NFL Backs Holiday Push After 2026 Schedule Release Unveils 9 International Games

6 articles · Updated · Yahoo Sports · May 15

Brian McCarthy, the NFL’s chief spokesman, endorsed a social-media call to make the day after schedule release a national holiday, saying the reaction was “so good. And true.”
The comment followed Thursday’s 8 p.m. ET unveiling of the 2026 slate, which McCarthy said had turned a logistics announcement into a major cultural event; teams were allowed to post reveal videos 30 minutes early.
Nine international games across four continents and seven countries headline the schedule, making it the league’s most ambitious global lineup yet.
Only 3 of 18 possible post-overseas slots became immediate bye weeks, with Jacksonville, New England and New Orleans getting that break after international games.
The season opens Sept. 9 with Seahawks-Patriots in a Super Bowl rematch, while early marquee games include Ravens-Cowboys in Brazil and Bills-Ravens in Week 8.

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