Kelce's possible farewell frames start of 2026 NFL season

Garrett arrives off an NFL-record 23-sack season.

Wire Report IntelligenceUpdated Sep 71 min read

What happened: The Los Angeles Rams rebuilt their defense by trading for Myles Garrett and Trent McDuffie before Aaron Donald came out of retirement. The Kansas City Chiefs have Travis Kelce back for at least one more year while Patrick Mahomes returns from torn knee ligaments.

Why it matters: SoFi Stadium will host Super Bowl 61, giving the Rams a chance to win the championship at home for the second time in six years. Kansas City missed the playoffs after five Super Bowl appearances in the previous six seasons, while Buffalo and Baltimore changed head coaches as Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson continue chasing their first Super Bowl appearances.

By the numbers: Garrett set the NFL single-season record with 23 sacks last season. Donald returns at 35 as a three-time Defensive Player of the Year, while the 36-year-old Kelce and Mahomes have won three Super Bowls together.

What to watch: Kelce's workload and the Rams' early defensive rotation will offer the first clues once games begin.

Sources

Yahoo NFL 2026-09-07T09:47:22.536140+00:00

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NFLPreviewLos Angeles RamsKansas City ChiefsBuffalo BillsTravis KelceMyles Garrett

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