Johnson's Bears debut vs. Vikes opens MNF slate
The Vikings reveal their 2025 schedule by having fans get tattoos of their opponents. (1:46)
The 2025 "Monday Night Football" schedule kicks off with an NFC North showdown between the Ben Johnson-led Chicago Bears and the visiting Minnesota Vikings on Sept. 8.
The prime-time divisional clash, announced as part of the NFL's 2025 schedule release Wednesday night, marks the beginning of Johnson's head coaching tenure in Chicago, which hired him in January following his six-season stint as an assistant with the Detroit Lions.
It will also mark Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy's NFL debut after he missed the 2024 season because of a knee injury. McCarthy, the No. 10 pick of last year's draft, matches up against Bears quarterback Caleb Williams, who went No. 1 overall in the same draft.
The "Monday Night Football" slate will feature four Monday night doubleheaders, beginning Week 2, when the Tampa Bay Buccaneers visit the Houston Texans and the Los Angeles Chargers visit the Las Vegas Raiders on Sept. 15. The other MNF doubleheaders take place Week 4, when the Miami Dolphins host the New York Jets and the Denver Broncos host the Cincinnati Bengals; Week 6 with the Buffalo Bills visiting the Atlanta Falcons and the Bears visiting the Washington Commanders; and Week 7 with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Detroit and Houston Texans at the Seattle Seahawks.
Other highlights of the MNF slate include a Week 10 matchup between the defending champion Philadelphia Eagles and the Green Bay Packers in a rematch of last season's NFC wild-card game, which the Eagles won 22-10 en route to winning the Super Bowl.
That game will mark the first of two Monday night games for Philadelphia, which also faces the Chargers in Week 14.
The Kansas City Chiefs, last season's runner-up, also have two MNF games: a Week 5 road matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars and a home date against the Commanders in Week 8.
Other teams with two MNF games include the Dallas Cowboys, who host the Arizona Cardinals in Week 9 and visit the Raiders in Week 11, and the Detroit Lions, who visit the Baltimore Ravens in Week 3 and host the Bucs in Week 7.
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