We’re now right in the middle of NFL schedule leak season, and as usual for fans of the Cleveland Browns, all’s quiet on the Northeast Ohio front.
The NFL and Amazon Prime passed on giving the Browns even one Thursday Night Football game in 2025. Cleveland’s biggest game was an early Week 5 kickoff in London against the Minnesota Vikings. Aside from that, all but two of the Browns’ games were played in the 1 p.m. EST window.
So as the NFL and other internet sleuths leak the marquee matchups on the 2026 schedule, which will be officially released on Thursday night, Browns fans already know what to expect.
In fact, the lone leaks so far involving the Browns are games they reportedly were not picked to play in.
While not yet confirmed by the NFL, multiple online schedule trackers pieced together the league’s 2026 international slate. Cleveland was a strong candidate for either of the London games against Jacksonville in Weeks 5 and 6, or the Week 7 Paris game against New Orleans. Both the Jaguars and Saints are on the Browns’ list of road opponents this year.
The Browns appear to have been passed over for those games in favor of the Steelers (Paris), Eagles (London), and Texans (London).
2026 International Slate pic.twitter.com/ZM3wvPfmAj
— NFL Nerd (@NerdingonNFL) May 13, 2026
Those early-morning kickoffs are fun, but make no mistake: The NFL is doing the 2026 Browns a major favor by keeping them in the states this season.
The NFL may have accidentally done the Browns a huge favor
Based on 2025 winning percentages, the Browns will have one of the easiest schedules in the league this year. That’s purely on paper, though. The reality is that first-year head coach Todd Monken will be leading a young roster into September, and there are already enough unknown variables surrounding his team without adding international travel.
Cleveland might not firmly land on a Week 1 starter at quarterback until the latter stages of training camp. Arguably their best offensive player, running back Quinshon Judkins, is coming back from a gruesome leg injury. The pass-catching group will feature a number of first- and second-year players, including Harold Fannin Jr., KC Concepcion, Denzel Boston, and Isaiah Bond. They could also have five new starters along the offensive line.
The good news is that, with the NFC South on the schedule this year, the Browns will be facing opponents in their weight class more often than not. They do have nine road games this year, though, and playing one of them overseas wouldn’t have been the same advantage it can be for more veteran-laden teams with established head coaches, like the Eagles and Texans.
We might not learn much about the Browns’ schedule until Thursday night, but dodging a trip to London and Paris already feels like a subtle win for Monken’s group.
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