The NFL released their 2026 schedule on Thursday and now we know the date and time of every game (barring the league flexing the Pack in and out of prime-time games). The Packers season will be filled with games against familiar faces this season as former Packers players and coaches will face the Pack throughout the season. These matchups add extra interest to these games in what will be a challenging 2026 schedule.
In Week 6, the Packers will host the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday Night Football. This is the second consecutive season these two teams will meet on Sunday night. This game features a double revenge game format with Micah Parsons facing his former team for the second straight season since he was traded to Green Bay. The Packers will also be facing former first round pick Rashan Gary for the first time in this game.
Gary was traded to the Cowboys after struggling through the second half of the 2025 season. The former Michigan star had 7.5 sacks through the first seven games last year but then recorded no sacks and no tackles for loss for the rest of the season. When Parsons was lost for the season with a torn ACL, the Packers needed Gary to step up and provide the team with more pressure on opposing quarterbacks. Unfortunately, he was unable to get the job done.
It will be interesting to see how the fans at Lambeau Field respond to Gary when he returns in a Cowboys uniform and how he will perform against his former team.
Two weeks later, the Packers will face the Carolina Panthers on Thursday night at Lambeau Field. That means the Packers will face left tackle Rasheed Walker who signed as a free agent with the Panthers this offseason.
Walker came a long way in his four seasons with the Packers. He started as a seventh-round pick and played just one game as a rookie. But when David Bakhtiari was unable to keep playing after Week 1 of 2023, Walker stepped in and became the starting left tackle. He held that position for three years.
Walker became a solid starting left tackle, although his play fell off in 2025. That’s why the Packers decided not to re-sign him and will instead rely on Jordan Morgan to take over and protect Jordan Love’s blind side. The free agent market for Walker fell off and he accepted a smaller than expected contract to sign with Carolina.
Walker will go head-to-head against former teammates like Micah Parsons and Lukas Van Ness in this game. This will be a big season for him if he wants to secure a more lucrative, long-term deal in 2027.
The following week, the Packers will visit the New England Patriots in Week 9. That means the Packers will face wide receiver Romeo Doubs, who signed as a free agent with the Pats this past offseason.
Doubs led the Packers with 55 catches for 724 yards last season. He also caught six touchdown passes. Doubs developed great chemistry with quarterback Jordan Love. He became a reliable third down and red zone target. But ultimately, the Packers parted ways with Doubs because they could not realistically afford to sign all of their potential free agent receivers.
Then in Week 15, the Packers will host the Miami Dolphins. That means the team will be facing two familiar foes. The Dolphins new head coach is Jeff Hafley who served as the Packers defensive coordinator the past two seasons. Meanwhile, Malik Willis will likely be Miami’s starting quarterback. He served as Love’s backup over the last two seasons before signing with the Dolphins as a free agent this offseason.
Will Willis and Hafley have extra inspiration against their former team? Will the warm-weather Dolphins be able to overcome the cold temperatures of Green Bay in December? This will add some juice to an otherwise unexciting late season interconference game.
These are some of the recent former players the Packers will face on their schedule in 2026. It gives the fans something extra to look forward to this season.