Detroit Gets a Break From the Spotlight (And Maybe That’s Not a Bad Thing)
The Lions could see fewer primetime and nationally televised games in 2026, and honestly? After 2025’s schedule from hell, that might be exactly what we need.
Let’s talk about what we just survived. In 2025, the Lions had just five 1:00 games all year. One of those was Thanksgiving. Every other game the Lions had was either 4:25. nationally televised in prime time, or on a holiday. That schedule was a real marathon for the players, fans, and us in the media.
It might be a little easier in 2026.
The Schedule Gods Are Not Smiling on Our Opponents
Here’s the thing about having a fourth-place schedule. You’re playing some pretty bad teams, and many of those teams either didn’t have a primetime game in 2025 or had just one or two.
Look at this rogues gallery of opponents and their primetime exposure in 2025: Panthers had one game. Saints had zero. Titans had zero. Cardinals had two. Jets had two. Patriots had three.
The teams that did get decent exposure? Some of them are trending in the wrong direction. The Dolphins are going pretty much full rebuild and didn’t do anything in the offseason that screams star power. The Vikings are NFC North rivals, but they’re pointing towards rebuilding themselves and feel like 1:00 opponents. The Falcons are on the bubble, but they don’t have a lot of star power outside of Bijan Robinson.
Then there’s Germany. The teams that are speculated to be there against the Lions are the Giants, Buccaneers, and Patriots. Just a hunch here, but the Giants make the most sense. That’s going to be an early morning game.
Where the Prime Time Games Will Come From
So where could the primetime games come from? Look where the star power and the stories are.
The Lions and Bills always have a fun matchup and there’s a lot of stars. That one writes itself. Then there’s Dan Campbell vs Ben Johnson parts three and four. One of those is bound to be a prime-time game.
Then you have to account for the Thursday night matchup with the up-and-coming team. That’s where I see the Panthers game being.
If you’re thinking the Lions see no primetime games, that’s not happening. Instead of five, you might see three. Then add two more nationally televised games with Thanksgiving and Germany. Maybe throw in an America’s Game of the Week or two in there as well.
Look, after years of being ignored by the networks, part of me misses the days when every Lions game felt like an event. But another part of me remembers what it was like trying to plan your entire life around 4:25 starts and Sunday night games. Maybe a few more 1:00 kickoffs wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world.
Are you ready for a slightly more normal schedule, or do you want to stay in the primetime spotlight no matter what? Let me know in the comments below.
