The Super Bowl represents a bittersweet day for NFL fans. Yes, we get to watch the two best teams in the league battle it out for the Lombardi Trophy. But, at the same time, we know that it is the last time we get to see NFL action for quite a while. With that in mind, let’s take a look at 2023! When does the 2023 NFL schedule get released? When does next season start? And what are some important dates to keep in mind during the offseason?
When Will the 2023 NFL Schedule Be Released?
The NFL has not yet said when they will release the 2023 NFL schedule. During the pandemic season of 2020, the NFL schedule release took place in May for the first time ever. It’s a trend that the league has kept for the subsequent seasons. However, it has never been released later than May 12.
With the NFL Draft taking place from April 27-29 in Kansas City, those days are obviously not options. With April 29 being a Saturday, the NFL is unlikely to release the schedule on the following Wednesday or Thursday, so they can give time for the NFL draft to breathe before the next big spectacle. That means the second week of May is a more likely target. Thursday, May 11, 2023, is likely when we will see the NFL schedule released.
When Does the 2023 NFL Football Season Start?
The first preseason game of the 2023 NFL season is the Hall of Fame Game on Friday, Aug. 4. It was announced that this first game will be between the New York Jets and Cleveland Browns.
Browns left tackle Joe Thomas and Jets Joe Klecko and Darrelle Revis are among the nine inductees headed into the Hall of Fame this year.
The actual 2023 NFL regular season kicks off on Thursday, Sept. 7. Traditionally, the Super Bowl winners host the opening game. The 2023-2024 season spans five months, finishing on Feb. 11, 2024, with Super Bowl 58.
Team-By-Team Opponents
Although we do not know what the schedule looks like, the NFL has released every team’s opponents for next season.
AFC East
Buffalo Bills
Home: Patriots, Dolphins, Jets, Broncos, Raiders, Cowboys, Giants, Buccaneers, Jaguars
Away: Patriots, Dolphins, Jets, Commanders, Chiefs, Chargers, Eagles, Bengals
Miami Dolphins
Home: Bills, Patriots, Jets, Broncos, Raiders, Cowboys, Giants, Titans, Panthers
Away: Bills, Patriots, Jets, Chiefs, Chargers, Eagles, Commanders, Ravens
New England Patriots
Home: Chiefs, Chargers, Eagles, Commanders, Colts, Saints, Bills, Dolphins, Jets
Away: Broncos, Raiders, Cowboys, Giants, Steelers, Bills, Dolphins, Jets
New York Jets
Home: Bills, Dolphins, Patriots, Chiefs, Chargers, Eagles, Commanders, Texans, Falcons
Away: Bills, Dolphins, Patriots, Broncos, Raiders, Cowboys, Giants, Browns
AFC North
Baltimore Ravens
Home: Browns, Steelers, Bengals, Texans, Colts, Seahawks, Rams, Dolphins, Lions
Away: Browns, Steelers, Bengals, Titans, Jaguars, Chargers, Cardinals, 49ers
Cincinnati Bengals
Home: Ravens, Browns, Steelers, Texans, Colts, Rams, Seahawks, Vikings, Bills
Away: Ravens, Browns, Steelers, Cardinals, Jaguars, 49ers, Titans, Chiefs
Cleveland Browns
Home: Steelers, Ravens, Bengals, Jaguars, Titans, Cardinals, 49ers, Jets, Bears
Away: Steelers, Ravens, Bengals, Texans, Colts, Rams, Seahawks, Broncos
Pittsburgh Steelers
Home: Ravens, Browns, Bengals, Jaguars, Titans, Cardinals, 49ers, Patriots, Packers
Away: Ravens, Browns, Bengals, Texans, Colts, Rams, Raiders, Seahawks
AFC South
Houston Texans
Home: Colts, Jaguars, Titans, Browns, Steelers, Saints, Buccaneers, Broncos, Cardinals
Away: Colts, Jaguars, Titans, Bengals, Falcons, Ravens, Panthers, Jets
Indianapolis Colts
Home: Texans, Jaguars, Titans, Browns, Steelers, Saints, Buccaneers, Raiders, Rams
Away: Texans, Jaguars, Titans, Ravens, Bengals, Falcons, Panthers, Patriots
Jacksonville Jaguars
Home: Colts, Texans, Titans, Bengals, Ravens, Falcons, Panthers, Chiefs, 49ers
Away: Colts, Texans, Titans, Browns, Steelers, Saints, Bucs, Bills
Tennessee Titans
Home: Colts, Texans, Jaguars, Ravens, Bengals, Falcons, Panthers, Seahawks, Chargers
Away: Texans, Colts, Jaguars, Browns, Saints, Steelers, Buccaneers, Dolphins
AFC West
Denver Broncos
Home: Chargers, Chiefs, Raiders, Patriots, Jets, Packers, Vikings, Browns, Commanders
Away: Chargers, Chiefs, Raiders, Bills, Dolphins, Bears, Lions, Texans
Kansas City Chiefs
Home: Broncos, Raiders, Chargers, Bills, Bengals, Dolphins, Bears, Lions, Eagles
Away: Broncos, Raiders, Chargers, Jaguars, Patriots, Jets, Packers, Vikings
Las Vegas Raiders
Home: Chiefs, Chargers, Broncos, Patriots, Jets, Packers, Vikings, Steelers, Giants
Away: Chiefs, Chargers, Broncos, Bears, Lions, Dolphins, Bills, Colts
Los Angeles Chargers
Home: Broncos, Chiefs, Raiders, Bills, Bears, Lions, Dolphins, Ravens, Cowboys
Away: Broncos, Chiefs, Raiders, Patriots, Jets, Packers, Vikings, Titans
NFC East
Dallas Cowboys
Home: Rams, Seahawks, Patriots, Jets, Eagles, Giants, Commanders, Lions
Away: Cardinals, Bills, Panthers, Chargers, Dolphins, 49ers, Eagles, Giants, Commanders
New York Giants
Home: Cowboys, Commanders, Eagles, Rams, Seahawks, Patriots, Jets, Packers
Away: Cowboys, Commanders, Eagles, Cardinals, 49ers, Bills, Dolphins, Raiders, Saints
Philadelphia Eagles
Home: Cowboys, Giants, Commanders, Cardinals, Bills, 49ers, Dolphins, Vikings
Away: Cowboys, Commanders, Giants, Patriots, Rams, Jets, Bucs, Seahawks, Chiefs
Washington Commanders
Home: Cowboys, Eagles, Giants, Cardinals, 49ers, Bills, Dolphins, Bears
Away: Cowboys, Eagles, Giants, Rams, Patriots, Jets, Seahawks, Broncos, Falcons
NFC North
Chicago Bears
Home: Lions, Packers, Vikings, Falcons, Panthers, Broncos, Raiders, Cardinals
Away: Lions, Packers, Vikings, Chiefs, Chargers, Saints, Bucs, Commanders, Cleveland
Detroit Lions
Home: Bears, Packers, Vikings, Falcons, Panthers, Broncos, Raiders, Seahawks
Away: Bears, Packers, Vikings, Chiefs, Chargers, Saints, Buccaneers, Cowboys, Ravens
Green Bay Packers
Home: Bears, Lions, Vikings, Saints, Chiefs, Chargers, Rams
Away: Bears, Lions, Vikings, Raiders, Falcons, Panthers, Broncos, Lions, Giants, Steelers
Minnesota Vikings
Home: Bears, Lions, Packers, Saints, Buccaneers, Chiefs, Chargers, 49ers
Away: Bears, Lions, Packers, Falcons, Panthers, Broncos, Raiders, Bengals, Eagles
NFC South
Atlanta Falcons
Home: Packers, Vikings, Texans, Colts, Commanders, Panthers, Saints, Buccaneers
Away: Bears, Lions, Jaguars, Titans, Jets, Cardinals, Panthers, Saints, Buccaneers
Carolina Panthers
Home: Falcons, Saints, Buccaneers, Packers, Vikings, Texans, Colts, Cowboys
Away: Falcons, Bears, Lions, Jaguars, Saints, Buccaneers, Titans, Seahawks, Dolphins
New Orleans Saints
Home: Falcons, Buccaneers, Panthers, Bears, Lions, Jaguars, Titans, Giants
Away: Falcons, Buccaneers, Panthers, Packers, Texans, Colts, Vikings, Rams, Patriots
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Home: Falcons, Panthers, Saints, Bears, Lions, Jaguars, Titans, Eagles
Away: Falcons, Panthers, Saints, Packers, Vikings, Texans, Colts, 49ers, Bills
NFC West
Arizona Cardinals
Home: Cowboys, Giants, Ravens, Bengals, Falcons, Rams, 49ers, Seahawks
Away: Commanders, Steelers, Browns, Eagles, Bears, Texans, Rams, 49ers, Seahawks
Los Angeles Rams
Home: 49ers, Cardinals, Seahawks, Eagles, Commanders, Saints, Browns, Steelers
Away: 49ers, Cardinals, Seahawks, Cowboys, Giants, Packers, Ravens, Bengals, Colts
San Francisco 49ers
Home: Cardinals, Rams, Seahawks, Cowboys, Giants, Bengals, Ravens, Buccaneers
Away: Cardinals, Rams, Seahawks, Commanders, Eagles, Steelers, Browns, Vikings, Jaguars
Seattle Seahawks
Home: Cardinals, Rams, 49ers, Eagles, Browns, Steelers, Commanders, Panthers
Away: Cardinals, Rams, 49ers, Bengals, Ravens, Cowboys, Giants, Lions, Titans
Important NFL Offseason Dates
March 7: Prior to 4 p.m., New York time, deadline for clubs to designate Franchise or Transition Players.
March 13-15: During the period beginning at 12:00 noon, New York time, on March 14 and ending at 3:59:59 p.m., New York time, on March 16, clubs are permitted to contact, and enter into contract negotiations with, the certified agents of players who will become unrestricted free agents upon the expiration of their 2022 player contracts at 4:00 p.m., New York time, on March 15.
March 15: The 2023 League Year and Free Agency period begins at 4 p.m., New York time.
April 3: Clubs that hired a new head coach after the end of the 2022 regular season, like the Panthers, may begin offseason workout programs.
April 17: Clubs with returning head coaches may begin offseason workout programs, which will include 10 OTA days and one mandatory minicamp.
April 27: Deadline for clubs to time, test, visit, interview (including video and phone calls), or conduct a physical examination with a draft-eligible player at any location.
April 27-29: 2023 NFL Draft, in Kansas City, Missouri.