What goes into building the NFL schedule?

It’s now official — we have an NFL schedule!

The man behind the schedule, Mike North, joined Ross Tucker on the latest Ross Tucker Podcast to to discuss everything that goes into creating the schedule.

Ross wants to start off by giving a quick tutorial about what it actually is that the schedule makers do and do not do. Mike points out that the 272 matchups are known once the regular season ends, some by rotation and some by standings. Fourteen of 17 opponents are known, in some cases for YEARS in advance, it’s the other three opponents that are dependent on the final standings. Mike says it’s up to the schedule makers to take those 272 matchups and find the right home for them. He says they’re trying to balance maximizing viewership/fan interest while minimizing team pain.

Later in the interview, Ross brings up marquee player injuries affecting the schedule. Last season, Aaron Rodgers got hurt four plays into the Jets’ Week 1 Monday Night Football opener, leaving the primetime schedule chock full of a suddenly less interesting, and less talented, New York squad. Is there anything that can be done to mitigate situations like that? Mike, for his part, doesn’t want to even risk speaking something like that into existence. But he points out that for anyone who thinks the NFL is scripted, that scenario should blow that theory right out of the water.

What could be done about the injuries? Mike guesses you could schedule less primetime Cowboys and Chiefs games, but that’s probably not what football fans are looking for. He thinks the fans are looking for the big teams, the big brands and the big stars in big television windows where they can watch them if they want to and if injuries happen hopefully the team is built to withstand that plus there’s always flexible scheduling to fall back upon.

Check out more of Ross’ conversation with Mike North below and make sure to tune into the Ross Tucker Podcast on DraftKings Network! See more about how to watch DraftKings Network here.

SHOW BREAKDOWN

Mike North: Creator of the NFL Schedule

• Ross is joined by the NFL’s VP of Broadcast Planning Mike North to discuss all of the challenges that go into creating the NFL schedule, how much rest disparity is taken into account, flex scheduling, and more!

Watch more below!

VIDEO:

Check out the Ross Tucker YouTube page for more and subscribe to the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also follow the show on X at @rosstuckerpod and Ross at @rosstuckernfl.

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