The NFL regular season will open with the Carolina Panthers on the road against the Super Bowl champion Denver Broncos on Thursday Night Football, according to the Charlotte Observer.
Carolina dropped its Super Bowl matchup with the Broncos in a 24-10 loss that saw a dejected Cam Newton bolt from the post-game interview session early.
The Panthers finished the regular season 15-1 before falling in the Super Bowl. Denver will have a significantly different outlook, with quarterbacks Peyton Manning (retired) and Brock Osweiler (Houston Texans) both out of town, and instead Mark Sanchez in the starting spot.