This month, the NFL will reveal the 2024 regular-season schedules for its 32 teams. Here are seven questions we have before we learn when each game will be played.
1. Where and when will the schedule be announced?
NFL Network and ESPN2 will both air broadcasts. The past four NFL schedules have been released on a Wednesday or Thursday in early May, making the 8th or 9th the earliest we’d likely get the reveal. But it could come later.
The NFL’s in-house network airs Arena Football League games on Thursday nights in May, while
TVInsider shows both networks have full programming lineups for the next two weeks. The exception is May 14 on NFL Network, but on that same evening, ESPN2 has the opening night of the WNBA regular season.
2. Who will the Chiefs play in the opener?
Kansas City will host the 2024 opener by winning Super Bowl LVIII, and we already know the Chiefs’ eight home opponents.
The Ravens and Bengals would be excellent choices, but those games will draw massive audiences regardless of when they’re played. Those could be huge events later in the year.
The Chargers, in Jim Harbaugh’s return to the NFL, could be an option. However, we like the idea of C.J. Stroud, Stefon Diggs and the Texans getting the high-profile engagement.
3. What teams play in the international series?
This is the one area where some information has trickled out. Brazil will host the Packers-Eagles in Week 1. The Jaguars, Bears and Vikings host games in London, and the Panthers host the league’s fourth game in Germany.
4. What teams will snap ‘Monday Night Football’ droughts?
The Texans have, for good reason, been relegated to the early afternoon timeslot for most of the 2020s. The last time they hosted an “MNF” game was in 2018. With the franchise trending upward, it should be prominently featured in prime time throughout the season.
Also, look out for the Falcons, who signed quarterback Kirk Cousins during free agency. Atlanta hasn’t played on Monday night since 2020, and it’s been six years since the team last hosted an MNF game, when the Giants came to town on Oct. 22, 2018.
5. Which, if any, Patriots games will Fox color commentator Tom Brady call?
One of the biggest off-the-field questions this season will be how Brady fares in his first season as a broadcaster. It’s also worth wondering when he’ll get his first chance to call a game in Foxborough, where he won six Super Bowls as a member of the Patriots from 2000-19. A member of Fox’s No. 1 broadcasting crew, he likely will get more marquee games than New England, which isn’t expected to be very good in 2024, can offer.
6. Will rookie quarterbacks be in the spotlight?
It will be interesting to see how the influx of rookie quarterbacks shapes the schedule. Bears quarterback Caleb Williams will likely be the biggest draw with two divisional games against the Vikings and (potentially) rookie J.J. McCarthy and a road meeting with the Commanders and No. 2 pick Jayden Daniels.
7. Will Al Michaels have any good games to call at Amazon?
Since his NBC contract expired, the legendary broadcaster has been exiled to Amazon and “Thursday Night Football,” where he’s often forced to call some of the league’s worst games.
Even if the quality of opponents improves in 2024, chances are the games won’t. We have enough evidence to know that regardless of who plays, Thursday night games are a diminished on-the-field product. So, take it easy on Michaels this fall. He’s doing the best with the material he has.
