NFL schedule day is here! The complete 2026 NFL schedule will be released in its entirety tonight after a week’s worth of slow and steady announcements on select matchups.
The opener projects to be a doozy, with the Seattle Seahawks opening their Super Bowl title defense against the team they beat to win it, the New England Patriots.
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Meanwhile, Green Bay Packers at Chicago Bears will be one of the Christmas Day games, and the Cincinnati Bengals will host the Baltimore Ravens on Thursday night of Week 17. (Thank you, Joe Burrow?)
Which teams got the most advantageous schedules? And which ones have a tough road ahead? Read Yahoo Sports’ winners and losers of NFL schedule release day.
AFC East: Buffalo Bills | Miami Dolphins | New England Patriots | New York Jets
AFC North: Baltimore Ravens | Cincinnati Bengals | Cleveland Browns | Pittsburgh Steelers
AFC South: Houston Texans | Indianapolis Colts | Jacksonville Jaguars | Tennessee Titans
AFC West: Denver Broncos | Kansas City Chiefs | Las Vegas Raiders | Los Angeles Chargers
NFC East: Dallas Cowboys | New York Giants | Philadelphia Eagles | Washington Commanders
NFC North: Chicago Bears | Detroit Lions | Green Bay Packers | Minnesota Vikings
NFC South: Atlanta Falcons | Carolina Panthers | New Orleans Saints | Tampa Bay Buccaneers
NFC West: Arizona Cardinals | Los Angeles Rams | San Francisco 49ers | Seattle Seahawks
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Top 10 games | Thanksgiving schedule • Christmas
Schedule release winners/losers | Super Bowl odds All 32 team social media release videos | Ranking the best
Follow along with Yahoo Sports for the latest news and live updates on the 2026 NFL schedule release.
Live coverage is over75 updates
Thu, May 14, 2026 at 8:08 PM PDT
Ian Casselberry
Each NFL teams knew their opponents for the 2026 season months ago. But when they would play each other became official on Thursday with the release of the 2026 schedule.
As a result, we know when the top games of the season will be played. What are those standout matchups?
Yahoo Sports’ Frank Schwab ranks the top 10 must-watch games of the coming NFL season.
Thu, May 14, 2026 at 7:55 PM PDT
Ian Casselberry
One of the questions hovering over the schedule videos released by NFL teams on Thursday was whether or not any of them would make a joke about the Mike Vrabel-Dianna Russini story.
Taking shots at opponents is part of what makes these videos so fun. Yet this was tricky territory. However, the Chargers found a way.
Thu, May 14, 2026 at 7:47 PM PDT
Ian Casselberry
The NFL’s schedule release day is the Super Bowl for team social media departments. Standing out and going viral with a memorable video to unveil that season’s slate can be remembered for years.
But some teams try and fail, drawing derision from fans for being boring or uninspired. And a few appear not to have tried at all.
If you followed along with our live blog here, you could see each of the 32 team videos. Who were the winners and losers this year? Read more at Yahoo Sports.
Thu, May 14, 2026 at 7:39 PM PDT
Ian Casselberry
Tom Brady will return to Foxborough, Mass. for the first time as a broadcaster for Fox to call Week 9’s matchup between the Green Bay Packers and New England Patriots.
Brady is entering his third season as part of Fox’s No. 1 broadcast crew, but has not yet called a Patriots game. He visited Foxborough last August when the team honored him with a statue outside Gillette Stadium.
Read more on Brady’s going back to where he won six Super Bowls at Yahoo Sports.
Thu, May 14, 2026 at 6:46 PM PDT
Ian Casselberry
With the 2026 schedules released, each NFL team also knows their bye week.
Can a bye be too early in the season? The Kansas City Chiefs and Carolina Panthers might think so, with their byes slated for Week 5.
The Detroit Lions, Miami Dolphins, Cincinnati Bengals and Minnesota Vikings get their byes in Week 6.
Meanwhile, the Arizona Cardinals and Dallas Cowboys go the latest into the season for their byes during Week 14.
And six teams will be off for Week 11.
Check out the bye weeks for all 32 NFL teams here.
Thu, May 14, 2026 at 6:29 PM PDT
Ian Casselberry
The night before Thanksgiving certainly feels like a holiday with people visiting home or their preferred destinations.
Many consider it the biggest bar night of the year. But that might change for bars that don’t carry Netflix, now that football will be played on Thanksgiving Eve.
Thu, May 14, 2026 at 6:20 PM PDT
Ian Casselberry
The Rams play the most primetime matchups in 2026 with seven.
They’re followed by the Packers, Chiefs, Bills and Super Bowl champion Seahawks, who each play six games in primetime.
Five teams do not have any primetime games scheduled: The Jets, Titans, Raiders, Cardinals and Dolphins.
Thu, May 14, 2026 at 6:16 PM PDT
Ian Casselberry
Christmas Day has two big division matchups under the tree with the Packers facing the Bears, and the Rams versus Seahawks closing out the festivities. In between, the Bills and Broncos play in a big AFC clash.
Thu, May 14, 2026 at 6:15 PM PDT
Ian Casselberry
Before Santa arrives, the Houston Texans and Philadelphia Eagles play in Week 16’s “Thursday Night Football matchup on Christmas Eve.
Thu, May 14, 2026 at 6:05 PM PDT
Ian Casselberry
Thanksgiving always brings the Lions and Cowboys. Both teams play division games this year, with Detroit hosting the Bears and Dallas facing the Eagles.
The nightcap provides one of the NFL’s best rivalry games of recent years: Chiefs at Bills.
Thu, May 14, 2026 at 5:59 PM PDT
Ian Casselberry
After sleeping off Thanksgiving dinner and wondering if you spent too much on holiday shopping, the Broncos and Steelers clash in Amazon’s Black Friday game.
Thu, May 14, 2026 at 5:53 PM PDT
Ian Casselberry
Is Week 1 the most exciting week of the NFL season? Here’s the slate:
Thu, May 14, 2026 at 5:46 PM PDT
Ian Casselberry
Fans get a look at John Harbaugh’s New York Giants quickly on the “Monday Night Football” schedule, coming in Week 1 versus the Los Angeles Rams. And again late in the season for Week 16 against the Detroit Lions.
Thu, May 14, 2026 at 5:45 PM PDT
Ian Casselberry
Week 18’s matchup will be flexed!
Cowboys have three Sunday night games, Eagles and 49ers each have two.
Thu, May 14, 2026 at 5:33 PM PDT
Ian Casselberry
Thursday Night Football has a strong slate for 2026!
Thu, May 14, 2026 at 5:25 PM PDT
Ian Casselberry
Thu, May 14, 2026 at 5:24 PM PDT
Ian Casselberry
Thu, May 14, 2026 at 5:19 PM PDT
Ian Casselberry
Thu, May 14, 2026 at 5:18 PM PDT
Ian Casselberry
Thu, May 14, 2026 at 5:16 PM PDT
Ian Casselberry