Bengals Schedule Release: Cincinnati granted long stretch of consistency before things heat up under the lights
The Cincinnati Bengals are set to have the same kickoff time for their first seven games of the 2026 NFL regular season. Cincinnati won’t play a primetime game until the second half of the year.
We’ve got more reporting of the Cincinnati Bengals’ 2026 regular season schedule.
The Bengals are playing in back-to-back primetime games following their Week 9 game against the Atlanta Falcons that will be played in Madrid, Spain. Cincinnati will host the Pittsburgh Steelers on “Sunday Night Football” in Week 10, and play at the Washington Commanders on “Monday Night Football” in Week 11.
Leading up to these games will be several consecutive 1:00 p.m. ET kickoffs, seven to be exact according to NFL insider Jordan Schultz.
Week 1 will be a 1pm home game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Bengals owning the early windows to start 2026
Bengals 2026 Schedule
Here are the dates we know about Cincinnati’s 2026 regular season schedule thus far:
- Week 1 vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Week 9 at Atlanta Falcons (Madrid)
- Week 10 vs. Pittsburgh Steelers (SNF)
- Week 11 at Washington Commanders (MNF)
- Week 17 vs. Baltimore Ravens (Thursday Night Football)
Cincinnati has played at least one primetime game in September/October in each of the last 10 seasons. That will not continue this year as the first seven weeks will take place before November arrives.
1pm games used to be the Bengals’ saving grace from primetime struggles before Zac Taylor and Joe Burrow took over. Cincinnati has a 11-9 record in regular season games that start after 7pm under Taylor tenure. Three of those wins have come with backup quarterbacks with Burrow out due to injury.
You could argue this schedule isn’t playing into the Bengals’ favor, but games can be flexed if Cincinnati is off to a hot start and a matchup against another good team becomes the better option for a standalone night game.
The primetime schedule is never finalized until the season is at its end.
We’re just a few hours away from the full schedule being released. Check back to atozsports.com for a complete breakdown of the Bengals’ 2026 schedule.