when does the nfl start regular season?
<answer> Thursday, Sept. 8 <context> The other 32 teams start the preseason the following week, meaning Green Bay and Indianapolis will both play five exhibition games. The regular season kicks off on Thursday, Sept. 8 with a rematch of Super Bowl 50 as the Denver Broncos host the Carolina Panthers. More than one-third of the NFL is just 10 days away from starting their preseason schedule.