2026 NFL Schedule Release: The 5 Teams That Must Get Off To A Good Start

In a 17-game season, starting off slowly can be the difference between reaching the playoffs and making plans for vacations to warmer climates in January. Look no further than the Minnesota Vikings, who dealt with injuries to starting quarterback J.J. McCarthy early and started the year 4-8, but finished on a five-game winning streak and a half-game out of the postseason. The Vikings looked to rectify that issue this offseason by signing former No. 1 overall draft pick Kyler Murray to compete with McCarthy for the No. 1 quarterback job, providing a better opportunity to compete in the NFC North. A slow start could also cost head coaches and general managers their jobs. The Tennessee Titans needed just six games to determine that they saw enough of head coach Brian Callahan last season, while the New York Jets only needed five games to fire Robert Saleh during the 2024 season. So, now that we know what the schedule looks like for the 2026 NFL season, let’s take a look at five teams that need a fast start to the upcoming year. After winning four straight NFC South titles, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and head coach Todd Bowles find themselves under pressure entering the 2026 season. The Bucs not only lost seven of their last eight games last season, missing the postseason and finishing with a losing record for the first time since 2019, but they’re also replacing a pair of foundational stalwarts. Wide receiver Mike Evans left the team to sign with the San Francisco 49ers, and linebacker Lavonte David announced his retirement. So, Bowles will now enter the season on the hot seat while also having to replace a pair of franchise icons. Bowles has a 35-33 record and has taken the team to the playoffs in three of his first four years of the helm. But can he prove that last season was a blip? Bowles is on the hot seat after last season’s poor finish and needs a strong start to avoid a potential midseason firing. That starts with better play from quarterback Baker Mayfield, who began 2025 strong but scuffled down the stretch, finishing with just one 300-yard passing performance in his last 12 games. Mayfield has some added motivation this season, entering a contract year. A Week 2 matchup with the Cleveland Browns could also spark some extra juice for Mayfield. The Bucs added reinforcements in the draft to a defense that finished No. 27 in pass defense last year, selecting polished Miami (Fla.) pass rusher Rueben Bain in the first round, along with linebacker Josiah Trotter, safety Keionte Scott and defensive tackle DeMonte Capehart. The 49ers somehow managed to deftly navigate a rash of injuries and reach the postseason in the toughest division in football, finishing third in the NFC West. But San Francisco head coach Kyle Shanahan will have a tough time playing catch-up this season, facing four playoff teams in the final seven games, along with Patrick Mahomes’ Kansas City Chiefs and the John Harbaugh-led New York Giants on the road in the backstretch of the season. That’s why it’s important for the 49ers to start the season strong. They will have some adjustments to make, with Raheem Morris taking over for the departed Robert Saleh as the team’s defensive coordinator. The 49ers added edge rusher Romello Height and interior pass rusher Gracen Holten in the draft to help improve one of the worst pass rushes in the league. San Francisco starts the year with a tough international contest in Australia against the Super Bowl favorites, the Los Angeles Rams, and will log a league-high 38,105 miles during the season. That includes another international contest against the Minnesota Vikings in Mexico City in Week 11. However, after the Rams, the 49ers have winnable games at home against the Miami Dolphins and Arizona Cardinals, so surviving that initial tough road game against Los Angeles and stacking some wins early will be important for Shanahan’s 49ers if they want to have a chance to push for the postseason late in the year. The second — and final — year of the Aaron Rodgers era is officially underway in Pittsburgh, with the Cal product agreeing to a one-year deal, reuniting with his old head coach, Mike McCarthy. Rodgers helped lead the Steelers to the postseason in 2025, which resulted in another early, opening-round exit for the Steel City. But how long will the Steelers stick with Rodgers if they get off to a slow start this season? Pittsburgh drafted Will Howard in the sixth round last year and Drew Allar in the third round this season as development prospects to groom behind the future Hall of Famer. Scouts I spoke with in the pre-draft process liked Allar’s upside, believing he has all the tools to develop into a starting NFL quarterback. If Rodgers struggles early, it increases the urge for McCarthy to hit the eject button on his 42-year-old quarterback and turn to the development of Allar or Howard, especially with the future Hall of Famer announcing that the 2026 season is it for him. Therefore, it will be important for Rodgers to get some wins early, much like Pittsburgh’s 5-3 start in 2025. And the schedule obliges, with only one game against a playoff team last season (New England Patriots) in Pittsburgh’s first eight contests. The Steelers also face the Cleveland Browns twice, and host the Atlanta Falcons, Cincinnati Bengals and Indianapolis Colts at home in the first five games. Speaking of the Colts, general manager Chris Ballard and head coach Shane Steichen are once again on the hot seat, missing the playoffs for a fifth season in a row after starting 8-2 in 2025. Indianapolis faltered after a rejuvenated Daniel Jones suffered a season-ending Achilles tendon tear in December, leaving the desperate Colts turning to 44-year-old Philip Rivers in an attempt to rescue the season late in the year. The return of Rivers was entertaining and gave Indianapolis at least a fighting chance to win at the end of the season. However, a healthy return for Jones is imperative to the success of the Colts in a make-or-break season for Ballard, who’s in the final year of his contract. It’s a daunting start for the Colts, who face four playoff teams in the first five games and an international game in Week 4 against the Washington Commanders in London. The expectation is that Jones will be ready for the start of training camp in August. Indianapolis re-signed receiver Alec Pierce and Jones to big money in the offseason, and both need to play to their potential — along with running back Jonathan Taylor — carrying the offense in a difficult first part of the schedule to start the year. New head coach Jesse Minter replaces John Harbaugh after the Ravens’ underwhelming performance last season resulted in Baltimore missing the playoffs for the first time since 2021. Under the defensive-minded Minter, expectations are high for the upcoming season. Minter is tasked with returning Baltimore’s defense to its tough and stingy ways. The signing of star edge rusher Trey Hendrickson away from the Cincinnati Bengals should help in that effort. The Ravens also added Missouri edge rusher Zion Young in the second round of the draft to help improve an underperforming pass rush. New offensive coordinator Declan Doyle will look to create an offense that gets the most out of Lamar Jackson, who played in only 13 games for the Ravens last year because of hamstring and back issues. A two-time MVP, Jackson’s now on his second head coach, his fourth offensive coordinator and is skipping organized team activities this offseason. With Harbaugh gone, the pressure is on Jackson to lead this franchise. One of the favorites to reach the Super Bowl this season, Baltimore starts with four of its first six games on the road, including a Week 3 international game in Brazil against the Dallas Cowboys. However, the Ravens do not play a team that made the playoffs last season until a Week 8 matchup with Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills. So, the schedule maps out well for a strong start in Minter’s first season with the Ravens.