The NFL selected the New England Patriots to face the Seattle Seahawks in the 2026 season opener on Thursday Night Football, marking a Super Bowl rematch.
However, word from Windy City Gridiron suggests the league had another prominent option in mind: The New York Giants.
Windy City Gridiron has learned that if the NFL went a different direction and didn’t select the Patriots for that game, they would have selected the New York Giants. The NFL believes the Giants are a team on the rise, and with John Harbaugh coaching his first game in New York, the NFL felt that that would have been the best option after the Patriots.
This consideration, assuming the report’s accuracy, highlights the league’s view of the Giants as an ascending franchise under new leadership.
But instead of the Seahawks, the Giants will open their season on Sunday Night Football against the Dallas Cowboys on September 13, just two days after the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks, allowing them to host in a symbolically significant game.
The Giants and Seahawks are scheduled to meet later in the Week 14 afternoon slate.
While intriguing, this report remains unconfirmed speculation and has not appeared in other major outlets. The actual choice underscores the NFL’s preference for high-profile narratives in primetime openers.
This article originally appeared on Giants Wire: NFL considered New York Giants vs. Seahawks to open 2026 regular season?
Reporting by Dan Benton, Giants Wire / Giants Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
