2014 NFL Schedule should be released in Mid-April

By Kevin Kelley -

Note: See update at bottom.

The NFL schedule is usually released in mid-April and this year should be no different, NFL spokesman Greg Aiello told ProFootballTalk.com.

In an email to PFT, Aiello said that the league is aiming for a “normal target” for it’s annual schedule release and that no part of the slate (Monday Night Football, Thursday Night Football, etc.) will be released until then.

Last season, the NFL released the schedule on Thursday, April 18. The NFL released the 2010 schedule on April 20, the 2011 schedule on April 19, and the 2012 schedule on April 17. Each of those days was a Tuesday and prior to the NFL draft.

The 2014 NFL Draft begins on Thursday, May 8. That is two weeks later than usual, and some pundits expected the 2014 football schedule to be delayed by a couple of weeks also.

The 2014 NFL schedule already has three matchups set — the International Series at Wembley Stadium in London, UK. Miami will face Oakland on Sunday, Sept. 28, Detroit will face Atlanta on Sunday, Oct. 26, and Dallas will take on Jacksonville on Sunday, Nov. 9.

The Super Bowl XLVIII champion Seattle Seahawks will also host the season-opening game against a team to be determined on Thursday, Sept. 4.

While you wait for the release of the 2014 schedule, you can peruse each team’s 2014 schedule or the complete list of opponents for every team.

Update (4/14/2014)

Per Brian McCarthy of the NFL, the 2014 schedule will not be released the week of April 14.

Comments (19)

Thanksgiving will (apparently) be Buffalo @ Detroit, with Dallas hosting the Giants, Eagles, Redskins, Cardinals, Eagles, or 49ers.

It’s the Lions’ year to host an AFC team, so that leaves the Cowboys’ six home games against NFC teams as the choices.

As for the third game, there is no telling.

Cowboys can play the Saints again on Thanksgiving. It looks like you listed the Eagles twice.

liked the direction the nfl scheduling had last season….more 4pm games, all divisional games in week 17…flexing the games with playoff implications to later slots etc….here are some changes i’d like to see….
1.monday night football for week 17….this heightens the suspense of the season’s final game and makes teams playing on sunday think twice about resting their starters…flexing in teams fighting to get in the playoffs would be a big moneymaker for mnf in week 17…reminds me of a season finale mnf game on new year’s eve when the saints were playing the rams for the final playoff spot in the nfc…the game and the nfc playoff picture came down to the final play of the game as morten andersen kicked the game winner just as the clock struck midnight….
2.2 saturday afternoon games per week during weeks 14-17…i remember the league did this for a few years back in the late 80s….
3.start the regular season a week earlier (labor day weekend) to create a week bye for everyone between week 17 and the start of the postseason…

Alot of those changes have been in place for a few years as for monday night game for week 17 is never gonna happen they want the season concluded on 1 day they dont want a game that could lose its appeal by what happens the day before therefore rendering the outcome meaningless
They use the sunday night game as the essential play in game for a few years now
The nfl just doesnt want a team to know what it has to do going into the game by pitting all games that impact eachother in the same time slots

Plus they would have to give up the monday night season opening double header on monday night because they r only contracted for 17 games
And tge week off for the playoff teams after the last week of the season isa no aswell u want to jump in as soon as possible keeps the casual fans interest stronger
The nfl likes stretching the super bowl into february so starting the season on labor day is also out