Clark Hunt doesn’t expect the Chiefs to face Seahawks in NFL opener

SEATTLE, WA - DECEMBER 23: Quarterback Patrick Mahomes #15 of the Kansas City Chiefs reacts during the fourth quarter of the game against the Seattle Seahawks at CenturyLink Field on December 23, 2018 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images) | Getty Images

As defending Super Bowl Champions, the Seattle Seahawks will kick off the NFL season on Wednesday, September 9. With a 2026 contest in the Emerald City, the Kansas City Chiefs would nominally be a strong candidate for the showcase appearance.

At this week's Annual League Meeting in Phoenix, Arizona, the Chiefs' chairman and CEO revealed he does not expect to draw the assignment.

Here the NFL owners' meetings, a news tip from Clark Hunt: The Chiefs are not expect to start the season in Seattle.

I don't think that's on the table anymore. I think from a league standpoint, there would be some concern whether [Patrick Mahomes] would be ready to go."

- Nate Taylor (@ByNateTaylor) March 30, 2026

The NFL schedule will drop on May 14. That date will be too early to know the Week 1 status of quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who is attempting to be ready to open the season after tearing multiple knee ligaments late in the 2025 campaign.

Mahomes has continually insisted that his goal is to be ready to start the season, and he took league media by storm last week by releasing via social media a video of him throwing. His overall timeline remains uncertain, and missing the first part of the 2026 season remains a possibility.

The Chiefs will undoubtedly play in primetime multiple times next season. Don't be surprised, however, if the top exposure comes after the first month, when there will be less concern about whether Mahomes will actually be playing.