When Does The 2021-2022 NFL Schedule Come Out?

The season may have just concluded, but fans are already looking forward to the NFL schedule for the 2021-22 regular season. All the hype to see who's playing who and when next season is second only to all of the buzz for the upcoming draft in April.

When Will the NFL Schedule Be Officially Released?

Last year, the NFL schedule was released in May 2020. This was because of the delays brought about by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Usually, the NFL schedule is released in April, right around the time of the NFL Draft.

The key upcoming dates on the NFL Calendar:

🏈 February 23-March 9: The window to apply franchise or transition tags
🏈 March 15-17: Legal negotiating window before free agency
🏈 March 17: Free agency and the new league year begin
🏈April 29-May 1: The 2021 NFL Draft
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) February 9, 2021

The NFL doesn't foresee any pandemic-related roadblocks in the next couple of months, and the schedule will likely be announced on the eve of the draft.

How Will The NFL Schedule Be Released?

Since social media is at the forefront of how most people get their breaking news, it stands to reason that each team will post their NFL schedule via their respective accounts (Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, etc.).

In recent years, teams have put out their NFL schedules before the league announces it on the same day. To add, it's not impossible that a few notable games might get leaked, prior to the full schedule release. Those games are usually the Thursday night opener, the Monday night doubleheaders, or even the traditional Super Bowl rematch.

What Can Be Said For Sure?

This year, the NFL is attempting to configure a 17-game schedule for all 32 teams. The extra game was allowed via a confirmed vote last year.

16 game NFL regular season about to be a thing of the past ... 17 games coming to a TV near you in 2021 https://t.co/wDJpIgR5SH
— Michele Steele (@MicheleSteele) March 15, 2020

Each team will continue play the mandatory six divisional games on their schedule. There are a few dates on the calendar that seem to be set in stone, so long as there aren't any emergencies that will cause postponements like last season. There is still a 4-week pre-season set to begin on August 5th, with the Hall of Fame Game said to feature the Cowboys and the Steelers.

The 2021 HOF Game game will be a meeting over a year in the making. Originally planned for 2020, this year’s game will be a highly anticipated matchup between 2 storied franchises: the @steelers & @dallascowboys.

How to Attend: https://t.co/qb6lj8Th0k#PFHOF21 | @HOFExperiences pic.twitter.com/ZirvcahLZP
— Pro Football Hall of Fame (@ProFootballHOF) February 15, 2021

Thursday night's opener will be on September 9th, with the last week of the regular season concluding in January 2022. Super Bowl LVI will take place from SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, CA, on February 13th. 2022.