FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — The Atlanta Falcons' 2026 schedule will be released Thursday evening along with the rest of the league, giving fans their first chance to see the order in which games will be played this fall.

While the sequence of the games remains unknown — for now — the opponents Atlanta will face have been set since the end of the 2025 season. Now that the majority of free agency moves have taken place and the NFL Draft has come and gone, it's a good time to get better acquainted with the 14 teams the Falcons will face this fall.

Below are 63 facts about the teams on Atlanta's 2026 schedule, and they will remain true regardless of when the Falcons will face them. This year, in addition to their six games against NFC South rivals, the Falcons will play the NFC and AFC North divisions as well as one team each from the AFC West, NFC West and NFC East.

Baltimore Ravens

1. The Ravens underwent significant change this offseason, starting at the top. John Harbaugh is out as head coach after an 18-year run in Baltimore, where he compiled a 180-113 record and won a Super Bowl. Replacing him is Jessie Minter, who spent the last four years as Jim Harbaugh's defensive coordinator with both the Michigan Wolverines and, most recently, the Los Angeles Chargers. Minter is familiar with the Ravens, though. He was a defensive assistant with the organization from 2017-19 and the defensive backs coach in 2020.

2. After recording 30 sacks in 2025, tied for the fewest in the NFL, the Ravens signed edge defender Trey Hendrickson in free agency to a 4-year deal worth $112 million with $60 million guaranteed. Hendrickson has 81 sacks since entering the league in 2017, the eighth-most among NFL defenders.

3. Center Tyler Linderbaum, a three-time Pro Bowler in just four NFL seasons, was the Ravens' biggest departure this offseason. The former first-round pick started 66 games for Baltimore, helping the offense finish no worse than No. 2 in rushing yards per game in each of his four years.

4. Baltimore selected 11 players in the 2026 NFL Draft, headlined by offensive guard Olaivavega Ioane in the first round and defensive end Zion Young in the second round. Ioane, who was taken with the 14th-overall pick, is the first interior offensive lineman ever selected by the Ravens in the top half of the first round.

Carolina Panthers

1. The Panthers finished with an 8-9 record in 2025 and won the NFC South for the first time since 2015 and the seventh time in franchise history. They lost to the Los Angeles Rams 34-31 in a competitive wild card matchup. It was Carolina's ninth trip to the postseason since joining the league in 1995.

2. Starting left tackle Ikem Ekwonu ruptured his patella tendon in the Panthers' playoff loss, and there's no clear timeline for his return. Carolina signed veteran lineman Rasheed Walker in free agency and then selected offensive tackle Monroe Freeling with their first-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. Panthers GM Dan Morgan said recently that Walker and Freeling would be competing to protect Bryce Young's blindside.

3. Carolina also invested in its defensive trench play this offseason. The Panthers gave out the biggest contract in free agency, signing defensive end Jaelan Phillips to a 4-year, $120 million contract with $80 million guaranteed. They also selected 318-pound defensive tackle Lee Hunter in the second round, giving them a large run stuffer to pair with Derrick Brown.

4. The Panthers are entering their third year under head coach Dave Canales and also have continuity at all three coordinator positions with Brad Idzik, Ejiro Eviro and Tracy Smith overseeing the offense, defense and special teams, respectively.

5. Young enters his fourth season in Carolina. The former No. 1 overall pick is 14-31 in the games he's started, including the wild card loss. Interestingly, Young has engineered a game-winning drive in 12 of his 14 career wins, a number that ranks first among all quarterbacks since he entered the league.

Chicago Bears

1. Chicago finished with an 11-6 record in Ben Johnson's first season as head coach. The Bears won the NFC North for the first time since 2018 and reached the postseason for the first time since 2020. They beat the Green Bay Packers 31-27 thanks to a furious fourth-quarter rally that resulted in 25 points for the Bears. It was their first playoff win in 15 years.

2. After an offensive breakthrough in 2025, the Bears said goodbye to two key pieces of that operation this offseason. The team traded veteran wide receiver DJ Moore to the Buffalo Bills, and center Drew Dalman retired after one Pro Bowl season in Chicago.

3. Linebacker Tremaine Edmunds, cornerback Nahshon Wright and safeties Kevin Byard, Jaquan Brisker and C.J. Gardner-Johnson are key defensive departures this offseason. Chicago drafted Dillon Thieneman in the first round and signed veteran Coby Bryant to help mitigate the losses at safety.

4. The Bears gave up a league-high 68 sacks during the 2024 season, which were the most in franchise history. In 2025, they had a significant turnaround after investing heavily in their offensive line and allowed just 24 sacks, the third-lowest total in the NFL.

5. No team generated more turnovers (33) or had a better turnover differential (plus-22) than Chicago last season.

Cincinnati Bengals

1. The Bengals made a splash trade this offseason as part of their efforts to revamp a defense that ranked last in yards per play last season, sending the 10th-overall pick to the New York Giants for defensive lineman Dexter Lawrence, a three-time Pro Bowler who is a stalwart against the run and had nine sacks in just 12 games in 2024.

2. That was far from the only defensive move made by Cincinnati. The Bengals signed former first-round pick Jonathan Allen and pass rusher Boye Mafe to join Lawrence on the defensive line. They also signed safety Bryan Cook after he completed his rookie contract with the Kansas City Chiefs, who drafted him in the second round of the 2022 draft. Their first two draft picks — defensive end Cashius Howell and cornerback Tacario Davis — were also made to help defensive coordinator Al Golden's unit.

3. Starting quarterback Joe Burrow played just eight games last season due to injury, which hampered the Bengals. Cincinnati finished with a 6-11 record in 2025 and placed third in the AFC North for the second straight season.

4. Despite Burrow's absence, the Bengals were extremely efficient in situational football. They were the No. 5 offense in third-down efficiency, the No. 3 offense in fourth-down efficiency and the No. 2 offense in red-zone efficiency.

5. The Falcons will host the Bengals overseas in 2026. The two teams will square off on Nov. 8 in Madrid, Spain, at Real Madrid's Santiago Bernabéu Stadium. It is the first time these two teams have played an international game and their first meeting since 2022.

Cleveland Browns

1. The Browns parted ways with two-time NFL Coach of the Year Kevin Stefanski after the 2025 season, marking the first change at the top since the 2020 offseason. Replacing Stefanski is Todd Monken, who spent the past three seasons as the Baltimore Ravens' offensive coordinator. This is the first NFL head coaching job for the 60-year-old Monken.

2. The offensive line was a clear area of focus for Cleveland this offseason. The Browns signed guards Zion Johnson and Teven Jenkins as well as center Elgton Jenkins in free agency. They also traded a fifth-round pick to the Houston Texans for offensive tackle Tytus Howard and signed him to a three-year extension.

3. With their first pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, the Browns selected left tackle Spencer Fano, further solidifying their offensive line unit. After taking Fano at No. 9, the Browns then used their second first-round pick on wide receiver KC Concepcion to add an explosive element to their passing game.

4. Despite requesting a trade early in the 2025 offseason, Myles Garrett decided to stay in Cleveland and signed a four-year extension with the Browns that should keep him in the fold through the 2030 season. Fresh off that extension, Garrett notched 23 sacks last season, setting the NFL single-season sack record.

5. Linebacker Carson Schwesinger was named NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year after the 2025 season. He led all first-year defenders with 156 tackles last season while also logging 2.5 sacks and a pair of interceptions.

Detroit Lions

1. The Lions finished with a 9-8 record in 2025 and placed fourth in the NFC North for the first time since Dan Campbell's first season in Detroit.

2. Offensive inconsistencies were a problem for the Lions in 2025 following the departure of Ben Johnson, and Campbell even took over playcalling duties from offensive coordinator John Morton, who was fired shortly after the season ended. This offseason, the Lions hired Drew Petzing to fill that role. Petzing spent the previous three seasons as the offensive coordinator for the Arizona Cardinals, where he established a strong rushing offense.

3. Detroit disbanded one of the league's most popular rushing duos by trading running back David Montgomery to the Houston Texans in March for a pair of draft picks and offensive lineman Juice Scruggs. The Lions signed free agent running back Isaiah Pacheco to replace Montgomery as Jahmyr Gibbs' backfield mate.

4. Speaking of Gibbs, no running back has scored more touchdowns (49) since he entered the league in 2023. His 5,029 yards from scrimmage rank third among running backs in that time.

5. Signing free agent center Cade Mays filled a legitimate hole for Detroit. Pro Bowl center Frank Ragnow retired ahead of the 2025 season, which had a large impact on the offensive line's effectiveness.

Green Bay Packers

1. Green Bay finished with a 9-7-1 record in 2025 and placed second in the NFC North. The Packers were one of the NFC's two wild card teams but ended up on the wrong side of the Bears' 25-point fourth-quarter rally and lost 31-27 to their division rival in the playoffs.

2. After winning their division in each of head coach Matt LaFleur's first three seasons, the Packers have not finished atop the NFC North since 2021. LaFleur has a proven track record of success, however, with a career win percentage of 65.4%, which ranks fourth among all active head coaches.

3. This offseason was about defense for the Packers, who signed defensive lineman Javon Hargrave and cornerback Benjamin St-Juste in free agency. They followed a similar pattern in the NFL Draft, selecting cornerback Brandon Cisse in the second round, defensive tackle Chris McClellan in the third round and defensive end Dani Dennis-Sutton in the fourth round.

4. Quarterback Jordan Love ranked second in expected points added per dropback in 2025 behind only Drake Maye and one spot ahead of Matthew Stafford. He ranked sixth in both passer rating (101.2) and touchdown-to-interception ratio (3.8).

Kansas City Chiefs

1. After finishing atop the AFC West for nine consecutive seasons, the Chiefs went 6-11 in 2025 and placed third in their division. They missed the postseason for the first time since 2014, which was also the last season in which they failed to reach double-digit wins.

2. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes sustained a knee injury in a Week 15 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers that required offseason surgery. Despite the injury happening late in the season, recent reports suggest Mahomes could be ready to suit up when the 2026 season begins, and general manager Brett Veach said in early May on SiriusXM NFL Radio the quarterback was "way ahead of schedule" in his rehab process.

3. In case Mahomes does miss time, though, the Chiefs invested in a contingency plan this offseason by trading a sixth-round pick in the 2027 NFL Draft to the New York Jets for quarterback Justin Fields. The former first-round pick is now with his fourth team since entering the league, but he should benefit from working with Chiefs head coach Andy Reid and learning from Mahomes.

4. Kansas City made a change at offensive coordinator during the offseason, bringing back Eric Bienemy to replace Matt Nagy, who had been with the Chiefs in that role since 2023. Bienemy, who was the running backs coach for the Chicago Bears in 2025, spent five seasons as the Chiefs' offensive coordinator from 2018-22. He was the running backs coach for Kansas City for five years prior to being elevated to coordinator and has plenty of experience with that organization.

5. Bienemy will have the chance to call plays for the Super Bowl LX MVP after the Chiefs signed running back Kenneth Walker III in free agency. Walker was the marquee signing for Kansas City this offseason after gaining more than 1,300 yards from scrimmage with the Seattle Seahawks in 2025. He ended his season on the highest of highs with a 161-yard performance in the Super Bowl.

Minnesota Vikings

1. The Vikings started three different quarterbacks during the 2025 season, a fact they sought to remedy this offseason by signing former No. 1 overall pick Kyler Murray in free agency. Murray has a 38-48-1 record as a starter with one playoff appearance since entering the league in 2019, but he is a dynamic dual-threat quarterback who has more than 3,000 rushing yards in his career.

2. Despite the struggles at quarterback, Minnesota nearly made the postseason for the second consecutive year and third time in four years. They fell just one game shy of that goal, however, and finished with a 9-8 record, good enough for a third-place finish in the NFC North.

3. Minnesota boasted one of the best defenses in the league last season, finishing seventh in points allowed and third in yards allowed. Their 49 sacks were tied for fourth-most among all NFL teams, and the Vikings registered a quick quarterback pressure on 23.8% of their snaps, which was the highest rate in the league. No team blitzed more frequently than the Vikings, who did so on 49.3% of their snaps.

4. The inconsistent play at quarterback affected the performance of wide receiver Justin Jefferson, who had his worst professional season in 2025. Coming off an All-Pro 2024 season in which he gained 1,533 receiving yards and scored 10 touchdowns, Jefferson gained 1,048 yards and scored two touchdowns in 17 games last year. Both are the lowest totals of his career.

New Orleans Saints

1. The Saints won four of their final five games in Kellen Moore's first season to finish with a 6-11 record and a fourth-place finish in the NFC South.

2. New Orleans was aggressive this offseason, ranking seventh in free-agent spending. Atop the Saints' list of acquisitions are offensive lineman David Edwards and running back Travis Etienne, who each signed four-year deals. Former Falcons linebacker Kaden Elliss was also among the Saints' signees this offseason. He rejoins his former club on a three-year deal after a breakout run in Atlanta.

3. Rookie quarterback Tyler Shough came on strong at the end of his first season. From Weeks 12-18, Shough ranked third in completions (170), fourth in completion percentage (69.7%) and fifth in passing yards (1,798).

4. The team added a premier weapon for its young quarterback in the NFL Draft, selecting wide receiver Jordyn Tyson with the No. 8 overall pick. The former Arizona State star is a dynamic playmaker and will complement top wideout Chris Olave, who had 1,163 yards and nine touchdowns in 2025.

5. Two key mainstays for the Saints this past decade, defensive end Cameron Jordan and quarterback Taysom Hill, entered free agency this offseason and have yet to sign with a club.

Pittsburgh Steelers

1. Like their biggest rival, the Steelers also have a change at head coach for the first time in nearly two decades. Mike Tomlin stepped down from the role after 19 seasons in Pittsburgh, during which he never finished with a losing record. The Steelers replaced Tomlin with Mike McCarthy, another veteran coach who has achieved at the highest level. McCarthy has 18 years of head coach experience — 13 with the Green Bay Packers and five with the Dallas Cowboys. He has a career record of 174-112 and won the Super Bowl in 2011 with the Packers, beating the Steelers 31-25 to capture the Lombardi Trophy.

2. Pittsburgh's quarterback situation remains in limbo. Aaron Rodgers, 42, who won that Super Bowl trophy with McCarthy in Green Bay, has not yet confirmed whether or not he will return for the 2026 season.

3. Two of the Steelers' biggest free agent signings came from the NFC South. Former Tampa Bay cornerback Jamel Dean signed a three-year deal with Pittsburgh, and former Carolina running back Rico Dowdle, who had his second straight 1,000-yard season in 2025, signed a two-year deal.

4. To give Rodgers (or whoever takes the snaps in 2026) more help on the outside, the Steelers sent a sixth-round pick to the Indianapolis Colts for Michael Pittman Jr. The former second-round pick gained 5,254 yards and scored 25 touchdowns in six seasons with the Colts and is regarded as one of the top jump-ball receivers in the league.

5. The Steelers won the AFC North last season by beating the Ravens 26-24 in Tomlin's final regular-season game as head coach. It was the eighth division title Pittsburgh claimed under Tomlin. The Steelers lost their wild-card matchup to the Houston Texans 30-6.

San Francisco 49ers

1. The San Francisco 49ers finished the 2025 season with a 12-5 record and placed third in the NFC West due to losing the tiebreaker to Los Angeles, which had an identical record. San Francisco still made the playoffs as a wild card team, however, and knocked out the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles with a 23-19 victory in the first round. The 49ers advanced no further, however, losing to the eventual Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks 41-6 in the divisional round.

2. The 49ers dealt with injuries to numerous key players last season, including quarterback Brock Purdy, who only started nine games, linebacker Fred Warner, defensive end Nick Bosa and wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk, who did not take a snap for San Francisco.

3. With Aiyuk's future with the 49ers in question, San Francisco signed former Tampa Bay Buccaneers star Mike Evans in free agency. Evans had eclipsed 1,000 receiving yards in each of his first 11 NFL seasons before falling well short of that mark last year due to injuries that cost him nine games. The 49ers also bolstered their receiver room by selecting wide receiver De'Zhaun Stribling with the first pick in the second round of the NFL Draft.

4. Christian McCaffrey played 17 games in 2025 and led all running backs with 924 receiving yards, the fourth-best total by a running back since 2000. He finished second behind Bijan Robinson in total scrimmage yards last season, gaining 2,126 yards on 413 touches. McCaffrey's 17 touchdowns last season were the third-most in the NFL.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

1. After winning the NFC South four years in a row, the Buccaneers' grip on the division slipped in 2025. Tampa Bay lost seven of its final nine games to finish with an 8-9 record and place second in the division due to the Carolina Panthers winning the tiebreaker.

2. Head coach Todd Bowles is back for his fifth season in that role, but he will two new coordinators alongside him in 2026. Offensive coordinator Zac Robinson stayed within the division and joined the Buccaneers after two seasons calling plays for the Falcons, and George Edwards steps in as defensive coordinator after working with Tampa Bay's linebackers for two seasons and spending the 2025 season as the team's defensive passing game coordinator. Notably, the Buccaneers did not have a defensive coordinator in 2025 as Bowles handled that role in addition to his responsibilities as head coach.

3. This offseason featured some notable departures for Tampa Bay, including long-time fan favorites. Wide receiver Mike Evans signed with the San Francisco 49ers in free agency, linebacker Lavonte David announced his retirement after a 14-year career with the Buccaneers, and cornerback Jamel Dean, a 2019 draft pick for the club, signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

4. Tampa Bay received high praise from many in the media for their 2026 draft class. The Buccaneers selected talented edge rusher Rueben Bain Jr. in the first round, linebacker Josiah Trotter in the second round and wide receiver Ted Hurst in the third round.

Washington Commanders

1. Dan Quinn returns for his third year as head coach in Washington after two polar-opposite seasons with the organization. The Commanders were an unexpected darling in Quinn's first year, finishing with a 12-5 record and nearly making a run to the Super Bowl. In 2025, they flipped that record and went 5-12 with a third-place finish in the NFC East. Star quarterback Jayden Daniels played only seven games last season, and injuries were a factor in the Commanders' struggles. Washington will enter 2026 with new offensive and defensive coordinators as David Blough and Daronte Jones take over those respective roles.

2. The Commanders were one of the oldest teams in the NFL last season, particularly on defense, and made a concerted effort to get younger across the board. Washington spent more money than all but two teams in free agency and signed six defenders who were 27 years old or younger, including pass rusher Odafe Oweh, linebacker Leo Chenal and safety Nick Cross.

3. They punctuated their defensive investment in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft by selecting Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles with the No. 7 overall pick. Styles figures to slot into Bobby Wagner's role in the middle of Washington's defense and brings true sideline-to-sideline speed.