The first Sunday of the 2026 NFL season delivered an offensive explosion, historic individual performances and several additions to the league record book.
With two games still remaining in Week 1, NFL teams combined for 702 points, an average of 50.1 per game. Ten teams scored at least 30 points, tied for the third-most in an opening week in NFL history.
But no team provided more fireworks than the Chicago Bears.
Bears and Panthers Combine for NFL-Record 96 Points
Chicago defeated the Carolina Panthers, 59-37, as the teams combined for 96 points — the most ever scored in an NFL season-opening game.
The previous record was 88 points, set when Tampa Bay defeated New Orleans, 48-40, in Week 1 of the 2018 season.
Chicago’s 59 points tied the 2019 Baltimore Ravens, 1968 Dallas Cowboys and 1963 Kansas City Chiefs for the second-most by a team in a season opener. Only the 1973 Atlanta Falcons, who scored 62 against New Orleans, produced more.
The Bears also rushed for six touchdowns, tying the NFL record for a season-opening game.
Quarterback Caleb Williams accounted for four scores, passing for 269 yards and two touchdowns with a 124.1 rating while adding 65 rushing yards and two touchdowns.
Williams became only the fourth quarterback in NFL history to record at least 250 passing yards, 50 rushing yards, two touchdown passes, two rushing touchdowns and a passer rating of at least 120 in the same game.
Josh Allen, Cam Newton and Michael Vick are the only other quarterbacks to accomplish the feat.
Derrick Henry Passes Marcus Allen
Derrick Henry wasted no time making history in Baltimore’s 41-23 victory over Indianapolis.
The Ravens running back rushed for 144 yards and three touchdowns, raising his career total to 125 rushing scores.
Henry moved past Hall of Famer Marcus Allen, who finished with 123, for third place on the NFL’s career rushing touchdown list. Only Emmitt Smith (164) and LaDainian Tomlinson (145) remain ahead of him.
Henry’s dominant performance produced several additional milestones.
He now has 26 career games with at least 100 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns, surpassing Jim Brown and Tomlinson for the most in NFL history.
It was also Henry’s eighth career game with at least 100 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns, moving him past Marshall Faulk for third-most all-time. Only Tomlinson (10) and Brown (nine) have more.
Josh Allen Becomes Fastest QB to 300 Combined Touchdowns
Buffalo quarterback Josh Allen opened his season with another record-setting performance in the Bills’ 36-31 victory over Houston.
Allen passed for 334 yards and two touchdowns with a 130.5 passer rating while rushing for two additional scores.
Those four touchdowns gave Allen 303 combined passing and rushing touchdowns in 129 career games, making him the fastest quarterback in NFL history to reach 300.
Aaron Rodgers previously held the mark at 134 games.
Allen also recorded his 25th career game with at least four combined passing and rushing touchdowns. He joins Tom Brady, Drew Brees, Aaron Rodgers, Peyton Manning and Brett Favre as the only players in NFL history to reach that total.
Jahmyr Gibbs Reaches 50-Touchdown Milestone
Detroit needed overtime to defeat New Orleans, 31-30, with Jahmyr Gibbs again showing why he has become one of the NFL’s most productive young offensive players.
Gibbs totaled 186 scrimmage yards, including 156 rushing, and scored twice on the ground.
He now has 51 scrimmage touchdowns through his first 50 career games, becoming only the fifth player in NFL history to record at least 50 over that span.
Gibbs joins Chuck Foreman (55), Jim Brown (53), Larry Johnson (52) and Marcus Allen (51).
Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown also had a big afternoon, catching 10 passes for 67 yards and two touchdowns.
St. Brown now has 63 career games with at least five receptions, tying DeAndre Hopkins for fourth-most by a player during his first six NFL seasons.
Trevor Lawrence Nearly Perfect in Jaguars Victory
Trevor Lawrence turned in one of Sunday’s most efficient quarterback performances as Jacksonville defeated Cleveland, 34-10.
Lawrence completed 18 of 23 passes for 245 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions, finishing with a 150.6 passer rating.
At 26 years old, Lawrence now has 102 career touchdown passes and 23 rushing touchdowns.
He became only the fourth player in NFL history before turning 27 to record at least 100 touchdown passes and 20 rushing scores, joining Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson and Cam Newton.
Lawrence was particularly effective downfield, completing 10 of 11 attempts traveling at least 10 air yards for 179 yards and three touchdowns.
Justin Jefferson Reaches 8,500 Yards in Historic Fashion
Minnesota wide receiver Justin Jefferson caught eight passes for 92 yards and two touchdowns as the Vikings defeated Green Bay, 39-22.
The performance pushed Jefferson to 8,572 receiving yards through 95 career games.
He became the third-fastest player in NFL history to reach 8,500 receiving yards, trailing only Hall of Famer Lance Alworth and Julio Jones, who each reached the milestone in 90 games.
T.J. Watt Joins Julius Peppers in Exclusive Club
Pittsburgh linebacker T.J. Watt made an impact in multiple ways during the Steelers’ 20-13 victory over Atlanta.
Watt recorded two sacks and returned an interception 35 yards for a touchdown.
He now owns 117 career sacks and 10 interceptions, joining Hall of Famer Julius Peppers as the only players with at least 100 sacks and 10 interceptions since individual sacks became an official NFL statistic in 1982.
Justin Herbert Reaches 25,000 Passing Yards
Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert reached a major career milestone despite his team’s 26-14 loss to Arizona.
Herbert threw for 209 yards and a touchdown, increasing his career total to 25,029 passing yards in 96 games.
That made Herbert the fourth-fastest quarterback in NFL history to reach 25,000 yards.
Only Patrick Mahomes (83 games), Matthew Stafford (90) and Dan Marino (92) reached the milestone faster.
More History Made Across NFL Week 1
Several other players added their names to the record book Sunday.
Arizona tight end Trey McBride caught nine passes for 95 yards and a touchdown against the Chargers. He now has 38 career games with at least five receptions, tying Hall of Famers Antonio Gates and Kellen Winslow Sr. for second-most by a tight end during his first five seasons.
New York Jets rookie tight end Kenyon Sadiq scored a rushing touchdown in his NFL debut during a 23-10 victory at Tennessee. He became only the second tight end in league history to rush for a touchdown in his first career game, joining Hall of Famer Ozzie Newsome in 1978.
Tampa Bay rookie linebacker Josiah Trotter recorded a sack and returned an interception 38 yards for a touchdown against Cincinnati. He became the first player since sacks became official in 1982 to record both a sack and a pick-six in his NFL debut.
High-Scoring Start to the 2026 NFL Season
Offense dominated the opening Sunday.
Baltimore, Buffalo, Carolina, Chicago, Cincinnati, Detroit, Houston, Jacksonville, Minnesota and New Orleans each scored at least 30 points. Six teams scored at least 24 points in the first half alone, the most to accomplish that feat during a Week 1 in NFL history.
The opening weekend also offered an early reminder of the NFL’s year-to-year unpredictability.
Arizona, Baltimore, Cincinnati, Detroit, Las Vegas, Minnesota and the New York Jets all opened 2026 with victories after missing the playoffs last season.
With two games still remaining on the Week 1 schedule, the league had already produced 702 points, eight games that were within one score during the fourth quarter and a long list of individual and team records.
If the first Sunday was any indication, the 2026 NFL season won’t be short on offense — or history.
Source: NFL
