Check out the 2025 NFL offseason key dates

The Philadelphia Eagles’ victory over the Kansas City Chiefs at Super Bowl LIX drew the 2024 NFL season to a close and has us all wondering what on earth we’re going to do with our lives for the next seven months (although we still have the Eagles’ Super Bowl parade to look forward to).

If you can’t wait that long to get your football fix, then there are plenty of dates for you to mark on your calendar as far as the offseason goes.

NFL offseason key dates and events

Tuesday, February 18 (4:00 p.m. ET)

Teams can begin designating franchise tag and/or transitional players.

Monday, February 24 to Monday, March 3

NFL scouting combine (in Indianapolis, Indiana).

Tuesday, March 4 (4:00 p.m. ET)

Deadline for franchise tag designations.

Monday, March 10 to Wednesday, March 12

Free agency begins. At 4:00 p.m. on March 10, teams can contact and enter talks with unrestricted free agents. Contracts can’t be signed until 4:00 p.m. on March 12, the date the new league year officially starts.

Sunday, March 30 to Wednesday, April 2

Annual League Meeting (in Palm Beach, Florida).

Monday, April 7

Teams with new head coaches can start their offseason workouts.

Friday, April 18

Deadline for restricted free agents to sign offer sheets.

Monday, April 21

Teams with returning head coaches can start their offseason workouts.

Wednesday, April 23

Deadline for teams to refuse offer sheets for restricted free agents.

Thursday, April 24 to Saturday, April 26

2025 NFL Draft (in Green Bay, Wisconsin).

Thursday, May 1

Deadline for teams to exercise fifth-year options.

Friday, May 2 to Monday, May 5, or Friday, May 9 to Monday, May 12

Teams can hold a three-day post-draft rookie minicamp on either of the two weekends.

Tuesday, July 15 (4:00 p.m. ET)

Deadline for teams to sign franchise tag players to multiyear deals.

Mid-July

Training camps. The exact dates will vary for each team.

2025 NFL season dates: first game, regular season, playoffs, Super Bowl LX

There will be no competitive on-field action until Thursday, September 4, when the Eagles are expected to kick off the 2025 season with a home game. There will at least also be three weeks of preseason football, likely starting on the first weekend of August.

The regular season will run through to Sunday, January 4, 2026, with the postseason action slated to begin the following weekend on Saturday, January 10, 2026.

Super Bowl LX will be held at Levi’s Stadium, the home of the San Francisco 49ers, in Santa Clara, California on Sunday, February 8, 2026.

Get your game on! Whether you’re into NFL touchdowns, NBA buzzer-beaters, world-class soccer goals, or MLB home runs, our app has it all.

Dive into live coverage, expert insights, breaking news, exclusive videos, and more – plus, stay updated on the latest in current affairs and entertainment. Download now for all-access coverage, right at your fingertips – anytime, anywhere.