The 2014 NFL schedule will begin with the Green Bay Packers playing at the Seattle Seahawks in a Thursday night game in Week 1.

The Sunday night game in Week 1 will feature the Indianapolis Colts at the Denver Broncos.

The Seahawks will play at the San Francisco 49ers in the Week 13/Thanksgiving night game. The two teams meet again in Week 15 on Dec. 14.

Andrew Luck spent a few months away from football traveling the world before returning to work next week.

“You do have to get away, at least in my mind you do, so I did,” Luck said, via the team’s official website. “I made sure I gave myself a solid month-and-a-half, two months to get back into football shape before starting this voluntary workout session.

“It’s something I think I did better this year than last year. Every year, hopefully [I’ll] continue to do better in balancing that time. I know getting away from football is as important almost as making sure your mind’s fresh and clear as the training aspect.”

The Indianapolis Colts have the best stadium in the NFL for the third straight year, according to Stadium Journey magazine.

Stadium Journey used a Fanfare five-star scale to rate the categories: Food and beverage, atmosphere, neighborhood, fans, access, return on investment and extra. The Colts received five stars in every category except food and beverage, which they received four stars in. 

"Lucas Oil Stadium is a fantastic venue, with the emphasis on the fans," according to Stadium Journey. "This is one of the best sports stadium experiences in the country and should be on an NFL fans' bucket list, especially as the team is well on its way to becoming an attraction in itself." 

Pittsburgh's Heinz Field, Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Dallas' AT&T Stadium and Carolina's Bank of America Stadium round out the top five stadiums. 

San Francisco’s Candlestick Park, San Diego's Qualcomm Stadium and Washington's FedEx Field were ranked as the worst three stadiums in the league.

Reggie Wayne tore his ACL six months ago but he believes he is certain to be ready for the start of training camp with the Indianapolis Colts.

“I’m way ahead of schedule,” Wayne said. “I feel great. I’m looking good. I can’t wait. . . . I’ll be ready way before training camp but I’m sure Coach Pagano won’t be willing to take the leash off me until training camp.”

Two weeks before Jim Irsay's arrest, a woman named Kimberly Wundrum died of a suspected drug overdose at a townhouse given to her by Irsay last August.

"The NFL is often criticized for protecting the 'shield,' and it does," said Mike Gilleran, executive director of the Santa Clara University Institute of Sports Law and Ethics. "How does the league look if it ignores that? It can't, in my view."

The Star adds: "The source familiar with NFL operations told the Starthe league likely would want to look at anything that could shed further light on Irsay's drug use and associations: How long has he been abusing prescription drugs? Is he using other illegal drugs? Who was he getting the drugs from? Who was he using them with?"

Carlie Irsay-Gordon has been given the final "yes" or "no" decisions made by Indianapolis Colts' general manager Ryan Grigson on the football side and chief operating officer Pete Ward on the business side.

Irsay-Gordon, 33, is one of Jim Irsay's three daughters and she has assumed control of the franchise while he's in rehab.

"She'll do well. She's a sharp business person," former Colts assistant and current Arizona Cardinals coach Bruce Arians said. "She's very much like her father, she has great personality, she's extremely bright, she has a good feeling for people. I've worked for a bunch of owners, and Jim Irsay -- he talks about faith, family and football. It's real. And she has that same mindset."

Irsay-Gordon started as an intern in the team's football and marketing department and worked her way up to her current title of vice chair/owner prior to the 2012 season. She graduated from Skidmore College in upstate New York, where she majored in religious studies, and she has represented the Colts at the NFL owners meetings every year since 2004. 

Irsay-Gordon, who is married to an attorney and has three children, has declined all interview requests because of her father's legal situation.