The NFL has yet to pick a date for Super Bowl LXII in Atlanta. The game will be played in less than 23 months.
PFT has reported that the absence of a specific date flows directly from the possibility that the NFL will move to an 18-game season by 2027.
On Monday, NFL executive V.P. Peter O’Reilly downplayed the absence of a firm date for Super Bowl LXII.
“This is not unique to not have announced a Super Bowl date for Atlanta,” O’Reilly told reporters in the press conference announcing that Super Bowl LXIII will be played in Las Vegas. “We’ve done that around this horizon in the past. So, there’s not a lot to necessarily read into that. Obviously, important flexibility, whether that has to do with future scheduling changes or otherwise. But there’s nothing unique about this moment in time in terms of scheduling. We’ve always had that flexibility going back decades.”
Within that response lurks implicit confirmation: “important flexibility, whether that has to do with future scheduling changes or otherwise.”
Under the current formula of 17 games and one bye with the first week landing on the weekend after Labor Day, it’s not difficult to pick the date for any Super Bowl. For Atlanta in 2028, it would land on Sunday, February 13.
With 18 games and one bye, it would land on Sunday, February 20. With 18 games and two byes, it would land on Sunday, February 27.
With 18 games, two byes, and a decision to return to Labor Day weekend, it would land on Sunday, February 20. Presidents’ Day weekend.
So when will a date be picked?
“It’s rare that you’d get into the season before — so not the season of the Super Bowl, but into that season before without having that date,” O’Reilly said. “So that gives you a range.”
With the NFL by all indications planning to engage with new NFL Players Association executive director JC Tretter sooner than later, that creates a rough deadline of Week 1 to figure out whether the 2027 season will consist of 17 or 18 games, and whether it will start on Labor Day weekend.
