Packers to host Vikings in home opener, have max number of prime-time games

Follow along here all day for Green Bay Packers 2019 schedule updates ahead of the NFL's official release at 7 p.m. CDT Wednesday.

The Green Bay Packers will open the 100th season of play in the National Football League by traveling to Chicago to face the Bears on Thursday, Sept. 5 at 7:20 p.m. – the 199th meeting between the two franchises.

They will open their home slate at Lambeau Field on Sept. 15 against the Minnesota Vikings, PackersNews.com has learned.

It will be the first of three straight home games and five in the first seven weeks of the season, providing an opportunity for a strong start.

The season opener in Chicago has been known since March 25, when the league made the announcement at the annual meeting in Arizona. At the time, Packers President/CEO Mark Murphy said it would not preclude the Packers from playing another Thursday game. 

That additional Thursday game will not fall on Thanksgiving, however, as the Packers will host Philadelphia on Sept. 26.

Outside of the traditional NFC North divisional games, Green Bay is also slated to travel to Kansas City, San Francisco, the Los Angeles Chargers and New York Giants.

They will host Washington, Carolina, Denver, Oakland and Philadelphia, along with the rest of the division.

The Thursday night season-opener does count against the maximum number of five prime-time games upon the initial schedule release, however, and the league's television partners all have grabbed at least one Packers game.

One of those showcase games for the Packers will come Oct. 27 at Kansas City, when Aaron Rodgers will duel Patrick Mahomes on "Sunday Night Football," according to multiple reports.

The others include hosting the Eagles on Thursday Night Football on Sept. 26, hosting the Detroit Lions on Monday Night Football on Oct. 14 and traveling to Minnesota for Monday Night Football on Dec. 23.

The NFL does reserve the right to flex an important season finale into a prime-time slot in Week 17, regardless of how many times a team has already played at night. The Packers will end the regular season against Detroit for the fourth straight year, traveling to Ford Field on Dec. 29.

2019 Green Bay Packers schedule

Week 1, Sept 5 (Thursday)

at Chicago, 7:20 p.m. on NBC

Week 2, Sept. 15

vs. Minnesota, Noon on FOX

Week 3, Sept. 22

vs. Denver, Noon on FOX

Week 4, Sept. 26 (Thursday)

vs. Philadelphia, 7:20 p.m. on FOX/NFL Network

Week 5, Oct. 6

at Dallas, 3:25 p.m. on FOX

Week 6, Oct. 14 (Monday)

vs. Detroit, 7:15 p.m. on ESPN

Week 7, Oct. 20

vs. Oakland, Noon on CBS

Week 8, Oct. 27

at Kansas City, 7:20 p.m. on NBC

Week 9, Nov. 3  

at Los Angeles Chargers, 3:25 p.m. on CBS

Week 10, Nov. 10

vs. Carolina, Noon on FOX

Week 11, Nov. 17

BYE

Week 12, Nov. 24

at San Francisco, 3:25 p.m. on FOX

Week 13, Dec. 1

at New York Giants, Noon on FOX 

Week 14, Dec. 8

vs. Washington, Noon on FOX

Week 15, Dec. 15

vs. Chicago, Noon on FOX

Week 16, Dec. 23 (Monday)

at Minnesota Vikings, 7:15 p.m. on ESPN

Week 17, Dec. 29

at Detroit, Noon on FOX.

Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel contributed to this report.