Here is an overview of important NFL dates for the 2026 league year. All times are Eastern and all dates are subject to change.

2026

July

July 15

At 4:00 p.m., New York time, deadline for any club that designated a Franchise Player to sign such player to a multi-year contract or extension. After this date, the player may sign only a one-year contract with his prior club for the 2026 season, and such contract cannot be extended until after the club's last regular season game.

Mid-July

Clubs are permitted to open preseason training camp for rookies (defined as a player who has never signed an NFL player contract with a club in a prior league year) beginning seven days prior to the club's mandatory reporting date for veteran players.

Clubs may require first-year players (defined as a player who signed an NFL player contract with any club in a prior league year, but who does not have a pension-credited season) to report on the designated reporting date for all rookies, or at any time thereafter, including, but not limited to, the designated reporting date for veteran quarterbacks and injured players, or the designated reporting date for all other veteran players.

Veteran quarterbacks and "injured players" (as defined in CBA Article 21, Section 6) may be required to report to the club's preseason training camp no earlier than five days immediately prior to the mandatory reporting date for all other veteran players, provided the club has already opened (or simultaneously opens) its official preseason training camp for all rookies.

The earliest mandatory reporting date for veteran players (as defined in CBA Article 23, Section 5) are:

• For clubs whose first regular season game is on a Thursday or a Sunday, all veteran players other than quarterbacks and injured players are required to report to the club's official preseason training camp 47 days (including one day for physical examinations, meetings, classroom instruction, running, and conditioning) prior to such regular season game.
• For clubs whose first regular season game is on a Monday, all veteran players other than quarterbacks and injured players are required to report to the club's official preseason training camp 48 days (including one day for physical examinations, meetings, classroom instruction, running, and conditioning) prior to such regular season game.
• Notwithstanding Subsections (a) and (b) above, for clubs whose first preseason game is the Canton Hall of Fame Game, no veteran player other than quarterbacks and injured players will be required to report to such Club's official preseason training camp earlier than 15 days (including one day for physical examinations, meetings, classroom instruction, running and conditioning) prior to such preseason game.

July 22

At 4:00 p.m., New York time, signing period ends for Transition Players with outstanding tenders. After this date and until 4:00 p.m., New York time, on the Tuesday following the 10th weekend of the regular season, prior club has exclusive negotiating rights.

At 4:00 p.m., New York time, on July 22 (or the first scheduled day of the first NFL training camp, whichever is later) signing period ends for unrestricted free agents to whom a "UFA Tender" was made by prior club. After this date and until 4:00 p.m., New York time, on the Tuesday following the 10th weekend of the regular season, prior club has exclusive negotiating rights.

August

August 6

If a drafted rookie has not signed with his club by this date, he cannot be traded to any other club in 2026 and may sign a player contract only with the drafting club until the day of the Draft in the 2027 League Year.

August 13-15 - First Preseason Weekend

August 20-23 - Second Preseason Weekend

August 27-29 - Third Preseason Weekend

August 30

Prior to 6:00 p.m., New York time, clubs must reduce rosters to a maximum of 53 players on the Active/Inactive List.

Simultaneously with the roster reduction to 53 players, clubs that have players in the categories of Active/Physically Unable to Perform or Active/Non-Football Injury or Illness must select one of the following options: place player on Reserve/Physically Unable to Perform or Reserve/Non-Football Injury or Illness, whichever is applicable; terminate or request waivers with the designation of Failed Physical or Non-Football Injury or Illness, whichever is applicable; request waivers; terminate contract; trade contract; or continue to count the player on the Active List.

Clubs are permitted to designate for return a maximum of two players who are placed on an applicable Reserve List during the business day of the final roster reduction. Any such player will immediately count against the club's number of designations, even if the player does not subsequently return to practice.

Players who are on the Reserve List or Exempt List and are not counting against the 90-player limit will begin to count against the 90-player limit.

August 31

Claiming period for players placed on waivers at the final roster reduction will expire at 1:00 p.m., New York time.

Upon receipt of the subsequent Personnel Notice, clubs may establish a Practice Squad of 17 players, as long as one player qualifies and is designated as an International Player. No club, including the player's prior club, will be permitted to sign a player to a practice player contract until all clubs have received simultaneous notification via the above Personnel Notice that such player's prior NFL player contract has been terminated via the waiver system.

Beginning at 4:00 p.m., New York time, any player placed on Reserve/Injured, Reserve/Non-Football Injury or Illness, or Practice Squad; Injured during the regular season or postseason, may be designated for return later in the season, subject to the applicable procedures.

September

September 6

Final day of preseason training camp for all clubs, as defined in CBA Article 23, Section 10.

September 6-12

In accordance with the Personnel (Injury) Report Policy, each club is required to file a Practice Report by 4:00 p.m., New York time, (or as soon as possible after the completion of practice) every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday for a regular season Monday game; Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday for a Wednesday game; Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday for a Thursday game; Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday for a Friday game; Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday for a Saturday game; and Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday for a Sunday game. On days that a team practices, an estimated injury report for practice status is not acceptable, regardless of what time practice is held.

Each club must also file a weekly regular season Game Status Report by 4:00 p.m., New York time (or as soon as possible after the completion of practice) on Saturday for a Monday game; Tuesday for a Wednesday game; Wednesday for a Thursday game, Thursday for a Friday game, Thursday for a Saturday game, and Friday for a Sunday game. An update must be reported if there is any change in a player's condition after the initial Game Status Report is filed.

September 9-10, 13-14 - Kickoff Weekend presented by YouTube TV

September 10 - NFL International Game at Melbourne Cricket Ground (Melbourne, Australia): San Francisco 49ers vs. Los Angeles Rams

September 27 - NFL International Game at Maracanã Stadium (Rio De Janeiro, Brazil): Baltimore Ravens vs. Dallas Cowboys

September 29

Beginning on the day after the completion of the third regular season weekend, the claiming priority will be based on current standings, and ties will be broken based on current strength-of-schedule of the involved clubs. If ties still exist, they will be broken by strength-of-victory, point differential, and then by lot.

October

October 2, 5-6

Beginning on the day after a club's fourth regular season game (including any bye week), it is permitted to activate players on Reserve/Physically Unable to Perform and Reserve/Non-Football Injury or Illness (if the player failed his preseason physical due to a non-football injury or illness) prior to 4:00 p.m., New York time.

October 4 - NFL International Game at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium presented by NetApp (London, United Kingdom): Indianapolis Colts vs. Washington Commanders

October 11 - NFL International Game at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium presented by NetApp (London, United Kingdom): Philadelphia Eagles vs. Jacksonville Jaguars

October 18 - NFL International Game at Wembley Stadium presented by NetApp (London, United Kingdom): Houston Texans at Jacksonville Jaguars

October 20-21 - Fall League Meeting (New York, New York)

October 25 - NFL International Game at Stade de France presented by American Express (Paris, France): Pittsburgh Steelers vs. New Orleans Saints

November

November 8 - NFL International Game at Bernabéu Stadium presented by NetApp (Madrid, Spain): Cincinnati Bengals vs. Atlanta Falcons

November 9

Any increase in a player's 2026 salary from a renegotiation or extension that is received by the Management Council after 4:00 p.m., New York time, on this day, will be treated as signing bonus, and prorated over the entire term of the player contract, including 2026.

November 10

All trading ends for 2026 at 4:00 p.m., New York time.

November 11

Players with at least four previous pension-credited seasons are subject to the waiver system for the remainder of the regular season and postseason.

November 15 - NFL International Game at FC Bayern Munich Arena (Munich, Germany): New England Patriots vs. Detroit Lions

November 17

At 4:00 p.m., New York time, signing period ends for Franchise Players who are eligible to receive offer sheets.

Prior to 4:00 p.m., New York time, deadline for clubs to sign their unsigned Franchise and Transition Players, including Franchise Players who were eligible to receive offer sheets until this date. If still unsigned after this date, such players are prohibited from playing in NFL in 2026.

Prior to 4:00 p.m., New York time, deadline for clubs to sign their unrestricted free agents to whom the "UFA Tender" was made. If still unsigned after this date, such players are prohibited from playing in NFL in 2026.

Prior to 4:00 p.m., New York time, deadline for clubs to sign their restricted free agents, including those to whom the "June 1 Tender" was made. If such players remain unsigned after this date, they are prohibited from playing in NFL in 2026.

November 22 - NFL International Game at Estadio Banorte (Mexico City, Mexico): Minnesota Vikings vs. San Francisco 49ers

December

December 9 - Special League Meeting (Virtual)

2027

January

January 6 (tentative)

Early deadline for college players who are underclassmen to apply for Special Eligibility. A preliminary list of underclassmen who have been approved for entry into the 2027 NFL Draft will be sent to clubs on January 7.

January 9-10 - Week 18

January 11

During the period beginning the Monday following the final regular season weekend through the conclusion of the final postseason game, assignments of player contracts will be deferred until the first business day after the Super Bowl. Terminations of player contracts will occur at the
expiration of the claiming period.

A club that is participating in the playoffs may sign players whose contracts have been terminated to its Active/Inactive List, Practice Squad (if applicable), or Reserve/Future List. A club whose playing season has concluded may sign such players to its Reserve/Future List only.

Clubs may begin signing free agent players for the 2027 season, including players from the CFL.

Earliest permissible date for clubs to renegotiate or extend the rookie contract of a drafted rookie who was selected in any round of the 2024 NFL Draft or any undrafted rookie who signed in 2025. Any permissible renegotiated or extended player contract will not be considered a rookie contract and will not be subject to the rules that limit rookie contracts.

Clubs may exercise fifth-year options for players selected in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft.

January 13

Beginning at 4:00 p.m., New York time, on the Wednesday following the final regular season weekend, rosters are frozen for clubs participating in the postseason with limited exceptions.

January 13 (tentative)

Deadline for college players who are underclassmen to apply for Special Eligibility. A list of underclassmen who have been approved for entry into the 2027 NFL Draft will be sent to clubs on January 14.

January 16-18 - Wild Card Weekend powered by Verizon

January 23-24 - Divisional Playoffs presented by Intuit TurboTax

January 29 (tentative)

Deadline for college players who played in the National Championship game who are underclassmen to apply for Special Eligibility. A final list of underclassmen who have been approved for entry into the 2027 NFL Draft will be sent to clubs on January 30.

January 31 - AFC and NFC Championship Games presented by Intuit TurboTax

February

February 14 - Super Bowl LXI at SoFi Stadium (Inglewood, California)

February 17

Beginning this date through 4:00 p.m., New York time on March 3, clubs may designate Franchise or Transition Players.

March

March 1-8 - NFL Scouting Combine presented by Microsoft Copilot at Lucas Oil Stadium (Indianapolis, Indiana)

March 3

Prior to 4:00 p.m., New York time, deadline for clubs to designate Franchise or Transition Players.

March 9-11

During the period beginning at 12:00 noon, New York time, on March 9 and ending at 3:59:59 p.m., New York time, on March 11, clubs are permitted to contact, and enter into contract negotiations with the certified agents of players who will become unrestricted free agents upon the expiration of their 2026 player contracts at 4:00 p.m., New York time, on March 11.

During the two-day negotiation period prior to the start of the 2027 League Year, each club may conduct one video or phone call for no longer than one hour with no more than five (5) prospective unrestricted free agents. The player's agent must be a participant of the call.

No prospective unrestricted free agent is permitted to execute a contract with a new club until 4:00 p.m., New York time, on March 11.

The 2027 League Year and free agency signing period begins at 4:00 p.m., New York time, on March 11.

March 11

Trading period for 2027 begins at 4:00 p.m., New York time, after expiration of all 2026 contracts.

The first day of the 2027 League Year will end at 11:59:59 p.m., New York time, on March 11. Clubs will receive a Personnel Notice that will include all transactions submitted to the league office during the period between 4:00 p.m., New York time, and 11:59:59 p.m., New York time, on March 11.

March 21-24 - Annual League Meeting (Phoenix, Arizona)

April

April 5

Clubs that hired a new head coach after the end of the 2026 regular season may begin offseason workout programs.

April 19

Clubs with returning head coaches may begin offseason workout programs.

April 21

Deadline for clubs to time, test, visit, interview or conduct a physical examination with a draft-eligible player at its club facility.

April 23

Deadline for restricted free agents to sign offer sheets.

April 28

Deadline for prior club to exercise right of first refusal to restricted free agents who signed offer sheets.

Deadline for clubs to time, test, visit, interview (including video and phone calls) or conduct a physical examination with a draft-eligible player at any location.

April 29-May 1 - NFL Draft presented by Bud Light (Washington, D.C.)

May

May 17

Rookie Football Development Programs begin.

May 25-26 - Spring League Meeting (Las Colinas, Texas)