The 2026 NFL season kicks off its Monday Night Football slate with an AFC West showdown as the Denver Broncos visit the Kansas City Chiefs.
Kansas City, which finished third in the division last year and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2012, hosts a Broncos team that claimed the AFC West title. The Chiefs had previously won the division for nine consecutive seasons before last year's downturn.
Central to the matchup is the return of Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who has been cleared to play without limitations. He missed the preseason as he recovered from a torn ACL suffered in Week 15 of the 2025 season. The Broncos will counter with quarterback Bo Nix, who is also returning from an injury. Nix suffered a broken ankle in the Divisional Round of the 2025 playoffs but saw some action in the preseason, completing 6 of 9 passes for 76 yards and a touchdown.
Last season, the Broncos won both of their one-possession matchups against the Chiefs. The two divisional rivals will meet again in Week 8 of the current season.
The Broncos vs. Chiefs game is scheduled for Monday, September 14, at 8:15 p.m. ET. It will be broadcast on ABC and ESPN. Fans can stream the game for free via a five-day trial of DIRECTV's MySports genre pack, which includes ABC and ESPN, and offers a discount on the first six months.