The Patriots’ 2021 schedule is official.
New England will open the season at home against the Dolphins for a second straight year, but this season the game will be played at 4:15 p.m. in front of a national audience.
The game everyone wanted to know about — Tom Brady’s return — will be Week 4 on Sunday Night Football.
Its bye week is very late — Week 14 — but that could make the team one of the more rested teams for the stretch run and potential postseason. The Patriots close the year with a game in Miami, a place that hasn’t been kind to them late in the year of late.
Here’s the full schedule, including the three preseason games.
Preseason Week 1- Thurs. Aug. 12 vs. Washington Football Team 7:30 PM (Patriots preseason TV network)
Preseason Week 2- Thurs. Aug. 19 at Philadelphia Eagles 7:30 PM (Patriots preseason TV network)
Preseason Week 3- Sun. Aug. 29 at New York Giants 7:30 PM (Patriots preseason TV network)
Week 1- Sept. 12: vs. Miami Dolphins, 4:25 PM (CBS)
Week 2- Sept. 19: at New York Jets, 1:00 PM (CBS)
Week 3- Sept. 26: vs. New Orleans Saints, 1:00 PM (FOX)
Week 4- Oct. 3: vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 8:20 PM (NBC)
Week 5- Oct. 10: at Houston Texans, 1:00 PM (CBS)
Week 6- Oct. 17: vs. Dallas Cowboys, 4:25 PM (CBS)
Week 7- Oct. 24: vs. New York Jets, 1:00 PM (CBS)
Week 8- Oct. 31: at Los Angeles Chargers, 4:05 PM (CBS)
Week 9- Nov. 7: at Carolina Panthers, 1:00 PM (CBS)
Week 10- Nov. 14: vs. Cleveland Browns, 1:00 PM (CBS)
Week 11- Nov. 18: at Atlanta Falcons (Thurs.), 8:20 PM (FOX, NFLN, Amazon)
Week 12- Nov. 28: vs. Tennessee Titans, 1:00 PM (CBS)
Week 13- Dec. 6: at Buffalo Bills (Mon.) 8:15, ESPN
Week 14- BYE
Week 15- Dec. 18 or 19: at Indianapolis Colts (Sat. or Sun.), TBD
Week 16- Dec. 26: vs. Buffalo Bills, 1:00 PM (CBS)
Week 17- Jan. 2: vs. Jacksonville Jaguars, 1:00 PM (CBS)
Week 18- Jan. 9: at Miami Dolphins, 1:00 PM (CBS)