The 2026 NFL season is the 107th season of the National Football League (NFL). The regular season began on September 9, 2026, with reigning Super Bowl champion Seattle defeating New England in the NFL Kickoff Game, and will end on January 10, 2027. The playoffs will begin on January 16 and conclude with Super Bowl LXI at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, on February 14.
Player movement The 2026 NFL league year and trading period began on March 11. Beginning March 9, teams were allowed to exercise options for 2026 on players with option clauses in their contracts, submit qualifying offers to their pending restricted free agents, and submit a Minimum Salary Tender to retain exclusive negotiating rights to their players with expiring 2025 contracts and fewer than three accrued seasons of free agent credit. Teams were required to be under the salary cap using the "top 51" definition (in which the 51 highest paid-players on the team's payroll must have a combined salary cap). On March 11, clubs were allowed to contact and begin contract negotiations with players whose contracts had expired and thus became unrestricted free agents.
This season's salary cap was set to $301.2 million per team, a $22 million per team increase from the previous season.
Free agency
Free agency began on March 11. Notable players to change teams include:
Quarterbacks Kirk Cousins (Atlanta to Las Vegas), Kyler Murray (Arizona to Minnesota), Tua Tagovailoa (Miami to Atlanta), and Malik Willis (Green Bay to Miami) Running backs Rico Dowdle (Carolina to Pittsburgh), Travis Etienne (Jacksonville to New Orleans), Kenneth Gainwell (Pittsburgh to Tampa Bay), Najee Harris (Los Angeles Chargers to New York Giants), Patrick Ricard (Baltimore to New York Giants), and Kenneth Walker III (Seattle to Kansas City) Wide receivers Keenan Allen (Los Angeles Chargers to Indianapolis), Stefon Diggs (New England to Washington), Romeo Doubs (Green Bay to New England), Mike Evans (Tampa Bay to San Francisco), Jauan Jennings (San Francisco to Minnesota), Kalif Raymond (Detroit to Chicago), Wan'Dale Robinson (New York Giants to Tennessee), and Deebo Samuel (Washington to San Francisco) Tight ends Isaiah Likely (Baltimore to New York Giants), David Njoku (Cleveland to Los Angeles Chargers), Jonnu Smith (Pittsburgh to Green Bay), Darren Waller (Miami to Carolina), Daniel Bellinger (New York Giants to Tennessee), and Noah Fant (Cincinnati to New Orleans) Offensive linemen David Edwards (Buffalo to New Orleans), DJ Humphries (Los Angeles Rams to Washington), Elgton Jenkins (Green Bay to Cleveland), Zion Johnson (Los Angeles Chargers to Cleveland), Tyler Linderbaum (Baltimore to Las Vegas), Dylan Parham (Las Vegas to New York Jets), Isaac Seumalo (Pittsburgh to Arizona), Wyatt Teller (Cleveland to Houston), Alijah Vera-Tucker (New York Jets to New England), and Rasheed Walker (Green Bay to Carolina) Defensive linemen Jonathan Allen (Minnesota to Cincinnati), Calais Campbell (Arizona to Baltimore), Jadeveon Clowney (Dallas to Houston), John Franklin-Myers (Denver to Tennessee), Trey Hendrickson (Cincinnati to Baltimore), Dre'Mont Jones (Baltimore to New England), Joseph Ossai (Cincinnati to New York Jets), Odafe Oweh (Los Angeles Chargers to Washington) DJ Reader (Detriot to New York Giants), A'Shawn Robinson (Carolina to Tampa Bay), and Za'Darius Smith (Philadelphia to Atlanta) Linebackers Alex Anzalone (Detroit to Tampa Bay), Devin Bush Jr. (Cleveland to Chicago), Bradley Chubb (Miami to Buffalo), Demario Davis (New Orleans to New York Jets), Nakobe Dean (Philadelphia to Las Vegas), Tremaine Edmunds (Chicago to New York Giants), Kaden Elliss (Atlanta to New Orleans), Devin Lloyd (Jacksonville to Carolina), Boye Mafe (Seattle to Cincinnati), Von Miller (Washington to Dallas), Jaelan Phillips (Philadelphia to Carolina), Quay Walker (Green Bay to Las Vegas), Devin White (Las Vegas to Detroit), Bobby Okereke (New York Giants to Carolina), Quincy Williams (New York Jets to Cleveland), and Leo Chenal (Kansas City to Washington) Defensive backs Reed Blankenship (Philadelphia to Houston), Coby Bryant (Seattle to Chicago), Joshua Williams (cornerback) (Kansas City to Tennessee), Kevin Byard (Chicago to New England), Bryan Cook (Kansas City to Cincinnati), Nick Cross (Indianapolis to Washington), Jamel Dean (Tampa Bay to Pittsburgh), Trevon Diggs (Green Bay to Seattle), Cobie Durant (Los Angeles Rams to Dallas), Cor'Dale Flott (New York Giants to Tennessee), L'Jarius Sneed (Tennessee to Kansas City), Alontae Taylor (New Orleans to Tennessee), Cam Taylor-Britt (Cincinnati to Indianapolis), Jalen Thompson (Arizona to Dallas), Jaylen Watson (Kansas City to Los Angeles Rams), Tariq Woolen (Seattle to Philadelphia), Nahshon Wright (Chicago to New York Jets), and Kyle Dugger (Pittsburgh to Cincinnati), Kickers Daniel Carlson (Las Vegas to New Orleans) and Nick Folk (New York Jets to Atlanta) Punters Jake Bailey (Miami to Atlanta), Johnny Hekker (Tennessee to Minnesota), Jordan Stout (Baltimore to New York Giants), Tommy Townsend (Houston to Tennessee), and Ryan Wright (Minnesota to New Orleans)
Trades The following notable trades were made during the 2026 league year:
March 11: Las Vegas traded QB Geno Smith and a 2026 seventh-round selection to the New York Jets in exchange for a 2026 sixth-round selection. March 11: Detroit traded RB David Montgomery to Houston in exchange for C Juice Scruggs, 2026 fourth-round and 2027 seventh-round selections. March 11: Chicago traded WR D. J. Moore and a 2026 fifth-round selection to Buffalo in exchange for a 2026 second-round selection. March 11: Kansas City traded CB Trent McDuffie to the Los Angeles Rams in exchange for their 2026 first- (No. 29), fifth-, and sixth-round selections and a 2027 third-round selection. March 11: Miami traded S Minkah Fitzpatrick to the New York Jets in exchange for a 2026 seventh-round selection. March 11: Green Bay traded DT Colby Wooden to Indianapolis in exchange for LB Zaire Franklin. March 11: Green Bay traded DE Rashan Gary to Dallas in exchange for a 2027 fourth-round selection. March 11: Tennessee traded DT T'Vondre Sweat to the New York Jets in exchange for DE Jermaine Johnson II. March 11: Dallas traded DT Osa Odighizuwa to San Francisco in exchange for a 2026 third-round selection. March 11: Buffalo traded CB Taron Johnson and a 2026 seventh-round selection to Las Vegas in exchange for a 2026 sixth-round selection. March 18: Miami traded WR Jaylen Waddle and a 2026 fourth-round selection to Denver in exchange for a 2026 first- (No. 30), third-, and fourth-round selections. March 20: Philadelphia traded S Sydney Brown and 2026 fourth- and sixth-round selections to Atlanta in exchange for 2026 fourth- and sixth-round selections. March 24: Carolina traded QB Andy Dalton to Philadelphia in exchange for a 2027 seventh-round selection. April 17: Atlanta traded DT Ruke Orhorhoro to Jacksonville in exchange for DT Maason Smith. April 19: The New York Giants traded DT Dexter Lawrence to Cincinnati in exchange for a 2026 first-round selection (No. 10). April 24: Minnesota traded LB Jonathan Greenard to Philadelphia in exchange for a 2026 third-round selection and a 2027 third-round selection. June 1: Cleveland traded DE Myles Garrett to the Los Angeles Rams in exchange for DE Jared Verse, a 2027 first-round selection, a 2028 second-round selection and a 2029 third-round selection. June 1: Philadelphia traded WR A. J. Brown to New England in exchange for a 2027 fifth-round selection and a 2028 first-round selection. August 23: New Orleans traded LB Deion Jones to San Francisco in exchange for RB Zamir White. August 24: New England traded WR Kayshon Boutte to Houston in exchange for S Jaylen Reed and a 2028 seventh-round selection. August 27: Miami traded WR Tutu Atwell to the Los Angeles Rams in exchange for RB Jarquez Hunter. August 30: Pittsburgh traded OT Broderick Jones and a 2027 fourth-round selection to Dallas in exchange for 2027 third- and sixth-round selections. August 30: Chicago traded DT Gervon Dexter to Atlanta in exchange for CB Clark Phillips III and a 2027 fifth-round selection. October 1: Pittsburgh traded CB Joey Porter Jr. to Dallas in exchange for a 2027 sixth-round selection and a 2028 second-round selection. October 7: Philadelphia traded C Cam Jurgens and a 2027 seventh-round selection to Baltimore in exchange for a 2027 fifth-round selection and a 2028 second-round selection.
Retirements Notable retirements
G Joel Bitonio – Seven-time Pro Bowler and five-time All-Pro (two first-team, three second-team). Played for Cleveland during his entire 12-year career. RB Nick Chubb - Four-time Pro Bowler and two-time second-team All-Pro. Played for Cleveland and Houston during his eight-year career. LB Lavonte David – One-time Pro Bowler, three-time All-Pro (one first-team, two second-team), and Super Bowl LV champion. Played for Tampa Bay during his entire 14-year career. CB Stephon Gilmore – Five-time Pro Bowler, two-time first-team All-Pro, Super Bowl LIII champion, and 2019 Defensive Player of the Year. Played for Buffalo, New England, Carolina, Indianapolis, Dallas and Minnesota during his 13-year career. WR T. Y. Hilton – Four-time Pro Bowler. Played for Indianapolis and Dallas during his 11-year career. CB Xavien Howard – Four-time Pro Bowler and two-time All-Pro (one first-team, one second-team). Played for Miami and Indianapolis during his nine-year career. C Ryan Kelly – Four-time Pro Bowler and one-time second-team All-Pro. Played for Indianapolis and Minnesota during his 10-year career. QB Philip Rivers – Eight-time Pro Bowler and 2013 NFL Comeback Player of the Year. Played for the San Diego/Los Angeles Chargers and Indianapolis during his 18-year career. S Justin Simmons – Two-time Pro Bowler and four-time second-team All-Pro. Played for Denver and Atlanta during his nine-year career. CB Darius Slay – Six-time Pro Bowler, one-time first-team All-Pro, and Super Bowl LIX champion. Played for Detroit, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh during his 13-year career. QB Russell Wilson – Ten-time Pro Bowler, one-time second-team All-Pro, Super Bowl XLVIII champion, and 2020 Walter Payton Man of the Year. Played for Seattle, Denver, Pittsburgh and the New York Giants during his 14-year career.
Other retirements
Draft The 2026 NFL draft took place in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania from April 23–25, with events held at Acrisure Stadium, Point State Park, and other venues throughout the city. Las Vegas, by virtue of having the worst record in , held the first overall selection and selected Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza.
The amount of time allotted for each team to make a selection in the first round was reduced from ten to eight minutes beginning with the 2026 draft.
2026 deaths Pro Football Hall of Fame members Raymond Berry Berry played 13 seasons in the NFL as a wide receiver for the Baltimore Colts, and spent over three decades as a coach, including six seasons as the head coach of the New England Patriots. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1973. He was a six-time All-Pro (three first-team, three second-team), six-time Pro Bowler, and two-time NFL champion (1958 and 1959). He died May 25, age 93. Sonny Jurgensen Jurgensen played 18 seasons in the NFL as a quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles and Washington Redskins and was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1983. He was a four-time All-Pro (two first-team, two second-team), five-time Pro Bowler, and won the 1960 NFL Championship with the Eagles. He died February 6, age 91.
Active personnel Janice McNair McNair was an owner and co-founder of the Houston Texans, assuming control of the team in 2018, following the death of her husband Bob McNair, until 2024, when she transferred principal ownership duties to her son Cal. She died on July 14, age 89. Rondale Moore