NEW YORK - The Dallas Cowboys open their $1.1 billion new stadium on Sept. 20 on "Sunday Night Football" on NBC against the New York Giants, one of the highlights of NBC's 2009 football schedule.

The NFL released its entire 2009 schedule Tuesday.

“For the first time, the ‘Sunday Night Football’ schedule features all of last year’s playoff teams and the vast majority of the great traditional rivalry games that are the essence of the National Football League,” said Dick Ebersol, chairman of NBC Sports.

Highlights of “NBC Sunday Night Football” schedule:

• All 12 NFL playoff teams from last season are featured.
• Fourteen of NBC’s 16 scheduled games involve at least one playoff team from last season; eight of 16 include two playoff teams; three of the 16 games are playoff rematches from last season.
• Sixteen of the 17 teams playing on “Sunday Night Football” had .500 or better records, 14 of 17 had winning records.
• Giants at Cowboys to open the $1.1 billion Dallas Cowboys Stadium and a rematch of the most viewed game ever on “Sunday Night Football.” The stadium features the world’s largest scoreboard – 60 yards long – and has been called the “Eighth Wonder of the World.” The scoreboard itself cost more than the $40 million it cost to build Texas Stadium nearly 40 years ago. Last year’s Cowboys victory over the Giants on “Sunday Night Football” was the No. 1 primetime program on network TV last season among Adults 18-49 and drew 23.1 million viewers.
• Three appearances from six marquee teams: the Super Bowl XLIII champion Steelers (Chargers, Titans, Ravens), the Super Bowl XLII champion Giants (Cowboys, Cardinals, Eagles), Dallas (all against NFC East rivals including the home opener in their new stadium), Indianapolis (Arizona, Tennessee, New England), Chicago (Green Bay, Atlanta, Philadelphia) and Philadelphia (Dallas, Chicago, New York Giants).
• Six games involving one of the Manning brothers, Peyton and Eli.
• Quarterback duels between Peyton Manning and Tom Brady, Peyton and Kurt Warner, Philip Rivers and Ben Roethlisberger and Donovan McNabb and Jay Cutler.
• The 177th regular-season meeting between the two oldest NFL franchises when the Chicago Bears visit the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field on the first Sunday of the season. The Bears and Packers have played each other more than any two teams in NFL history.
• Four matchups among bitter NFC East rivals: Giants-Cowboys, Cowboys-Eagles, Eagles-Giants and Cowboys-Redskins.
• A rematch of last year’s bitter AFC Championship game between the Steelers and the Ravens and last year’s AFC divisional playoff game between the Steelers and the Chargers.
• The first appearances on “NBC Sunday Night Football” by the NFC Champion Cardinals as they host the Colts and travel to the Meadowlands to face the Giants.
• The first “NBC Sunday Night Football” visits to Miami, Tennessee and Atlanta.

MORE FROM NFL

NFL Section Front

Singletary wants to beat Bears, not reminisce PFT’s Picks: Bears will claw past 49ers Davis' comments puts 49ers on defensive PFT: Bears’ Harris won’t be suspended for punch Pats-Colts is greatest NFL rivalry of 2000s PFT: Brady recalls when he met Peyton   Slideshow: Peyton vs. Brady through the years   Video: Harrison on how Pats can beat Colts   Video: Dungy on how Colts can beat Patriots PFT: Lewis tells Ochocinco to hold the mustard NFL Section Front   Add NFL headlines to your news reader: