NFL Releases Full 2021 Schedule

New 17-Game Schedule Is Official for all 32 NFL Teams

In a made-for-television event that rivaled the NFL Draft, the NFL’s schedule was released on Wednesday night.

The scheduling process involves 80,000 possible playable schedules and then a review board that looks at almost 500 of them beginning right after the Super Bowl. With a big nod to which games are going to draw the best television crowds, plus an effort to minimize the risk of big matchups being undone by a late-season injury, the scheduling team makes its choice.

Opening Week

As is the tradition, the NFL will kick off in the home of the defending Super Bowl champion Buccaneers on the Thursday before the first Sunday. Tampa Bay will host a loaded Dallas Cowboys offense that welcomes back quarterback Dak Prescott.

Other highlights of the week involve the Trevor Lawrence era starting on the road, as Jacksonville visits the Houston Texans, who may or may not have Deshaun Watson. Former Jets quarterback Sam Darnold hosts new Jets quarterback Zach Wilson. And the post-Drew Brees era begins in New Orleans against the (possible post-Aaron Rodgers era) Packers.

2021 Revenge Games

You can be sure the players involved have already circled the following games on their calendars. If history is any indication, so should you.

The Cleveland Browns open the season on the road in Kansas City against the team that knocked them out of the playoffs last year. The Browns have a rebuilt defense, the Chiefs have a new offensive line, and this game will be a great way to start for both teams.

Lines are already up for that game at the sportsbook with the Chiefs installed as early six-point favorites.

The Chiefs are also involved in a big revenge game in Week 5 when they host their AFC Championship Game foe, the Buffalo Bills. The Chiefs have won the conference for two straight years, and if either Cleveland or Buffalo fancies itself a Super Bowl team, they must get past Kansas City.

One of the biggest NFL trades of the offseason was the Lions and Rams swapping quarterbacks Jared Goff and Matthew Stafford in the hopes of shaking up their offenses. In Week 7, the two teams, with their new signal-callers, will meet in Los Angeles.

For the first time ever, we get a Week 18, and the NFL has filled its schedule with teams who absolutely hate each other. The Rams host the 49ers, the Steelers visit the Ravens, and we get Cowboys at Eagles, Bengals at Browns, Chargers at Raiders, and the Dolphins hosting the Patriots. Numerous division titles may come down to the final Sunday of the season.

But even with all that heat for Week 18, the number one revenge game on the schedule is Tom Brady making the trip north to take on the Patriots. He left behind Bill Belichick to win his seventh Super Bowl ring in Tampa Bay, and imagine how badly Belichick wants to beat his former quarterback.

International Series Returns

It’s a smaller version than in previous years, but the NFL resumes its annual series across the pond with two games in London.

In Week 5, the No. 2 overall pick, Wilson, leads the Jets against the No. 4 overall pick, Kyle Pitts, and the Falcons. The next week it’s the Jaguars and No. 1 overall pick, Lawrence, facing Tua Tagovailoa and the Miami Dolphins.

Both games will be played at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Thanksgiving Day Games

There are three games scheduled for Thanksgiving Day. In order they are:

Justin Fields and the Bears are at Detroit. The Cowboys host the Las Vegas Raiders. The Buffalo Bills travel to New Orleans.

Primetime Games

Including those Week 12 games on Thanksgiving, there are 10 teams in the league who have a total of five primetime games each. Those teams are the Saints, Cowboys, Packers, Rams, 49ers, Seahawks, Buccaneers, Chiefs, Steelers, and Ravens.

There are five teams playing four primetime games. They are the Bears, Vikings, Raiders, Colts, and Bills.

Teams with three primetime appearances are the Giants, Patriots, Chargers, Titans, Browns, Cardinals, and Washington Football Team.

All 32 NFL teams will make at least one primetime appearance in 2021.