Browns' rumored to be heading south for 2026 season opener

The NFL has been fairly tight-lipped this year as the schedule release is set to become official on Thursday night. There have not been too many games that have been spoiled, and the Cleveland Browns certainly aren't at the top of the list that people are begging to find out, yet.

However, the Browns did get one schedule leak on Wednesday, and it is for their Week One matchup to start the season. The Browns will be heading south on September 13th for a matchup with the Jacksonville Jaguars.

The Browns and the Jaguars have developed quite a rapport over the past couple of seasons. First, it was Joe Flacco tearing the heart out of the Jaguars in 2023 on a rainy and cold day on the lakefront. Then, in 2024, the Browns got back on track with their first win of the season down south in Deshaun Watson's second game back. It was what many thought was going to be a turning point for their season. Spoiler, it wasn't.

Then, later on that year, Andrew Berry pulled off a highway, daylight robbery with the Jaguars and their rookie general manager, James Gladstone. Cleveland sent the second pick to Jacksonville in exchange for the fifth pick, their second round pick, a fifth round pick, and then Jacksonville's first round pick in 2026. Cleveland also tossed in picks 104 and 200 to sweeten the pot.

Browns and Jaguars have history

Now, the Browns and Jaguars link up again, but this time to get the season going. For Cleveland, this is one of the three or four teams on the schedule this year that have real, legitimate Super Bowl aspirations in 2026. This is not to say Jacksonville will stay that way all year, but they will be competitive throughout the year.