by The NFL schedule release is an annual event that ignites fierce debate among fans, analysts, and most importantly, the players themselves. While the league aims for competitive balance and maximizing viewership, the intricate puzzle of 272 games often leaves some teams feeling the short end of the stick. This year, Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow, a prominent voice for player well-being and strategic scheduling, voiced his concerns about the 2025 slate, and surprisingly, the NFL’s Vice President of Broadcast Planning and Scheduling, Mike North, largely agrees.
Burrow’s frustrations, centered around two key points – a lack of international play and a repetitive, primetime road game against the Baltimore Ravens – highlight deeper issues within the league’s scheduling philosophy. North’s acknowledgment of the validity of these complaints underscores the ongoing challenge of balancing commercial interests with player experience and competitive fairness.
The Repeated Primetime Road Trip of Joe Burrow: A Burdensome Trend
One of Burrow’s primary gripes for the 2025 season is the Bengals’ fourth consecutive primetime road game against their AFC North rival, the Baltimore Ravens, this time on Thanksgiving night. “Playing in Baltimore for the fourth straight prime-time year isn’t ideal,” Burrow stated, adding a polite but firm, “Maybe we can get one of those in Cincinnati next year, please.”
This isn’t just about home-field advantage or fan experience; it’s about competitive equity and player workload. Playing a short-week Thursday night game on the road for the third consecutive year against the same divisional opponent is a significant ask. Short weeks inherently limit preparation time and impact player recovery, both crucial factors in a physically demanding sport like football. For a division as fierce and competitive as the AFC North, any such disadvantage can feel amplified.
Mike North, the man at the helm of the NFL’s scheduling operations, offered a candid response, admitting, “It’s fair. It’s not a one-or-two years sort of a league where you fix every problem every other year or every two years. Once you start getting to the same thing three years in a row, four, or five years in a row, whether it’s a short week Thursday on the road or opening on the road. When trends like that emerge, we probably have to adjust at some point.” He even went as far as to say that if he could “wave a magic wand” over one game, it would be that specific Week 13 Thanksgiving clash.
This rare admission from a league executive offers a glimpse into the complexities of schedule creation and the recognition of a legitimate pattern of disadvantage. The Bengals join a short list of teams in NFL history to face such a specific and repetitive scheduling quirk, underlining the unusual nature of this particular situation. While the high-stakes nature of the Ravens-Bengals rivalry makes it a prime candidate for primetime viewership, the consistent road placement raises questions about balanced exposure for both fanbases.
The Quest for International Exposure: Growing the Game, Engaging the Stars
Beyond the familiar turf of the AFC North, Burrow also expressed disappointment about the Bengals’ continued absence from the NFL’s expanding international game slate. “Maybe an international game next year, too,” he mused, highlighting his participation in the Netflix docuseries “Quarterback” as a conscious effort to grow the game globally. “To not have a stage like that is a little disappointing,” he continued, “because I feel like I’ve consciously worked hard to try to grow the game internationally over the last 18 months or so.”
This desire to play internationally isn’t merely a personal preference; it aligns with the NFL’s strategic vision. Commissioner Roger Goodell has made it clear that the league aims to expand its global footprint, with ambitions to host up to 16 regular-season games overseas annually in the near future. Players like Burrow, with their immense popularity and global appeal, are instrumental in achieving this goal. For a star quarterback who has actively engaged in promoting the sport beyond U.S. borders, being left out of this burgeoning aspect of the league’s calendar can understandably feel like a missed opportunity.
The international games offer a unique platform for teams to connect with new fan bases, and for players, it provides a distinctive cultural experience. While the league faces logistical hurdles in scheduling these games, integrating more teams, especially those with high-profile players, into the international series would undoubtedly boost global engagement and fulfill the aspirations of athletes invested in expanding the sport’s reach.
The Art and Science of NFL Scheduling: A Constant Balancing Act
The NFL schedule is a monumental undertaking, a blend of complex algorithms, strategic considerations, and human oversight. A dedicated team works tirelessly to craft a 272-game slate that satisfies a multitude of stakeholders:
- Broadcast Partners: Maximizing viewership for television networks and streaming services is a top priority, leading to marquee matchups in coveted primetime slots.
- Team Requests & Constraints: Each team submits requests regarding bye weeks, travel limitations, and stadium availability (avoiding conflicts with concerts, other sporting events, etc.).
- Competitive Balance: The league strives to create a schedule that is as fair as possible, though the inherent nature of a 17-game season with fixed divisional opponents makes perfect parity impossible.
- Player Health & Safety: While not always perfectly achieved, the league and NFLPA aim to minimize scenarios that create undue physical strain, such as multiple short-week road games or extensive travel.
The process involves thousands of cloud-based computers generating millions of potential schedules, from which the human scheduling team then meticulously selects the optimal version. This year, the inclusion of a record seven international games, new flex-scheduling rules for Thursday Night Football, and expanded Christmas Day programming on Netflix and Amazon further complicated an already intricate process.
North’s comments suggest that while the 2025 schedule, in its entirety, was deemed the “best schedule” by the league, certain recurring patterns, like the Bengals’ primetime road trips to Baltimore, slipped through the cracks. It’s a testament to the sheer scale of the operation that some anomalies are bound to occur.
The Player’s Perspective: More Than Just Games
Burrow’s outspokenness on these scheduling issues isn’t an isolated incident. Players across the league consistently raise concerns about the impact of the schedule on their well-being. The NFL Players Association (NFLPA) has historically pushed back against ideas like an 18-game season, citing player health and recovery as paramount. While the league and players have made strides in areas like guaranteed bye week rest, the demands of the sport continue to escalate.
Short weeks, extensive travel, and the relentless physicality of NFL games take a toll. Players are not just athletes; they are individuals with families and personal lives that are impacted by their demanding schedules. Burrow’s call for a more balanced primetime schedule at home resonates with fans who want to experience those high-energy games in their own stadium. His desire for international play speaks to a forward-thinking perspective on the growth of the sport and the role players can play in that expansion.
Looking Ahead: The Promise of Adjustment
North’s acknowledgment of Burrow’s complaints suggests that the league is listening. His statement about “adjusting at some point” when “trends like that emerge” offers hope for a more equitable schedule in future seasons, particularly for the Bengals-Ravens rivalry. It’s a subtle but significant admission that the current iteration isn’t perfect and that player feedback is taken into consideration.
The ongoing dialogue between players, teams, and the league office is crucial for refining the scheduling process. As the NFL continues to evolve, expanding its global reach and adapting to new media landscapes, the challenge of creating a fair, engaging, and player-friendly schedule will only intensify. However, with star players like Joe Burrow articulating their concerns, and league executives like Mike North demonstrating an understanding of those valid points, there’s a clear path towards continuous improvement.
For Bengals fans, this means there’s a strong likelihood that the 2026 schedule will feature that coveted primetime home game against the Ravens. For the league, it’s a reminder that while the business of football is paramount, the well-being and aspirations of its most valuable assets – the players – must always be at the forefront of the decision-making process. Joe Burrow’s voice, as a top quarterback and advocate for the game, has certainly made an impact, signaling a potentially more player-centric approach to future NFL schedules.
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