Happy NFL Schedule Release Day!
If you celebrate, of course. And, based on anecdotal samplings of talk radio, social media and the ever-connected world around us, plenty of people actually do celebrate what should probably be considered the dumbest “event” on the annual sports calendar.
There is nothing more indicative of the NFL’s popularity and marketing power than the fact that the league’s schedule release has become an annual event. (Sure, 750k in attendance at the Draft in Detroit is in the conversation.)
One with a primetime specials on both NFL Network and ESPN.
A night marked by individual team’s social media departments falling all over themselves to put out creative, funny, timely and at times costly videos unveiling their 17-game slate of opponents.
Oh, by the way, that’s a list of opponents that’s been known since the regular season ended in early January.
Remember the old days when a schedule was something printed on a piece of paper or, in more modern times, posted on a website? If you wanted to get crazy and show your deeper support, it was on a magnet on the refrigerator proudly displayed next to your favorite children or grandchildren.
Now, oh no. Now, there must be announcements of when the schedule will be announced. It must be in primetime TV as if it’s an actual event like, oh I don’t know, a game between two good teams. Or the State of the Union.
Now it must include sponsored content tied into comedic skits or involve Hollywood stars or full-fledged animation. Something spectacular to show just how oh so important and meaningful it is.
So tonight we’ll find out exactly when Jerod Mayo’s new team led by (at some point, hopefully!) soon-to-be entrenched franchise QB Drake Maye will play its games this September through January.
In the good days of the dynasty we’d already know a couple New England games because the NFL has been “leaking” games in recent days, stand-alone matchups between top teams. That no longer includes the Patriots, who’ll likely see a lot of Sunday 1 p.m. games on the docket when it is ceremoniously dispensed tonight for all the breathless world of Patriot Nation to see!
Although, we did get a bit of an appetizer with the NFL announcing the Patriots’ visit to the Jaguars will actually be played in London on Oct.
20. Let’s hope this year’s trip across the pond goes better than last November’s debacle against the Colts in Germany that was seemingly and reportedly the final embarrassing straw of the Mac Jones/Bill Belichick error in New England.
We already know the 2024 Patriots, depending on what metric you use, have one of the more difficult schedules in the NFL. We’re well aware that their last place finish in the AFC East last fall landed them contests against the Bengals and Chargers, teams that have elite QBs and don’t exactly feel like fellow NFL bottom feeders.
But tonight, in all its packaged, promoted and pristine glory we’ll get the delightful details of the 2024 schedule for the Patriots and all 32 teams.
That will be followed by the equally as idiotic reactions and analysis to the schedule release – Please listen to WEEI’s live “6 Rings” podcast tonight! – as we all have to trip all over ourselves to get our record predictions on the record in mid-May, long before Maye and company have taken a single practice snap in pads!
So, getcha popcorn. Enjoy NFL Schedule Release Day!
As dumb as the whole thing feels when, you know, a real event like a Celtics playoff game is taking place.