Dallas Cowboys vs. Philadelphia Eagles weather delay: When NFL season opener will resume

Thursday’s Week 1 contest between the Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys has been suspended with 4:44 remaining in the third quarter due to a severe thunderstorm warning in Philadelphia. NBC‘s Mike Tirico said on the broadcast that the NFL believes lightning will be out of the area by 11:15 p.m. ET. A 12-minute warmup will follow before play is resumed. The Eagles currently hold a 24-20 lead over the Cowboys.

Weather was always a threat for the regular season opener, and the bad stuff has arrived with almost 20 minutes of game time remaining. The NFL has a strict lightning policy. If a lightning strike is detected within an eight-mile radius of the stadium, play is suspended, and a 30-minute “no play” timer begins. Every new lightning strike resets the clock back to 30 minutes.

In a way, the Cowboys probably wish the delay came just a little bit earlier. Dallas was driving midway through the third quarter and got down to Philadelphia’s 11-yard line after a 49-yard run by Miles Sanders.

A George Pickens unnecessary roughness penalty backed them up 15 yards, before a Rodrigo Blankenship unnecessary roughness penalty on third-and-22 gave them a fresh set of downs at the 10-yard line. On the very next play, Sanders coughed up the football. The Eagles recovered, and play was subsequently suspended.

Not much has separated Cowboys, Eagles in Week 1

The Eagles will have the ball deep in their own territory when play resumes. It’s going to be a long night in Philadelphia in what has been a chaotic start to the 2025 regular season. Eagles defensive lineman Jalen Carter was ejected before the first play of scrimmage for spitting on quarterback Dak Prescott.

The ejection came after Eagles fullback Ben VanSumeren was injured on the opening kickoff. With Dallas’ offense and Philadelphia’s defense on the field, Carter began jawing with Prescott. At the end of their exchange, Carter spit on Prescott. The referee was right there and immediately flagged Carter for unsportsmanlike conduct before ejecting him from the game.

Both teams are up for this one. It should provide an entertaining finish in the battle of NFC East foes.