NFL Kickoff Flyover 2025: What US Air Force Aircraft Is Performing Before Cowboys vs. Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field

The Philadelphia Eagles, as the reigning Super Bowl champions, will start their title defense against the Dallas Cowboys, their greatest rivals, on Thursday, September 4, 2025, at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia. While there are no specific announcements of military flyovers for the game, certain patterns emerge with all the past games. 

Military flyovers are organized by the U.S. military and not by the NFL; they are essentially training missions for the pilots and are scheduled depending on proximity and availability of an operational unit. A last-minute announcement is normal as it affords the military the flexibility in its training schedules. As Army officer Dan Lessard noted, “The flyover is a display of power and precision by the aircraft and pilots overhead and is a great opening to our games that gets fans excited about the power and precision they are about to watch on the field.”  

Pregame flyovers are a long-standing tradition in American sports, dating back to the 1918 World Series. They are intended to showcase military power and precision while also getting fans excited for the game. Passivity in judging which aircraft and military components do flyovers include depends mainly on how close operational units are to any stadium. 

For example, fighter jets of the F-16 Fighting Falcon type from the New Jersey Air National Guard have already done flyovers above such stadiums very well, since the site is Lincoln Financial Field. The kind of aircraft and military branch selected for the flyover is almost always dependent on the carrying closer to the stadium operational units. For instance, the F-16 Fighting Falcon fighter jets flying from the New Jersey Air National Guard were performing a flyover. Flyovers for major games like season openers and the Super Bowl often feature more prominent aircraft. The 2024 NFL Kickoff Game, for instance, featured a B-2 Stealth Bomber. Other memorable flyovers include the A-10 Thunderbolt II at the Chiefs vs. Bills conference game, four CH-47 Chinook helicopters at a Chiefs-Texans playoff game, and two T-38 Talons over Levi’s Stadium for a 49ers-Seahawks game. These displays serve as both training missions for pilots and a powerful tribute to the U.S. armed forces.

What else to know before the Cowboys vs. Eagles season opener?

The NFL season is officially back, and we’re kicking things off with a bang. The Dallas Cowboys are heading into enemy territory to face off against the reigning Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles this Thursday night. 

This is a totally different Cowboys team than what we’re used to. Gone are veterans like Zack Martin and DeMarcus Lawrence, but the biggest shocker is the absence of superstar pass rusher Micah Parsons, who was traded to the Packers in a massive offseason move. The team has since made a few trades of its own, bringing in some former first-round picks. Everyone’s wondering how this new squad will look, and Thursday’s game will be the Cowboys’ first real test.

The Eagles, meanwhile, are riding high after a spectacular Super Bowl-winning season. They’re looking to dominate again and become the first team in ages to win back-to-back NFC East titles. This Week 1 showdown is the 133rd meeting between these two rivals, and it’s a big deal—the ticket prices are the highest of the season! The Eagles are currently favored to win, but you know, with this rivalry, anything can happen.

Get ready to watch the action as the Eagles host the Cowboys at Lincoln Financial Field, with kickoff set for 8:20 p.m. ET, Thursday, Sept. 4.