While the full 2026 NFL schedule is set to be released at 8:00 p.m. ET Thursday night, there are always leaks — and some game announcements — during the week leading up to the official release. That means we’ll begin to get an idea of how the Bucs’ 2026 slate is shaping up before it’s fully released.
Tampa Bay’s opponents for the 2026 season have been set since the 2025 regular season came to a bitter end in January. Todd Bowles’ squad has nine home games and eight road games in this make-or-break season, with the opponents as follows:
HOME:
Green Bay Packers Minnesota Vikings
Cleveland Browns
Pittsburgh Steelers
Los Angeles Chargers
Los Angeles Rams
Atlanta Falcons
Carolina Panthers
New Orleans Saints
AWAY:
Chicago Bears Detroit Lions
Baltimore Ravens
Cincinnati Bengals
Dallas Cowboys
Atlanta Falcons
Carolina Panthers
New Orleans Saints
The Bucs will face six teams teams from the 2025 playoff field. Five of them come to Raymond James Stadium, with the Packers, defending AFC North champion Steelers, Chargers, Rams and defending NFC South champion Panthers visiting Tampa. The Bucs obviously have the return game to face the Panthers in Carolina, plus they have a trip to Chicago to match up with the defending NFC North champion Bears.
PewterReport.com is keeping track of any Buccaneer schedule leaks here.
***DISCLAIMER: None of these reports are absolutely official unless otherwise noted.
Bucs 2026 Schedule Leaks — Scroll Down For Most Recent Updates
11:01 a.m. Monday, May 11 – Chris Myers, the preseason voice of the Bucs on WFLA News Channel 8, posted some early schedule news Monday morning centered on the team’s preseason slate. According to Myers, Tampa Bay looks to be starting its three-game preseason schedule on the road against the Jets before coming home for Week 2 of the preseason. Then, the exhibition finale will come on the road.
preseason schedule NFL may have Bucs starting on the road at the Jets.. then home at Tampa Bay with opponent yet to be decided.. preseason week 3 on the road.#Bucs #nflpreseason
— Chris Myers (@The_ChrisMyers) May 11, 2026
8:00 p.m. Monday, May 11 – As Pewter Report’s Bailey Adams wrote in his 2026 mock schedule and Pewter Report’s Scott Reynolds also wrote in this week’s Bucs Mailbag, Bruno Mars has tour dates at Raymond James Stadium Saturday, Sept. 12 and Sunday, Sept. 13, which would force the Bucs to open up the 2026 season away from home. This would be the second straight season and the fourth time in five years that Tampa Bay has opened up on the road.
Pewter Report Podcast: Bucs 2025 Schedule Release Show At 8:00pm ET
Be sure to join Scott Reynolds and Matt Matera at 8:00 p.m. ET Thursday for a special Bucs 2026 Schedule Release Show edition of the Pewter Report Podcast on our PewterReportTV YouTube channel. The show will also be streamed live on the @PewterReport Facebook and X channels, too.