The NFL's schedule release for the 2026 season may be delayed due to Patrick Mahomes' recovery from knee surgery. His injury status is a key factor influencing the league's decision on the release date.
Key points
NFL schedule for the 2026 season may be delayed
Patrick Mahomes is recovering from knee surgery
Mahomes' injury status impacts schedule release timing
Fans may be disappointed by the delay in schedule announcement
The NFL will release its schedule for the 2026 season this month, but the exact date of the schedule release may be delayed.
The league usually weighs a variety of factors for making its schedule, including the status of its best players. As Patrick Mahomes is still recovering from knee surgery, his timetable is the most impactful of any player who could begin the year on the sideline.
With Mahomes' return timeline still a question, the league could use Mahomes' injury as a reason why it delays when it releases the schedule for the season. So, fans who are itching to see who their teams will play first this year could be disappointed.
Here's how Patrick Mahomes is impacting the schedule release.
Why Patrick Mahomes may be the reason for NFL schedule release delay
Mike North, the NFL's vice president of broadcast planning, appeared on the "It's Always Game Day in Buffalo" podcast to discuss the league's schedule release. While the NFL usually aims to release the schedule during the second week of May, the league could delay it this year.
Q&A
Why is the NFL schedule release delayed in 2026?
The delay is primarily due to Patrick Mahomes' recovery from knee surgery, which impacts the league's scheduling decisions.
What is the significance of Patrick Mahomes' injury for the NFL schedule?
Mahomes' injury is significant because his status affects the league's consideration of player availability when finalizing the schedule.
When is the NFL expected to release the 2026 schedule?
The NFL is expected to release its schedule for the 2026 season sometime this month, though the exact date is uncertain.
How does player health impact the NFL schedule release?
Player health, especially of key players like Patrick Mahomes, is crucial as it influences the league's decisions on matchups and timing for the schedule.
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"Is there any magic to May 12, 13, 14? No," North said. "Is there any real downside to May 19, 20, or 21? No. I don't think it’s coming out in June, but that second week in May has been our target the last few years, but I don’t know that it's impossible to think about that third week in May."
There are many possible reasons why this could be the case, but Patrick Mahomes' rehab is looming as a factor in the league office.
"He's one of the biggest stars in the league, and I don't think any of us would feel great if we had him in prime time early in the season and he missed the first four weeks or whatever," North said. "That being said, that's a good football team, that's a good coach over there, and they went and signed a veteran starting quarterback in this league."
Since Mahomes is one of the biggest stars in the league, the NFL will likely want to make it more likely that he plays in primetime games. Therefore, the Chiefs could end up with a bunch of primetime games in the second half of their schedule to accommodate for Mahomes potentially missing the early part of the season.
In the meantime, the NFL could delay the schedule release to have a better idea of Mahomes' rehab timeline. If the Chiefs quarterback is ahead of schedule, the NFL might feel more comfortable giving Kansas City early-season primetime games.
Mahomes tore his ACL and LCL in December 2025, which ended his season and put him on a vigorous rehab process. It is the first major injury of Mahomes' career, and means he is in danger of missing the start of the 2026 season depending on how his rehab goes.
Mahomes had surgery on December 14, putting him on a recovery timeline of around nine months. That will depend on how Mahomes' knee responds in rehab, as he could return earlier or have a setback.
Rick Burkholder, the Chiefs vice president of sports medicine and performance, discussed Mahomes' injury after he had surgery.
"Every player is different. Every sport is different. Every position is different," Burkholder said, via NFL.com. "(Mahomes) is so in tune to what he does, he does it a little quicker. Ballpark on this is nine months, but it could be a month or two more, a month or two less."
Nine months from his surgery would put Mahomes on target to return during the first or second week of the 2026 season. However, that is still four months away, and it is possible the Chiefs slow-play Mahomes' return by starting Justin Fields for a few weeks.
