We’ve hit the soft patch in the calendar, where players are hitting the gym, reporters take some well-deserved time off and fans can breath.
That’s because the Super Bowl, NFL Draft and now NFL 2023 schedule release have been ticked off. The Draft and schedule release are the events that keep fans clinging to the news cycle, but now we recharge and reload for next season.
Embrace these quiet moments, because the Pre-Season will sneak up on us and hype will become all too real for the fantasy degenerates out there, like myself, very quickly.
The season proper is set for early September and we’ll start seeing actual real football through August, starting with the annual Hall of Fame game which launches the Pre-Season action.
Here’s the outlook for the 2023-24 season; key dates and how to tune in.
When does the season start? | NFL 2023 schedule
SEPTEMBER 9 (AEST) | Week 1 season opener
SEASON-OPENER | Detroit Lions @ Kansas City Chiefs, Arrowhead Stadium (Kansas City), Friday 10:20am AEST
That kind of info is now locked in; Week 1 kicks off with the usual Thursday night game (Friday morning down under) to launch the season, featuring the defending champions. It’s Kansas City with those honours this year; a fascinating start to the NFL 2023 schedule.
In a move that came as a shock to many, Detroit will feature in the season-opener. They’re a team that’s generating plenty of hype and the franchise’s momentum is expected to continue building this season.
In a really light NFC – much of the league’s QB talent are with teams in a stacked AFC – the Lions may well contend.
The side was heavily criticised for overlooking positional talent in the first round of the recent NFL Draft. But there’s no denying they took ‘win now’ players and will therefore be under pressure to succeed. We shall see how that goes.
When is the 2024 Super Bowl?
FEBRUARY 11, 10:30am AEST, Allegiant Stadium in Paradise (Las Vegas), Nevada
The Super Bowl is heading to Vegas, baby. It marks the first time the NFL’s championship game will take place in Nevada and the third straight year it’s in the Western half of America.
Officially, it’s Super Bowl LVIII, or Super Bowl 58.
The Buccaneers (2021) and Rams (2022) did what no franchise had ever done previously and managed to – mostly coincidentally – win Super Bowls in their own stadiums. Don’t expect the Raiders, who’s home venue is Allegiant Stadium, to launch a serious championship run this season.
How to watch the action in Australia | NFL 2023 schedule
It’s actually a little simpler down under than over in the states. On US soil, there are all kinds of broadcast arrangements with networks and specific state-based regulations. It’s a mess.
In Australia, key games in isolated time slots – also known as ‘island games’ – will most likely be broadcast on Foxtel’s ESPN and therefore streamed live on Kayo.
But not all the games. If you want access to absolutely everything on the NFL 2023 schedule, including one of the greatest TV sporting viewing experiences Red Zone, fork out and go for the Game Pass subscription. There’s a Game Pass International app available through most common streaming providers like Apple TV. The app isn’t perfect, but it gets the job done.
Key dates | NFL 2023 schedule
–Hall of Fame Game | Browns @ Jets, August 4, Friday 10:00am AEST
–Pre-Season Week 1 | August 12-13
–Pre-Season Week 2 | August 18-22
–Pre-Season Week 3 | August 25-28
–Week 1 | September 8-12
–Thanksgiving, Week 12 | November 24 | Kickoff times (in AEST): 4:30am, 8:30am, 12:20pm
-NFL Black Friday Game, Week 12 | Dolphins @ Jets | November 25, 7:00am AEST
-Christmas Day Games, Week 16 | December 26 | Kickoff times (in AEST): 5:00am, 8:30am, 12:15pm
–NFL Playoffs | Wildcard Weekend | January 13-16
–NFL Playoffs | Divisional Round | January 20-21
–NFL Playoffs | Conference Championships | Sunday, January 28
–The Super Bowl | Sunday, February 11, 10:30am AEST
The European NFL 2023 schedule
Who doesn’t love ducking over to Europe?
Well, The National Football League is no exception. It’s strengthening London and European connections, with a five-game NFL 2023 schedule across seven weeks and two cities.
NFL’s London schedule
Week 4 | Falcons @ Jaguars, Wembley Stadium (London), October 2, Monday 12:30am AEST
Week 5 | Jaguars @ Bills, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium (London), October 9, 12:30am AEST
Week 6 | Ravens @ Titans, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, October 16, 12:30am AEST
London will have games in three straight rounds; Weeks 4, 5 and 6. The Shad Khan-owned Jacksonville Jaguars are doubling down this year, with a back-to-back stretch of games in England’s capital.
The franchise has worked hard to build a base in London, where Khan’s Fulham FC are also based.
It’s a coordinated stretch of games, with the Jags hosting the Atlanta Falcons to kick it all off, before the Florida-based outfit will be the visiting team in a showdown with Josh Allen’s Buffalo Bills; a heavyweight battle between two of the NFL’s best quarterbacks and subsequently two AFC contenders.
NFL’s Germany schedule
The ‘home stretch’ of the NFL’s Europe sabbatical is back to Germany, after last season’s inaugural affair in the football-mad nation last year, when the Seattle Seahawks and Tampa Bay Buccaneers played at Munich’s Allianz Arena.
Week 9 | Dolphins @ Chiefs, Frankfurt Stadium, November 6, Monday 1:30am AEST
Week 10 | Colts @ Patriots, Frankfurt Stadium, November 13, Monday 1:30am AEST
Thanksgiving Day games
Lock in your Thanksgiving plans; book leave or do what you need to do. Friday November 24, starting bright and early, is an NFC triple-header that features six teams that literally all may well be in the Playoff mix.
Green Bay Packers @ Detroit Lions, Ford Field (Detroit), November 24, Friday 4:30am AEST
Washington Commanders @ Dallas Cowboys, AT&T Stadium (Arlington, TX), 8:30am AEST
San Fransisco 49ers @ Seattle Seahawks, Lumen Field (Seattle), 12:20pm AEST
The NFL 2023 schedule has plenty to like about it. Now we just have to endure our way through a football-less period, as the anticipation rises.
