Billy Joel and Chris Brown were among the people whose plans came into consideration when the 2025 NFL schedule was put together. Both musical artists will have concerts in NFL stadiums this fall which made an early-season matchup between the Los Angeles Chargers and Las Vegas Raiders tricky to schedule.
SI's Albert Breer did a deep dive into the NFL schedule and learned that the schedule-makers had to get creative with an early season AFC West matchup because previously arranged shows by Joel and Brown.
Billy Joel’s rescheduled tour threw a wrench into a couple of dates in the fall. And maybe the more interesting story was how the Los Angeles Chargers and Las Vegas Raiders worked together on Week 2. Jim Harbaugh’s group will be returning from Brazil and, after that, the league wanted to have them at home. The problem was that SoFi Stadium had a block that weekend because of a Chris Brown concert. Allegiant Stadium in Vegas had a block, too.
But rather than throw their hands up and go back to the drawing board, the Chargers went to work with their division rivals, who agreed to work around the stadium commitment to make sure the teams could play on the second Monday night of the season in Vegas. Which allows for the Chargers, without the shot to play at home, to have a short trip after a much, much longer one.
Brown's tour includes back-to-back nights at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles in Week 2 when the Rams are on the road playing Tennessee and Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas during Week 3 when the Raiders travel to Washington.
As for Joel, he has tour stops scheduled at Cincinnati's Paycor Stadium in Week 3 when the Bengals are in Minnesota, Santa Clara's Levi's Stadium in Week 5 when the 49ers play the Rams in LA on Thursday Night Football, the Superdome in Week 7 when the Saints are in Chicago and Ford Field in Week 11 when the Detroit Lions will be visiting the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles.
More NFL on Sports Illustrated