Philadelphia Eagles helmet on the bench during a game against the Cleveland Browns at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia on Aug 16, 2025.

The Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys kicked off the 2025 NFL season Thursday night. They made it through nearly three quarters of the game before Mother Nature inserted herself into the game.

The Thursday game between the NFC East rivals has been delayed due to inclement weather. There is lightning nearby Philadelphia's Lincoln Financial Field, which forced fans to duck for cover in the stadium concourse while players from both teams went back to their respective locker rooms.

The game has been suspended, but the NFL will likely try to finish it later in the evening.

When will the NFL kickoff game between the Eagles and Cowboys restart? Here's what to know about the game's start time and the weather in Philadelphia.

Eagles vs. Cowboys updated restart time

Mike Tirico revealed on the NBC broadcast of the Eagles vs. Cowboys game that the NFL is planning to resume its season opener at 11:30 p.m. ET. Players will return to the field at 11:15 p.m. ET and will be given 12 minutes to warm up before the action resumes.

The NFL does not specifically detail how long a lightning delay must last in its rulebook. It merely outlines the procedures to be taken by the referee and the NFL commissioner (or a "duly appointed representative") to delay or reschedule the game in the event of lightning or severely inclement weather.

Thursday's delay is scheduled to last 1 hour and 4 minutes overall.

Philadelphia weather forecast for Eagles vs. Cowboys

The National Weather Service (NWS) forecast outlined before the game there was a chance of thunderstorms in Philadelphia on Thursday night. Below are the full details of Thursday's forecast.

  • High temperature: 84 degrees
  • Low temperature: 65 degrees
  • Chance of precipitation: 60%
  • Wind: 5-15 mph

The storms in the Philadelphia area were expected to develop around 8 p.m. ET, according to a Special Weather Statement by the NWS. It isn't clear exactly where the most severe ones will materialize, but the agency says that "a few thunderstorms could produce brief strong wind gusts near 40 mph and small hail."

The "scattered" storms are expected to mainly wrap up before 11 p.m. ET. Rainfall is expected to be "between a tenth and quarter of an inch," though the NWS noted the amount could be higher in areas where thunderstorms develop.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Eagles vs. Cowboys delayed by lightning: Updated restart time, more

Reporting by Jacob Camenker, USA TODAY / USA TODAY

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