Samwise NFL Newsletter
Thursday, May 14, 2026
2026 NFL Schedule Release Set for 8 PM Tonight on NFL Network
The complete 2026 NFL regular season schedule drops Thursday at 8 p.m. ET on NFL Network, with the broadcast presenting all 272 games across 18 weeks. The release follows a Wednesday September 9 kickoff game — the first time since 2012 the NFL regular season opens on a Wednesday — and will include a record nine international games across seven countries, a Christmas Day tripleheader, and a full Thanksgiving week slate. The Buffalo Bills vs. Detroit Lions game at Highmark Stadium has been confirmed for the Thursday Night Football opener in Week 2. The show will assign every primetime slot across Amazon Prime, NBC, and ESPN/ABC for all 32 teams.
Sources: CBS Sports
Seahawks Host Patriots in Super Bowl LX Rematch to Open 2026 Season on September 9
The Seattle Seahawks will open their Super Bowl LX title defense at Lumen Field on Wednesday, September 9, hosting the New England Patriots in a rematch of February's championship. Seattle defeated New England 29–13 on February 8 in Santa Clara, with Sam Darnold at quarterback and Kenneth Walker earning Super Bowl MVP honors after rushing for 135 yards. The kickoff — airing on NBC and Peacock — marks the first time since 2012 the NFL has opened its regular season on a Wednesday. It is also the first Super Bowl rematch to open a regular season since the Denver Broncos and Carolina Panthers faced off in September 2016.
Sources: Yahoo Sports
NFL Sets International Record with Nine Games Across Seven Countries in 2026
The NFL will play nine games outside the United States during the 2026 regular season, the most in league history, spread across seven countries. Melbourne, Rio de Janeiro, London, Paris, Madrid, Munich, and Mexico City will each host at least one game. The international schedule was announced Wednesday on Good Morning Football, one day before the full regular-season release. London again leads international cities with multiple games, while Paris hosts its first NFL game and Melbourne debuts as a venue. The Baltimore Ravens and Dallas Cowboys will headline the Brazil date, which marks the country's second NFL game after the league's inaugural Brazilian contest in 2024.
Sources: ESPN
49ers and Rams Open Season in Melbourne on Netflix; Eagles Head to London to Face Jaguars
The San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams will open the 2026 NFL regular season in Melbourne, Australia on Thursday, September 10, streaming on Netflix. Kickoff takes place Friday morning local time at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, representing the league's most geographically distant regular-season venue to date. In Europe, the Philadelphia Eagles travel to Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London for a Week 5 matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars on October 11, kicking off at 9:30 a.m. ET on NFL Network. The Jaguars serve as the designated home team in London for the third consecutive season, continuing the franchise's longstanding international commitment.
Sources: CBS Sports
Steelers and Saints to Headline NFL's First-Ever Paris Game at Stade de France in Week 7
The Pittsburgh Steelers and New Orleans Saints will face off at Stade de France in Paris on Sunday, October 25, in the NFL's first-ever regular-season game on French soil. The Week 7 contest, announced Wednesday as part of the 2026 international schedule reveal, kicks off at 9:30 a.m. ET on NFL Network. France becomes the latest country added to the NFL's growing international footprint, which in 2026 also includes games in Germany, Spain, Brazil, Australia, the United Kingdom, and Mexico. The Steelers and Saints were also paired for an international contest in 2024, making them a repeat matchup for the league's global expansion efforts.
Sources: Bleacher Report
Packers Add Depth, Claiming CB MJ Devonshire and TE Luke Lachey Off Waivers
The Green Bay Packers claimed cornerback MJ Devonshire and tight end Luke Lachey off waivers Wednesday, adding two young players ahead of summer OTAs. Devonshire, 24, spent the 2025 season with the Panthers, Ravens, and Bills after going undrafted in 2024. Lachey, an Iowa product selected in the 2024 NFL Draft, spent his entire rookie year on the Houston Texans' practice squad without appearing in a regular-season game. Both players will compete for roster spots when Green Bay opens organized team activities on May 27. General manager Brian Gutekunst has maintained an aggressive approach to building the 90-man training camp roster throughout the spring.
Sources: Yahoo Sports
Colts Open OTAs Short-Staffed: Pierce Out with Ankle Procedure, Buckner Targeting Training Camp
The Indianapolis Colts opened their 2026 offseason program Wednesday with wide receiver Alec Pierce and defensive tackle DeForest Buckner both sidelined from on-field participation. Pierce underwent a cleanup procedure on his ankle and will miss all OTAs and minicamp activities through June, with the Colts expecting him available for the start of training camp in late July. Buckner, who had a neck procedure during the offseason, is also targeting a training camp return. General manager Chris Ballard addressed both injuries at the start of the offseason program, calling Pierce's procedure routine and expressing confidence in Buckner's availability entering his 11th professional season.
Sources: Indianapolis Colts
2026 Rookie Minicamp Recap: Cardinals Eye Jeremiyah Love, Cowboys Emphasize Conditioning
NFL teams wrapped up 2026 rookie minicamps this week, giving franchises their first on-field look at new draft picks. Arizona Cardinals coordinator Klint Kubiak described No. 3 overall pick running back Jeremiyah Love as good in early sessions. In Dallas, coordinator Brian Schottenheimer's conditioning emphasis left several rookies sick during practice; he noted that none of these guys are in great shape, a standard early-offseason observation. Denver Broncos coach Sean Payton said there is a good chance quarterback Bo Nix returns for the team's mid-June minicamp after an offseason procedure. The Cleveland Browns are tracking Taylen Green as a starting quarterback candidate ahead of training camp.
Sources: CBS Sports
American Conference Divisions
AFC East
1. New England Patriots — 14–3–0
2. Buffalo Bills — 12–5–0
3. Miami Dolphins — 7–10–0
4. New York Jets — 3–14–0
AFC North
1. Pittsburgh Steelers — 10–7–0
2. Baltimore Ravens — 8–9–0
3. Cincinnati Bengals — 6–11–0
4. Cleveland Browns — 5–12–0
AFC South
1. Jacksonville Jaguars — 13–4–0
2. Houston Texans — 12–5–0
3. Indianapolis Colts — 8–9–0
4. Tennessee Titans — 3–14–0
AFC West
1. Denver Broncos — 14–3–0
2. Los Angeles Chargers — 11–6–0
3. Kansas City Chiefs — 6–11–0
4. Las Vegas Raiders — 3–14–0
National Conference Divisions
NFC East
1. Philadelphia Eagles — 11–6–0
2. Dallas Cowboys — 8–9–0
3. Washington Commanders — 6–11–0
4. New York Giants — 4–13–0
NFC North
1. Chicago Bears — 11–6–0
2. Green Bay Packers — 9–8–0
3. Detroit Lions — 8–9–0
4. Minnesota Vikings — 8–9–0
NFC South
1. Carolina Panthers — 8–9–0
2. Tampa Bay Buccaneers — 7–10–0
3. Atlanta Falcons — 7–10–0
4. New Orleans Saints — 6–11–0
NFC West
1. Seattle Seahawks — 13–4–0 🏆
2. Los Angeles Rams — 11–6–0
3. San Francisco 49ers — 10–7–0
4. Arizona Cardinals — 3–14–0
Curated by JD · samwise.agency