NFL Schedule Release Day, An Open Thread
May 14th, 2025
Will these guys work a Bucs home game this year?
We know who the Bucs play this year. Tonight, we will find out the when of every game.
(Joe’s so tingly, it’s like he got a text from Rachel Watson.)
This is going to be fun. First, we found out the Bucs dodged a bullet with a game overseas (though “this Joe” was kinda hoping, selfishly, to be able to write off a trip to Madrid).
So far, it’s known the Bucs will open against the Dixie Chicks in their Atlanta birdcage on Sunday, Sept. 7. And, Pat Donovan of WDAE-AM 620 reported the Bucs will play the Rams in Los Angeles on Thanksgiving night.
Now with the Rays having a Sunday home game in Week 3, Sept. 21, “this Joe” doesn’t believe the NFL would stick the Bucs with a home game then. The Rays’ first pitch that day is early at 12:10 p.m. So perhaps that signals a Bucs home game on Sunday Night Football in Week 3? Or potentially a Thursday or Monday night home game that week?
Remember, the Rays this season are playing at Steinbrenner Field right across Dale Mabry Highway from The Licht House. Parking facilities are shared for events at both stadiums. Joe doesn’t think the Bucs, the Rays, or Tampa police want to deal with two events at basically the same spot on the same afternoon.
As today crawls along, there will be leaks. Feel free to comment all day in this thread below.
And please remember, all leaks are unofficial unless they’re from Joe or a major network.
May 14th, 2025 at 8:03 am
Chiefs at Cowboys — Thanksgiving.
Joe — is this the earliest that you have jumped into schedule release news ever.
May 14th, 2025 at 8:05 am
What gets more attention: NBA Playoffs of NFL Schedule Release Day?
May 14th, 2025 at 8:20 am
@ D-Rome
Depends on where you live. In the Northeast NBA Playoffs is all the talk, lot of great games and compelling stories with the top 2 seeds on the verge of upsets in the East.
Lot of excitement in the sports world no need to prop up one by insulting the other
May 14th, 2025 at 8:36 am
Neither like the Bucs
May 14th, 2025 at 9:14 am
No primetime games please
May 14th, 2025 at 9:26 am
The Mavs winning the lottery after trading Doncic has those fans in a whirlwind.
As for the Bucs don’t we usually have a few more games by now?
Doesn’t look good for prime time.
Will our Thanksgiving game count as a Thursday game or will we get 2?
That would help a ton to have 2 10 day rests and a bye.
May 14th, 2025 at 9:28 am
I’m not sure the NFL cares if the Rays are playing. Don’t the Bucs request later start times in September because of the heat and the NFL still starts them at 1PM 90% of the time?
May 14th, 2025 at 9:36 am
Mr. Wombat,
Sounds like something a dome or even a roof would fix. Yet “environmental advantages” are apparently our thing.
Whoever designed the Benz needs to redesign Ray Jay.
May 14th, 2025 at 9:40 am
I nauseate having to see Aikman and Buck at the top of the thread. How about anyone else? Kay Adams? Erin Andrews? Charissa Thompson?
Just not these two sausage lovers.
May 14th, 2025 at 9:47 am
@Iron Wombat…
You’re not considering that there’s no way to accommodate for parking with two sports teams playing in close proximity. According to Google Maps, it is exactly 1,607 feet, 8.25 inches from home plate to the football inside the flag (at exactly midfield) at Ray Jay.
Baltimore, Detroit, Kansas City, and Seattle all have stadiums built at similar distances from each other (Baltimore is a little farther at around 2,000 feet). Do you know what the NFL does in those cities? It avoids scheduling conflicts by having the NFL team play out of town while the baseball team is at home.
Bucs will be away in week 1 and week 3. You can expect that.
May 14th, 2025 at 10:01 am
what a day for me as a sports fan…
my teams are the bucs, sf giant, and the knicks…
matinee giants game vs the d-backs…
followed by the knicks trying to close out the celtics in boston…
with the bucs schedule out there this evening, front and center too boot…
what a day to be alive!
May 14th, 2025 at 10:26 am
@Adam from NY
Really enjoying the Knicks success, hope they close out Boston tonight.
Fun time to be a sportsfan
May 14th, 2025 at 10:42 am
I never understood the excitement about a schedule release. Help me understand it.
May 14th, 2025 at 10:43 am
Rock on Adam!
May 14th, 2025 at 10:53 am
Gman – I live in NC so once the schedule dates are released I get to plan trips to FL to see family, games and fishing.
May 14th, 2025 at 11:04 am
Tennessee Ready
May 14th, 2025 at 11:04 am
I agree it’s not exciting GMan, but I am interested because of travel. In my case, road games of interest. I’ve sat in RayJay enough times.
May 14th, 2025 at 11:04 am
Week 2 is the home opener. Rumor is the Jets
May 14th, 2025 at 11:17 am
Week 3 will NOT be SNF for bucs… It will be kc and giants
May 14th, 2025 at 11:20 am
Week 2 is the home opener. Rumored to be the Jets
May 14th, 2025 at 11:23 am
I want all the 1:00 September games we can get–most teams are dying by the third quarter and getting saline IV’s
May 14th, 2025 at 11:24 am
Week 3 San Fran in Bangkok, Thailand. Week 5 vs Dolphins at Walmart parking lot Sebring.
May 14th, 2025 at 11:51 am
Feels like draft day. So much anticipation riding on the scheduling. Hoping we have many daytime games.
May 14th, 2025 at 12:07 pm
Gman Says:
May 14th, 2025 at 10:42 am
I never understood the excitement about a schedule release. Help me understand it.
For me:
I and a group of friends plan out of town trips. Mostly in September where we can see the Bucs play along with a college football game and a baseball game.
Last year we went to Detroit. We went to the Pine Knob concert on Friday night. Went to Michigan game on Saturday afternoon. The Tiger game on Saturday night. Then to the Bucs game on Sunday.
2001, after 9/11 was memorable because we did not know that whether we were going to be able to fly. Our trip started in Chicago to see the Cubs play their first game since the attack. Sosa hit a HR and then grabbed an American flag from the 1st base coach as he rounded the bases. Pretty cool.
Been to not only lots of NFL stadiums but iconic college campus’ like Notre Dame or baseballs Fenway Park and Yankee stadiums.
May 14th, 2025 at 2:08 pm
The NFL needs to be in the news 24/7/365, hence the schedule release becoming a big deal and getting all the talking heads to bloviate about it.
May 14th, 2025 at 2:09 pm
And of course, people want to start making plans once they know where / when games will be played… But it’s simply a marketing campaign through and through.
May 14th, 2025 at 2:17 pm
It means the season is near. It allows fans to begin planning their falls. Some take road trips. Others will make sure family events are scheduled around the games. Some will even decide to attend home games. It allows fans to begin dreaming. To start hatching ways for the team to make the playoffs.
What Joe doesn’t understand are folks who are not excited about the schedule release.