Updated May 14, 2026, 5:48 p.m. ET
The official 2026 NFL schedule is slated to release on Thursday night, but there have already been leaks of the future matchups for the New England Patriots.
After finishing back-to-back seasons with only four wins, the Patriots finished the NFL year with a 14-3 record and went on an improbable run all the way up to Super Bowl LX last season. There have been questions on how they’ll perform with an even bigger target on their back in 2026.
Drake Maye, the runner-up for the MVP award last season, should be even better in Year 3 as an NFL quarterback. The offensive line should be significantly improved, and the team has worked hard to surround its young signal-caller with more weapons.
New England signed veteran wide receiver Romeo Doubs in free agency, and they are expected to trade for three-time All-Pro wideout A.J. Brown on or after June 1. They also spent a third-round draft pick on Notre Dame’s all-around tight end Eli Raridon.
Couple all of the offensive improvements with a defense that should be top 10 in the league, and the Patriots could be a playoff-contending team for a second straight year.
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We will be tracking all of the leaks and announcements in the lead-up to the schedule release. Stay tuned to Patriots Wire as more information becomes available.
This section will be updated when the NFL schedule is released in May.
Week 1: Wednesday, Sept. 9, at Seattle SeahawksWeek 2: Sunday, Sept. 20, vs. Pittsburgh SteelersWeek 3: Sunday, Sept. 27, at Jacksonville JaguarsWeek 4: Sunday, Oct. 4, at Buffalo Bills (1:00 p.m. ET)Week 5:Week 6:Week 7: Thursday, Oct. 22, at Chicago BearsWeek 8:Week 9: Sunday, Nov. 8, vs. Green Bay PackersWeek 10: Sunday, Nov. 15, at Detroit LionsWeek 11:Week 12: Sunday, Nov. 29, at Los Angeles Chargers (8:20 p.m. ET)Week 13: Sunday, Dec. 6, vs. Buffalo Bills (4:25 p.m. ET)Week 14: Thursday, Dec. 10, vs. Minnesota Vikings (8:15 p.m. ET)Week 15: Monday, Dec. 21, at Kansas City Chiefs (8:15 p.m. ET)Week 16:Week 17: Jan 2 or 3, vs. Denver Broncos (TBD)Week 18:Shop Patriots 2026 ticketsPatriots home opponents 2026Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, N.Y. Jets, Denver Broncos, Green Bay Packers, Las Vegas Raiders, Minnesota Vikings, Pittsburgh SteelersPatriots away opponents 2026Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, N.Y. Jets, Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Jacksonville Jaguars, Kansas City Chiefs, L.A. Chargers, Seattle SeahawksShop Patriots 2026 ticketsSuper Bowl 61 odds
The Patriots have the seventh-best Super Bowl odds as the defending AFC champions. They are currently sitting at +1600 odds in a year where they are expected to have a much tougher schedule than they had last season.
