BEREA, Ohio -- The Cleveland Browns knew who they would be playing as the Browns began to prepare for Todd Monken's first season as head coach of the Browns, but did not know the order and dates of the games.
The Browns know now.
The Browns head into the 2026 season with the easiest schedule--on paper--in the NFL, based on the strength of schedule from the 2025 season. The Browns opponents had a combined .429 strength of schedule.
#Browns 2026 NFL Schedule pic.twitter.com/R34lYzMXXi
— Fred Greetham (@FredGreetham9) May 14, 2026
The Browns will play four teams that made it to the playoffs in 2025 and three teams that had winning records, including their opening opponent. In addition, the Browns will face six different teams with new head coaches, including the Steelers and the Ravens to give the Browns eight games against teams with head coaches in their first year with the team.
The Browns will open the season in Florida the first two weeks as they face the Jaguars in Jacksonville to open the 2026 season on Sept. 13 at 1 pm and then play Baker Mayfield and the Buccaneers in Tampa Bay the next week. The Jaguars were 13-4 in 2025 and were the AFC South division winners, while the Bucs were 8-9.
Besides facing Mayfield early in the season, former Browns coach Kevin Stefanski will return with the Falcons to play the Browns at Huntington Bank Field on Dec. 13 after coaching the Browns for five seasons before he was fired after the 2025 season.
"It's going be fun to start off the year going against the Jaguars with the turnaround that they had last year," coach Todd Monken said in the news release. "And with the Bucs, winning the division four of the last five years, it's the ultimate challenge.
"Our guys are going to have to be ready because it's going to be Florida, 1 o'clock, early in the year, so it's going to be hot. And I wouldn't want it any other way."
The Browns will return for their home opener in Week 3 when they host the Panthers on Sept. 27 at 1 p.m.