Important NFL dates 2025

[SoonerBillsFan]

https://operations.nfl.com/gameday/nfl-schedule/2025-important-nfl-dates/

 

Notables:

18-FebBeginning this date through at 4:00 p.m., New York time on March 4, clubs may designate Franchise or Transition Players.

 

February 24 – March 3  NFL Scouting Combine (Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, Indiana)

 

March 10-12:  Free Agent negotiating period.

 

For some reason it seems shorter this year. Just a couple weeks until the Combine and just under 4 until we can start dealing with Free Agents.

[strive_for_five_guy]

This is what makes the NFL great.  Something happening year round to keep us fans interested.

[Ed_Formerly_of_Roch]

So time for Elam to get tagged!!

 

When the go to 18 games and SB gets bumped back a week, I wonder will everything else also bump back a week?  I'd guess yes?

 

Something to note the 2026 and 2027 Super Bowls have specific dates assigned, for 2028, it lists date TBD!  Does that mean something?? 

[Gregg]

13 minutes ago, strive_for_five_guy said:

This is what makes the NFL great.  Something happening year round to keep us fans interested.

 

Even the schedule release in May is a big event with them having a show on the NFLN. Baseball, basketball, hockey release their schedules without any warning since it's not a big deal. Fans look forward to the release of the NFL schedule for the opener, primetime games etc etc.

[strive_for_five_guy]

16 minutes ago, Ed_Formerly_of_Roch said:

So time for Elam to get tagged!!

 

When the go to 18 games and SB gets bumped back a week, I wonder will everything else also bump back a week?  I'd guess yes?

 

Something to note the 2026 and 2027 Super Bowls have specific dates assigned, for 2028, it lists date TBD!  Does that mean something?? 

Hmm, interesting.  Maybe it depends if they scale back the preseason more too or not, and/or just decide to have Week 1 on Labor Day weekend?  Pretty sure the NFL could make a ton of money bringing Week 1 back to that weekend.  People have that Monday off and would definitely plan around the games, the NFL is that popular.  Just like they’re already doing with Black Friday, Christmas, etc.  Just a matter of NFL and NFLPA coming to some agreement.

[Gregg]

7 minutes ago, strive_for_five_guy said:

Hmm, interesting.  Maybe it depends if they scale back the preseason more too or not, and/or just decide to have Week 1 on Labor Day weekend?  Pretty sure the NFL could make a ton of money bringing Week 1 back to that weekend.  People have that Monday off and would definitely plan around the games, the NFL is that popular.  Just like they’re already doing with Black Friday, Christmas, etc.  Just a matter of NFL and NFLPA coming to some agreement.

 

It's probably going to go to an 18-game season with just 2 preseason games in the near future.

[Talley56]

1 hour ago, Gregg said:

 

Even the schedule release in May is a big event with them having a show on the NFLN. Baseball, basketball, hockey release their schedules without any warning since it's not a big deal. Fans look forward to the release of the NFL schedule for the opener, primetime games etc etc.

May be an unpopular take but I find it as exciting as the draft.

[US Egg]

1 hour ago, Ed_Formerly_of_Roch said:

When the go to 18 games and SB gets bumped back a week, I wonder will everything else also bump back a week?

 

Something to note the 2026 and 2027 Super Bowls have specific dates assigned, for 2028, it lists date TBD!  Does that mean something?? 

That Labor Day is Sept. 4th in 2028, starting the season full bore on the 3rd might be a way to squeeze in an 18 game season. 🤷‍♂️

[Ed_Formerly_of_Roch]

35 minutes ago, US Egg said:

That Labor Day is Sept. 4th in 2028, starting the season full bore on the 3rd might be a way to squeeze in an 18 game season. 🤷‍♂️

 

1 hour ago, strive_for_five_guy said:

Hmm, interesting.  Maybe it depends if they scale back the preseason more too or not, and/or just decide to have Week 1 on Labor Day weekend?  Pretty sure the NFL could make a ton of money bringing Week 1 back to that weekend.  People have that Monday off and would definitely plan around the games, the NFL is that popular.  Just like they’re already doing with Black Friday, Christmas, etc.  Just a matter of NFL and NFLPA coming to some agreement.

 

Way back when (think it was the  1990's) the NFL use to start Labor Day weekend   The fact that they abandoned Labor Day weekend tells me the NFL doesn't agree with the idea of that being a good weekend to start.

 

From what I've read their plan is to move the SB to Presidents weekend.  I'd guess they go with Presidents day weekend for SB rather than starting the season Labor day weekend.  Add to that College football has kind of taken that weekend over now too.

 

Guess the Daytona 500 and NBA All-Star game will need to find new dates! 

 

Edited 2 hours ago by Ed_Formerly_of_Roch

[Mark Vader]

1 hour ago, Gregg said:

 

Even the schedule release in May is a big event with them having a show on the NFLN. Baseball, basketball, hockey release their schedules without any warning since it's not a big deal. Fans look forward to the release of the NFL schedule for the opener, primetime games etc etc.

I hate that we have to wait that long to get the dates. They should release it much sooner than that.

 

It helps for fans who want to make travel plans.

[Gregg]

Just now, Mark Vader said:

I hate that we have to wait that long to get the dates. They should release it much sooner than that.

 

It helps for fans who want to make travel plans.

 

If I remember correctly, they used to release the times and dates for the schedule in April but the last few years they have done it in May.

[Ned Flanders]

4 minutes ago, Gregg said:

 

If I remember correctly, they used to release the times and dates for the schedule in April but the last few years they have done it in May.

Correct, it was always mid-April.  But April is all about the draft now, and May needed some "event" to keep the NFL relevant year-round.  Hence, the schedule release was moved a month later. 

[RyanC883]

1 hour ago, Talley56 said:

May be an unpopular take but I find it as exciting as the draft.

 

yeah, schedule release is somewhat lame, IMO.  But I bet if you did a poll, about 50% or more would agree with you.  The salesmanship of offseason events really is amazing by the NFL.  

[Mark Vader]

2 hours ago, Talley56 said:

May be an unpopular take but I find it as exciting as the draft.

I love the draft, so I find it more exciting.

 

There's nothing that exciting about the schedule release, because we already know who we are playing.

[PromoTheRobot]

3 hours ago, Gregg said:

 

It's probably going to go to an 18-game season with just 2 preseason games in the near future.

And two byes, and probably games on Wednesday and/or Tuesday.

[Gregg]

28 minutes ago, PromoTheRobot said:

And two byes, and probably games on Wednesday and/or Tuesday.

 

With Goodell it wouldn't surprise me if they had games on Tues/Wed. The NFL killed Christmas day for the NBA now that they also play games on Dec 25th.