Buccaneers 2026 Schedule Release Predictions: Tampa Bay opens the season against a familiar foe, gets some holiday love, and more
The Buccaneers are on the verge of the NFL’s 2026 schedule release, so of course that means it’s time to make a few predictions when it comes to what the final product will look like.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers, along with the 31 other NFL teams, are awaiting the league’s 2026 schedule release on Thursday night. So, why not go ahead and make some predictions before it all becomes official?
We already know the Buccaneers need not worry about any international games on their version of the 2026 schedule. Tampa Bay is also in the bottom-five when it comes to miles traveled during the upcoming regular season.
Those are two big wins ahead of the release. With that being said, let’s try and get a little clairvoyant, shall we?
3 predictions for the Buccaneers’ 2026 schedule that will obviously come true
1. The Buccaneers will open the season on the road in Detroit
I could center this prediction solely around the fact the Buccaneers open the season on the road, but that feels like low-hanging fruit. Mostly because all one has to do is Google “events at Raymond James Stadium” and see Bruno Mars is playing a concert there on September 13.
That’s obviously opening Sunday in the NFL. There’s no chance in hell Ray Jay will host both a Buccaneers game and a Bruno Mars concert on the same day, so go ahead and say goodbye to any home-openers on the 2026 schedule.
Therefore, I’m upping the ante by guessing which team they play in Week 1. My gut says the Lions – they’ve played Bucs six times since Todd Bowles came to town in 2019 and four of those matchups have occurred since 2023.
The Lions go on the road to play the Bills in Week 2, so they’re all but locked-in for a home opener. Two high-profile offenses with big names at quarterback is the perfect recipe to get Motown rocking and the NFL will take advantage of that.
Buccaneers’ last six games vs. Lions
The Buccaneers and Lions have faced off six times in the past six seasons, including one playoff game. Below is how the Bucs have fared in a general sense.
- Record: 3-3
- Points scored per game: 23.8
- Points allowed per game: 19.2
2. The Buccaneers will play on Thanksgiving or Christmas Day
Yes, the Lions will be out of the way by the time Thanksgiving rolls around (based on these clearly accurate predictions). The Dallas Cowboys also play the Philadelphia Eagles, wiping out the two flagship Turkey Day teams.
There’s still one more game to be scheduled, however, and the NFL is holding a triple-header on Christmas this year. That leaves four potential holiday opportunities on the Buccaneers’ 2026 schedule.
Teams like the Bears, Steelers, Rams, and Bengals all make a lot of sense and would make for great television on Christmas. I think the odds ultimately play in Tampa Bay’s favor, here.
3. The bye week will come in the first half of the Buccaneers’ 2026 schedule
The Buccaneers have had just one bye week occur in the first half of a season since winning the Super Bowl in 2020 and that was the 2023 season. As a matter of fact, they’ve had bye weeks occur in the first half of the season four times in the last 10 seasons dating back to 2016 (2016, 2018, 2019, and 2023). I included 2017 in the count because the bye week was originally scheduled for Week 11 before Hurricane Irma forced the Bucs to postpone the Week 1 matchup against the Miami Dolphins.
That won’t be the case in 2026. The Bucs will get a bye within the first eight weeks of the season for just the second time in seven seasons. The hope with this prediction is it doesn’t come too early, because that’s just as problematic as having one late in the season.