The wait is finally over for football fans as the 2026 NFL schedule release has officially arrived. While every team starts the season with a 0-0 record, the path to the postseason is far from equal. This year’s schedule grid reveals a massive disparity in difficulty, leaving some Super Bowl contenders staring down a gauntlet while others find themselves with a significantly smoother road to January.
The Chicago Bears’ Challenging Climb
Coming off a stellar 2025 campaign where they finished 11-6 and secured the NFC North title, the Chicago Bears are now facing the literal price of success. According to the latest data from the 2026 NFL schedule release, the Bears own the toughest strength of schedule (SOS) in the league. Their 2026 opponents finished the previous season with a combined winning percentage of .550, the highest mark in the NFL.
Under head coach Ben Johnson, the Bears must navigate a schedule that features a high volume of first-place finishers. Chicago is slated for grueling road trips to face the Seattle Seahawks, Buffalo Bills, and their division rivals in Detroit and Green Bay. Additionally, their home slate is no cakewalk, with the Philadelphia Eagles and New England Patriots—two of the AFC and NFC’s heavyweights—scheduled to visit Soldier Field. For a young team looking to solidify its status as a perennial contender, this schedule represents the ultimate litmus test.
Cleveland Browns: A Golden Opportunity
On the opposite end of the spectrum, the Cleveland Browns find themselves in an enviable position. After a disappointing 5-12 finish in 2025, the Browns have been handed the easiest schedule in the NFL for the 2026 season. Their opponents combined for a meager .429 winning percentage last year, giving Cleveland a statistical advantage as they look to rebound under new head coach Todd Monken.
The Browns’ schedule is bolstered by matchups against the AFC South and NFC South, two divisions that struggled for consistency last year. Cleveland will benefit from facing seven different teams that recorded at least 10 losses in 2025. With a roster that still boasts significant talent and a potential quarterback battle between Deshaun Watson and rookie sensation Shedeur Sanders, the Browns have no excuses not to compete for a wildcard spot given this favorable lineup.
Hardest and Easiest Schedules: The 2026 Rankings
The 2026 NFL schedule release highlights how much a team’s performance in the prior year dictates their future hurdles. Strength of schedule is calculated by averaging the 2025 winning percentages of all 17 opponents on a team's 2026 calendar.
Top 5 Hardest NFL Schedules (2026)
- Chicago Bears: .550
- Miami Dolphins: .542
- Arizona Cardinals: .538
- Green Bay Packers: .538
- Kansas City Chiefs: .536
Top 5 Easiest NFL Schedules (2026)
- Cleveland Browns: .429
- New Orleans Saints: .434
- Cincinnati Bengals: .450
- Indianapolis Colts: .465
- Atlanta Falcons: .465
Analyzing the Divisional Impact
The 2026 NFL schedule release also sheds light on divisional imbalances. In the NFC North, the Bears and Packers both rank in the top four for most difficult schedules, largely due to the division’s overall strength in 2025. Conversely, the AFC North sees a massive split; while the Browns enjoy the league's easiest path, the Pittsburgh Steelers face a middle-of-the-pack SOS (.495) as they attempt to defend their competitive standing in the league's toughest division.
The New Orleans Saints and Cincinnati Bengals also emerge as big winners of the release. The Saints benefit from a weak NFC South and a home-heavy schedule against sub-.500 teams like the Raiders and Giants. For the Bengals, a healthy Joe Burrow paired with the league's third-easiest schedule could signal a return to the top of the AFC hierarchy.
The Reality of Strength of Schedule
While these numbers provide a baseline for expectations, veteran NFL analysts often warn that SOS is a fluid metric. Injuries, breakout rookies, and coaching changes can quickly turn an "easy" game into a nightmare. However, for teams like the Bears, the 2026 NFL schedule release serves as a reminder that the road to the Super Bowl is rarely a straight line. For the Browns, it is a lifeline that could save a franchise in transition.
Sources & Original Reporting