ENHANCED SCHEDULE
INCLUDES ADDITIONAL INTERCONFERENCE MATCHUP,
THREE PRESEASON
GAMES
ALL 32 TEAMS TO
PLAY INTERNATIONALLY AT LEAST ONCE IN EIGHT-YEAR PERIOD BEGINNING IN 2022
NFL
clubs today approved at a virtual league meeting an enhanced season structure
that beginning in 2021 will feature each team playing 17 regular-season games
and three preseason games for the first time.
The
NFL-NFLPA Collective Bargaining Agreement signed in March of 2020 enables the
league, with the approval of the union and its players, to enhance the regular
season with a move to 17 games, providing fans an extra week of regular-season NFL
action.
That
decision was confirmed today, marking the first change to the season structure
since the 1978 campaign ushered in an era of 16 regular-season and four
preseason games. It follows the March 18 announcement of long-term media
distribution agreements providing fans greater access to NFL games than ever
before.
“This
is a monumental moment in NFL history,” said NFL Commissioner ROGER GOODELL.
“The CBA with the players and the recently completed media agreements provide
the foundation for us to enhance the quality of the NFL experience for our
fans. And one of the benefits of each team playing 17 regular-season games is
the ability for us to continue to grow our game around the world.”
The
17th game will feature teams from opposing conferences that finished in the
same place within their division the previous season. The AFC was determined to
be the home conference for the 17th game in 2021:
Away Team | Home Team |
NFC
East | AFC
East |
1.
Washington Football Team | 1.
Buffalo Bills |
2.
New York Giants | 2.
Miami Dolphins |
3.
Dallas Cowboys | 3.
New England Patriots |
4.
Philadelphia Eagles | 4.
New York Jets |
Away Team | Home Team |
NFC
West | AFC North |
1.
Seattle Seahawks | 1.
Pittsburgh Steelers |
2.
Los Angeles Rams | 2.
Baltimore Ravens |
3.
Arizona Cardinals | 3.
Cleveland Browns |
4.
San Francisco 49ers | 4.
Cincinnati Bengals |
Away Team | Home Team |
NFC
South | AFC
South |
1.
New Orleans Saints | 1.
Tennessee Titans |
2.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 2.
Indianapolis Colts |
3.
Carolina Panthers | 3.
Houston Texans |
4.
Atlanta Falcons | 4.
Jacksonville Jaguars |
Away Team | Home Team |
NFC
North | AFC
West |
1.
Green Bay Packers | 1.
Kansas City Chiefs |
2.
Chicago Bears | 2.
Las Vegas Raiders |
3.
Minnesota Vikings | 3.
Los Angeles Chargers |
4.
Detroit Lions | 4.
Denver Broncos |
Under the scheduling
formula below, every team plays 17 regular-season games with one bye week.
Clubs will host 10 games overall – either nine regular-season games and one
preseason game or eight regular-season games and two preseason games.
- Home
and away against its three division opponents (six games).
- The
four teams from another division within its conference on a rotating three-year
cycle (four games).
- The
four teams from a division in the other conference on a rotating four-year
cycle (four games).
- Two
intraconference games based on the prior year’s standings (two games). These
games match a first-place team against the first-place teams in the two
same-conference divisions the team is not scheduled to play that season. The
second-place, third-place and fourth-place teams in a conference are matched in
the same way each year.
- One
interconference game based on the prior year’s standings on a rotating
four-year cycle (one game). These games match a first-place team from one
division against a first-place team in an opposite conference division that the
team is not scheduled to play that season. The second-place, third-place and
fourth-place teams in each division are matched in the same way each
year. The home conference for this game will rotate each season.
The
official 2021 schedule, with playing dates and times, will be announced later
this spring on NFL Network and NFL.com. Information on season-ticket
availability and premium seating options can be found on club websites. Single-game
tickets for many clubs will also be available upon the release of the schedule.
NFL
Kickoff Weekend will begin Thursday night, September 9, and the regular season
will end Sunday, January 9, 2022. The 2022 Pro Bowl will be played on Sunday,
February 6 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas and the season will conclude with
Super Bowl LVI at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles on Sunday, February 13, 2022.
The
enhanced season will ensure that beginning in 2022, all 32 clubs will play
internationally at least once every eight years. The scheduling of up to four
neutral-site games per year in a country outside the United States will focus initially
on Canada, Europe, Mexico, South America and the United Kingdom. In addition,
interested clubs can continue to volunteer to play home games internationally,
as is currently the case.
A
look at the 2021 home and away opponents for all 32 NFL clubs:
AFC | Intraconference | AFC SOUTH |
EAST | Interconference | NFC SOUTH |
| | |
AFC | Intraconference | AFC WEST |
NORTH | Interconference | NFC NORTH |
| | |
AFC | Intraconference | AFC EAST |
SOUTH | Interconference | NFC WEST |
| | |
AFC | Intraconference | AFC NORTH |
WEST | Interconference | NFC EAST |
| | |
NFC | Intraconference | NFC SOUTH |
EAST | Interconference | AFC WEST |
| | |
NFC | Intraconference | NFC WEST |
NORTH | Interconference | AFC NORTH |
| | |
NFC | Intraconference | NFC EAST |
SOUTH | Interconference | AFC EAST |
| | |
NFC | Intraconference | NFC NORTH |
WEST | Interconference | AFC SOUTH |
2021 OPPONENTS
AFC EAST
1. Buffalo Bills Home: Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots, New
York Jets, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, Houston Texans, Indianapolis
Colts, Pittsburgh Steelers, Washington Football Team.
Away: Miami Dolphins, New
England Patriots, New York Jets, Jacksonville Jaguars, Kansas City Chiefs, New
Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Tennessee Titans.
2. Miami Dolphins Home: Buffalo
Bills, New England Patriots, New York Jets, Atlanta Falcons, Baltimore Ravens, Carolina
Panthers, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, New York Giants.
Away: Buffalo Bills, New
England Patriots, New York Jets, Jacksonville Jaguars, Las Vegas Raiders, New
Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Tennessee Titans.
3. New England
Patriots Home: Buffalo
Bills, Miami Dolphins, New York Jets, Cleveland
Browns, Dallas Cowboys, Jacksonville Jaguars, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers,
Tennessee Titans.
Away: Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, New York Jets, Atlanta Falcons,
Carolina Panthers, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Los Angeles Chargers.
4. New York Jets Home: Buffalo
Bills, Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots,
Cincinnati Bengals, Jacksonville Jaguars, New Orleans Saints, Philadelphia
Eagles, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Tennessee Titans.
Away: Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots, Atlanta
Falcons, Carolina Panthers, Denver Broncos, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts.
2021 OPPONENTS
AFC NORTH
1. Pittsburgh
Steelers Home: Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland
Browns, Chicago Bears, Denver Broncos, Detroit Lions, Las Vegas Raiders, Seattle
Seahawks, Tennessee Titans.
Away: Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland
Browns, Buffalo Bills, Green Bay Packers, Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles
Chargers, Minnesota Vikings.
2. Baltimore Ravens Home: Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh
Steelers, Green Bay Packers, Indianapolis Colts, Kansas City Chiefs, Los
Angeles Chargers, Los Angeles Rams, Minnesota Vikings.
Away: Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh
Steelers, Chicago Bears, Denver Broncos, Detroit Lions, Las Vegas Raiders, Miami
Dolphins.
3. Cleveland Browns Home: Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Pittsburgh
Steelers, Arizona Cardinals, Chicago Bears, Denver Broncos, Detroit Lions,
Houston Texans, Las Vegas Raiders.
Away: Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Pittsburgh
Steelers, Green Bay Packers, Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Chargers,
Minnesota Vikings, New England Patriots.
4. Cincinnati
Bengals Home: Baltimore Ravens, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh
Steelers, Green Bay Packers, Jacksonville Jaguars, Kansas City Chiefs, Los
Angeles Chargers, Minnesota Vikings, San Francisco 49ers.
Away: Baltimore Ravens, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh
Steelers, Chicago Bears, Denver Broncos, Detroit Lions, Las Vegas Raiders, New
York Jets.
2021 OPPONENTS
AFC SOUTH
1. Tennessee Titans Home: Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts,
Jacksonville Jaguars, Arizona Cardinals, Buffalo Bills, Kansas City Chiefs,
Miami Dolphins, New Orleans Saints, San Francisco 49ers.
Away: Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts,
Jacksonville Jaguars, Los Angeles Rams, New England Patriots, New York Jets,
Pittsburgh Steelers, Seattle Seahawks.
2. Indianapolis
Colts Home: Houston Texans, Jacksonville
Jaguars, Tennessee Titans, Las Vegas Raiders, Los Angeles Rams, New England
Patriots, New York Jets, Seattle Seahawks, Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Away: Houston Texans, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee
Titans, Arizona Cardinals, Baltimore Ravens, Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, San
Francisco 49ers.
3. Houston Texans Home: Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars,
Tennessee Titans, Carolina Panthers, Los Angeles Chargers, Los Angeles Rams,
New England Patriots, New York Jets, Seattle Seahawks.
Away: Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee
Titans, Arizona Cardinals, Buffalo Bills, Cleveland Browns, Miami Dolphins, San
Francisco 49ers.
4. Jacksonville
Jaguars Home: Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Tennessee
Titans, Atlanta Falcons, Arizona Cardinals, Buffalo Bills, Denver Broncos,
Miami Dolphins, San Francisco 49ers.
Away: Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Tennessee
Titans, Cincinnati Bengals, Los Angeles Rams, New England Patriots, New York
Jets, Seattle Seahawks.
2021 OPPONENTS
AFC WEST
1. Kansas City
Chiefs Home: Denver Broncos, Las Vegas Raiders, Los
Angeles Chargers, Buffalo Bills, Cleveland Browns, Dallas Cowboys, Green Bay
Packers, New York Giants, Pittsburgh Steelers.
Away: Denver Broncos, Las Vegas Raiders, Los Angeles
Chargers, Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Philadelphia Eagles, Tennessee
Titans, Washington Football Team.
2. Las Vegas Raiders Home: Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs, Los
Angeles Chargers, Baltimore Ravens, Chicago Bears, Cincinnati Bengals, Miami
Dolphins, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Football Team.
Away: Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles
Chargers, Cleveland Browns, Dallas Cowboys, Indianapolis Colts, New York
Giants, Pittsburgh Steelers.
3. Los Angeles
Chargers Home: Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs, Las
Vegas Raiders, Cleveland Browns, Dallas Cowboys, Minnesota Vikings, New England
Patriots, New York Giants, Pittsburgh Steelers.
Away: Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs, Las Vegas
Raiders, Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Houston Texans, Philadelphia
Eagles, Washington Football Team.
4. Denver Broncos Home: Kansas City Chiefs, Las Vegas Raiders, Los
Angeles Chargers, Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Detroit Lions, New York
Jets, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Football Team.
Away: Kansas City Chiefs, Las Vegas Raiders, Los
Angeles Chargers, Cleveland Browns, Dallas Cowboys, Jacksonville Jaguars, New
York Giants, Pittsburgh Steelers.
2021 OPPONENTS
NFC EAST
1. Washington Football Team Home: Dallas
Cowboys, New York Giants, Philadelphia Eagles, Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Chargers,
New Orleans Saints, Seattle Seahawks, Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Away: Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Philadelphia
Eagles, Atlanta Falcons, Buffalo Bills, Carolina Panthers, Denver Broncos, Green
Bay Packers, Las Vegas Raiders.
2. New York Giants Home: Dallas Cowboys, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington
Football Team, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, Denver Broncos, Las Vegas
Raiders, Los Angeles Rams.
Away: Dallas Cowboys, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington
Football Team, Chicago Bears, Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Chargers, Miami
Dolphins, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
3. Dallas Cowboys Home: New York Giants, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington
Football Team, Arizona Cardinals, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, Denver
Broncos, Las Vegas Raiders.
Away: New York Giants, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington
Football Team, Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Chargers, Minnesota Vikings, New
England Patriots, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
4. Philadelphia
Eagles Home: Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Washington
Football Team, Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Chargers, New Orleans Saints,
San Francisco 49ers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Away: Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Washington
Football Team, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, Denver Broncos Detroit
Lions, Las Vegas Raiders, New York Jets.
2021 OPPONENTS
NFC NORTH
1. Green Bay Packers Home: Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Minnesota Vikings,
Cleveland Browns, Los Angeles Rams, Pittsburgh Steelers, Seattle Seahawks,
Washington Football Team.
Away: Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Minnesota Vikings,
Arizona Cardinals, Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Kansas City Chiefs, New
Orleans Saints, San Francisco 49ers.
2. Chicago Bears Home: Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota
Vikings, Arizona Cardinals, Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, New York
Giants, San Francisco 49ers.
Away: Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota
Vikings, Cleveland Browns, Las Vegas Raiders, Los Angeles Rams, Pittsburgh
Steelers, Seattle Seahawks, Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
3. Minnesota Vikings Home: Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Green Bay
Packers, Cleveland Browns, Dallas Cowboys, Los Angeles Rams, Pittsburgh
Steelers, Seattle Seahawks.
Away: Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers,
Arizona Cardinals, Baltimore Ravens, Carolina Panthers, Cincinnati Bengals, Los
Angeles Chargers, San Francisco 49ers.
4. Detroit Lions Home: Chicago Bears, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota
Vikings, Arizona Cardinals, Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Philadelphia
Eagles, San Francisco 49ers.
Away: Chicago Bears, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota
Vikings, Atlanta Falcons, Cleveland Browns, Denver Broncos, Los Angeles Rams,
Pittsburgh Steelers, Seattle Seahawks.
2021 OPPONENTS
NFC SOUTH
1. New Orleans
Saints Home: Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, Tampa
Bay Buccaneers, Buffalo Bills, Dallas Cowboys, Green Bay Packers, Miami
Dolphins, New York Giants.
Away: Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, Tampa Bay
Buccaneers, New England Patriots, New York Jets, Philadelphia Eagles, Seattle
Seahawks, Tennessee Titans, Washington Football Team.
2. Tampa Bay
Buccaneers Home: Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, New
Orleans Saints, Buffalo Bills, Chicago Bears, Dallas Cowboys, Miami Dolphins,
New York Giants.
Away: Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, New Orleans
Saints, Indianapolis Colts, Los Angeles Rams, New England Patriots, New York
Jets, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Football Team.
3. Carolina Panthers Home: Atlanta Falcons, New Orleans Saints, Tampa
Bay Buccaneers, Minnesota Vikings, New England Patriots, New York Jets,
Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Football Team.
Away: Atlanta Falcons, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay
Buccaneers, Arizona Cardinals, Buffalo Bills, Dallas Cowboys, Houston Texans, Miami
Dolphins, New York Giants.
4. Atlanta Falcons Home: Carolina Panthers, New Orleans Saints, Tampa
Bay Buccaneers, Detroit Lions, New England Patriots, New York Jets,
Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Football Team.
Away: Carolina Panthers, New Orleans Saints, Tampa
Bay Buccaneers, Buffalo Bills, Dallas Cowboys, Jacksonville Jaguars, Miami
Dolphins, New York Giants, San Francisco 49ers.
2021 OPPONENTS
NFC WEST
1. Seattle Seahawks Home: Arizona Cardinals, Los Angeles Rams, San
Francisco 49ers, Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Jacksonville Jaguars, New
Orleans Saints, Tennessee Titans.
Away: Arizona Cardinals, Los Angeles Rams, San
Francisco 49ers, Green Bay Packers, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts,
Minnesota Vikings, Pittsburgh Steelers, Washington Football Team.
2. Los Angeles Rams Home: Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle
Seahawks, Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tampa Bay
Buccaneers, Tennessee Titans.
Away: Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle
Seahawks, Baltimore Ravens, Green Bay Packers, Houston Texans, Indianapolis
Colts, Minnesota Vikings, New York Giants.
3. Arizona Cardinals Home: Los Angeles Rams, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle
Seahawks, Carolina Panthers, Green Bay Packers, Houston Texans, Indianapolis
Colts, Minnesota Vikings.
Away: Los Angeles Rams, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle
Seahawks, Chicago Bears, Cleveland Browns, Dallas Cowboys, Detroit Lions,
Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans.
4. San Francisco
49ers Home: Arizona Cardinals, Los Angeles Rams, Seattle
Seahawks, Atlanta Falcons, Green Bay Packers, Houston Texans, Indianapolis
Colts, Minnesota Vikings.
Away: Arizona Cardinals, Los Angeles Rams, Seattle
Seahawks, Chicago Bears, Cincinnati Bengals, Detroit Lions, Jacksonville
Jaguars, Philadelphia Eagles, Tennessee Titans.