Super Bowl XLIX is already in the books and the one thing football fans is dreading the most has finally turned into a dark and cold reality: the NFL season is finally over. If you’re one of those hardcore football fans who can’t get enough football, this article may provide some solace: below you’ll find the key dates for the upcoming 2015 NFL season.
Yes, opening kickoff may still be months away but it’s never too early to prepare for the looming competition ahead, especially now the NFL has truly become a year-long league with the Combine, Draft, and preseason. Read on below as we alleviate your football hangover with this 2015 NFL schedule breakdown and while you’re at it you can check out our recap of that epic Super Bowl XLIX clash between the New England Patriots and the Seattle Seahawks here.
[sc:Football ]Key Dates for the 2015 NFL Season
Offseason Trading
Contracts will be renewed and roster spots will be opened up leading to the league’s first major offseason date on March 10, 2015. As of the tenth, teams can begin trading players and draft picks, and building towards their opening day rosters.
2015 NFL Combine
After a series of local combines, the televised NFL Combine, which can make or break a prospect’s draft value, will take place in Arizona March 21-22.
2015 NFL Draft
The hype for the new season will reach a new pitch during the 2015 NFL Draft. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will have the first overall pick in this year’s draft, which will run April 30 to May 2. The Patriots, as the defending champions, will pick last.
Preseason
[sc:NFL240banner ]The quest for Super Bowl immortality begins in earnest this coming July as training camps for all 32 NFL teams kick into high gear. The actual preseason schedule will get underway, however, on August 9, with the annual Pro Football Hall of Fame Game.
That game will help usher in a jam-packed 65-game preseason schedule that will help the NFL teams get into shape for the season ahead, and help fans become even more frustrated with the NFL’s horrendous preseason product.
NFL Kickoff Game
With their thrilling come-from-behind victory over the Seattle Seahawks, the New England Patriots not only assured themselves of a spot in the record books as Super Bowl XLIX champions but they have booked a spot as well in the opening game of the 2015 NFL season.
Their opponents are not yet known at this time but what we can tell you for now is that the Patriots will open their title defense at home at Gillette Stadium on Thursday, September 10. As per tradition, the league’s opening game happens on the Thursday after the Labor Day, thus the significance of this date.
International Series
Wembley Stadium will once again play host to the National Football League as three marquee football games will take place in England’s grand arena. The Miami Dolphins will open the International Series when they entertain the New York Jets on October 4, the first ever divisional clash to be played in such international games.
The Jacksonville Jaguars then take on the Buffalo Bills on October 25 before the Kansas City Chiefs finish this series with their meeting with the Detroit Lions on November 1. All three football games will kick off at 9:30 A.M. ET as the NFL tries to incorporate this time schedule to the American viewing public.
Thanksgiving Day Games
Football fans are in for a treat this coming Thanksgiving Day as a trio of mouth-watering contests will once again captivate audiences during this festive holiday. The Dallas Cowboys and the Detroit Lions will traditionally each host a game along with a third matchup which will feature two other NFL teams. We’ll update this piece whenever the NFL releases these Thanksgiving showdowns.
Postseason
The just-concluded 2014 NFL Playoffs will be remembered for its memorable plays and epic finishes and we expect more of the same when the 2016 NFL Postseason kicks off next January. The Wild Card playoff round will be played on the weekend of January 9-10, 2016 while the Divisional Round will be contested on the weekend of January 16-17.
The Conference Championships will then be held on January 24 with the AFC Championship Game set at 3:00 PM ET followed shortly thereafter by the NFC Championship decider at 6:30 PM ET. The winners of those two games will then face off in the 50th edition of the Super Bowl on February 7, 2016 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California.
Already pumped up for the upcoming season ahead? Create a betting account now and see early 2015 NFL Futures odds.
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