Showcase games are for the NFL contenders so count the Detroit Lions in once again. In the 2026 schedule, which was released Thursday night, the Lions will play in at least four prime-time games — one at home and three on the road. That number could climb to five, but the day and time for the Week 18 game at Green Bay has not been set.
The Lions open at home against the New Orleans Saints on Sunday, Sept. 13. Connections can be found on both sides. Lions coach Dan Campbell spent five seasons as assistant head coach/tight ends coach with the Saints. New Orleans head coach Kellen Moore was with the Lions as Mathew Stafford’s backup from 2012 to 2014.
Detroit won’t have much time to prepare for Week 2 which is a Thursday night game at the Buffalo Bills. The other prime-time games are: Oct. 4 at the Arizona Cardinals, Dec. 20 at the Minnesota Vikings and Monday, Dec. 28 hosting the N.Y. Giants.
As previously announced, the Lions will play the New England Patriots in Munich, Germany, on Nov. 15 at 9:30 a.m.
The bye week in Week 6 isn’t ideal coming in the first third of an 18-game season. Neither is scheduling Week 2 on a Thursday night. Also, teams that play in Europe often get the next week as a bye but that won’t happen for the Lions. They’ll be home to the Tampa Bay Bucs on Nov. 22.
Here is the complete schedule:
| WEEK | DATE | OPPONENT | TIME | TV |
| 1 | Sunday, September 13 | vs. New Orleans Saints | 1:00 p.m. | FOX |
| 2 | Thursday, September 17 | at Buffalo Bills | 8:15 p.m. | PRIME |
| 3 | Sunday, September 27 | vs. New York Jets | 1:00 p.m. | FOX |
| 4 | Sunday, October 4 | at Carolina Panthers | 8:20 p.m. | NBC |
| 5 | Sunday, October 11 | at Arizona Cardinals | 4:25 p.m. | FOX |
| 6 | BYE WEEK | |||
| 7 | Sunday, October 25 | vs. Green Bay Packers | 4:25 p.m. | FOX |
| 8 | Sunday, November 1 | vs. Minnesota Vikings | 1:00 p.m. | FOX |
| 9 | Sunday, November 8 | at Miami Dolphins | 1:00 p.m. | FOX |
| 10 | Sunday, November 15 | vs. New England Patriots (Munich) | 9:30 a.m. | FOX |
| 11 | Sunday, November 22 | vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 1:00 p.m. | CBS |
| 12 | Thursday, November 26 | vs. Chicago Bears | 1:00 p.m. | CBS |
| 13 | Sunday, December 6 | at Atlanta Falcons | 1:00 p.m. | CBS |
| 14 | Sunday, December 13 | vs. Tennessee Titans | 1:00 p.m. | FOX |
| 15 | Sunday, December 20 | at Minnesota Vikings | 8:20 p.m. | NBC |
| 16 | Monday, December 28 | vs. New York Giants | 8:15 p.m. | ESPN |
| 17 | Sunday, January 3 | at Chicago Bears | 4:25 p.m. | FOX |
| 18 | TBD | at Green Bay Packers | TBD | TBD |
Lions Lowdown 