The NFL launched its full 2026 schedule on Thursday.
After wanting it over, listed here are 10 dates to circle for the upcoming season.
Sep. 9, 2026 | Wednesday season opener
New England Patriots at Seattle Seahawks (8:20 p.m. ET • NBC)
For under the second time in league historical past, the NFL season kicks off on Wednesday to make room for a Thursday night time sport held in Australia. And as a substitute of choosing a budding contender such because the Chicago Bears for the opener, the NFL went massive, selecting a rematch of Tremendous Bowl LX to ring within the 2026 season.
It will likely be a great take a look at for the Patriots to see in the event that they improved sufficient within the offseason to shut the hole with the Seahawks after getting blown out, 29-13, in February’s championship sport. Seattle additionally misplaced some key gamers, together with Tremendous Bowl LXI MVP operating again Kenneth Walker, security Coby Bryant, defensive finish Boye Mafe and nook Tariq Woolen, making this an enormous first take a look at for a gaggle that should show itself over again.
Sep. 13, 2026 | Offseason teaching hires could make early statements
Atlanta Falcons at Pittsburgh Steelers (1 p.m. ET • Fox)
New York Jets at Tennessee Titans (1 p.m. ET • CBS)
Miami Dolphins at Las Vegas Raiders (4:25 p.m. ET • Fox)
Dallas Cowboys at New York Giants (8:20 p.m. ET • NBC)
The 2026 teaching carousel was significantly energetic, and two of the 12 months’s 10 hires will probably be assured a 1-0 begin. Former Cleveland Browns coach Kevin Stefanski begins in Atlanta in opposition to a well-recognized foe within the Steelers, who he went 6-7 (together with playoffs) in opposition to as a division rival. Pittsburgh changed Mike Tomlin with Mike McCarthy, who started stints as Inexperienced Bay Packers and Dallas Cowboys head coach with losses and can look to keep away from an analogous end result.
Former Jets coach coach Robert Saleh has an early probability to get revenge when his Titans host New York, whereas both the Dolphins coach Jeff Hafley or Raiders coach Klint Kubiak will start their rebuilds with a 1-0 file. John Harbaugh can start his run in New York with a bang by sending the Cowboys residence with a Week 1 loss.
Sep. 17, 2026 | Buffalo Payments open new Highmark Stadium
Detroit Lions at Buffalo Payments (8:15 p.m. ET • Prime Video)
The Payments open the brand new Highmark Stadium, which value a staggering $2.2 billion (a file $850M of which got here through public funding), with a rematch of the most effective video games of the 2024 season, when Buffalo went to Detroit and beat the Lions, 48-42. In reality, whereas the gamers and coaches have modified over time, the outcomes largely have not, with the Payments going 6-1 against the Lions since 2002, with all seven video games determined by seven factors or much less. Followers are owed a great sport, and so they — together with the remainder of the nation — ought to get it.
Oct. 5, 2026 | Saints commemorate twentieth anniversary of return to the Superdome
Atlanta Falcons at New Orleans Saints (8:15 p.m. ET • ESPN)
After the devastation of Hurricane Katrina in 2005 compelled the Saints on the highway for your complete season, the franchise made an emotional — and triumphant — return to the Superdome on Sep. 25, 2006 the next 12 months on “Monday Evening Soccer” in opposition to the Falcons. Former particular groups ace and franchise legend Steve Gleason’s iconic blocked punt from the sport, a 23-3 Saints win, was honored with a statue that sits exterior the dome in 2012.
