Heading into the full release of the 2026 NFL regular season schedule, we knew a couple of things. We knew the Chicago Bears had the hardest strength of schedule, while the Cleveland Browns had the easiest. We also knew the dates and locations of all nine NFL International Series games. Now, we know everything.
On Thursday night, the dam broke and the mystery surrounding specific dates of regular season games faded. Fans can now make arrangements and plan ahead for some of the best matchups for the upcoming season. Fans can also get excited about tentpole weeks throughout the regular season, and Thanksgiving week is looking incredible for 2026.
Thanksgiving has long been one of the true moneymakers for the NFL in terms of viewership. As families gather together to eat turkey and more, they also sit down to watch football.
Full slate of Thanksgiving week games for the 2026 NFL season
As the NFL continues to expand in many ways, this season will feature a game on Thanksgiving Eve, three on the actual holiday and another on Black Friday. And every matchup is extremely enticing.
- Thanksgiving Eve: Green Bay Packers at Los Angeles Rams
- Thanksgiving Day: Chicago Bears at Detroit Lions
- Thanksgiving Afternoon: Philadelphia Eagles at Dallas Cowboys
- Thanksgiving Night: Kansas City Chiefs at Buffalo Bills
- Black Friday: Denver Broncos at Pittsburgh Steelers
Every team taking part during Thanksgiving week has playoff aspirations. Among the teams featured, only the Dallas Cowboys and Detroit Lions missed out on the postseason last year, but both teams are staples on Thanksgiving and figure to be much improved in 2026. They’ll both be playing against a division rival, which should up the ante.
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