 1-overall pick out of USC. Williams gets a Week 2 matchup against Texans QB C.J. Stroud, who was the AP’s Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2023.

Nov. 25, Ravens at Chargers: This one is later in the schedule, but features a coaching matchup between brothers John and Jim Harbaugh. Jim was hired by the Chargers in the offseason after leading Michigan to a national championship. The action on the field should be good as well – Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson and L.A.’s Justin Herbert are two of the league’s top quarterbacks.

NEW KICKOFF RULES

The NFL has overhauled its kickoffs, with the new format using elements of rules from the XFL and tweaking them for use in the NFL beginning this fall. The rules will be in play for one season on a trial basis and then be subject to renewal in 2025.

So far, the changes appear to have had their desired effect.

The league was pleased with a return rate of 70.5% in the preseason, up significantly from last season’s 54.8% in exhibition games. There were also more big returns and better average starting field position, which could increase scoring after a drop last season to the lowest level since 2017.

It’s fair to wonder how much strategy teams are withholding for the regular season. There could be some fireworks in Week 1.

THE ROOKIE QBS

Williams is commanding a big chunk of the attention since he was the No. 1-overall pick, but multiple teams could be going with a rookie quarterback this season.

The Washington Commanders have already named No. 2 pick Jayden Daniels the starter following his Heisman-winning season at LSU.

The No. 12 overall pick – Bo Nix – has already earned the starting nod for the Denver Broncos. Nix, who started an NCAA QB-record 61 times at Oregon and Auburn, has led the Broncos to scores on six of the seven drives he’s directed in the preseason and has been statistically one of the league’s best passers this month.

The New England Patriots are one team that decided to go with a veteran under center in Week 1 instead of a highly touted rookie. The franchise announced that Jacoby Brissett will begin the season as the starting quarterback instead of No. 3 pick Drake Maye.

49ERS: All-Pro left tackle Trent Williams ended his contract holdout and reported to the San Francisco 49ers to finalize a new deal that gave him a significant raise and guaranteed money.

Williams’ agency, Elite Loyalty Sports, posted on social media that Williams’ new deal will pay him $82.66 million over three years with a $25.69 million signing bonus and $48 million guaranteed at signing.

The 36-year-old Williams was owed $20.05 million this season under the six-year, $138.1 million deal he signed in 2021 that had no guaranteed money remaining. Williams joins Tristan Wirfs, Penei Sewell and Christian Darrisaw as tackles getting deals this offseason worth at least $26 million a year.

• All-Pro running back Christian McCaffrey returned to the practice field after being sidelined about a month with a calf injury.

McCaffrey was on the field with his teammates during the part of practice open to the media and is on target to start in the season opener against the New York Jets on Monday night.

McCaffrey hurt his calf in practice in early August and has been out since, although Coach Kyle Shanahan said he wasn’t in danger of missing time in the regular season.

• GM John Lynch expects rookie receiver Ricky Pearsall to make a full recovery after he was shot last weekend during an attempted robbery.

Pearsall was hit in the chest and hospitalized overnight after the shooting in central San Francisco on Saturday. He was released from the hospital Sunday and was already back at the team facility Monday.

The Niners placed Pearsall on the non-football injury list, which will sideline him for at least four weeks, giving him time to recover from the shooting and a shoulder injury that had limited him all summer.

BROWNS: The Browns changed the name of their lakefront stadium while they consider changing addresses.

As they position themselves to build a possible new domed stadium, the Browns announced a 20-year partnership with Huntington National Bank, which bought exclusive naming rights.

Huntington Bank Field will host its first game Sunday as Cleveland kicks off the 2024 season against the Dallas Cowboys.

Financial terms of the deal were not immediately known. What is clear is that whether the NFL team renovates its current stadium or builds a proposed $2.4 billion dome in the suburbs, the name will stay the same.

JETS: There’s still no sign of Haason Reddick for the New York Jets with the season opener less than a week away.

The veteran edge rusher remained locked with the team in a contract holdout that reached its 43rd day. The Jets are preparing to face the 49ers in San Francisco on Monday night – and right now, it’s without Reddick.

Coach Robert Saleh said during a video call that there was no news to report – “not that I’m aware of” – on Reddick, who was fined more than $2 million for missing every training camp practice while he seeks a new deal.

Saleh was asked if it would be something of a “bonus” at this point to get Reddick on the field for the opener after working all offseason without him.

“Yeah, it’s like finding change in the couch, I guess, right?” the coach said with a laugh. “No, he’s a special football player and when he eventually gets here, he’s only going to help us.”

Reddick, who turns 30 this month, requested to be traded on Aug. 12, but GM Joe Douglas quickly nixed that, saying New York would not grant his wish to be dealt. Douglas reiterated that stance last week, adding that “the ball’s in their court” while also expressing faith “that this will all get resolved.”

• The Jets and cornerback Michael Carter II agreed on a three-year contract extension, according to a person familiar with the deal.
Carter is regarded as arguably the top nickel back in the NFL, forming a terrific trio of cornerbacks for the Jets with Sauce Gardner and D.J. Reed.

The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the Jets hadn’t announced the deal. NFL Network first reported the extension, saying it’s worth $30.75 million and can reach up to $33 million with more than $19 million in guarantees – making Carter the highest-paid slot cornerback in the league.

The 25-year-old Carter was a fifth-round pick out of Duke in 2021 and quickly established himself as a consistently productive nickel back and an important contributor for Saleh and defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich.

STEELERS: Cam Heyward, the longtime Pittsburgh Steelers defensive tackle, signed a three-year contract that runs through the 2026 season. Financial details were not disclosed. The 35-year-old Heyward – a first-round pick by the Steelers in 2011 – was about to enter the final season of his current deal. He had stressed repeatedly during the offseason and training camp that he wanted to play beyond 2024 and do it in Pittsburgh, though he opened the door to going elsewhere if he and the only team he’s ever played for couldn’t come to terms.

Heyward was selected as a defensive captain for the 10th time in his 14-year career on Monday, becoming only the third player in franchise history to reach that milestone.

GIANTS: Coach Brian Daboll has confirmed what has been obvious for the last four or so months. He is going to call the offensive plays for the New York Giants this season.

The third-year head coach acknowledged he is replacing offensive coordinator Mike Kafka when it comes to determining what plays Daniel Jones runs. Daboll called the plays in the preseason and the minicamps.