DETROIT -- The Detroit Lions' 2026 schedule was released along with the rest of the NFL slate Thursday.
After capturing NFC North titles in back-to-back years, the 2025 season was a big letdown for Detroit. The Lions missed the postseason for the first time since 2022 after finishing with a 9-8 record. However, with veteran QB Jared Goff, Pro Bowlers Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jahmyr Gibbs, Penei Sewell, Aidan Hutchinson and most of their young nucleus returning, the Lions continue to draw marquee national interest. Detroit has notable primetime games set for Week 2 at Buffalo and Week 10 against New England in Germany in addition to their annual Thanksgiving Day game showdown with the Chicago Bears on Thursday, Nov. 26.
There will be no shortage of storylines either, with coach Dan Campbell facing his former team, the New Orleans Saints, in Week 1 before hosting his former defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn's Jets in Week 3.
This offseason, Detroit has hired new offensive coordinator Drew Petzing, retooled its offensive line with younger faces, including Clemson OT Blake Miller, who they drafted with the 17th overall pick, in hopes of getting back to the postseason.
"I want to go back to what we did a little bit," Campbell said during the NFL's annual league meetings in March. "Let's get our confidence back up, let's not beat ourselves. Let's make sure that our calling card is what we said. It's about grit, and everything starts with grit."
Here's what's in store for the Lions:
Lions 2026 regular-season schedule
Week 1: Sept. 13 vs. New Orleans Saints
Week 2: Sept. 17 at Buffalo Bills (TNF)
Week 3: Sept. 27 vs. New York Jets
Week 4: Oct. 4 at Carolina Panthers (SNF)
Week 5: Oct. 11 at Arizona Cardinals
Week 6: Bye week
Week 7: Oct 25 vs. Green Bay Packers
Week 8: Nov. 1 vs. Minnesota Vikings
Week 9: Nov. 8 at Miami Dolphins
Week 10: Nov. 15 vs. New England Patriots (Munich, Germany)
Week 11: Nov. 22 vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Week 12: Nov. 26 vs. Chicago Bears (Thanksgiving)
Week 13: Dec. 6 at Atlanta Falcons
Week 14: Dec. 13 vs. Tennessee Titans
Week 15: Dec. 20 at Minnesota Vikings (SNF)
Week 16: Monday, Dec. 28 vs. New York Giants (MNF)
Week 17: Jan. 3 at Chicago Bears
Week 18: TBD at Green Bay Packers
Strength of schedule: The Lions have the sixth-easiest schedule in the league (opponents had a .467 winning percentage in 2025).
DraftKings over/under win total: 10.5
ESPN analyst Mike Clay's projected win total: 12.1
Biggest takeaway
Detroit is set for four primetime games in 2026, in addition to their international and annual Thanksgiving Day game in which Campbell and the Lions will host the Bears, who are led by his former offensive coordinator Ben Johnson. Detroit swept the Bears in both matchups last season, including in Week 18 at Soldier Field.
The Lions could also benefit from an easier schedule in 2026 (sixth-easiest). Entering the 2025 season, they were tied for the second-hardest schedule in the league, while playing on both Thanksgiving and Christmas Day.
Circle this date
The Lions will be the featured team at Allianz Arena in Munich, Germany, when they face the Patriots. Detroit's most recent international game was on Nov. 1, 2015, against the Kansas City Chiefs in London. Prior to that, the Lions were the home team at Wembley Stadium on Oct. 26, 2014 -- a victory over the Atlanta Falcons. St. Brown's mother, Miriam, hails from Cologne, and he has been dreaming of a return to Germany -- where he frequently visited as a child -- as a professional.
"The appetite is growing fast, and I've seen it firsthand," St. Brown said in March. "I go out there and have my camps out there, and there's people that actually recognize me in Germany, which I think it's crazy because I know how big soccer is, and I know how big that sport is over there and for there to be fans and even jerseys in sports shops, like football jerseys, is crazy. I'm just grateful, I'm happy and I'm honored that football will be played in Germany and we'll be part of that."
Bold prediction
The Lions will play spoiler at Buffalo in Week 2, which could set the tone for the season. The game will mark the first to be played at Highmark Stadium -- the Bills' new home. But Detroit is no stranger to nationally televised matchups and will be motivated to beat Buffalo after losing an epic 48-42 shootout at Ford Field in their last matchup on Dec. 15, 2024.
Will the Lions return to the playoffs in 2026?
That's certainly the focus. Lions general manager Brad Holmes says he takes every draft and offseason seriously, but there was a little more "fire" this year after missing the postseason in 2025. Holmes focused on acquiring players to reestablish Detroit's gritty identity because, he said, "the urgency needed to be more pushed up on everything." Having one of the NFL's easiest schedules will help as well.
"I'm not saying we forgot about our identity, but just making sure that was at the top of mind," Holmes said during the 2026 NFL draft. "And so that's why every single player that we took, sometimes when we're writing notes and I write 'this guy's a football player.'" And I go back and reading my notes for all the guys we picked and I'm just highlighting that I've said that about every single one of those guys."
