Triple-header and Manning Bowl Top 2006 NFL Schedule

The NCAA Final Four is set, The Masters is about to begin and MLB's spring training is almost over … so what about the NFL?

On Monday, Commissioner Paul Tagliabue announced some highlights for the upcoming season.

The first game of the National Football League season, now a Thursday night tradition, heads to NBC and will feature the Miami Dolphins at the Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers. Al Michaels and John Madden will call the action with kick-off scheduled for Sept. 7 at 8:30 p.m. EST. Normally, the game would feature two of the best teams from the NFL's previous season and it is unknown how the Dolphins got the nod. If Daunte Culpepper is healthy enough to play, he'll make his first start at quarterback for Miami.

The first Sunday night game, now on NBC, will feature a little brotherly love. As Yahoo talks about, it will be Peyton Manning versus Eli Manning as the two brothers go head-to-head. The Indianapolis Colts will head to the Meadowlands to face the New York Giants. Kick-off is scheduled for 8:15 p.m. EST.

For those continuing to watch the Terrell Owens drama unfold, he will make his first start with Bill Parcells and the Dallas Cowboys at the Jacksonville Jaguars on opening day, Sept. 10, for the second half of the national TV doubleheader. This will bring the NFL season into full swing.

Sept. 11 will be the first Monday Night Football game of the NFL season with ESPN now hosting a double-header. Tony Kornheiser, Mike Tirico and Joe Theisman will call the action of one of the games as the new-look Minnesota Vikings will visit the Washington Redskins for a 7 p.m. EST start, followed by the San Diego Chargers at the Oakland Raiders. It will be the Chargers' first game with Philip Rivers at quarterback and the Raiders will take the field with former head-coach Art Shell back in the saddle.

On Thanksgiving, football is all we'll have time to be thankful for. The NFL will give us the first ever triple-header, set to start with the Miami Dolphins at the Detroit Lions beginning at 12:30 p.m. EST. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will face the Dallas Cowboys at 4:15 p.m. EST and the Denver Broncos will visit the Kansas City Chiefs at 8 p.m. EST for the nightcap. The Broncos-Chiefs matchup will be broadcast on the NFL Network, which will begin to show eight games through the remainder of the season on Thursday and Saturday nights. The Chiefs used to host Thanksgiving Day games when they were part of the AFL.

The remainder of the NFL schedule will be released in early April, according to CBS Sportsline.

[Additional sources: ESPN, Yahoo Sports, CBS Sportsline]