Dawgs By Nature
Browns schedule was bound to be tough but the start is really difficult
After much delay (and a lot of leaks), the 2025 Cleveland Browns schedule was finally unveiled. Everyone knew who the Browns were playing this season, but they didn’t know on a week-to-week basis. Here is the official schedule, and here are some key takeaways:
After having four primetime games last year (two were later flexed out), as of now, the Browns do not have any primetime games for this season. The last time Cleveland didn’t have any primetime games was 2017, which was the year that they went winless. It’s an unfortunate situation, but when the team won only three games the previous season, it’s justified to a degree.
The Browns only have one standalone game, and it’s the London game against the Minnesota Vikings, but that doesn’t count as “prime-time” since it is a morning game in America.
The NFL flex scheduling does not begin until Week 5, so if the NFL sees any reason to give Cleveland a nationally televised game, it won’t happen until the middle of the season.
If you were to look at the first six opponents that the Browns will play against, you will notice a pattern. The Baltimore Ravens, Detroit Lions, Minnesota Vikings, Green Bay Packers and the Pittsburgh Steelers were all playoff teams last season. The team will open with the Cincinnati Bengals, who made a late playoff push after a slow start will also be a test.
The first six weeks of the season usually dictate how the season is going to go, and the Browns will be tested from the start.
Opening the season against two division opponents, then three NFC North opponents (who all could be playoff teams this season) will be an interesting yet tough test for the Browns.
It might not matter to some, but Cleveland’s bye week will take place during Week 9. A mid-season bye is much better than having an early week one, considering how the 18-game schedule can be such a grind. The Browns back half of the schedule will be a mixture of playoff hopefuls, middle-of-the-pack teams and teams that are going through rebuilds.
It’s also an evaluation period for the team, and it allows them to have a clear understanding of where the team is. Don’t expect the Browns to be a playoff team this season; this is more of a soft rebuild/retool.
