NFL officially approves 17-game schedule for 2021 season
Mar 30, 2021, 1:14 PM
The NFL will undergo its first significant regular-season schedule change since 1978, as owners approved to add a 17th game to the 2021 schedule on Tuesday afternoon.
A 17-game regular season is now official.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 30, 2021
The addition of another game will also result in the NFL reducing preseason games from four to three.
The Broncos will now host nine regular-season home games during the 2021 season. As part of the new schedule formula, the additional game will be an inter-conference matchups between AFC and NFC opponents, with the Broncos welcoming the Detroit Lions to the Mile High City.
According to ESPN, under new the scheduling formula, every team will play 17 regular-season games with one bye week.
Teams will host 10 games overall – either nine regular-season games and one preseason game (like the Broncos) or eight regular-season games and two preseason games.
The league will keep one bye week during the season, resulting in the regular season to expand from 17 to 18 weeks. The season will begin on Sept. 9. and conclude on Sunday, Jan. 9.
The 2021 NFL schedule will be announced later this spring.