The NFL Just Pushed Back Its Most Anticipated May Tradition and Nobody's Happy About It

Forget May 13. The NFL schedule release, one of the most anticipated offseason events every year, is getting bumped to the third week of May at the earliest. And fans who've already marked their calendars are about to learn that waiting game just got longer.

This isn't some small scheduling hiccup. The schedule reveal is a massive deal. It determines when and where all 272 games get played, gives teams and fans a chance to plan travel, and kicks off the real offseason hype machine. Networks like NFL Network and ESPN go all out with coverage. Teams create slick videos revealing their schedules. It's a tradition, and it's about to shift.

Why the Delay? Five Games Nobody Knows About Yet

Mike North, the NFL's VP of broadcast planning, spilled the details on the It's Always Game Day in Buffalo podcast. The league is still negotiating five games that are being packaged separately. Until those five matchups are locked in, with confirmed dates, times, and locations, the full schedule stays in the vault.

"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," North said. He's not ruling out mid-May entirely, but he's also not guaranteeing it. The NFL has yet to announce a specific date.

North also left the door open for other complications. "Maybe something happens in the draft that surprises us, somebody gets traded, a quarterback, a big name, something different at the top of the draft and we need an extra couple of days to adjust and react to it," he explained. The NFL Draft could be the butterfly that delays the whole thing even more.

What This Means for You

Fans expecting the schedule sometime around May 13 need to reset their expectations. The league is eyeing the week of May 18 or later. And unlike past years where May 12, 13, or 14 felt sacred? North made it clear there's nothing magical about those dates. May 19, 20, or 21 work just fine from the league's perspective.

In the end, it all comes down to Commissioner's call. Until he signs off, the schedule stays locked. So grab a coffee, be patient, and stay ready. The NFL's favorite May tradition is coming, just not when you thought.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.