NFL releases 2020 schedule, Brady battles Brees opening weekend

SHOWS: HOUSTON, TEXAS, UNITED STATES (FILE – FEBRUARY 6, 2017) (REUTERS – ACCESS ALL) 1. NFL COMMISSIONER ROGER GOODELL AND FORMER NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS QUARTERBACK TOM BRADY POSING FOR PHOTOS WITH SUPER BOWL LI MVP TROPHY 2. LOMBARDI TROPHY AND MVP TROPHY AT NEWS CONFERENCE TAMPA BAY, FLORIDA, UNITED STATES (FILE – MARCH 26, 2020) (STILL PHOTO-MUTE)(USA TODAY SPORTS IMAGES – Broadcasters and Digital: MUST COURTESY ‘USA TODAY SPORTS IMAGES’) 3. STILL PHOTO OF SIGN WELCOMING TOM BRADY TO TAMPA BAY TAMPA BAY, FLORIDA, UNITED STATES (FILE – DECEMBER 9, 2018) (STILL PHOTO-MUTE) (USA TODAY SPORTS IMAGES – Broadcasters and Digital: MUST COURTESY ‘USA TODAY SPORTS IMAGES’) 4. STILL PHOTO OF NEW ORLEANS SAINTS QUARTERBACK DREW BREES DROPPING BACK TO THROW A PASS IN NFL GAME AGAINST TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS NEW YORK, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES (FILE – NOVEMBER 30, 2017) (STILL PHOTO-MUTE) (REUTERS – ACCESS ALL) 5. CLOSEUP STILL PHOTO OF NFL FOOTBALL AT NFL FAN EXPERIENCE EVENT MIAMI, FLORIDA, UNITED STATES (FILE – FEBRUARY 2, 2020) (STILL PHOTO-MUTE) (REUTERS – ACCESS ALL) 6. KANSAS CITY CHIEFS QUARTERBACK PATRICK MAHOMES CELEBRATING WITH THE VINCE LOMBARDI TROPHY AFTER WINNING SUPER BOWL LIV INTERNET (MAY 7, 2020) (STILL IMAGES-MUTE) (SOCIAL MEDIA WEBSITE – ACCESS ALL) 7. STILL IMAGE FROM THE NFL’S TWITTER PAGE, SAYING: “#Kickoff2020. @HoustonTexans vs. @Chiefs. Thursday Sept. 10” 8. STILL IMAGE FROM NFL EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT OF FOOTBALL OPERATIONS TROY VINCENT’S TWITTER PAGE, SAYING: “We’re excited about this @NFL schedule and we’re looking forward to playing football. As we kick off a 2020 season packed with exciting games, we will follow all federal, state, and local guidelines and stay focused on the health & safety of all involved.” STORY: Quarterback Tom Brady’s bid to bring the glory days back to Tampa Bay will be given a stiff test in Week One of the new NFL season when the Buccaneers travel to New Orleans to face Drew Brees and the Saints on Sept. 13. The NFL, which outlined criteria on Wednesday for teams to begin reopening facilities amid the ongoing coronavirus crisis, released the 256-game 2020 regular season schedule on Thursday (May 7). Super Bowl champions Kansas City will host Houston on Sept. 10 to kick-off the new season. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes rallied the Chiefs past the Texans in the AFC divisional round playoffs last season. Brady’s decision to leave New England, where he spent 20 seasons and won six Super Bowls, for the Bucs was the biggest story of the offseason. Tampa Bay’s only Super Bowl win came in the 2002 season and they last reached the playoffs in 2007. NFL Executive Vice President of Football Operations Troy Vincent promised the league would “follow all federal, state, and local guidelines and stay focused on the health & safety of all involved”, in a statement. U.S. deaths from the virus topped 75,000 on Thursday, according to a Officialsportsbetting.com tally. While other major sports leagues, including the National Basketball Association and Major League Baseball, have shut down due to COVID-19, the NFL has been able to buy time before making any major decisions as its season ended in early February. The Los Angeles Rams will show off their new, multi-billion dollar stadium in Inglewood on the season’s first Sunday night game on Sept. 13 when they take on the Dallas Cowboys. The Raiders, who left Oakland after 25 seasons for Las Vegas in the offseason, will unveil their new stadium on Sept. 21 when they battle the Saints on Monday Night Football. The conference championships will be held on Jan. 24 and Super Bowl LV will take place in Tampa Bay on Feb. 7, according to the schedule. (Production: David Grip