What we know about the NFL schedule
The 2024 NFL schedule will soon be fully in place.
The league confirmed Monday that the full slate for the regular season will be unveiled at 8 p.m. EDT Wednesday. And while all the matchups have been known for some time, the actual release will provide some form to the 2024 campaign.
But while fans wait to learn the sequencing for their favorite teams’ schedules, information regarding some select showdowns has already started to trickle through. And more should be ahead in the coming days and hours, including prime-time clashes and the holiday outlook. Here’s everything we know about the 2024 NFL schedule:
● Bills at Dolphins to square off on ‘Thursday Night Football’ in Week 2.
While the NFL will kick off its season on a Thursday night with the Kansas City Chiefs hosting the Baltimore Ravens, Amazon Prime Video’s first exclusive “Thursday Night Football” matchup next season will feature the Buffalo Bills visiting the Miami Dolphins in Week 2.
The Bills won both matchups last season between the AFC East foes and are riding a four-game win streak.
Both teams will be looking to iron out some significant roster changes made this offseason.
The Bills cut three longtime starters cornerback Tre’Davious White, safety Jordan Poyer and center Mitch Morse - in a salary cap crunch and then traded wide receiver Stefon Diggs to the Houston Texans.
The Dolphins, meanwhile, had several notable losses of their own, including defensive tackle Christian Wilkins and offensive guard Robert Hunt.
● Rivalry renewed with Chiefs hosting Bengals in Week 2.
Fans won’t have to wait long to take in one of the most anticipated matchups of next NFL season.
The Kansas City Chiefs will host the
Cincinnati Bengals in Week 2, marking the latest chapter in the hotly contested rivalry between the two AFC contenders.
Last season's meeting between the two franchises lost much of its luster when Joe Burrow suffered a season-ending wrist injury in November. Harrison Butker kicked six field goals to power Kansas City to a 25-17 win in Week 17 over fill-in quarterback Jake Browning and Cincinnati.
But the Bengals have proven to be one of the few teams capable of going toe-totoe with Patrick Mahomes and Co., beating the Chiefs in three consecutive matchups - including the 2021 AFC championship game - before Kansas City triumphed in the 2022 conference title matchup en route to a Super Bowl victory.
Appearing on Travis and Jason Kelce's “New Heights” podcast live show in Cincinnati this offseason, Burrow said the Bengals are “built to beat” the Chiefs. He'll get to put that claim to the test this September.
● Aaron Rodgers to make return to field on ‘MNF.’
Just under one year after Aaron Rodgers tore his Achilles tendon, the four-time NFL MVP will be back in action for the first time when the New York Jets travel to face the San Francisco 49ers in a Week 1 “Monday Night Football” matchup.
Rodgers will be squaring off against his hometown team - which famously irked him by passing on the quarterback to select Alex Smith No. 1 overall in the 2005 NFL draft - and the defending NFC champions. The 49ers are also responsible for plenty of postseason problems for Rodgers throughout the year, as San Francisco is 4-0 against him in the playoffs. Rodgers, however, is 6-3 against the 49ers in the regular season.
Jets coach Robert Saleh will also be tasked with slowing down the prolific attack of 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan, under whom he served as defensive coordinator for the 49ers from 2017-20.
The 49ers this offseason signed defensive end Leonard Floyd, who sacked Rodgers on the play in which the quarterback suffered his injury, ending his debut campaign just four plays into the “Monday Night Football” matchup against the Buffalo Bills.
● Ravens vs. Chiefs set as opener. The Kansas City Chiefs will begin their quest for a historic Super Bowl three-peat by facing a key foe from last year's title defense.
The Baltimore Ravens will try to avenge last season's AFC championship game loss when they travel to Arrowhead Stadium for the kickoff matchup on Sept. 5.
In the two teams' last showdown, Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce connected for 11 catches and 116 yards to secure a 17-10 victory and push Kansas City to Super Bowl 58. The Ravens' league-leading rushing attack was held to just 81 yards, its lowest output of the season.
But Year 2 of Todd Monken's attack could look distinctly different as twotime rushing champion Derrick Henry joins Lamar Jackson in Baltimore's backfield. Henry fared well against the Chiefs during his eight-year run with the Tennessee Titans. His average of 118.8 yards per game against the team in four contests is the second-highest mark he has posted against any one team, while his 5.73 yards per carry is a personal best.
● Eagles and Packers follow up with NFL first regular-season game in Brazil.
The NFL's action-packed opening weekend continues one day after its kickoff game, as the Philadelphia Eagles and Green Bay Packers meet in São Paulo on Sept. 6.
The game is a rarity on multiple fronts. Not only does it mark the league's first regular-season foray into Brazil, it also represents the first Friday game on an opening week in more than 50 years.
It also will stream exclusively on Peacock, expanding the league's slate of games found beyond traditional broadcast channels.
● Christmas doubleheader.
The NFL will continue to make Christmas a fixture of its programming slate, even though the holiday this year falls on a Wednesday.
The league has confirmed it will schedule a doubleheader that day. Netflix is likely to win the rights to exclusively air the two games, Puck's John Ourand reported.
The setup will mark just the third time in the last 75 years that the league has held games on a Wednesday.
The end of the year could feature a very full football slate, with Christmas Eve being the only day from Dec. 21-29 not to include an NFL game.