NFL 2005 Season Kick-off September 8

24 NFL greats, including former Super Bowl XVIII MVP Marcus Allen and Pro Football Hall of Famers will be participating in the NFL's kick-off party. There's going to be a free concert at the site of the NFL’s first Super Bowl—the Los Angeles Coliseum—as part of NFL Opening Kickoff which will feature Kanye West, Maroon 5, Good Charlotte and Rihanna as the headliners.

The night’s festivities will take place from three cities as the league celebrates “The Road to Forty” by looking back at the history of the Super Bowl, honoring last year’s champions and looking ahead to Super Bowl XL. A star-studded musical lineup will perform from just outside the Los Angeles Coliseum, Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Mass. (home of the Super Bowl-champion New England Patriots), and Detroit (site of Super Bowl XL on February 5, 2006).

Twenty-four former NFL players, including Super Bowl MVP Marcus Allen and Pro Football Hall of Famers, will take part as will the USC marching band.Gates will open at 2:30 p.m. PT with music and festivities running through 6 p.m.Portions of the event will be televised live on “NFL Opening Kickoff” from 8-9 p.m. EDT on ABC and lead into the season opener between the New England Patriots and Oakland Raiders at Gillette Stadium.

The first video footage from the Rolling Stones “A Bigger Bang” World Tour, which hits Detroit August 31 will be featured. Festivities from Gillette Stadium will include a tribute to the Patriots and musical acts Green Day and Santana. Trisha Yearwood will sing the national anthem.

The concert will be preceded at the Los Angeles Coliseum on Wednesday, September 7 by the NFL Kickoff Celebration which will include a Celebrity Punt, Pass & Kick event, football clinics and a health fair for local youths.

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