2021 NFL schedule release: What to know

Some of the biggest news of the NFL offseason is coming Wednesday: the 2021 NFL regular-season schedule.

Next season’s schedule will be released at 8 p.m. and broadcast on NFL Network, NFL.com and the NFL app. The league is touting the upcoming campaign as the “biggest season ever” with the addition of a 17th regular season game (now playing three preseason and 17 regular season games).

News of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ season opener was released Wednesday morning. The team will play at the Buffalo Bills at 1 p.m. Sept. 12.

Another game NFL teams already know is their 17th game, which will feature teams from opposing conferences that finished in the same place within their division the previous season. AFC teams will be the home team for the 17th game this season (NFC East at AFC East, NFC West at AFC North, NFC South at AFC South, NFC North at AFC West).

For the Steelers, that means the Seattle Seahawks will come to Heinz Field this season, as both teams finished atop their respective divisions. The Steelers’ opponents for the 2021 season were announced earlier this year (with 2020 record):

Home – Cincinnati Bengals (4-11-1), Cleveland Browns (11-5), Baltimore Ravens (11-5), Denver Broncos (5-11), Las Vegas Raiders (8-8), Chicago Bears (8-8), Detroit Lions (5-11), Tennessee Titans (11-5), Seattle Seahawks (12-4)

Away – Bengals, Browns, Ravens, Vikings (7-9), Chargers (7-9), Kansas City Chiefs (14-2), Green Bay Packers (13-3), Buffalo Bills (13-3)