The NFL season is set to begin in the coming weeks. Here are all the important dates you need to know ahead of the 2023-24 campaign.
The preseason is winding down and the 2023 NFL season is set to begin in earnest in just a few weeks. The wait between the Super Bowl and the start of the next season is very long, but football fans will undoubtedly be thrilled that their favorite sport is back to entertain them for the next six months.
There are a lot of key milestones to keep track of during the course of the year, so here's a list of important dates to remember based on the NFL's official operations website.
Key Dates In The 2023-24 NFL Season
Aug. 29 – Rosters must be cut from 90 players to 53 by 4:00 p.m. ET.
Sept. 7 – Opening night, where the Kansas City Chiefs will raise their title banner against the Detroit Lions.
Sept. 10/11 – The remainder of kickoff weekend, which will conclude with Monday night's matchup between the Buffalo Bills and New York Jets.
Sept. 29 – After a club's fourth regular season game, any player on the PUP list (Physically Unable To Perform) can be designated to return to practice, giving them a three-week window to return to competition.
Oct. 1 – NFL International Series game at Wembley Stadium in London between the Atlanta Falcons and Jacksonville Jaguars. Jacksonville will serve as the home team.
Oct. 8 – NFL International Series game at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London between the Buffalo Bills and Jacksonville Jaguars. Buffalo will serve as the home team.
Oct. 15 – NFL International Series game at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London between the Baltimore Ravens and Tennessee Titans. Tennessee will serve as the home team.
Oct. 17/18 – NFL League Meeting in New York.
Oct. 31 – NFL Trade Deadline.
Nov. 5 – NFL International Series Game at Frankfurt Stadium in Germany between the Miami Dolphins and Kansas City Chiefs. Kansas City will serve as the home team.
Nov. 12 – NFL International Series Game at Frankfurt Stadium in Germany between the Indianapolis Colts and New England Patriots. New England will serve as the home team.
Nov. 14 – Any remaining free agents who have not signed tenders with their teams, such as players on the franchise tag or restricted free agents, must sign by 4:00 p.m. ET or they will be ineligible for the remainder of the 2023-24 season.
Jan. 6/7 – Week 18, which is also known as the conclusion of the regular season.
Jan. 8 – Clubs can begin exercising fifth-year options for players chosen in the 2021 draft and begin extension talks with eligible rookies from the 2021 and 2022 (undrafted players) draft classes.
Jan. 10 – Rosters are frozen for playoff teams as of 4:00 p.m. ET.
Jan. 13/14/15 – Super Wild Card Weekend.
Jan. 15 – Deadline for college underclassmen to declare for the NFL Draft.
Jan. 20/21 – Divisional Playoff Weekend.
Jan. 28 – AFC/NFC Championship Games.
Feb. 4 – Pro Bowl Games.
Feb. 11 – Super Bowl LVIII will be held at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.
Feb. 20 – Clubs may begin using the franchise or transition tags for upcoming free agents.
Feb 27 through March 4 – Scouting Combine in Indianapolis.
March 5 – This is the final day for clubs to use franchise or transition tags. The deadline is 4:00 p.m. ET.
March 11 – Legal tampering period for free agency begins.
March 13 – New league year begins at 4:00 p.m. ET. Free agent contracts can be signed and trades can be executed.
March 24 through March 27 – NFL Annual Meetings in Orlando, Florida.
April 1 – Teams with new head coaches can begin OTAs.
April 15 – Teams with returning head coaches can begin OTAs.
April 25 through April 27 – NFL Draft in Detroit.
May 2 – Deadline for clubs to exercise fifth-year options on eligible players from the 2021 NFL Draft.
May 3 through May 6 or May 10 through May 13 – Teams may hold their rookie minicamp on one of these two weekends.
