The start of every NFL season is filled with hope, hype, and unpredictability. For players, Week 1 can be a statement game, a chance to set the tone for the season or cement a place in history. While some stars ease their way into the year, others explode right out of the gate with legendary performances. 

From Hall of Famers to surprise heroes, here are the 15 greatest Week 1 performances in NFL history.

15. Ryan Fitzpatrick – 2018

Stat Line: 417 yards, 4 TD, 36 rush yards, 1 TD

Game Result: Buccaneers 48, Saints 40

Ryan Fitzpatrick was thriving in Week 1 of 2018 when he stepped in for a suspended Jameis Winston. The 35-year-old journeyman quarterback delivered one of the wildest opening acts in recent memory. Facing a Saints team that had been a Super Bowl contender the previous year, Fitzpatrick threw for 417 yards and 4 touchdowns while also running for 36 yards and another score on the ground. 

He completed deep bombs to DeSean Jackson and Mike Evans, trading blows with Drew Brees in a game that turned into a 48-40 shootout. After the game lit up the Superdome, hitting DeSean Jackson and Mike Evans for bombs in a shootout with Drew Brees. 

Following his stellar performance, Fitzpatrick stole the headlines when he strolled into the press conference wearing Jackson’s gold chains and sunglasses, fully leaning into the “FitzMagic” persona.

14. Kareem Hunt – 2017

Stat Line: 148 rushing yards, 98 receiving yards, 3 TD

Game Result: Chiefs 42, Patriots 27

From disaster to dominance. On his very first NFL carry, Kareem Hunt fumbled the ball, something he hadn’t done throughout his entire college career at Toledo. Instead of folding under the pressure, the rookie bounced back and erupted for 246 total yards and 3 touchdowns against the defending Super Bowl Champion New England Patriots on opening night. 

Hunt racked up 148 yards on the ground while also collecting 98 yards receiving. His 78-yard touchdown reception stunned the New England defense and capped off a 42-27 upset win for Kansas City. 

This performance foreshadowed the Pro Bowl season the rookie running back was about to embark on as well as the turning of the tide for Chiefs Kingdom in the years to come.

13. Emmitt Smith – 1995

Stat Line: 163 yards, 4 TD

Game Result: Cowboys 35, Giants 0

The Cowboys were one season removed from back-to-back Super Bowl victories when they opened the 1995 season in a matchup against their division rivals, the New York Giants. 

On a mission to claim his third Super Bowl ring in four years, Emmitt Smith set the tone early and put on a clinic in Week 1. He bulldozed his way through the New York defense and put up 163 yards and 4 touchdowns in a 35–0 blowout. Three of those scores came in the first half alone, effectively ending the game before it even got started. Smith’s vision, balance, and relentless drive were on full display, reminding everyone why he was the centerpiece of the Cowboys dynasty run. 

The Hall of Fame ballcarrier ended the 1995 season with a career-best 1,773 yards rushing and succeeded in his quest to capture his third Super Bowl ring after Dallas defeated the Steelers in Super Bowl XXX.

12. Dan Marino – 1994

Stat Line: 473 yards, 5 TD, 1 INT

Game Result: Dolphins 39, Patriots 35

Coming off an Achilles injury that sidelined him in 1993, Dan Marino opened the 1994 season with a classic quarterback duel against Drew Bledsoe and the New England Patriots. 

Even in his 12th season and returning from injury, Marino reminded the league that his arm was a weapon unlike any other. He shredded the Patriots defense for 473 yards and 5 touchdowns to 1 interception, leading the Dolphins to a 39–35 victory in Foxborough. His signature quick release and deep-ball accuracy kept New England’s defense on its heels all night. 

The game included multiple deep touchdown strikes that showed why Marino was the most dangerous pure passer of his generation. Marino’s display of pure gunslinging brilliance in Week 1 set the tone for Miami’s playoff run later that season.

11. Sammy Watkins – 2019

Stat Line: 9 rec, 198 yards, 3 TD

Game Result: Chiefs 40, Jaguars 26

Sammy Watkins’ career was defined by flashes of brilliance mixed with inconsistency, but in Week 1 of the 2019 season, he looked like the best receiver in football. Facing Jacksonville’s vaunted defense, Watkins exploded. 

The former first-round draft pick hauled in 9 catches for 198 yards and 3 scores. He found paydirt on two deep-balls of 68 and 49 yards, showing off his ability to bolt past the second-level of the defense.

Injuries and inconsistent play kept him from sustaining this dominance all year, but his Week 1 eruption was a prime example of Kansas City’s overwhelming firepower in a season that was capped off with a Super Bowl victory.

10. Jerry Rice – 1994

Stat Line: 7 rec, 169 yards, 2 TD, 23 rush yards, 1 TD

Game Result: 49ers 44, Raiders 14

By 1994, Jerry Rice was already considered the best receiver, if not overall player, in NFL history. But in the 49ers opening game of the 1994 season, he added another historic milestone to his résumé. 

Against the Raiders, Rice compiled 7 receptions for 169 yards and 2 touchdowns, plus a 23-yard rushing score. In the process, he also broke Jim Brown’s all-time touchdown record, propelling his name to the top of yet another record sheet in the annals of football history. Rice’s blend of precise route-running and deceptive speed left defenders helpless, and his performance helped spark the 49ers’ march to a victory in Super Bowl XXIX. 

In a career filled with legendary moments, this opener stands out as one of Rice’s most memorable outings.

9. Irving Fryar – 1994

Stat Line: 5 rec, 211 yards, 3 TD

Game Result: Dolphins 39, Patriots 35

Sometimes overshadowed by Dan Marino’s heroics in the same game mentioned earlier on this list, Irving Fryar turned in a masterpiece of his own in the Dolphins season-opener against New England in 1994. 

The veteran receiver caught only five passes, but each reception was game-changing. Fryar finished the day with 211 yards and 3 touchdowns as Miami narrowly escaped with a 39–35 win. 

His scores came on backbreaking plays that flipped the momentum whenever the Patriots threatened to rally. Fryar, who was 32 years old, showed a youthful burst while attacking the deep part of the field, averaging an absurd 42.2 yards per catch. 

This season-debut was one of the most efficient and explosive performances by any receiver in NFL history.

8. Anquan Boldin – 2003

Stat Line: 10 rec, 217 yards, 2 TD

Game Result: Cardinals 42, Lions 24

Most rookies have a “welcome to the NFL moment”, but in Week 1 of the 2003 season, Cardinal’s receiver, Anquan Boldin, welcomed himself to the league in a matchup with the Lions. 

In his professional debut, the second-round pick from Florida State torched the Detroit secondary. Boldin collected 10 catches for a whopping 217 yards along with 2 touchdowns, becoming the first rookie in league history to surpass 200 receiving yards in his first game. He displayed veteran-level physicality, breaking tackles and winning contested catches all over the field. 

Despite Arizona’s struggles in the 2003 season, Boldin went on to win Offensive Rookie of the Year, and he carved out a career that featured multiple Pro Bowl appearances and a Super Bowl ring. His dominant Week 1 showing remains one of, if not the greatest debuts in NFL history.

7. Duce Staley – 2000

Stat Line: 201 rush yards, 61 rec yards, 1 TD

Game Result: Eagles 41, Cowboys 14

The 2000 season opener wasn’t just a clash between division rivals, Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys, but it was the hottest game in NFL history. The game was played in brutal 109-degree Texas heat, later dubbed the “Pickle Juice Game” after Philadelphia players used store-bought pickle juice to combat cramping. 

Regardless of the heat, Eagles running back, Duce Staley, became the workhorse hero of the day, piling up 201 rushing yards, 61 receiving yards and a touchdown. Staley wore down the Cowboys defense all game, and his tireless effort in the Texas heat symbolized the toughness of Andy Reid’s new-look Eagles. 

Philadelphia rolled to a 41–14 win, announcing themselves as a rising NFC power, and Staley’s stand-out performance against their hated rival still stands as one of the most iconic in franchise history.

6. Tyreek Hill – 2023

Stat Line: 11 rec, 215 yards, 2 TD

Game Result: Dolphins 36, Chargers 34

By year eight of his already decorated career, Tyreek Hill was known for making jaw-dropping plays look routine. Yet even by his standards, his 2023 season opener was a masterpiece.

When the Dolphins faced off against the Chargers in a Week 1 divisional shootout, Hill caught 11 passes for 215 yards and 2 touchdowns, including a crucial 45-yard score. His extraordinary speed, agility, and playmaking abilities were on full display in Miami’s narrow 36–34 win. 

Hill’s performance not only fueled early MVP chatter, but it was a statement to the rest of the league that the “Cheetah” was still the NFL’s ultimate deep threat.

5. Arian Foster – 2010

Stat Line: 231 yards, 3 TD

Game Result: Texans 34, Colts 24

Aside from loyal Houston Texans fans, second-year undrafted running back Arian Foster was not a household name around the league. That all changed after Week 1 of the 2010 season when the Texans went up against Peyton Manning and the Colts to start the year. 

Foster exploded for 231 rushing yards and 3 touchdowns, single-handedly dismantling the defending AFC champions in a 34–24 win. He repeatedly gashed Indy’s undersized defensive front, including a 25-yard touchdown run that put the game out of hand. 

Foster’s breakout game set the tone for a Pro Bowl season as he led the NFL in rushing yards and touchdowns. Overnight, he went from undrafted and unknown to unstoppable.

4. Tom Brady – 2011

Stat Line: 517 yards, 4 TD, 1 INT

Game Result: Patriots 38, Dolphins 24

Tom Brady opened the 2011 season with a game for the ages, squaring off against the Dolphins on Monday Night Football. Despite a staunch effort from the Dolphins defensive front, Brady was able to dismantle Miami’s secondary and threw for 517 passing yards with 4 touchdowns to 1 interception, which places him 10th all-time for most passing yards in a single game. 

This memorable performance even featured a record-tying 99 yard touchdown pass when Brady connected with Wes Welker for the final score of the contest, sealing New England’s 38-24 victory. This game was a sign of things to come for Brady’s 2011 campaign, and he went on to throw for 5,235 yards on the year and earn his second MVP award.

3. Frank Clarke – 1962

Stat Line: 10 rec, 241 yards, 3 TD

Game Result: Cowboys 35, Redskins 35 (tie)

The infamous Dallas Cowboys entered just their third year as a professional team when they took the field against the Washington Redskins to begin their 1962 season. In this game, the first true Cowboys legend, receiver Frank Clarke, made NFL history.  

Long before pass-centric gameplay of modern football, Clarke helped redefine what was possible for wide receivers after he hauled in 10 receptions for a mind-boggling 241 yards and 3 touchdowns in the season opener. At a time when 100-yard games were more than rare, Clarke nearly tripled that total. His ability to stretch the field and blow by defenders in single coverage made him one of the NFL’s first true deep threats. However, in the game, the Redskins were able to match the tempo of the Cowboys offense, and the Week 1 clash ended in a 35-35 tie. 

Clarke was able to build from the moment of his Week 1 showcase, and he went on to lead the league in touchdown receptions for the 1962 season. Over 60 years later, his 241 receiving yards remains a league record for a season debut, and it’s unlikely we will ever see this record broken.

2. Peyton Manning – 2013

Stat Line: 462 yards, 7 TD

Game Result: Broncos 49, Ravens 27

Peyton Manning embarked on his 2013 campaign at the helm of the Denver Broncos following a remarkable 2012 season that ended in a devastating playoff loss to the Ravens, who then went on to win the Super Bowl. The Broncos were presented with the opportunity to redeem themselves against Baltimore in Week 1 of the 2013 season, and Peyton Manning responded in kind, delivering one of the greatest performances in NFL history. 

He threw for 462 yards and a record-tying 7 touchdown passes, making him the sixth player in league history to accomplish this mark, and the first to do so since 1969. Not only this, but because he didn’t throw a single interception, he joined NFL legend, Y.A. Tittle, as one of just two players to record a 7:0 touchdown to interception ratio. Manning was flawless in the game, and he dissected Baltimore’s feared defense with ease. After scoring 21 unanswered points in the 3rd quarter, the Broncos cruised to a 49–27 win, and Manning went on to have the greatest season of his career. 

He registered an NFL-record 55 touchdown passes that season on his way to setting every Bronco’s franchise passing mark and being named league MVP. Week 1 wasn’t just a statement game for Manning, it was the spark that ignited one of the greatest offensive seasons in NFL history.

1. Norm Van Brocklin – 1951

Stat Line: 554 yards, 5 TD, 2 INT, 1 rush TD

Game Result: Rams 54, Yanks 14

Los Angeles Rams quarterback, Norm Van Brocklin, stepped onto the field on opening day of the 1951 season and delivered the greatest Week 1 performance in NFL history. In an era when most quarterbacks threw for fewer than 2,000 yards across an entire 12-game season, Van Brocklin shattered expectations by throwing for 554 yards and 5 touchdowns in a single afternoon. He even added a rushing score, accounting for six total touchdowns as the Rams demolished the New York Yanks, 54–14. 

More than 70 years later, his 554 yards remain the NFL’s single-game passing record, and that day he became the first quarterback in league history to surpass 500 yards in a game. To put it in perspective, Van Brocklin finished the 1951 season with just 1,725 passing yards and 13 touchdowns—meaning that one game accounted for nearly 30% of his season’s yardage and 38% of his touchdowns. 

Part of the reason for this explosion was circumstance. Van Brocklin typically split snaps with fellow Hall of Famer Bob Waterfield, but with Waterfield sidelined by injury, Van Brocklin finally had a full game’s worth of opportunities—and he made the most of them. 

The Rams went on to win the 1951 NFL Championship, with both quarterbacks earning Pro Bowl nods. Van Brocklin himself finished a Hall of Fame career as a nine-time Pro Bowler, league MVP, and two-time champion. Yet even with all of those accolades, his Week 1 masterpiece still stands tallest. Generations of pass-heavy offenses have tried—and failed—to break the record, leaving Van Brocklin’s 1951 opener as one of football’s most untouchable feats.

Final Thoughts

Week 1 of the NFL season is unlike any other time of year. It’s a reset button—every team is undefeated, every fan base is buzzing with optimism, and every player has the chance to make a statement. The performances on this list prove that sometimes those opening statements echo for decades, or even generations.

From Norm Van Brocklin’s untouchable 554-yard masterpiece in 1951 to Peyton Manning’s seven-touchdown barrage in 2013, these games weren’t just great—they were historic.

The stakes for Week 1 may not be postseason-high, but the moments can be just as timeless. One Sunday in September can become a lasting chapter in NFL history. As each new season begins, fans can’t help but wonder—who will be the next name to join this list?

If you enjoyed this breakdown, I dive even deeper into the stories behind these games (and many more) on my YouTube channel — you can find it here: Get Set Sports. Hope to see you there!