When Is the Start of the NFL Season?
Contents
Wondering when the NFL season starts? We’ve got you covered with all the important dates for the upcoming season.
Introduction
The National Football League (NFL) is the professional American football league in the United States, consisting of 32 teams. It was formed in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association (APFA) before renaming itself as the National Football League for the 1922 season. The NFL is one of the four major North American professional sports leagues, the highest professional level of American football in the world, the wealthiest professional sport league by revenue, and the sport league with the most valuable teams.
What is the NFL Season?
The NFL season typically starts in September and ends in December or January. However, the exact date of the start of the season varies from year to year. The NFL season is the time when all the teams in the National Football League (NFL) play against each other.
The regular season
The National Football League (NFL) regular season begins on the weekend following the Labor Day holiday (the first Monday in September). Prior to 1970, the regular season started as late as September 28. From 1970 to 1977, the NFL season began the week after Labor Day. In 1978, it began one week earlier, and has begun one week earlier ever since.
Each team plays 16 games during the regular season. Games are scheduled each week from Thursday night to Monday night. Each team has one bye week, for a total of 17 weeks of play. The schedule is designed so that each team plays every other team in their conference twice (one home game and one away game), and all teams outside of their conference once (also either a home or away game).
The playoffs
The NFL playoffs are a single-elimination tournament held after the end of the regular season to determine the NFL champion. Six teams from each conference ( AFC and NFC ) qualify for the playoffs based on their regular season records. The four division winners in each conference are seeded 1-4 based on their overall won-loss-tie record, and the two wild card teams are seeded 5-6. The top two seeds in each conference receive a first-round bye .
In the first round of the playoffs, dubbed the wild card round, the 3 seed hosts the 6 seed, and the 4 seed hosts the 5 seed. The 1 seed is idle, while the 2 seed plays a “wild card” game against either the 3 or 6 seed. Winners advance in the bracket to play either the 1 or 2 seed in their conference in the divisional round . Again, winners advance in the bracket, with those teams then playing in conference championship games , with Conference Championships hosted by AFC and NFC divisional playoff game winners respectively. Finally, this process culminates with two teams meeting in Super Bowl Sunday , held annually on a Sunday in February – this is typically referred to as simply “The Super Bowl”.
When does the NFL Season start?
The NFL season is set to start on September 10th, 2020. However, there is a possibility that the season might be delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The NFL has not made a decision yet on whether or not the season will be delayed.
The regular season
The regular season of the National Football League (NFL) begins the week after Labor Day in early September and ends in late December or early January. It consists of 16 games played by each of the league’s 32 teams over a 17-week schedule. A bye week is given to each team at some point during the season, generally between weeks four and eight
The playoffs
After 17 regular season weeks, the NFL playoffs begin. Seven teams from each conference (AFC and NFC) qualify for the playoffs. The four division winners in each conference are seeded 1-4 based on their record, and the three wild card teams are seeded 5-7. The playoffs are a single-elimination tournament, meaning each team only gets one chance to win. The knockout stage begins with the Wild Card round, followed by the Divisional round, Conference Championships, and finally the Super Bowl.
The NFL playoff schedule is as follows:
Wild Card Weekend:
-Saturday, January 4 – AFC Wild Card Game (CBS)
-Saturday, January 4 – NFC Wild Card Game (FOX)
-Sunday, January 5 – AFC Wild Card Game (NBC)
-Sunday, January 5 – NFC Wild Card Game (FOX)
Divisional Playoffs:
-Saturday, January 11 – AFC Divisional Playoff Game (CBS)
-Saturday, January 11 – NFC Divisional Playoff Game (FOX)
-Sunday, January 12 – AFC Divisional Playoff Game (NBC)
-Sunday, January 12 – NFC Divisional Playoff Game (FOX)
Conference Championships:
-Sunday, January 19 – AFC Championship Game (CBS)
-Sunday, January 19 – NFC Championship Game (FOX)
Conclusion
The NFL regular season typically starts the week after Labor Day. This year, the season is set to begin on Thursday, September 10.
