The NFL revealed the full 2025 schedule on Wednesday night, and while fans of most teams immediately circled their respective primetime matchups on their calendars, fans of three teams were unable to do so.
The Cleveland Browns were one of those teams, joining the Indianapolis Colts and Tennessee Titans. This is in contrast to 20 of the NFL's 32 teams who have at least four primetime matchups in 2025.
The Browns at the very least have a standalone game on the schedule when they take on the Minnesota Vikings in London during Week 5. The Titans are the only NFL team without a standalone game.
If the Browns prove to be exciting and worthwhile, they may be able to earn a primetime matchup. The NFL can flex up to two Sunday Night Football games from Weeks 5 to 10 and any from Week 17 onward, per their broadcasting deals.
All start times remain unscheduled for Week 18, but the possibility of the Browns earning the primetime slot there remains unlikely, as it will likely be reserved for games that will determine playoff position.
Cleveland sports one of the NFL's toughest schedules this upcoming season, featuring several marquee matchups. Yet, the NFL does not express much confidence in the Browns' ability to make these contests competitive.
Trading down from the No. 2 pick likely also hurt the Browns' marketing appeal, as Travis Hunter and the Jacksonville Jaguars received a Monday Night Football matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 5.
Another draft decision that likely cost them was waiting until the fifth-round to draft Shedeur Sanders. If Sanders were a shoe-in to be the starter under center, the Browns almost certainly would have landed an early primetime matchup. Sanders was the second quarterback the Browns took, and on top of competing with fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel, there are a pair of veterans in that room who Sanders will have to compete with.
Unsurprisingly, the Kansas City Chiefs lead the league with seven primetime matchups, which doesn't include their Thanksgiving Day matchup against the Dallas Cowboys, who are the runner up in primetime games with six.