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The NFL released its 2026 schedules, showcasing teams' creative social media videos. The Indianapolis Colts and Los Angeles Chargers emerged as winners, while the Detroit Lions and Tennessee Titans were deemed losers in this year's social media showdown.
NFL players prepare for the Super Bowl. NFL social-media teams prepare for schedule release day. In what has become an annual tradition, all 32 teams released their 2026 schedules on Thursday in a social media battle royale. It used to be a relatively humble procedure, but production values have increased every year. This year saw movie parodies, celebrity cameos, animations and an alleged haircut for Trevor Lawrence (weâre pretty sure that was a wig in the Jacksonville Jaguarsâ video). Some teams massively missed the mark, but overall it was a fun group. Here are the winners and the losers of the Social Media Super Bowl.
If there was a loser in last yearâs schedule release, it was the Colts, who posted a Minecraft-inspired video and then deleted it because a) the Los Angeles Chargers did the exact same thing b) unlike L.A., Indianapolis didnât get permission from Microsoft and c) a joke about then-Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill was found to be in bad taste. The Colts found redemption this year with a pitch-perfect Simpsons-themed video, which includes Bart Simpson writing âWe will not include Tyreek Hill in these videos.â And they do appear to have received permission from Disney, another supremely litigious corporation, this time.
DâOH! another schedule release video! @TheSimpsonspic.twitter.com/7rc9zyo2pv
â Indianapolis Colts (@Colts) May 14, 2026 If youâre a Simpsons fan, this was the clear winner.
Yes, yes, the Chargers did a good schedule release video. Come collect your prize. The masters of the high-effort animation, the Chargers have done anime, âThe Sims,â and âMinecraft,â all chock full of digs at their future opponents. This year was no different, with âHaloâ as the star of the show.
The Indianapolis Colts, Los Angeles Chargers, Atlanta Falcons, and Carolina Panthers were the winners of the 2026 NFL social media schedule release.
The Detroit Lions opted for a minimalist approach, featuring head coach Dan Campbell pinning the schedule to a corkboard, which was considered a lackluster effort.
The Colts redeemed themselves with a well-received Simpsons-themed video, contrasting their previous year's poorly received Minecraft-inspired video.
The Chargers' video featured a 'Halo' theme and included clever digs at their opponents, maintaining their reputation for high-quality animated content.

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should we REALLY make our schedule release video in halo?
yes yes yesyes yesyes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yesyes yes yes yes yesye yes yes yes yes yesyes pic.twitter.com/eusK9QmNGd
â Los Angeles Chargers (@chargers) May 14, 2026 Itâs worth noting this was the only team brave enough to mock the New England Patriotsâ Mike Vrabel scandal.
Thereâs one every year. The Lions decided theyâre too cool for the schedule release race, so theirâs just had head coach Dan Campbell pinning the schedule to a corkboard.
Strictly business. pic.twitter.com/LEDmouoaj9
â Detroit Lions (@Lions) May 14, 2026 So cool.
We normally dock teams when their video is simply a skit with the schedule tacked on at the end, but not if itâs a good skit. The Falcons accomplished that this year with a pitch-perfect âThis is SportsCenterâ parody that poked fun at, among other things, Matt Ryanâs front office inexperience and the pronunciation of Bijan Robinsonâs name.
This is Falcons Football: 2026 Compilation pic.twitter.com/JWM7ip9xoW
â Atlanta Falcons (@AtlantaFalcons) May 14, 2026
Weâve seen stuff like this before, but it always hits. When in doubt, just take something representing your opponents and blow it up (or sic a bunch of puppies on it).
Should be a blast đĽ
Panthers x CMPD Bomb Squad
đş NFL Schedule Release tonight at 8pm ET on @nflnetwork@Ticketmaster | #KeepPoundingpic.twitter.com/9lGslpbOjc
â Carolina Panthers (@Panthers) May 14, 2026
The Titans had a huge hit a few years ago with their video of Nashville pedestrians, who arenât NFL fans, being asked to name teams based on their logos. It was gold. This year, they decided to do something similar, but way creepier: approaching random passersby with a passing resemblance to figures from each team. There was a ⌠varying level of enthusiasm from the participants.
You never know who you'll see on the street @Shift4
NFL Schedule Release Show 5/14 on @nflnetwork at 7PM CT pic.twitter.com/uddftsZab2
â Tennessee Titans (@Titans) May 14, 2026 We donât know who needs to hear this, but walking up to strangers with a camera is rarely a good idea.
Kirk Cousins and Fernando Mendoza arenât going to win any acting awards, but placing the pair in a âStep Brothersâ parody was brilliant. The classic âveteran QB and top pickâ situation can be awkward (see Cousinsâ last NFL stop), but this was a nice way to subvert that.
You don't get it. It's the 2026 Schedule Release!
đ° pic.twitter.com/O4h2dbM5ZN
â Las Vegas Raiders (@Raiders) May 14, 2026
When you have Jameis Winston in the building, sometimes you just let him cook. Or draw. Remember those Titans videos where they guess the team names? This is how you evolve on that.
Winston van Gogh draws up the 2026 Schedule đ¨
Tickets on sale now đď¸: pic.twitter.com/yIYaJGTZhr
â New York Giants (@Giants) May 14, 2026
We would love to know how the Jets social media department landed on paint-mixing for their scheduled release, but this was both fun and oddly calming.
football is ART (craft blend)
your 2026 Jets schedule reveal đ¨ âŹď¸ pic.twitter.com/lV7PTzbc8O
â New York Jets (@nyjets) May 14, 2026
Here goes the award for best production values, with a full-bore âBaywatchâ intro parody.
Tampa Bay Watch is on the scene đď¸đ
Our lifeguards are always on duty & this season, we protect the bay at all costs. pic.twitter.com/NysSRqqLic
â Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@Buccaneers) May 14, 2026
Look, half of the NFC West isnât here only because they clearly used AI to make these videos. Itâs because they used AI to make something that was still incredibly boring. This is the stuff you do when the brainstorming session goes nowhere.
We asked Big Red to help announce the schedule... he may have taken the assignment too seriously@SeatGeek | #RiseUpRedSea | pic.twitter.com/wGwK5E8q5h
â Arizona Cardinals (@AZCardinals) May 14, 2026 If these walls could talk.
đď¸: @Ticketmaster | #FTTBpic.twitter.com/ZnueuR2RSF
â San Francisco 49ers (@49ers) May 14, 2026