Tag: 2026

Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba (11) reacts during the Super Bowl LX parade. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Ng-Imagn Images

Super Bowl rematch and 10 other games to watch in 2026

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Not only do the Los Angeles Rams have a reasonable shot at becoming the first team to win the Super Bowl on its homefield twice, the NFC West runner-up is by far the easiest team to find on the NFL’s 2026 broadcast schedule.

Seven times the Rams are positioned for a primetime slot — tying a league record — barring a slip from contender status that would prompt networks to invoke the “flex” option and reassign Sean McVay’s team to an afternoon kickoff.

We appreciate McVay’s offensive machine as much as the next NFL fan, but let’s survey the broader landscape for the 10 games we are circling on the 2026 schedule.

1. Green Bay Packers at Chicago Bears, Friday, Dec. 25
Are the Packers still gutted by two heartbreaking losses to the Bears? They’ll never admit it. The drama on the field and sidelines restored one of the game’s best rivalries. Chicago’s schedule strength adds a degree of difficulty the Bears didn’t face rising from the bottom of the NFC North to a division title in Ben Johnson’s first season. The Packers had owned this series in recent years and want to pull the pendulum northward.

2. Philadelphia Eagles at Dallas Cowboys, Thursday, Nov. 26
Thanksgiving Day amplifies whatever the state of the Dallas Cowboys happens to be, and this one should be extra spicy. It hasn’t happened since 2014 and will be the third Turkey Day meeting between the teams. Cowboys fans are crossing their fingers the results will be better than the last time (33-10 loss in ‘14) and 1989, when the Eagles used two Randall Cunningham-to-Cris Carter TDs and Philly’s defense ransacked Troy Aikman at Texas Stadium, 27-0. Philadelphia hosts the first meeting of the 2026 season with Dallas on “Monday Night Football” in October.

3. Buffalo Bills at New England Patriots, Sunday, Dec. 6
Josh Allen ran the AFC East for nearly a decade and Drake Maye was more than the new kid on the block in 2025. He played like an MVP candidate — even winning in Buffalo — and the Patriots went 5-1 in the division. The only loss was a 35-31 barnburner at Gillette Stadium won by the Bills on Dec. 14. It was New England’s only loss between Sept. 28 and the Super Bowl.

4. Los Angeles Rams at Seattle Seahawks, Friday, Dec. 25
Fine, we can talk Rams, too.

Merry Christmas to those who celebrate, the NFL wrapped up a matchup between teams who combined for 26 regular-season wins and took the division duel down to the wire last season. Lumen Field won’t be a present for the Rams, but Matthew Stafford and Sean McVay have usually done just fine in enemy territory. The game falls one week after the one-year anniversary of Seattle’s memorable fourth-quarter rally from 16 down, forced overtime and walked it off with a 38-37 victory over the Rams.

5. Baltimore Ravens at Cincinnati Bengals, Thursday, Dec. 31
Last season wasn’t a typical set of Bengals-Ravens games. The AFC North rivals split with an average margin of victory of 21 points. Rewind to 2025 and unleashed Lamar Jackson vs. bomb-happy Joe Burrow produced scores of 35-34 and 41-38 (overtime). If we get a New Year’s Eve snow game with division and playoff consequences, even better.

6. New England Patriots at Seattle Seahawks, Wednesday, Sept. 9
A Wednesday night opener ahead of the Thursday Rams-49ers matchup in Australia, we’ll find out if the Patriots are better prepared for a Super Bowl rematch with months to prepare. New England oscillated from disjointed to complete disarray in the February loss to Seattle and didn’t have all oars in the water during an offseason when Mike Vrabel’s off-field, ahem, affairs were a constant talking point.

7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Chicago Bears, Sunday, Nov. 8
Baker Mayfield vs. Caleb Williams piques our interest in a midseason “Sunday Night Football” matchup with the undercard of Buccaneers head coach and defensive maestro Todd Bowles against Bears coach and offensive brain Ben Johnson. The Bucs fell short of the postseason in 2025 for the first time since 2019, while the Bears are trending upward after the franchise won a playoff game (well, two of them, actually) in January to snap a 15-year drought dating to 2011.

8. Dallas Cowboys at Seattle Seahawks, Monday, Dec. 7
Crossover games with the NFC West add a degree of difficulty to the Dallas schedule this season. While we wait to offer judgment on the revamped defense, the Cowboys are likely to bring all the smoke to test Seattle’s versatile, attacking defense in a game sandwiched between matchups with the Eagles and Rams for Dallas.

9. Jacksonville Jaguars at Denver Broncos, Sunday, Sept. 20
Some called the Denver AFC West run last season but far fewer anticipated Jacksonville winning 13 games and dealing the Broncos one of the team’s three regular-season losses. First-year head coach Liam Coen reflects many of Broncos head coach Sean Payton’s qualities as a play-caller and designer, adding built-in entertainment value.

10. San Francisco 49ers at Kansas City Chiefs, Sunday, Dec. 27
What will the 49ers have left in the tank? San Francisco is setting a record for miles traveled in a season thanks to international treks to Mexico and Australia and the closing stretch for the 49ers is some kind of minefield from NFL schedulers. Patrick Mahomes and Brock Purdy are familiar foes but 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan has not beaten Andy Reid as a head coach (0-3). Two of those losses were agonizing Super Bowl defeats (LIV, 2020 and LVIII, 2024). After falling short of historical track and expectations in 2025, is the window closed on one or both of these longtime contenders?

–Field Level Media

Jan 4, 2026; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart (6) greets Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (4) on the field after the game at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Cowboys, Giants open ’26 season on Sunday Night Football

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John Harbaugh gets a shot at a statement in his first regular-season game as head coach of the New York Giants.

The NFC East rival Dallas Cowboys and Giants are set to square off in Week 1 in primetime on Sept. 13, the eighth time in 15 seasons they open the regular season in a head-to-head matchup.

The “Sunday Night Football” game will be played at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., where the Giants defeated the Cowboys for the first time since 2020 last season.

The NFL is releasing the full 2026 schedule on Thursday. Giants-Cowboys is among marquee games confirmed ahead of the release date.

Dallas dominated the series with the Giants in recent years by sweeping both regular-season matchups four consecutive years before New York took a game (34-17) from the Cowboys last season. The Cowboys earned a split with a 40-37 overtime win which was sent to OT by Brandon Aubrey’s 64-yard field goal.

Harbaugh was hired as head coach of the Giants after being fired by the Ravens.

The Giants’ last win at Dallas was in 2016.

–Field Level Media

Feb 27, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza (QB11) speaks to members of the media during the NFL Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Jacob Musselman-Imagn Images

Raiders draft new centerpiece QB Fernando Mendoza No. 1 overall

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The Las Vegas Raiders selected Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft on Thursday, confident the Heisman Trophy winner and national champion just keeps winning.

The 22-year-old becomes the centerpiece of a franchise rebuild following his own meteoric rise, culminating in the Hoosiers claiming a football national title for the first time in program history.

Las Vegas went 3-14 last season and fired Pete Carroll as head coach, which prompted a change at quarterback under first-time head coach Klint Kubiak. The Raiders traded starter Geno Smith to the Jets and signed Kirk Cousins to bridge any potential gap for Mendoza to be deemed ready for the QB1 role.

General manager John Spytek and Kubiak said their “perfect world” would allow for Mendoza to be worked into the starting role gradually. Considered a cerebral field general more than a physical freak or elite specimen at quarterback, Mendoza has already openly discussed the presence of a priceless sounding board in Las Vegas: minority franchise owner Tom Brady. He read the “TB12 Method” book before the NFL Scouting Combine in preparation for a potential interaction with Brady.

That didn’t come until he took his official team visit to meet the team’s top brass.

“Everything that he’s all about is something that I’ve always emulated as a football player,” Mendoza said in February. “And anything the coaching staff has as coaching points, like, ‘Hey Fernando, we need you to get better at this, this and that,’ I’m gonna be like, ‘Hey Tom, how do I get better at this, this and that?’ If I get selected by Mr. Spytek and the Raiders, if that does happen, it’d be a great opportunity.”

Mendoza is the first No. 1 pick for the Raiders since drafting LSU quarterback JaMarcus Russell in 2007. The Raiders haven’t won a postseason game since the 2002 playoffs and have earned only two trips (2016, 2021) since losing Super Bowl XXXVII to the Buccaneers. The Raiders also last won the AFC West division in 2002.

All of the losses have placed the Raiders in position to stock the roster with blue-chip talent in the draft. Tight end Brock Bowers (13th pick, 2024) made a record-setting splash in his first season with 112 catches for 1,194 yards. Running back Ashton Jeanty (sixth overall pick, 2025) had 10 touchdowns last season despite being an easy target behind a ragtag offensive line.

Spytek insists a 180 turn by the Raiders from 3-14 in 2025 won’t be about one player or position. Las Vegas entered Thursday with 10 total draft picks and was next slated to pick at No. 36 overall, the fourth pick in the second round on Friday.

The Raiders have numerous position needs after averaging 14.2 points and allowing 25.4 points per game in 2025. The climb can be steep. As a team, the Raiders scored 40 fewer touchdowns (25) than the Rams. But the Washington Commanders and New England Patriots are living testaments to what a franchise-caliber quarterback can bring to a team.

The Commanders selected Jayden Daniels in 2024 and advanced to the NFC Championship during his rookie season. New England was in the Super Bowl in February with Drake Maye, the quarterback drafted one spot after Daniels, playing at an MVP level in a rapid rebuild.

Mendoza had 41 touchdown passes and six interceptions for Indiana last season, completing 72% of his passes to post a perfect 16-0 record not many outside the program saw coming. Indiana entered the season with the most losses in FBS history (715).

Overlooked coming out of high school, Mendoza didn’t get recruited by Miami — the team Indiana beat in the national championship game — despite growing up about a mile from campus and leading Columbus High to a state title in 2019. He wound up at Cal and played for the Bears for two years before transferring to Indiana.

“He had a lot of success last year,” Kubiak said of his early impressions of Mendoza. “He won a national championship, and that’s what you want. You want a winner.”

Mendoza, dressed in a black suit and silver tie, witnessed the selection surrounded by friends and family rather than attending the draft in Pittsburgh, opting to make the occasion all about those responsible for helping him make the dream sequence a reality. He thanked his mom, Elsa Mendoza, for being his biggest supporter during the Heisman Trophy acceptance speech in December. Elsa Mendoza is battling multiple sclerosis and the Mendoza family was more comfortable sharing the moment in Miami.

Mendoza revealed Thursday afternoon he was launching the Mendoza Family Fund — a charitable fund in partnership with the National MS Society — to raise money to fight MS. Mendoza announced he contributed a personal $500,000 donation.

–Field Level Media

The logo of the 2026 NFL Draft is showcased at the big screen inside the theater Wednesday, April 22, 2026 from outside Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, Pa.

Raiders back at No. 1, Jets comb best of Buckeyes

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Time is shorter and the wait is longer when the 2026 NFL Draft takes the stage in Pittsburgh on Thursday night.

The vagabond event marks a return to the home of the Steelers for the first time since 1948. Across three days, seven rounds and 257 total picks at Point State Park and Acrisure Stadium, which opened in 2001 as Heinz Field, players anxiously await to hear their name and, when chosen, embark on their NFL careers.

Barring a trade, the home fans will be waiting awhile for the Steelers to be on the clock at pick No. 21. But not as long as years past. A change will be implemented to reduce the time between each first-round selection from 10 minutes to eight minutes. The NFL reduced the time from 15 minutes to 10 in 2008.

Speaking of trades, there has already been significant wheeling and dealing of draft picks. General managers are also planning to be nimble on the clock Thursday in the first round. 49ers GM John Lynch anticipates “there’ll be a lot of trade movement this year.” Chiefs GM Brett Veach, drafting in the top 10 for the first time, echoed the sentiment.

“There’ll probably be a lot of trades,” Veach said.

Nobody expects the Raiders to trade out of the top spot, where they appear determined to select Heisman Trophy-winning Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza No. 1 overall. It’s the first time the Raiders enter the draft with the No. 1 spot since selecting LSU’s JaMarcus Russell in 2007.

After months of waiting, at least three in-person meetings and additional conversations with Mendoza, Raiders general manager John Spytek still expects a little alone time with the telephone in the draft room Thursday.

“Unless you’re super convinced that you’re making the pick, you kind of just sit there and wait for a little bit and see if your phone will ring,” Spytek said. “Sometimes, you can get really good trade offers that maybe you didn’t expect and other times your phone doesn’t ring, so then you just pick.”

Veach comes armed with two first-round picks courtesy of a trade with the Rams, who acquired cornerback Trent McDuffie for the No. 29 pick in the first round.

The Jets, Browns, Cowboys, Giants and Dolphins also own multiple picks in the top 32.

Trades have been a prevailing storyline for the Jets, who follow the Raiders on the clock at No. 2 and possess No. 16 overall courtesy of their trade of cornerback Sauce Gardner to the Indianapolis Colts last year. New York has a second pick in Round 2 as well — No. 44 from the Dallas Cowboys, part of the deal for Quinnen Williams last year — and a total of five in the top 103 in this draft.

It’s enough of a stockpile that the Jets could move down or stay put and draft any number of blue-chip options — four of them products of Ohio State. Linebackers Arvell Reese and Sonny Styles, safety Caleb Downs and wide receiver Carnell Tate are premier players at their position in this draft class. Any of them could be fits for the Jets, whose list of positional needs runs deep.

But the top-ranked pass rusher in the draft is David Bailey out of Texas Tech. Bailey and head coach Aaron Glenn downplayed the Jets canceling his “top 30 visit” to team headquarters. Bailey said Wednesday in Pittsburgh he has spent a lot of time with the Jets’ brass and recently caught up again on FaceTime. As far as Bailey is concerned, he’s very much an option for the Jets with the No. 2 pick Thursday.

“It’s been good, man. I’ve had great interaction with them,” Bailey said.

At No. 3, the Arizona Cardinals have a new head coach and no set plan at quarterback. While the Jets reacquired Geno Smith, the Cardinals haven’t tipped their hand. Consensus opinion of the 2026 draft class implies the answer might not be in this draft.

Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson is not a consensus first-round prospect but demand outweighs supply at the NFL’s most vital position, which could push the one-year Crimson Tide starter up draft boards.

With that in mind, Arizona has room on the roster for most of the brigade of Buckeyes, Bailey or could be a candidate to trade down.

The Titans are looking for a sidekick for 2025 No. 1 overall pick Cam Ward and might be antsy with the Cardinals on the clock. Tennessee has been closely connected to Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love, who said Wednesday he’s open to any outcome that could transpire in Pittsburgh on Thursday.

“You draft me, I’m not doing too much of nothing other than football,” Love said of his mindset and what he shared with interested NFL teams the past several months. “I want to be a Hall of Famer, I want to be a Pro Bowler my very first year. I want to win offensive rookie of the year. I tell them all these goals that I have.”

Alabama (2021) and Miami (2004) hold the record for most first-round picks produced by one program in a draft. If projections for four Buckeyes to be selected in the top 12 picks hold up, Ohio State nose tackle Kayden McDonald, who accepted an invitation to attend the draft in Pittsburgh, could be the fifth.

Multiple teams join the Colts (Gardner) by starting Thursday on the sideline without a first-round pick.

The Denver Broncos traded the No. 29 pick to the Dolphins in the Jaylen Waddle deal last month. Cincinnati sent the No. 10 pick to the New York Giants for Dexter Lawrence last week and the Falcons and Jaguars parted with 2026 first-rounders during the 2025 draft.

The Packers acquired Micah Parsons from the Cowboys in the August deal that cost Green Bay its 2006 first-rounder (20th overall).

–Field Level Media

NFL finalizes opponents for 2026 regular season

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Fourteen NFL teams and their fan bases are looking forward to the playoffs, but for everyone else, the focus has already shifted to next year.

The NFL finalized every team’s opponents for the 2026 season at the conclusion of the 2025 regular season on Sunday night, when Pittsburgh beat Baltimore to claim the AFC North title.

In the league’s scheduling formula, three games on each team’s schedule are based on the prior season’s standings — two intraconference opponents and one interconference opponent are determined by where teams placed in their divisions the year before.

Next season, the scheduling rotation for the 17th game lines up the AFC East with the NFC West, the AFC North with the NFC East, the AFC South with the NFC North and the AFC West with the NFC South. Among the more intriguing matchups this has created includes the New England Patriots visiting the Seattle Seahawks, the Buffalo Bills traveling to face the Los Angeles Rams and the all-Pennsylvania clash between the Steelers and host Philadelphia Eagles.

As usual, each team will play six division games, four games against a division within its conference and another four games against a division from the opposite conference.

Below are the 2026 opponents for every team, listed by division and order of finish this season. The schedule itself will be announced sometime this spring.

AFC EAST
1. New England Patriots
Home: Buffalo, Miami, N.Y. Jets, Denver, Green Bay, Las Vegas, Minnesota, Pittsburgh
Away: Buffalo, Miami, N.Y. Jets, Chicago, Detroit, Jacksonville, Kansas City, L.A. Chargers, Seattle

2. Buffalo Bills
Home: Miami, New England, N.Y. Jets, Baltimore, Chicago, Detroit, Kansas City, L.A. Chargers
Away: Miami, New England, N.Y. Jets, Denver, Green Bay, Houston, Las Vegas, L.A. Rams, Minnesota

3. Miami Dolphins
Home: Buffalo, New England, N.Y. Jets, Chicago, Cincinnati, Detroit, Kansas City, L.A. Chargers
Away: Buffalo, New England, N.Y. Jets, Denver, Indianapolis, Green Bay, Las Vegas, Minnesota, San Francisco

4. New York Jets
Home: Buffalo, Miami, New England, Cleveland, Denver, Green Bay, Las Vegas, Minnesota
Away: Buffalo, Miami, New England, Arizona, Chicago, Detroit, Kansas City, L.A. Chargers, Tennessee

AFC NORTH
1. Pittsburgh Steelers
Home: Baltimore, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Atlanta, Carolina, Denver, Houston, Indianapolis
Away: Baltimore, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Jacksonville, New England, New Orleans, Philadelphia, Tampa Bay, Tennessee

2. Baltimore Ravens
Home: Cincinnati, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Jacksonville, L.A. Chargers, New Orleans, Tampa Bay, Tennessee
Away: Cincinnati, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Atlanta, Buffalo, Carolina, Dallas, Houston, Indianapolis

3. Cincinnati Bengals
Home: Baltimore, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Jacksonville, Kansas City, New Orleans, Tampa Bay, Tennessee
Away: Baltimore, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Atlanta, Carolina, Houston, Indianapolis, Miami, Washington

4. Cleveland Browns
Home: Baltimore, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Atlanta, Carolina, Houston, Indianapolis, Las Vegas
Away: Baltimore, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Jacksonville, New Orleans, Tampa Bay, N.Y. Giants, N.Y. Jets, Tennessee

AFC SOUTH
1. Jacksonville Jaguars
Home: Houston, Indianapolis, Tennessee, Cleveland, New England, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Washington
Away: Houston, Indianapolis, Tennessee, Baltimore, Chicago, Cincinnati, Dallas, Denver, N.Y. Giants

2. Houston Texans
Home: Indianapolis, Jacksonville, Tennessee, Baltimore, Buffalo, Cincinnati, Dallas, N.Y. Giants
Away: Indianapolis, Jacksonville, Tennessee, Cleveland, Green Bay, L.A. Chargers, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Washington

3. Indianapolis Colts
Home: Houston, Jacksonville, Tennessee, Baltimore, Cincinnati, Dallas, Miami, N.Y. Giants
Away: Houston, Jacksonville, Tennessee, Cleveland, Kansas City, Minnesota, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Washington

4. Tennessee Titans
Home: Houston, Indianapolis, Jacksonville, Cleveland, N.Y. Jets, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Washington
Away: Houston, Indianapolis, Jacksonville, Baltimore, Cincinnati, Dallas, Detroit, Las Vegas, N.Y. Giants

AFC WEST
1. Denver Broncos
Home: Kansas City, Las Vegas, L.A. Chargers, Buffalo, Jacksonville, L.A. Rams, Miami, Seattle
Away: Kansas City, Las Vegas, L.A. Chargers, Arizona, Carolina, New England, N.Y. Jets, Pittsburgh, San Francisco

2. Los Angeles Chargers
Home: Denver, Kansas City, Las Vegas, Arizona, Houston, New England, N.Y. Jets, San Francisco
Away: Denver, Kansas City, Las Vegas, Baltimore, Buffalo, L.A. Rams, Miami, Seattle, Tampa Bay

3. Kansas City Chiefs
Home: Denver, Las Vegas, L.A. Chargers, Arizona, Indianapolis, New England, N.Y. Jets, San Francisco
Away: Denver, Las Vegas, L.A. Chargers, Atlanta, Buffalo, Cincinnati, L.A. Rams, Miami, Seattle

4. Las Vegas Raiders
Home: Denver, Kansas City, L.A. Chargers, Buffalo, L.A. Rams, Miami, Seattle, Tennessee
Away: Denver, Kansas City, L.A. Chargers, Arizona, Cleveland, New England, New Orleans, N.Y. Jets, San Francisco

NFC EAST
1. Philadelphia Eagles
Home: Dallas, N.Y. Giants, Washington, Carolina, Houston, Indianapolis, L.A. Rams, Pittsburgh, Seattle
Away: Dallas, N.Y. Giants, Washington, Arizona, Chicago, Jacksonville, San Francisco, Tennessee

2. Dallas Cowboys
Home: N.Y. Giants, Philadelphia, Washington, Arizona, Baltimore, Jacksonville, San Francisco, Tampa Bay, Tennessee
Away: N.Y. Giants, Philadelphia, Washington, Green Bay, Houston, Indianapolis, L.A. Rams, Seattle

3. Washington Commanders
Home: Dallas, N.Y. Giants, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Cincinnati, Houston, Indianapolis, L.A. Rams, Seattle
Away: Dallas, N.Y. Giants, Philadelphia, Arizona, Jacksonville, Minnesota, San Francisco, Tennessee

4. New York Giants
Home: Dallas, Philadelphia, Washington, Arizona, Cleveland, Jacksonville, New Orleans, San Francisco, Tennessee
Away: Dallas, Philadelphia, Washington, Detroit, Houston, Indianapolis, L.A. Rams, Seattle

NFC NORTH
1. Chicago Bears
Home: Detroit, Green Bay, Minnesota, Jacksonville, New England, New Orleans, N.Y. Jets, Philadelphia, Tampa Bay
Away: Detroit, Green Bay, Minnesota, Atlanta, Buffalo, Carolina, Miami, Seattle

2. Green Bay Packers
Home: Chicago, Detroit, Minnesota, Atlanta, Buffalo, Carolina, Dallas, Houston, Miami
Away: Chicago, Detroit, Minnesota, L.A. Rams, New England, New Orleans, N.Y. Jets, Tampa Bay

3. Minnesota Vikings
Home: Chicago, Detroit, Green Bay, Atlanta, Buffalo, Carolina, Indianapolis, Miami, Washington
Away: Chicago, Detroit, Green Bay, New England, New Orleans, N.Y. Jets, San Francisco, Tampa Bay

4. Detroit Lions
Home: Chicago, Green Bay, Minnesota, New England, New Orleans, N.Y. Giants, N.Y. Jets, Tampa Bay, Tennessee
Away: Chicago, Green Bay, Minnesota, Arizona, Atlanta, Buffalo, Carolina, Miami

NFC SOUTH
1. Carolina Panthers
Home: Atlanta, New Orleans, Tampa Bay, Baltimore, Chicago, Cincinnati, Denver, Detroit, Seattle
Away: Atlanta, New Orleans, Tampa Bay, Cleveland, Green Bay, Minnesota, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh

2. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Home: Atlanta, Carolina, New Orleans, Cleveland, Green Bay, L.A. Chargers, L.A. Rams, Minnesota, Pittsburgh
Away: Atlanta, Carolina, New Orleans, Baltimore, Chicago, Cincinnati, Dallas, Detroit

3. Atlanta Falcons
Home: Carolina, New Orleans, Tampa Bay, Baltimore, Chicago, Cincinnati, Detroit, Kansas City, San Francisco
Away: Carolina, New Orleans, Tampa Bay, Cleveland, Green Bay, Minnesota, Pittsburgh, Washington

4. New Orleans Saints
Home: Atlanta, Carolina, Tampa Bay, Arizona, Cleveland, Green Bay, Las Vegas, Minnesota, Pittsburgh
Away: Atlanta, Carolina, Tampa Bay, Baltimore, Chicago, Cincinnati, Detroit, N.Y. Giants

NFC WEST
1. Seattle Seahawks
Home: Arizona, L.A. Rams, San Francisco, Chicago, Dallas, Kansas City, L.A. Chargers, New England, N.Y. Giants
Away: Arizona, L.A. Rams, San Francisco, Carolina, Denver, Las Vegas, Philadelphia, Washington

2. Los Angeles Rams
Home: Arizona, San Francisco, Seattle, Buffalo, Dallas, Green Bay, Kansas City, L.A. Chargers, N.Y. Giants
Away: Arizona, San Francisco, Seattle, Denver, Las Vegas, Philadelphia, Tampa Bay, Washington

3. San Francisco 49ers
Home: Arizona, L.A. Rams, Seattle, Denver, Las Vegas, Miami, Minnesota, Philadelphia, Washington
Away: Arizona, L.A. Rams, Seattle, Atlanta, Dallas, Kansas City, L.A. Chargers, N.Y. Giants

4. Arizona Cardinals
Home: L.A. Rams, San Francisco, Seattle, Denver, Detroit, Las Vegas, N.Y. Jets, Philadelphia, Washington
Away: L.A. Rams, San Francisco, Seattle, Dallas, Kansas City, L.A. Chargers, New Orleans, N.Y. Giants

–Field Level Media

ACC reveals ‘26 schedule: Some play 9 league games, others 8

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The Atlantic Coast Conference revealed Tuesday that not all 17 of its football members will make the move to a nine-game conference schedule in 2026.

Instead, 12 teams will play nine games while Boston College, Clemson, Florida State, Georgia Tech and North Carolina will have eight games in what the league called a “transition year” to its new scheduling policy.

The ACC said in a news release that the unique format for 2026 was “designed to balance competitive equity, honor existing nonconference game contracts and account for the league’s unique 17-team footprint.”

Beginning in 2027, 16 teams will play a nine-game ACC schedule and also be required to schedule one other Power 4 opponent. Because of the odd number of member institutions, one team each season will be scheduled for eight ACC games and must schedule two Power 4 opponents elsewhere.

“Today’s announcement of our 2026 football league opponents is another significant and intentional step forward for ACC Football,” commissioner Jim Phillips said in a statement. “Transitioning to a nine-game conference schedule strengthens our competitive framework, aligns us with the other Power Four conferences and provides greater consistency for our student-athletes, coaches and fans. This phased approach reflects our commitment to competitive equity, scheduling flexibility and delivering a premier football product across all 17 institutions.”

The league announced its decision to join the Big Ten, Big 12 and SEC with a nine-game conference schedule back on Sept. 22.

The ACC also said in its release that its tiebreaker policy will be updated and announced sometime before the 2026 season.

The league caught flak for 7-5 Duke winning a five-way tiebreaker among 6-2 ACC teams to qualify for the championship game against Virginia. The unranked Blue Devils upset the Cavaliers for the conference title, and come College Football Playoff selection time, two Group of Five champions — Tulane and James Madison — were ranked higher than Duke and got in the field as the No. 11 and 12 seeds.

–Field Level Media

NFL to use commemorative ball in 2026 to mark nation’s 250th birthday

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The NFL will mark the 250th birthday of the United States in 2026 with embossing on the footballs and special field markings.

Commissioner Roger Goodell said in a news release Wednesday that the NFL has been working with the White House Salute to America 250 Task Force to take part in celebrating the nation’s 1776 founding.

The marking on the ball says “America 250,” with the stylized number colored in red, white and blue that has been adopted by organizers of the nationwide celebration.

“The NFL is proud to participate in celebrating America’s 250th anniversary,” Goodell said. “The story of the NFL reflects the story of America, and the American spirit of resilience, innovation and teamwork has helped football grow into a cultural pastime that unites us all. We are excited to honor our country’s history and celebrate our collective future.”

The NFL made a similar gesture during the nation’s bicentennial year in 1976.

The balls will be put into play in Week 18 during the Jan. 3 and 4 games to start the year-long celebration, which will run through the 2026 season.

In addition to the special balls and field insignias, commemorative coins will be used during pregame coin flips.

–Field Level Media

Sep 28, 2025; Dublin, Ireland; NFL commissioner Roger Goodell watches during an NFL International Series game between the Minnesota Vikings and the Pittsburgh Steelers at Croke Park. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Roger Goodell confirms NFL returning to Mexico City in 2026

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NFL commissioner Roger Goodell announced the league will return to Mexico City in 2026, confirming the next game at Estadio Azteca, as the venue nears completion of its World Cup renovation.

“We’ll be back in Mexico City next year, which we’re thrilled about,” the commissioner said at the Leaders in Sport conference in London, marking the league’s first on-the-record timetable for a Mexico game since the stadium closed for upgrades.

The commitment aligns with Azteca’s planned reopening ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Mexico City officials have said that the revamped stadium will be ready in early 2026, following a multi-year overhaul to meet FIFA standards. That construction forced the NFL to pause its Mexico games from 2023 through 2025.

Estadio Azteca last hosted the NFL in 2022, when the San Francisco 49ers defeated the Arizona Cardinals 38-10 on Monday Night Football. The league had staged multiple regular-season matchups there across the past two decades, including the landmark 2005 game that marked the first NFL regular-season contest played outside the United States.

Specifics for the 2026 return — date, teams and broadcast details — will be announced at a later date. But Goodell’s confirmation formalizes what had been widely anticipated once Azteca’s timeline firmed up. The venue’s upgrades include revamped player facilities and hospitality areas, along with seating changes tied to World Cup hosting.

–Field Level Media

Jul 24, 2025; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley (26) looks on during training camp at NovaCare Complex. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images

Eagles’ Saquon Barkley, Lane Johnson lead Madden ’99 Club’

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Cover star Saquon Barkley and Philadelphia Eagles teammate Lane Johnson lead the seven players who received 99 ratings for the “Madden NFL 26” video game, EA Sports announced Tuesday.

Joining the Super Bowl LIX champion running back and right tackle in the prestigious “99 Club” are reigning NFL MVP Josh Allen of the Buffalo Bills and fellow quarterback Lamar Jackson of the Baltimore Ravens, wide receivers Ja’Marr Chase of the Cincinnati Bengals and Justin Jefferson of the Minnesota Vikings, and defensive end Myles Garrett of the Cleveland Browns.

The selections marked a changing of the guard, as none of the seven members received 99 ratings in the “Madden NFL 25” edition.

Jefferson previously made the cut in 2024, as did Garrett in 2023. Allen (2024) and Jackson (2021) previously were featured on the Madden cover.

–Field Level Media

Ohio State and Texas are among the finalists for Georgia prep linebacker Xavier Griffin.

5-star LB Xavier Griffin set to announce college choice on Sunday

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Xavier Griffin, ranked by the 247Sports composite as the No. 2 linebacker in the Class of 2026, is scheduled to announce his college commitment on Sunday afternoon.

A 6-foot-3, 200-pound player, Griffin has four finalists: Alabama, Florida State, Ohio State and Texas. He plays at Gainesville (Ga.) High School.

The composite also lists the five-star as the No. 27 overall prospect in the nation. He has made official visits at all four schools since May 30.

According to 247Sports, Griffin has made 97 tackles and 21 sacks and added three forced fumbles over the past two seasons.

Tyler Atkinson, the nation’s No. 1 prospect at linebacker, has yet to commit. From Grayson High School in Loganville, Ga., he has taken official visits to Clemson, Georgia, Oregon and Texas.

–Field Level Media