With the NFL Draft in the books, the only big event left on the NFL’s offseason calendar is the release of the upcoming season’s schedule. The twist this year is that no one seemed to know when that release would happen. Thankfully, the Sports Business Journal (SBJ) has the answer: the NFL has informed teams that the schedule will be released on Wednesday, May 15, making it the latest schedule release since at least 1990.
For the past two years, the schedule has been announced on the second Thursday in May, but this year, the NFL decided to push it back a bit. There’s been no official word on why the release date was delayed, but at least we now have a confirmed date. While the complete schedule won’t be available until May 15, there’s already plenty of information circulating about the 2024 season. Here’s a breakdown of what we know:
Thursday Night Opener in Kansas City: As the reigning Super Bowl champions, the Chiefs will host the first game of the season on Thursday night. Their home schedule is stacked with attractive matchups, including potential AFC title game rematches with the Ravens, plus games against the Bengals and Texans. Traditionally, the NFL avoids divisional games for the opener, so the Broncos, Chargers, and Raiders are less likely to be playing in Kansas City in Week 1.
NFL Heads to Brazil for the First Time: The NFL will play its inaugural game in Brazil during Week 1, with São Paulo hosting a rare Friday matchup between the Eagles and the Packers. The game, streaming exclusively on Peacock, will take place on September 6.
International Games in London and Munich: The NFL’s international series this year includes four games in Europe: three in London and one in Munich. The Bears, Vikings, and Jaguars will each be the home team for one of the London games, while the Panthers will host the league’s second-ever regular-season game in Munich.
Jaguars’ Back-to-Back London Games: According to Jacksonville.com, the Jaguars are expected to play consecutive games in London for the second straight season, hosting one game and serving as the visiting team in another, possibly against the Bears.
Christmas Doubleheader: For the first time in 75 years, the NFL will play games on a Wednesday, due to Christmas falling on December 25 in 2024. Expect a historic Christmas doubleheader from the NFL.
Teams Could Play Two Short-Week Games: In March 2023, NFL owners approved a rule allowing teams to play two short-week games, which means some teams could face multiple games with just three days’ rest. This flexibility helps accommodate the two Christmas games, with the four teams involved likely playing on the prior Saturday.
While we don’t yet have the specific dates and times for every game, we do know who each team will be playing. If you’re curious about the home-and-away opponents for all 32 teams, you can find that information [here].
The NFL schedule release has become a major offseason event, and this year should be no exception. Get ready for the excitement on May 15!
