We are finally here. The leaks are done. Projections are over with. The 2026 NFL schedule has been announced, and the New York Jets know exactly when and where they will be playing this season.

Luckily for the Jets, their 2026 schedule is expected to be one of the league’s easiest, according to Vegas win totals.

Here’s the full schedule, with some quick thoughts on each matchup:

  • Week 1: at Tennessee Titans (1 p.m. EST)
  • Week 2: vs. Green Bay Packers (1 p.m. EST)
  • Week 3: at Detroit Lions (1 p.m. EST)
  • Week 4: at Chicago Bears (1 p.m. EST)
  • Week 5: vs. Cleveland Browns (1 p.m. EST)
  • Week 6: at New England Patriots (1 p.m. EST)
  • Week 7: vs. Miami Dolphins (1 p.m. EST)
  • Week 8: vs. Las Vegas Raiders (1 p.m. EST)
  • Week 9: at Kansas City Chiefs (1 p.m. EST)
  • Week 10: vs. Buffalo Bills (1 p.m. EST)
  • Week 11: at Los Angeles Chargers (4:05 p.m. EST)
  • Week 12: at Miami Dolphins (1 p.m. EST)
  • Week 13: Bye
  • Week 14: vs. Denver Broncos (1 p.m. EST)
  • Week 15: at Arizona Cardinals (4:05 p.m. EST)
  • Week 16: vs. New England Patriots (1 p.m. EST)
  • Week 17: vs. Minnesota Vikings (1 p.m. EST)
  • Week 18: at Buffalo Bills (TBD)

Jets 2026 schedule

Week 1: @ Tennessee Titans

The return of Robert Saleh…in a way. While New York won’t open the season at home, they do have the opportunity to show their former coach that they are far better off under their current regime than they were under his.

This instantly becomes one of the more important games of Aaron Glenn’s tenure as coach. A win puts the team in the right direction. A loss, though, would have the fanbase ready for new leadership immediately.

Week 2: vs. Green Bay Packers

The Packers are a consistent playoff contender every year, but struggled down the stretch in 2025, in large part because Micah Parsons tore his ACL. In fact, the Packers didn’t win a game after Parsons’ injury.

Why is that important? Because the All-Pro defender may start the season on the PUP list, putting his status for this contest in jeopardy.

Week 3: @ Detroit Lions

Aaron Glenn has a ton of respect for Lions head coach Dan Campbell, and for good reason. Campbell gave Glenn his start as a play-calling coordinator, which helped him enter the realm of head coaching.

Following Glenn’s departure, the Lions missed the playoffs and were inconsistent defensively throughout the 2025 season. That inconsistency could continue for another year as Detroit figures things out on that side of the ball.

Still, this will not be an easy contest for New York.

Week 4: @ Chicago Bears

Starting the season on the road with three road games in the first four contests is never easy. Still, there are always teams that come out firing one season and then cool off the next. The Bears, as defending NFC North champions, could be that very team this year. Nonetheless, Ben Johnson remains an excellent offensive mind, and the defense has been retooled this offseason.

This matchup between former Lions assistants should be fun to watch. It’s another big early-season contest for Glenn.

Week 5: vs. Cleveland Browns

The Browns are a team on the Jets’ schedule that could very well be in contention for the top overall pick if things don’t go well for first-time head coach Todd Monken. This being a home game could lead to a far less stressful contest than the beasts in the NFC North that the Jets have to start with.

Week 6: @ New England Patriots

The defending conference champions host the Jets in Week 6. There’s no primetime slate coming with this game, as there was for last year’s trip up north, but New York will use this contest as a good measuring stick to see just how far they still are from their biggest rival.

Week 7: vs. Miami Dolphins

A home contest against Miami before the cold weather begins isn’t exactly ideal for New York, but it’s not like Tyreek Hill or Jaylen Waddle are on the team anymore. The Dolphins are openly rebuilding, and that could lead to another game the Jets should win through the first half of the season.

Week 8: vs. Las Vegas Raiders

This is the game that might hurt Jets fans, not because the Raiders are some dynastic unit right now, but because it will be the first time Gang Green sees top overall pick Fernando Mendoza. There was a time last year when the Jets felt like they were on a collision course with the Heisman Trophy winner.

But they won too many games to achieve that dream. Now, they may have to wonder what could have been in Week 8.

Week 9: @ Kansas City Chiefs

The NFL did the Jets no favor with this slate. Not only should Patrick Mahomes be fully healthy heading into this game, but then the team has a quick turnaround against Josh Allen and the Bills the very next week.

Week 10: vs. Buffalo Bills

So long as Allen is the starting quarterback, the Buffalo Bills will remain a championship contender. How long that remains the case, though, is a fascinating discussion.

Buffalo has a new head coach and hasn’t exactly made sweeping roster improvements either.

Week 11: @ Los Angeles Chargers

New York’s midseason gauntlet continues for another week. This time, it’s a road game in Los Angeles against the playoff-contending Chargers. Justin Herbert is the next Pro Bowl signal-caller going up against Glenn’s defense.

Week 12: @ Miami Dolphins

The good news is that the Jets’ scheduling gauntlet will be over by Week 12. The even better news is that they’ll take on a Miami team in South Florida without any concern for the weather.

New York may even be in a position to secure their first win on the road against the Dolphins since 2015.

Week 13: BYE

The late bye week gives the Jets a chance to breathe before a tough stretch to end the season.

Week 14: vs. Denver Broncos

Taking on the Broncos this late in the year could be a challenge. Denver wants to prove that last season wasn’t a fluke and they have the weapons to keep contending in the AFC West. This could be the point in the season where New York either decides to openly push for the top overall pick or goes all out to finish over .500.

Week 15: @ Arizona Cardinals

The March for Arch may come down to this one, but the Jets are hoping to have different plans. Arizona will certainly be pushing for the top overall pick this year, but the Jets could be a lot better than people give them credit for.

They also don’t have to really worry about tanking with three first-round picks.

Week 16: vs. New England Patriots

Shades of Week 15 in 2015? Back then, the Jets stunned the Patriots at home in overtime when Ryan Fitzpatrick found Eric Decker for a game-winning score. It felt like that New York team was playoff-bound.

Unfortunately, Rex Ryan and the Bills had a different plan.

Week 17: vs. Minnesota Vikings

Who is going to be the quarterback for Minnesota at this point? J.J. McCarthy or Kyler Murray? Will it even matter at this point for the Jets?

Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell has done a great job despite all the issues at quarterback. If he ends up getting fired this year due to the instability at the position, he will be a candidate to keep an eye on for a team like the Jets if things don’t go well for Glenn.

Week 18: @ Buffalo Bills

Depending on where the Bills are in their playoff race, this could be a game where New York gets Buffalo’s backups to end the year. It might be a golden opportunity for them to finish over .500 for the first time in a decade.