One of the most anticipated days on the 2025 NFL calendar is this week — the release of the 2025 schedule. The schedule release certainly isn’t for everyone, as fans already know the opponents for their favorite team heading into the release. For others, the schedule release is an opportunity for fans to plan road trips to see their favorite teams play and what day their team will be playing.
The NFL isn’t just played on Sundays anymore. The league has a full-season slate of “Thursday Night Football” games in addition to the long-standing tradition of “Monday Night Football.” There are three games on Thanksgiving, three games on Christmas, and eight international games on the slate. There is even a game played on a Friday in Week 1 of the regular season (the game in Brazil) along with multiple games played on Saturdays in late December and early January.
Not only does the league have a variance of days, but multiple television and streaming partners that make the schedule release even more intriguing. CBS and Fox have the Sunday afternoon package, while NFC has “Sunday Night Football” and ESPN/ABC have “Monday Night Football.” Amazon Prime has “Thursday Night Football” and NFL Network has selected International Series games and late-season Saturday games. Netflix has two Christmas Day games while Peacock and ESPN+ will get to exclusively air one game. There may even be a new streaming partner for the Brazil game in 2025.
2025 NFL schedule release sneak peek: Here are 11 things we already know about this year’s slate of games
John Breech
The opponents are known, but when they will play each other will be revealed on Wednesday. That makes the NFL schedule release intriguing, along with the nationally televised games each team will receive.
Since we know the opponents already, what are the most anticipated games on the 2025 NFL schedule? There are the 10 must-see TV games on the NFL slate, ones no fan of the league will want to miss.
Note: Divisional games are ineligible for this list, since they happen every season. This list features games that feature non-divisional opponents.
Remember how the thriller last season between the Bears and Commanders ended? Jayden Daniels led the Commanders to a comeback victory against the Bears with a Hail Mary touchdown pass with no time left on the clock. The Bears dropped nine in a row after the loss while the Commanders took that momentum and rode it to a surprising NFC Championship game appearance. The Bears have the 2024 No. 1 overall pick in Caleb Williams and the Commanders have the No. 2 overall pick in Jayden Daniels.
The Bengals haven’t made the playoffs since 2022, but Joe Burrow is one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL. This is another showdown between Burrow and Josh Allen, featuring two of the best offenses in the NFL. This showdown has the makings of an offensive shootout, and has some recent playoff history attached to it. The Bengals stunned the Bills in the divisional round of the divisional round of the AFC playoffs in 2022.
Two of the best teams in the NFL square off at Arrowhead Stadium, a rematch of the thrilling 2023 NFL Kickoff Game which the Lions announced to the NFL world they were ready for prime time. The Lions and Chiefs were each the No. 1 seeds in their respective conferences last season, both sporting a 15-2 record. This is a matchup of heavyweight powers.
The only team Josh Allen hasn’t beaten in the regular season? The Eagles, as the Bills are 0-2 against Philadelphia since Allen was drafted by the Bills. This will be the first time Allen and Jalen Hurts will square off since their overtime thriller in Philadelphia two years ago. This is a matchup with two of the best quarterbacks and rosters in the NFL, and the final time the Eagles will play in HighMark Stadium. Could it also be a Super Bowl LX preview?
6. Detroit Lions at Washington Commanders
Another revenge game is on the docket, as this one also takes place in Washington. The Commanders upset the Lions in the divisional round of the NFC playoffs, blowing Detroit out at Ford Field when the Lions were the No. 1 seed. Jayden Daniels and the Commanders are must-see TV in 2025, and the Lions are still one of the league’s top teams. This should be a slugfest.
5. Detroit Lions at Philadelphia Eagles
The playoff matchup we didn’t get in 2024, as the Lions and Eagles appeared to be on a collision course in the NFC Championship Game before the Commanders crashed the party. Both teams are two of the best in the NFC, and the Lions had to watch the Eagles hoist the Vince Lombardi Trophy last season (without ever getting to play them). The Eagles and Lions last met in Week 1 of the 2022 season, and this game will have a lot of hype in Philadelphia.
Remember the showdown in the NFL Kickoff Game in Kansas City last season? Well, the Ravens and Chiefs haven’t met since that Week 1 thriller (where the NFL overturned Baltimore’s game-tying touchdown on the final play of regulation). Lamar Jackson and Patrick Mahomes are always bound for epic showdowns, especially in the regular season. The Ravens and Chiefs also had some pregame banter in the 2023 AFC Championship game that may still carry some weight.
3. Baltimore Ravens at Buffalo Bills
One of the most exciting games in the playoffs last season was the divisional round showdown between Baltimore and Buffalo, a game that was decided with Mark Andrews‘ dropped two-point conversion in a 27-25 Bills’ victory. This will be the first meeting since that epic matchup, as Josh Allen also was the league MVP — seizing the honor over Lamar Jackson. Two of the game’s best teams with two of the game’s best quarterbacks. A win-win for the NFL.
2. Kansas City Chiefs at Buffalo Bills
This is the best rivalry in the NFL right now and it isn’t close. Josh Allen is the only quarterback that has beaten Patrick Mahomes four times in the regular season, sporting a 4-1 record against him. In the playoffs, Allen and the Bills have failed to beat the Chiefs — going 0-3 against them. The Chiefs and Bills seem to meet every year since they typically win their division, meaning we’re treated to another Mahomes-Allen showdown. This is a rematch of the thrilling AFC Championship game from last season, and the Chiefs and Bills are likely to deliver another classic.
1. Philadelphia Eagles at Kansas City Chiefs
The Eagles and Chiefs have met twice in the Super Bowl over the past three seasons, the NFL’s current iteration of historic Super Bowl rivalries. Kansas City beat Philadelphia on a field goal in the final seconds of Super Bowl LVII while the Eagles blew out the Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX last year. The Eagles and Chiefs have squared off in epic battles before, as the rivalry intensifies with a revenge game in Arrowhead Stadium. Jalen Hurts and Patrick Mahomes is a matchup within itself, as the Eagles and Chiefs have a history between their front office and head coach. This is the can’t-miss regular season showdown in 2025.
GIPHY App Key not set. Please check settings