The NFL Draft is over, and while there are still some notable free agents available, most teams are done making moves. Before we know it, it will be September and we’ll all be getting ready for Week 1 of the 2024 NFL season.
Before that, though, we need to know which teams will be facing off and when. When will the NFL schedule be released, and what do we know now?
When Does the NFL Release the Schedule?
After weeks of guessing, the NFL schedule release has reportedly been revealed.
According to Ben Fischer from Sports Business Journal, the NFL sent a memo to teams revealing that Wednesday, May 15 at 8 p.m. ET, will be the official reveal date.
NEWS: The full @NFL schedule is currently slated to be released at 8pm ET on May 15, per memo to teams this afternoon from exec Hans Schroeder.
Teams had been expecting this week, Thursday. Reason for delay not mentioned in memo.
— Ben Fischer (@BenFischerSBJ) May 7, 2024
Due to precedent, most were expecting the schedule release to be during the week of May 6. Last year, the NFL revealed a number of key games ahead of the actual reveal date, but all was silent this time around.
With the official date now being a week later than expected, the NFL has the time to feed into the spectacle of the event.
What We Know About the NFL Schedule So Far
Typically, the Super Bowl champions host the first game on opening night in Week 1, and this season is no different: the Kansas City Chiefs will be hosting the Baltimore Ravens for the first game of the 2024-2025 NFL season.
Two of the league’s biggest stars, Lamar Jackson and Patrick Mahomes, will be under the bright lights on Thursday, September 5, as the Chiefs begin their attempt at winning their third Super Bowl in a row.
We also know the NFL is expanding further into international markets in 2024, with five NFL teams hosting a game outside of the United States.
The Carolina Panthers will be hosting a game in Munich, Germany, while the Jacksonville Jaguars, Chicago Bears, and Minnesota Vikings will host games in London, U.K.
MORE: When Does the NFL Season Start?
Rounding out the five host teams is the Philadelphia Eagles, who will be the home team in São Paulo, Brazil. The Eagles will play the Green Bay Packers on Friday night, a day after the opening game in Week 1.
Estamos indo para o Brasil! 🇧🇷
Week 1's game will be in São Paulo against the Eagles.
📰: https://t.co/t4Wy4TYR0R#GoPackGo pic.twitter.com/SQWOp5AFhH
— Green Bay Packers (@packers) April 10, 2024
Could Netflix Broadcast NFL’s 2024 Christmas Day Games?
WFAN’s Boomer Esiason, who previously starred in the league as a longtime quarterback for the Cincinnati Bengals and other franchises, turned some heads Wednesday in discussing the league’s upcoming Christmas Day broadcast plans.
Esiason raised the topic during his daily weekday morning radio show and said he would not be surprised if Netflix is ultimately involved in streaming the games.
“I could be wrong, but I don’t think I am,” Esiason said. “Do not be surprised if the NFL and Netflix get in bed for a nice little Christmas Day football games. I would not be surprised.”
MORE: Ranking All 5 International Games in 2024
Roger Goodell Comments on the Future of the NFL Schedule
There have long been reports that NFL commissioner Roger Goodell is in favor of an 18-game regular season. The discussions of an expanded season go as far back as the last time the league added a game.
The 2020 CBA allowed for an expansion of the regular season to 17 games. Team owners voted in March 2021 to institute the expanded schedule beginning with the 2021 season. Could we now be on our way to 18 games?
After the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft, Goodell spoke with ESPN’s Pat McAfee and shared his thoughts on the idea.
“I’d rather replace a preseason game with a regular-season game any day,” Goodell said. “If we got to 18 [regular season games] and two [preseason games], that’s not an unreasonable thing.”
"I think we're good at seventeen games right now but we're always looking at how we continue..
I'm not a fan of the preseason and I'd replace a preseason game with a regular season game any day" ~ @nflcommish #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/Tv8xdjkSXJ
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) April 26, 2024
Goodell highlighted the fact that an expanded 18-game season would essentially push everything back a week — the offseason, draft, playoffs, and, you guessed it, the Super Bowl.
Why is that such a big deal? Well, that would mean the league’s biggest game of the year would fall on the Sunday of Presidents’ Day weekend, meaning NFL fans would no longer need to worry about working Monday morning after staying up late to watch the Big Game.
“That ends up on Presidents’ Day weekend, which is a three-day weekend, which makes the [Super Bowl on] Sunday night, and then you have Monday off,” Goodell said.
While Goodell has floated this idea, these changes would have to be collectively bargained with the NFL Players Association.
According to Mark Maske of the Washington Post, NFL owners are backing the idea and could attempt to get the NFLPA to agree to it before the current labor deal expires.
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“The league and owners have not initiated a new set of formal discussions with the NFL Players Association on the topic … But some owners and league leaders have been contemplating such an effort for months,” said Maske.
The current collective bargaining agreement runs through March 2030, with the NFL’s current TV deals running through 2033. There is an option for the league to opt out of most TV deals following 2029, though, and ESPN/ABC after 2030.
Past NFL Schedule Release Dates
- 2023 – May 11
- 2022 – May 12
- 2021 – May 12
- 2020 – May 7
- 2019 – April 17
- 2018 – April 19
- 2017 – April 20
- 2016 – April 14
- 2015 – April 21
- 2014 – April 23
- 2013 – April 18
- 2012 – April 17
- 2011 – April 19
- 2010 – April 20
- 2009 – April 14
- 2008 – April 15
- 2007 – April 11
- 2006 – April 6
- 2005 – April 13
A List of Every Team’s 2024 Opponents
While the NFL schedule hasn’t been released, we do know each team’s 2024 opponents. Here’s a look at each team’s home and away matchups for the upcoming season.
AFC East
Buffalo Bills
Home: Patriots, Dolphins, Jets, Jaguars, Titans, Chiefs, Cardinals, 49ers
Away: Patriots, Dolphins, Jets, Texans, Colts, Ravens, Rams, Seahawks, Lions
Miami Dolphins
Home: Bills, Patriots, Jets, Jaguars, Titans, Raiders, Cardinals, 49ers
Away: Bills, Patriots, Jets, Texans, Colts, Browns, Rams, Seahawks, Packers
New England Patriots
Home: Bills, Dolphins, Jets, Texans, Colts, Chargers, Rams, Seahawks
Away: Bills, Dolphins, Jets, Bengals, Titans, Jaguars, 49ers, Cardinals, Bears
New York Jets
Home: Patriots, Dolphins, Bills, Texans, Colts, Broncos, Rams, Seahawks
Away: Patriots, Dolphins, Bills, Jaguars, Titans, Steelers, Cardinals, 49ers, Vikings
AFC South
Jacksonville Jaguars
Home: Texans, Colts, Titans, Patriots, Jets, Packers, Vikings, Browns
Away: Texans, Colts, Titans, Dolphins, Raiders, Bills, Eagles, Bears, Lions
Houston Texans
Home: Colts, Jaguars, Titans, Bills, Dolphins, Ravens, Bears, Lions
Away: Colts, Jaguars, Titans, Jets, Patriots, Chiefs, Packers, Vikings, Cowboys
Indianapolis Colts
Home: Texans, Jaguars, Titans, Dolphins, Bills, Steelers, Lions, Bears
Away: Texans, Jaguars, Titans, Jets, Patriots, Broncos, Giants, Packers, Vikings
Tennessee Titans
Home: Texans, Colts, Jaguars, Patriots, Jets, Bengals, Packers, Vikings
Away: Texans, Colts, Jaguars, Dolphins, Bills, Chargers, Bears, Lions, Commanders
AFC North
Baltimore Ravens
Home: Bengals, Browns, Steelers, Broncos, Raiders, Bills, Eagles, Commanders
Away: Bengals, Browns, Steelers, Chiefs, Chargers, Texans, Cowboys, Giants, Buccaneers
Cleveland Browns
Home: Steelers, Bengals, Ravens, Chiefs, Chargers, Dolphins, Cowboys, Giants
Away: Steelers, Bengals, Ravens, Broncos, Raiders, Jaguars, Eagles, Commanders, Saints
Cincinnati Bengals
Home: Ravens, Browns, Steelers, Broncos, Raiders, Patriots, Eagles, Commanders
Away: Ravens, Browns, Steelers, Chiefs, Chargers, Titans, Cowboys, Giants, Panthers
Pittsburgh Steelers
Home: Ravens, Bengals, Browns, Chiefs, Chargers, Jets, Giants, Cowboys
Away: Ravens, Bengals, Browns, Broncos, Raiders, Colts, Eagles, Commanders, Falcons
AFC West
Kansas City Chiefs
Home: Broncos, Chargers, Raiders, Ravens, Bengals, Texans, Saints, Buccaneers
Away: Broncos, Chargers, Raiders, Steelers, Browns, Bills, Falcons, Panthers, 49ers
Denver Broncos
Home: Chiefs, Chargers, Raiders, Browns, Steelers, Colts, Falcons, Panthers
Away: Chiefs, Chargers, Raiders, Ravens, Bengals, Jets, Saints, Buccaneers, Seahawks
Los Angeles Chargers
Home: Broncos, Chiefs, Raiders, Ravens, Bengals, Saints, Buccaneers, Titans
Away: Broncos, Chiefs, Raiders, Browns, Steelers, Patriots, Falcons, Panthers, Cardinals
Las Vegas Raiders
Home: Chiefs, Chargers, Broncos, Browns, Steelers, Jaguars, Falcons, Panthers
Away: Chiefs, Chargers, Broncos, Ravens, Bengals, Dolphins, Saints, Buccaneers, Rams
NFC East
Dallas Cowboys
Home: Giants, Eagles, Commanders, Saints, Buccaneers, Lions, Ravens, Bengals, Texans
Away: Giants, Eagles, Commanders, Falcons, Panthers, 49ers, Browns, Steelers
Washington Commanders
Home: Cowboys, Eagles, Giants, Falcons, Panthers, Bears, Browns, Steelers, Titans
Away: Cowboys, Eagles, Giants, Saints, Buccaneers, Cardinals, Bengals, Ravens
Philadelphia Eagles
Home: Giants, Cowboys, Commanders, Panthers, Falcons, Packers, Steelers, Browns, Jaguars
Away: Giants, Cowboys, Commanders, Rams, Saints, Buccaneers, Bengals, Ravens
New York Giants:
Home: Commanders, Cowboys, Eagles, Saints, Buccaneers, Vikings, Ravens, Bengals, Colts
Away: Commanders, Cowboys, Eagles, Panthers, Falcons, Seahawks, Steelers, Browns
NFC South
Atlanta Falcons
Home: Panthers, Saints, Buccaneers, Cowboys, Giants, Seahawks, Chiefs, Chargers, Steelers
Away: Panthers, Saints, Buccaneers, Commanders, Eagles, Vikings, Broncos, Raiders
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Home: Falcons, Panthers, Saints, Eagles, 49ers, Commanders, Ravens, Broncos, Raiders
Away: Falcons, Panthers, Saints, Cowboys, Giants, Lions, Chiefs, Chargers
New Orleans Saints
Home: Falcons, Buccaneers, Panthers, Eagles, Commanders, Rams, Broncos, Raiders, Browns
Away: Falcons, Buccaneers, Panthers, Cowboys, Giants, Packers, Chiefs, Chargers
Carolina Panthers
Home: Falcons, Saints, Buccaneers, Cowboys, Giants, Cardinals, Chiefs, Chargers, Bengals
Away: Falcons, Saints, Buccaneers, Eagles, Commanders, Bears, Broncos, Raiders
NFC North
Detroit Lions
Home: Bears, Packers, Vikings, Buccaneers, Rams, Seahawks, Jaguars, Titans, Bills
Away: Bears, Packers, Vikings, Cowboys, Cardinals, 49ers, Texans, Colts
Minnesota Vikings
Home: Bears, Lions, Packers, Cardinals, 49ers, Falcons, Texans, Colts, Jets
Away: Bears, Lions, Packers, Rams, Seahawks, Giants, Jaguars, Titans
Chicago Bears
Home: Lions, Packers, Vikings, Panthers, Rams, Seahawks, Jaguars, Titans, Patriots
Away: Lions, Packers, Vikings, Cardinals, 49ers, Commanders, Texans, Colts
Green Bay Packers
Home: Bears, Lions, Vikings, Cardinals, 49ers, Saints, Colts, Texans, Dolphins
Away: Bears, Lions, Vikings, Eagles, Rams, Seahawks, Jaguars, Titans
NFC West
Los Angeles Rams
Home: 49ers, Cardinals, Seahawks, Packers, Vikings, Eagles, Bills, Dolphins, Raiders
Away: 49ers, Cardinals, Seahawks, Lions, Bears, Saints, Patriots, Jets
San Francisco 49ers
Home: Cardinals, Rams, Seahawks, Bears, Lions, Cowboys, Jets, Patriots, Chiefs
Away: Cardinals, Rams, Seahawks, Packers, Vikings, Buccaneers, Dolphins, Bills
Arizona Cardinals
Home: 49ers, Rams, Seahawks, Bears, Lions, Commanders, Patriots, Jets, Chargers
Away: 49ers, Rams, Seahawks, Packers, Vikings, Panthers, Dolphins, Bills
Seattle Seahawks
Home: Rams, Cardinals, 49ers, Packers, Vikings, Giants, Dolphins, Bills, Broncos
Away: Rams, Cardinals, 49ers, Bears, Lions, Falcons, Patriots, Jets
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