NFL Schedule Release 2021: Time, Channel and How to Watch
One of the biggest days of the NFL offseason is finally here. Three months after the Tampa Bay [...]
One of the biggest days of the NFL offseason is finally here. Three months after the Tampa Bay Buccaneers defeated the Kansas City Chiefs in the Super Bowl, the NFL will release its schedule for the 2021 season. Fans can watch the action Wednesday night on the NFL Network at 8 p.m. ET. Fans can also stream Schedule Release '21 on NFL.com and the NFL app.
NFL fans got a gift on Wednesday morning when the league announced the schedule for Week 1. The season officially kicks off on Thursday, September 9 when the Tampa Bay Buccaneers host the Dallas Cowboys. Other Week 1 games including the Chicago Bears. vs. Los Angeles Rams, Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Buffalo Bills, Green Bay Packers vs. New Orleans Saints and Baltimore Ravens vs. Las Vegas Raiders.
Along with announcing the Week 1 games, the NFL revealed the two games that will be played in London. On October 10, the Atlanta Falcons will host the New York Jets. On October 17, the Jacksonville Jaguars will host the Miami Dolphins. Both games will be played at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium with a kick-off time of 2:30 p.m. UK time (9:30 a.m. ET).
The 2021 season is big for the NFL as each team will play 17 games. In March, the NFL approved a new season structure where each team will play one addition regular-season game and three preseason games. The extra game will feature teams from opposing conferences that finished in the game played within their division there the previous year. It was determined that the AFC is the home conference for the 17th game.
"This is a monumental moment in NFL history," NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement. "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 regular season will be followed by the playoffs that expanded to 14 teams last year. Super Bowl LVI is scheduled for February 13, 2022, and will be played at SoFi Stadium, the home of the Los Angeles Rams and Los Angeles Chargers.