The 2021 NFL season is less than two months away, but fans are looking forward to the end of July as all the teams report to training camp. That will be followed by the preseason and the regular season will kick off in September. And after a very long offseason, fans are ready for some football.
The offseason had its share of headlines which will like continue into the regular season. The Houston Texans are not sure what’s going to happen with DeShaun Watson as he is dealing with legal issues as well as not wanting to be part of the team anymore. It’s the same situation for the Green Bay Packers as Aaron Rodgers reportedly told people in the organization he is not returning to the team this fall.
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But all eyes will be on Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers who won the Super Bowl last year. All 22 starters from last season are back for another run. However, having depth and experience doesn’t always guarantee a Lombardi trophy at the end of the season. But before we get to the Super Bowl, there are some dates during the season that fans need to know.
Aug. 5 – Hall of Fame Game
The first NFL game of the 2021 season is in three weeks as the Dallas Cowboys and Pittsburgh Steelers will play in the Hall of Fame game. The following weekend (Aug. 12-16) the rest of the NFL teams will start their preseason, and each team will play in three games instead of four.ย
Sept. 9 – Regular Season Kickoff
The 2021 regular season will kick off when the Dallas Cowboys take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. On Sept. 12-13, the reaming teams will open the season, and there will be full crowds at every stadium.ย
Sept. 28 – NFL London Series Begins
The NFL starts its international series as the Atlanta Falcons take on the New York Jets at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. There will be another London game on Oct. 17 when the Miami Dolphins take on the Jacksonville Jaguars at the same field.ย
Nov. 2 – Trade Deadline
The trade deadline is not as big in the NFL as it is in MLB or NBA, but it’s still something fans will keep an eye on. One of the best trade deadlines moves from 2020 was the San Francisco 49ers sending linebacker Kwon Alexander to the New Orleans Saints.ย
Jan. 8 to 9: The 18th Week
The NFL has added an extra game for all teams, leading to the 18th week. There are no games set for Saturday (Jan. 8), but that will change when the league gets closer to the date as it wants to set the best matches possible.
Jan. 30 – Conference Championship
At the end of the month, two of the biggest NFL games will take place. Will the Buccaneers and Chiefs be back in the game to defender their conference titles? Or will two new teams reach the Super Bowl?ย
Feb. 13 – Super Bowl LVI
The 56th Super Bowl will take place at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, which is the home of the Los Angeles Rams and Los Angeles Chargers. This will be the eighth time the Super Bowl will be played in the Los Angeles area and the first time since 1993.ย
