2024 NFL schedule release: When will league announce, why it may be delayed and what to expect moving forward

Several pillars of the NFL offseason have come and gone: the Scouting Combine, the start of free agency, the 2024 NFL Draft. Now, all eyes are on the upcoming schedule release, with fans of all 32 teams anxiously awaiting news of when and where their favorite squads will be playing this fall. But when, exactly, will the NFL announce its 2024 lineup?

Here’s everything you need to know:

When is the 2024 schedule release?

As of now, there is no official word from the NFL on when the schedule will be released, other than that it is coming “soon” in the month of May. Many had circled May 9 as a probable target, considering the NFL has unveiled each of its last three regular-season schedules (2021-2023) on the second Thursday of May, or roughly two weeks following the draft. But signs now point to a potentially later date.

Is the 2024 release being delayed?

You can’t delay something that’s never specifically been announced, so technically, no. But if we assume the league originally intended to release the schedule on the second Thursday of May, as was the case the last three years, then yes, it appears it could be held up. According to NBC Sports, signs point to the week of May 13-17 as more likely. The only confirmation we have from the NFL is that it will occur before the end of the month.

So … when is it actually going to happen?

The first probable possibility is May 9, the originally anticipated release date. Common sense says the NFL would’ve already promoted this, if it were confirmed, but recent history also tells us the league has gradually given less notice for its schedule release; compared to 2021, when the NFL announced its schedule release 11 days before actually airing team schedules, 2023 saw the NFL announce its release date just three days prior. Some fans on X (formerly Twitter) have also claimed certain teams, like the New Orleans Saints, have emailed season-ticket-holders alerting them to a release on Thursday, May 9.

As NBC Sports speculates, the week of May 13-17 also registers as more likely than the week leading into Memorial Day Weekend, since it would theoretically maximize potential viewership. So, odds are, the release will still occur within the next week and a half.

Why is there less clarity on the date of release?

Again, this may simply be a continuation of the NFL’s trend toward a more abrupt schedule release, with each of the last three releases receiving less advance notice. But it’s possible there are other logistical hurdles this year. For one, the NFL is hosting its first-ever South American contest at the start of the schedule, sending the Green Bay Packers and Philadelphia Eagles to Brazil for a Friday night Week 1 contest. But those kinds of tentpole events are often coordinated long in advance. NBC Sports has also speculated the NFL could soon introduce a new multi-day schedule release, which could be reason for the perceived delay.