NFL schedule announcement: Three playoff teams may have a more challenging 2026

NFL’s 2026 Schedule Development

The NFL is diligently preparing to unveil its 2026 regular season schedule. While the complete schedule will be finalized by May 14, several matchups for Week 1 and Thanksgiving have already been announced.

Thanks to the league’s scheduling method, we have a clear understanding of each team’s opponents for the upcoming season.

This insight suggests that some teams that made the playoffs last year might find their 2026 journey even more challenging.

In examining the strength of team schedules—based on the combined winning percentages of their 2025 opponents—the Chicago Bears are set to have the toughest slate of games next season, facing opponents with a .550 winning percentage from last year.

Moreover, two other playoff teams, the Green Bay Packers and New England Patriots, are also looking at challenging schedules. The Packers’ foes in 2026 had a winning percentage of .538 (tied for the third-most difficult), while the Patriots’ opponents posted a .531 winning percentage, ranking their schedule as the sixth toughest in the league.

It’s a significant shift from the previous year when the Patriots secured a spot in Super Bowl LX with one of the easier schedules in NFL history.

As the schedule rankings for 2026 are rolled out, the Cleveland Browns will benefit from having the easiest schedule next year.

However, focusing solely on last year’s winning percentages might not give the whole picture when assessing a team’s future schedule strength. Teams can undergo considerable changes year to year, and historical data doesn’t always predict future performance accurately.

Another perspective on schedule strength can be derived from oddsmakers’ expectations for the upcoming season. According to analyses, the Carolina Panthers—surprisingly—will have the most difficult slate of games among last season’s playoff teams. They are projected to face the third-toughest schedule next year, following the Arizona Cardinals and Miami Dolphins, with the Dallas Cowboys and Los Angeles Rams not far behind.