The NFL schedule release is one of the biggest highlights of the offseason. In recent years, the official unveiling has evolved into a made-for-TV event.
Once it comes out, sportsbooks will quickly follow with NFL betting options for the opening week of games. Read on for a closer look at the NFL schedule release for this season.
2024 NFL schedule release date
The NFL has not officially announced when it will release the schedule for the 2024-25 season. However, based on recent history, it’s fast approaching. The schedule is expected to be unveiled in May, potentially in the first or second week. Also using the past few seasons as a guide, it’ll likely happen on a Wednesday or Thursday night.
Recent NFL schedule release dates
Looking back over the past two decades, the NFL schedule came out in April for several years running. That shifted beginning in 2020, with the last four schedule releases happening in May:
- 2023: Thursday, May 11
- 2022: Thursday, May 12
- 2021: Wednesday, May 12
- 2020: Thursday, May 7
The NFL schedule release is a tentpole event of the offseason. The league seems to have settled on early May as the time to attract maximum attention, following the free agency signing period and the completion of the NFL Draft.
Have any games been announced for this season?
In April, the NFL took the unusual step of announcing a single game for the upcoming campaign. It was for good reason, as it’ll be the first-ever NFL Brazil game. In Week 1, the Philadelphia Eagles will take on the Green Bay Packers in Sao Paulo. Betting lines are already out for the game, with the Packers at on the point spread.
While dates haven’t been announced, the league has also revealed some details on this season’s other international games. The Carolina Panthers will host a game in Germany. Meanwhile, the Chicago Bears, Jacksonville Jaguars, and Minnesota Vikings are the designated home teams for a trio of games in London.
We can also expect the NFL’s Thanksgiving Day tradition to continue. The Dallas Cowboys and Detroit Lions traditionally host the two early games, with the primetime game rotating annually. The Cowboys and Lions are both among the top eight favorites in early Super Bowl 59 odds, so we could be in store for an interesting day of holiday action.
When does the NFL regular season begin?
The 2024-25 NFL season will begin on Thursday, Sept. 5. While there have been a few exceptions through the years, the winner of the previous season’s Super Bowl has traditionally been the host for the NFL Kickoff Game over the past two decades. That means the defending champion Kansas City Chiefs will more than likely be in the spotlight.
While the schedule is still to be announced, the league does follow a specific formula to determine each team’s opponents. Here’s who the Chiefs will be facing at home this season:
- Baltimore Ravens
- Cincinnati Bengals
- Denver Broncos
- Houston Texans
- Las Vegas Raiders
- Los Angeles Chargers
- New Orleans Saints
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The kickoff game is a primetime affair, so the league will want it to be a marquee contest. Based on that, we can glean the most likely candidates to be the visiting team from the above list. The Ravens, Bengals, and Texans are also among the top AFC contenders in the latest NFL odds.
Kansas City defeated the Ravens in last season’s NFL playoffs, setting the stage for an AFC title game rematch. If the league decides to go a different route, the Chargers are a potential dark horse. The team has generated a lot of buzz since hiring Jim Harbaugh, fresh off a college football national championship win with Michigan, as its new head coach.
