If you're already circling mid-May on your calendar for the 2026 NFL schedule release, you might want to keep a pencil handy. The annual unveiling, which has become as reliable as a kickoff at 1 p.m. ET for the past five or six years, could be shifting by a week.

NFL Vice President of Broadcast Planning Mike North recently dropped a hint on the "It's Always Game Day in Buffalo" podcast, just ahead of this year's draft. While the league is still aiming for that familiar second week of May, North revealed that the third week is now a very real possibility. "Most fans know full well that the schedule comes out in mid-May now," North explained. "That's what we've done the last five or six years. That's sort of our target. Is there any magic to May 12, 13, 14? No. Is there any real downside to May 19, 20, or 21? No." He added that while a June release isn't likely, the door is certainly open for a later date.

So, what's causing the potential delay? The biggest holdup revolves around a five-game package the league is currently negotiating with a streaming partner. YouTube is reportedly the frontrunner, though Netflix and Fox are also in the mix. Until those broadcasting rights are finalized and those games have a home, the full schedule can't be built around them. "These five games that are out there as a package that are being negotiated right now — love to know when, where those games are going to be played so we can schedule them accordingly," North said. He also pointed to the growing number of international games, which adds layers of complexity: "We need to book hotels and charter airlines and anthem singers and frisbee dogs."

Of course, in the NFL, the final call belongs to one person. "It doesn't get finalized until the Commissioner of the National Football League says it's finalized," North noted. "None of us know the date yet because we don't know when we're going to walk into the boss's office and present him one." For now, fans and planners alike will have to stay flexible—and keep those May weekends open just a little longer.