Super Bowl is over, now what? Key NFL offseason dates to know for 2026
With Super Bowl LX in the review mirror, let's look ahead to the offseason
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2 min read
The games have been played, a Super Bowl champion has been crowned, and now the NFL is embarking on its hibernation: the offseason. While this may technically be the time when things are supposed to slow down, they hardly ever do. Oftentimes, the NFL offseason can be just as chaotic and unpredictable as the regular season, with key pillars on the calendar making it a true 365-day league.
Over the next few months, the main focus for teams will not revolve around a game on Sunday, but instead roster construction. This is when front offices grab the wheel with both hands, picking apart their rosters before building them back into what they hope will be a winning product in 2026.
Below are all the key dates for this offseason, including the start of free agency and the 2026 NFL Draft.
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Key NFL offseason dates for 2026
| Date | Event | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Feb. 17 | Franchise tag/transition tag window opens | Starting at 4 p.m. ET, teams may designate the franchise tag or transition tag on players about to become free agents. |
Feb. 23-March 2 | Top prospects for the 2026 NFL Draft will descend on Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, where evaluators will get an initial look at how they stack up against the rest of the class.. | |
March 3. | Frachse tag/ transition tag deadline | Teams have until 4 p.m. ET to decide whether to deploy the franchise tag or transition tag. |
March 9-11 | Legal tampering period | Beginning at 12 p.m. ET on March 9 and ending at 3:59:59 p.m. ET on March 11, teams may contact and enter contract negotiations with certified agents of players set to become unrestricted free agents at the start of the new league year. |
March 11 | League Year begins; free agency opens | Beginning at 4 p.m. ET, the 2026 League Year will officially be rung in, and with it, the start of free agency. The contracts for 2025 will have expired, which allows teams to officially ink free agents to new deals. |
March 29-April 1 | Annual League Meeting | NFL owners, coaches and executives will meet in Phoenix to discuss and vote on potential rule changes. |
April 6 | Some offseason workout programs begin | Teams that hired a new head coach after the 2025 season may begin offseason workout programs. |
April 15 | Deadline to host draft prospect visits | This is the deadline for teams to test, visit, interview or conduct physical examinations with draft-eligible players at team facilities. |
April 17 | RFA offer sheet deadline | Restricted free agents who were given an offer sheet have until April 17 to sign. |
April 20 | Remaining offseason workout programs begin | Teams with returning head coaches may begin offseason workout programs. |
| April 22 | Deadline to examine draft prospects | This is the final day teams may time, test, visit, interview (including video and phone calls) or conduct physical examinations with draft-eligible players at any location. |
| April 23-25 | 2026 NFL Draft | The 2026 NFL Draft will take place in Pittsburgh. |
| May 1 | Fifth-year option deadline | Teams must decide whether to exercise the fifth-year option on players drafted in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft. |
| May 1-4 or May 8-11 | Rookie minicamp | Clubs may hold one three-day minicamp for rookies following the 2026 NFL Draft. |
| May 19-20 | Spring League Meeting | Similar to the late-March meeting, owners will gather in Orlando to discuss potential changes. |
| July 15 | Deadline to extend franchise tagged players | At 4 p.m. ET, the deadline arrives for teams to reach multiyear extensions with players who received the franchise tag earlier in the offseason. After this date, those players must play on the tender. |
