The NFL kicks off its 100th season with 2019 NFL Kickoff presented by EA Sports Madden NFL 20, 7:30 PM ET Thursday, September 5. Artists and Inspire Change advocates Meek Mill, Meghan Trainor and Rapsody will perform live before the Green Bay-Chicago game at Grant Park in Chicago.
To further the celebration of both the NFL and the Bears 100th season, 2019 Kickoff Experience presented by EA Sports Madden NFL 20 will take place on Thursday, September 5 and will be open to fans from 12:00 PM CT to 10:30 PM CT at Grant Park. Kickoff Experience is free and open to the public and brings fans closer to the NFL through sponsors' interactive experiences and dynamic promotions. Additionally, Bears' Legends will be onsite to sign autographs throughout the afternoon: Jim McMahon, Matt Forte and Charles Tillman.
Fans are also encouraged to stop by the Madden NFL 20 Experience at Grant Park for a chance to watch NFL Legends Michael Vick, Chad Johnson, music artists, Twitch streamers and fans compete in the first ever EA Sports Madden NFL Twitch Prime Crown Cup.
At approximately 6:30 PM CT Meek Mill will headline the musical acts of the day on the Kickoff Main Stage. Preceding his performance will be the musical acts from Inspire Change advocates Meghan Trainor and Rapsody.
Following Meek Mill's performance, fans are encouraged to stay and make history together as the Green Bay-Chicago game is shown live on massive screens throughout Grant Park. This will be a first-of-its-kind NFL Kickoff Watch Party for fans onsite. Throughout the game, Bears' and Packers' Legends will be on stage along with the integration of Bears' fan rituals and a free-to-play game for interactive fan experience. A portion of both Meek Mill's and Meghan Trainor's performances will be featured in simulcast coverage of the 40-minute pregame show from Chicago from 7:30-8:10 PM ET on NBC and NFL Network.
The show leads into the opener of the NFL's 100th season between Green Bay-Chicago. The historic NFC North matchup has been one of the NFL's greatest rivalries throughout the last several decades and will start the season off at Soldier Field (NBC, streamed live via NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app across all platforms, Westwood One Radio Sports, 8:20 PM ET).
Al Michaels will call the action alongside Cris Collinsworth. Michele Tafoya will report from the sideline, and three-time Super Bowl referee Terry McAulay, Sunday Night Football's rules analyst, will join Al and Cris in the booth. The Football Night in America team of Mike Tirico, Liam McHugh, Tony Dungy, Rodney Harrison, Chris Simms, Mike Florio and Kathryn Tappen will also be on site from Chicago.
2019 NFL Kickoff presented by EA Sports Madden NFL 20 will be executive produced by Ricky Kirshner, the Executive Producer of the Super Bowl pregame and halftime shows, and directed by Gregg Gelfand.
In addition to presenting sponsor EA Sports Madden NFL 20, top-tier sponsors for NFL Kickoff include Bose, Bud Light, Microsoft, Pepsi, Pizza Hut, Snickers and Verizon.
