Kirk Morrison’s Top Takeaways from the NFL’s 2026 Schedule Release

Kirk Morrison has been doing the same schedule-release routine since college. As a player. As a coach. Now as an analyst. Same questions, same order.

Where am I in Week 1?

"Here's the week one schedule right here," Morrison said. "Why is it so important? It's important because you finally put a face to week one."

The off-season changes character the moment the opponent shows up.

"You've got a face that you're looking forward to see," Morrison said. "Now if I'm looking at the Raiders schedule, you in the huddle during OTAs and minicamp, hey hey, the Dolphins are around the corner. The Dolphins are around the corner. You see them. Week one, we going to be ready. Let's go. Dolphins, open. One, two, three, Dolphins."

The opening Sunday is September 13.

"Sunday, September 13," Morrison said. "We got like five games that week. I'm like, is it the 13th or is it the sixth? I mean, we got games over in Australia on one day where it's on a Friday and it's Australia, but yet it's on a Thursday in the US."

The other date that matters on the early scan, Morrison said, is Week 18.

"Where are we doing week 18?" Morrison said. "Are we on the road? Are we at home? Usually week 18 has what? Playoff implications. So you want to know, hey, if we're fighting for a playoff spot or seeding or whatever it may be, who we going up against?"

Then comes the question every NFL player asks first about their own schedule. Same one anybody asks when they take a new job.

When's the bye?

"Everybody does that with their job," Morrison said. "When's vacation? It's like as soon as you get the schedule for the year, it's like, hey, when's vacation? When's that bye? When's that bye week?"

Later is better. Morrison has had early byes in his career and late ones, and prefers the late ones.

"I don't know how the Dallas Cowboys got the last bye week, by the way," Morrison said. "Hey, week 14. They almost don't have a bye week until Christmas. That's how long they going to play. We got to go a long time without a bye week. Your depth will be tested."

The bye matters for more than rest. It is the only domestic-pause window NFL players get.

"The guys who have big families, you always trying to have that date, a weekend to know, hey, there's a weekend that dad doesn't have to be at work, or a husband doesn't have to go into work," Morrison said. "You're able to kind of plan something, maybe plan a trip, kind of just rejuvenate a little bit and kind of distance yourself from football and then get back."

The last question on Morrison's annual checklist is the one he openly admits he gets graded on as a California guy.

Where am I the last four weeks?

"I'm not California soft," Morrison said. "I did play in Buffalo for two years. I think I got that card. I got a pass."

The reason it matters, in his framing, is wardrobe.

"Do I need to go get a coat?" Morrison said. "We know, look, September doesn't matter. No matter where you are in the country, the weather's going to be perfect. September football, everything is great. The grass is green. It smells amazing. Everybody's comfortable."

December and January are where the schedule starts costing you family.

"That's just part of football," Morrison said. "But those are also the games that I learn from family, that hey brother, I'm not coming to see you play. So you going to be on your own with a little bit. Either it's a road game and you're going to a cold weather city, or if you're playing in a cold weather city in that time of the year, fans, people, they like, no, I'm going to watch that one."

The Raiders' schedule, Morrison said, hides one bigger question that will hang over every week.

"When possibly could Fernando Mendoza be taking the field?" Morrison said. "That's all we're going to talk about all off-season."