The NFL Is Weighing Patrick Mahomes 'Risk' With Schedule Release

The NFL is set to release its complete 2026 schedule later this month.

The league is set to release the 2026 schedule sometime in May. According to new reports on Monday, the schedule release could be delayed by a week. It was expected to come out next Monday, May 11 or Tuesday, May 12. However, it could be delayed by a week.

"Most fans know full well that the schedule comes out in mid-May now," NFL VP Mike North said. "That's what we've done the last five or six years. That's sort of our target. Is there any magic to May 12, 13, 14? No. Is there any real downside to May 19, 20, or 21? No. I don't think it's coming out in June, but that second week in May has been our target the last few years, but I don't know that it's impossible to think about that third week in May."

Outside of maybe the Dallas Cowboys, no team in the NFL has drawn more primetime TV ratings than Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs over the last five years.

But the NFL has a problem heading into 2026.

When will Patrick Mahomes be healthy? He's coming off a torn ACL injury. It's possible that he won't be healthy in time for the season opener.

If Mahomes is out, should the Chiefs still get some early-season primetime games? That's the problem the NFL is weighing.

NFL weighing Patrick Mahomes schedule risk

The NFL likely can't afford to push all of the Chiefs' primetime games until late in the year. But, if they have some early-season primetime games, they could be played without Mahomes.

"He's one of the biggest stars in the league, and I don't think any of us would feel great if we had him in prime time early in the season and he missed the first four weeks or whatever," North said. "That being said, that's a good football team, that's a good coach over there, and they went and signed a veteran starting quarterback in this league."



The Chiefs could have Justin Fields at quarterback early on.

"Would the league want to use the big Chiefs-Bills game in Week 1? That's a fair question," North said. "I'm not sure it does 30 or 35 million viewers in Week 1 without Patrick Mahomes. So certainly some thought to maximizing that quarterback and this rivalry."

We'll find out soon.

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This story was originally published May 4, 2026 at 10:14 AM.