NFL unveils 2026 schedule: Patriots–Seahawks rematch headlines revenge-game slate

The National Football League (NFL) released its full 272-game regular-season schedule on Thursday, May 14, 2026, setting marquee matchups across the calendar. The slate opens with a Super Bowl LX rematch in Week 1, as the New England Patriots visit the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field. Beyond the opener, several games carry clear revenge storylines with coaches and players set to face former teams. Here are the key highlights from the newly announced schedule.

In Week 1, the Tennessee Titans face the New York Jets, pitting Titans head coach Robert Saleh against the franchise he previously led. The Titans also travel to the New York Giants in Week 3, where offensive coordinator Brian Daboll meets his former team. Both departures from New York were turbulent, adding extra edge to each matchup.

Another early-season circle date arrives in Week 5, when the Green Bay Packers host the Chicago Bears. Green Bay exited the playoffs last season after surrendering a 27-16 fourth-quarter lead to Chicago, a collapse that included two late touchdown passes from Caleb Williams as the Bears scored 25 points in the final period. With the rivals having split their regular-season series last year, the rematch comes early and loaded with context.

Patriots seek payback in Seattle

The Super Bowl LX rematch between New England and Seattle anchors Week 1. The Patriots travel to one of the league’s most difficult venues looking to reverse the result from February. Lumen Field’s atmosphere and the Seahawks’ continuity add to the challenge for a New England side aiming to reset the narrative quickly.

Titans ties to Jets and Giants

Saleh’s Week 1 meeting with the Jets offers an immediate measuring stick for his new tenure in Tennessee. Two weeks later, Daboll’s return to MetLife Stadium with the Titans’ offense gives the Giants’ fan base a fresh look at their former head coach. Both games figure to be emotional benchmarks for staffs eager to show progress.

Player returns and high-stakes divisional bouts

Week 7 features running back Kenneth Walker’s first trip back to Seattle after leaving in free agency on a three-year, $43.5 million deal; his new team heads to Lumen Field to face the Seahawks. The following week, the New York Jets host the Las Vegas Raiders, setting up quarterback Geno Smith against the club that released him after a difficult 2-13 season in which he led the league with 17 interceptions.

Quarterback Daniel Jones meets the New York Giants in Week 12 as an Indianapolis Colt. Jones spent more than five seasons with the Giants before a mid-2024 benching and subsequent release; he finished that season with Minnesota and signed with Indianapolis last year, where he rebuilt his stock. The matchup offers Jones a chance to test his progress against his former franchise.

Coaches’ returns and division deciders

Week 14 sends Kevin Stefanski back to Cleveland as head coach of the Atlanta Falcons. Stefanski guided the Browns from 2020 to 2025 with two playoff berths before being dismissed at the end of the 2025 season; he was hired by Atlanta less than two weeks later. His first game back at Cleveland Browns Stadium will draw attention late in the playoff race.

Rivalries heat up in Week 15, when the Baltimore Ravens visit the Pittsburgh Steelers. The teams’ season finale last year effectively decided the AFC North after a late drive set up a 44-yard field goal that Baltimore missed wide right, sending Pittsburgh through. The league waits until December to stage the return, heightening the stakes.

In Week 17, the Denver Broncos travel to face the Patriots in a game that recalls last season’s AFC title clash. Denver was without starting quarterback Bo Nix due to a broken ankle in that conference championship, thrusting Jarrett Stidham into the lineup. The late-season rematch adds another chapter to a storyline shaped by circumstance.

Broadcast details and week-by-week rhythms are now set, but form, injuries and playoff positioning will ultimately shape how these revenge plots play out. Fans will have these dates circled well before kickoff as the 2026 campaign takes shape.