The wait is basically a sport itself now. You've got the draft in April, and then that weird, quiet lul before the schedule drops in mid-May. Everyone is scouring Twitter for leaks. Every season, the same thing happens. We act like we don't know who the teams are playing, even though the opponents were locked in the second the previous regular season ended.
But the "when" and the "where" matter way more than the "who."
If you're looking for the latest 2025 NFL schedule rumors, you’ve probably noticed the league is turning into a global travel agency. We aren't just talking about a couple of games in London anymore. We are looking at a full-blown world tour.
The Mid-May Drop and the Early Leaks
The NFL usually likes to own the news cycle in the second week of May. For 2025, the target window is Wednesday, May 14. Historically, the league has favored that Wednesday or Thursday night at 8 p.m. ET to maximize the "Schedule Release" show ratings.
It's kind of a circus.
Before the full 272-game grid iron puzzle is solved, we get the breadcrumbs. The international games usually leak first. Then comes the holiday slate. By the time Mike North and the scheduling team at the NFL actually hit "publish" on the full list, we usually know about 20% of the marquee matchups.
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One thing that's pretty much a lock: the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles will host the season opener on Thursday, September 4. Rumors have been swirling that they’ll face the Dallas Cowboys to kick things off. That’s a massive ratings play right out of the gate.
2025 NFL Schedule Rumors: The International Explosion
The NFL is basically trying to conquer every continent at this point. 2025 is going to be the biggest year for international play in history. Seven games. That's the magic number.
Honestly, the logistics are a nightmare for the teams involved, but the league loves the revenue. Here is what we're hearing about the international stops:
- São Paulo, Brazil: The Los Angeles Chargers are slated to "host" a game here on Friday night, September 5. The rumor mill has the Kansas City Chiefs as the most likely opponent. It’ll be a YouTube-exclusive stream, which is a big shift for fans.
- Dublin, Ireland: This is a big one. The Pittsburgh Steelers are the heavy favorites to play the Minnesota Vikings at Croke Park in Week 4. The Steelers have deep roots in Ireland through the Rooney family, so this isn't just a random pick.
- Madrid, Spain: The Santiago Bernabéu is making its NFL debut. The Miami Dolphins are expected to take on the Washington Commanders here in Week 11.
- The London Triple-Header: London is the old reliable. We’re looking at three games across Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and Wembley. Expect the Jacksonville Jaguars to be there (obviously), likely facing the Rams.
- Berlin, Germany: After the success in Munich and Frankfurt, Berlin is next. The Indianapolis Colts are rumored to host the Atlanta Falcons in Week 10 at the Olympic Stadium.
Netflix, Christmas, and the Death of the Traditional Week
Remember when Tuesday and Wednesday were "safe" days for your non-NFL life? Those days are gone.
The biggest 2025 NFL schedule rumors revolve around the Christmas Day tripleheader. Netflix paid a fortune to stream these games. Since Christmas falls on a Thursday in 2025, the NFL is treating it like a "Super" Thursday.
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The rumored lineup for December 25th is a doozy:
- Dallas Cowboys vs. Washington Commanders (1 p.m. ET)
- Detroit Lions vs. Minnesota Vikings (4:30 p.m. ET)
- Denver Broncos vs. Kansas City Chiefs (8:15 p.m. ET)
The NFL is also sticking with the Black Friday game on Amazon Prime. The Chicago Bears and Philadelphia Eagles are the names being floated for that 3 p.m. ET slot on November 28. It's basically becoming a four-day football bender from Thanksgiving through Monday night.
The 18-Game Season Shadow
There's a lot of talk about the schedule expanding. Not in 2025, though. We are staying at 17 games for now. However, you can bet that the 2025 schedule is being built as a bridge to 2026 or 2027, when the 18-game move seems inevitable.
Roger Goodell has been surprisingly open about wanting more international games. To get to 16 international games a year—his stated goal—the league almost has to go to 18 games. Why? Because teams won't give up their precious home gates without more total inventory.
What the Strength of Schedule Actually Tells Us
People love to talk about Strength of Schedule (SOS) as soon as the dates drop. But here’s the thing: SOS is usually a lie.
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It's based on last year's records. In the NFL, "last year" might as well be a decade ago.
Take the San Francisco 49ers. On paper, they have one of the "easiest" schedules in 2025 because of how their division opponents finished last year. But they still have to play the Chiefs, the Bills, and the Lions. On the flip side, the New York Giants are looking at a brutal stretch. They’ve got 10 games against teams that made the 2024 playoffs.
If you're looking for an "easy" path, the Patriots and Saints actually have some of the lowest opponent win percentages entering the year. But if those teams don't fix their own rosters, it won't matter if they're playing the 1972 Dolphins or a local high school team.
Planning Your 2025 Road Trip
If you're a fan planning to travel, wait for the official drop on May 14 before booking anything non-refundable. The leaks are often right, but the NFL has a habit of moving games by a week at the last minute to accommodate "flex" scheduling or broadcasting conflicts.
Keep an eye on the "Bird Team" gauntlet for the Rams. There's a weird quirk where the Rams could play every "bird" team in the league this year (Eagles, Ravens, Seahawks, Cardinals, Falcons). That hasn't happened often in NFL history.
Your Next Steps for the 2025 Season
- Clear your May 14 evening: The full schedule will drop at 8 p.m. ET.
- Check your passports: If you want to see the Steelers in Dublin or the Dolphins in Madrid, the ticket lotteries usually open shortly after the release.
- Update your streaming: Between Netflix, Amazon Prime, and YouTube, you're going to need more than just a cable subscription to catch every game this year.
- Watch the Week 18 flex: Remember that the final week of the season (January 3-4, 2026) won't have set times until the very last minute to ensure "win-and-in" scenarios get the primetime slots.