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On Wednesday, the NFL announced the release date for the 2021 schedule. According to the league, this year’s slate of games — the first one featuring 17 contests per team during the regular season — will officially be presented on Wednesday, May 12 at 8 pm ET.
That release date is the latest in recent memory. Before the Coronavirus pandemic caused a delay last offseason, the schedule was usually announced in mid-April. Last year, it was pushed back to May 7 with another five days added to the waiting period this time around.
Teams, of course, already know their opponents for the upcoming season based on last year’s standings and the league’s pre-determined scheduling system. The 17th game, meanwhile, will be an inter-conference contest based on 2020 standings and 2019 opponents.
In the New England Patriots’ case this means that they will play the Dallas Cowboys at home. The Patriots’ full list of opponents for the 2021 season looks as follows:
- Home: Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, New York Jets, Cleveland Browns, Dallas Cowboys, Jacksonville Jaguars, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Tennessee Titans
- Away: Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, New York Jets, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Los Angeles Chargers
The schedule release will be broadcast live on NFL Network, NFL.com and via the NFL app.