Cincinnati Bengals 2026 Schedule: A Game-By-Game Breakdown with News, Notes and Tidbits for Each Matchup

The 2026 Cincinnati Bengals schedule has officially been released, and there are a couple of surprises.

And a couple of significant anniversaries.

And a whole lot of rookie/first-year head coaches.

Here’s a game-by-game breakdown with some interesting stats and tidbits about each matchup.

Week 1: Sept. 13 vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 1 p.m.

This will mark the third time during Zac Taylor’s tenure the Bengals have opened against an NFC opponent but just the 10th time in franchise history.

The Bengals faced the Vikings at home in the 2021 opener and played at Seattle in Taylor’s debut game in 2019.

This will be the second time the Bengals have opened against the Buccaneers. The first was in 1980 in Forrest Gregg’s debut game as head coach, which Cincinnati lost at home 17-12.

Tampa Bay quarterback Baker Mayfield is 3-1 with 16 touchdowns and four interceptions in four career starts at Paycor Stadium.

Week 2: Sept. 20 at Houston Texans, 1 p.m., Sept. 20

This starts a run of three consecutive games against 2025 playoff teams.

Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud will be trying to quiet doubters early after a shaky and disappointing end to his 2025 season.

The Bengals haven’t played in Houston since 2020, when backup Brandon Allen led them to a 37-31 victory.

Week 3 – Sept. 27 at Pittsburgh Steelers, 1 p.m.

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (9) throws from the pocket in the first quarter of the NFL Week 18 game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Cincinnati Bengals at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh on Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025. | Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Will they face Aaron Rodgers or another quarterback?

Regardless, it still will be a new coaching staff finding its footing with whomever is under center and the rest of the roster.

This will be the fourth career meeting between Pittsburgh head coach Mike McCarthy and Zac Taylor, with McCarthy leading the series 2-1 (all with the Cowboys).

The last time the Bengals went to Pittsburgh in September also was a Week 3 game in 2021, which they won 24-10.

Week 4 – Oct. 4 vs. Jacksonville Jaguars, 1 p.m.

This will be the fifth time in Taylor’s eight seasons the Jaguars have visited Cincinnati and the sixth time two teams have played overall.

The Bengals have four in a row in the series – and eight of 10 dating back to 2008 – but the Jacksonville is coming off head coach Liam Coen’s impressive debut season that saw the team go 13-4 and win the AFC South.

The Travis Hunter and Ja’Marr Chase matchups should be fun to watch.

Given the proximity of the opponent and the proximity of the date, fans will be holding their breath every time a Jacksonville player gets near Burrow.

Week 5 – Oct. 11 at Miami Dolphins, 1 p.m.

The average high temperature on Oct. 11 in Miami is 87 degrees, which would be tied for the third hottest road game in Bengals history (89 at Kansas City in 2024 and 89 at Green Bay in 2017).

Under the stewardship of rookie head coach Jeff Hafley, the Dolphins are in throes of a rebuild that is going to take more than four weeks to get on track.

Week 6 – Bye

It’s the earliest bye of the Taylor era and the earliest overall since a Week 6 bye in 2017.

Week 7 – Oct. 25, at Baltimore Ravens, 1 p.m.

The Bengals may want to pack some extra sunglasses and tinted helmet shields when they play a day game at M&T Bank Stadium for the first time since 2021.

But honestly, the time of day has had little to do with how the Bengals have performed in Baltimore. They won that 2021 game 41-17. But overall, Cincinnati has lost six of its last eight games at M&T.

The last time they won back-to-back games there was 2014 and 2015 when A.J. Green combined for 16 catches, 358 yards and three TDs.

This will mark back-to-back games against rookie head coaches. Taylor is 10-9 against rookie head coaches since his own rookie season in 2019.

He went 1-2 against them in 2025 (beat Coen, lost to Ben Johnson and the Bears and Aaron Glenn and the Jets in back-to-back games).

Week 8 – Nov. 1, vs. Tennessee Titans, 1 p.m.

Cincinnati Bengals center Ted Karras (64) celebrates after the game against the Tennessee Titans at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tenn., Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024. | Denny Simmons / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

For the third game in a row, the Bengals will play against a coach in his first season with the team as Robert Saleh takes over in Nashville.

The Titans haven’t visited Cincinnati since 2020 and haven’t won here since 2008.

Former Bengals offensive lineman Cordell Volson signed with Tennessee in March.

The Titans are coming off a 3-14 season, which could make this a classic trap game if Tennessee stumbles out of the gate and the Bengals are peeking ahead to their international game.

Week 9 – Nov. 8, vs. Atlanta Falcons, Madrid, Spain, 9:30 a.m.

The rain in Spain falls mainly on the plain. November historically is one of Spain’s rainiest months, but Santiago Bernabéu Stadium has a retractable roof. And Madrid isn’t located in the plains.

The Bengals will be looking for their first internation victory in three tries, and they’ll be facing yet another coach in his first season with the team as former Browns boss Kevin Stefanski takes over in Atlanta.

Week 10 – Nov. 15 vs. Pittsburgh Steelers, 8:25 p.m.

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins (5) slides short of the end zone to run time off the clock late in the fourth quarter of the NFL Week 7 game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Pittsburgh Steelers at Paycor Stadium in downtown Cincinnati on Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025. The Bengals won, 33-31. | Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The schedule makers appeared to be ready for complaints from Cincinnati about not getting a bye after the long international trip, so they gave the Bengals what they’ve been asking for – more primetime division games at home.

This will be just the third of the Taylor era – all against the Steelers.

The Bengals won both of those games and are 6-1 in primetime games at home against all foes (7-1 if you count the postseason).

In case you lost count, this is the fifth consecutive game against a coach in his first season with the team.

Week 11 – Nov. 23 at Washington Commanders, 8:15 p.m.

No one loves road primetime games, but perhaps the Bengals should be thankful this game is on Monday and not Sunday.

Nov. 22 will be the six-year anniversary of Burrow’s ACL injury as a rookie, and the Bengals will be on the same field a day later.

This game will complete the circuit of the Bengals facing the stars of Netflix’s “Quarterback” after facing Mayfield in the opener, Cam Ward in Week 8 and now Jayden Daniels.

Week 12 – Nov. 29 vs. New Orleans Saints, 1 p.m.

Since losing to the Rams in Super Bowl 56, Burrow is 12-3 against NFC opponents.

New Orleans has won each of its previous two trips to Cincinnati (in 2018 and 2010), scoring a combined 85 points.

Week 13 – Dec. 6 at Cleveland Browns, 1 p.m.

Joe Burrow and Myles Garrett — Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett (95) and Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (9) hug after the fourth quarter of the NFL Week 1 game between the Cleveland Browns and the Cincinnati Bengals at Huntington Bank Field in Cleveland on Sunday, Sept. 7, 2025. The Bengals begin the season with a 17-16 win over the Browns. | Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Christmas Ale on tap.

The Bengals haven’t played a late-season game in Cleveland since the 2021 finale when they rested all of their starters.

Todd Monken adds to the list of rookie/first-year head coaches Cincinnati will face this season.

Will Deshaun Watson be the quarterback? Shedeur Sanders? Someone else?

Week 14 – Dec. 13 vs. Kansas City Chiefs, 4:25 p.m.

At first glance this looks like it could ripe for a flex into primetime, but this is a rare AFC vs. AFC game on FOX, so expect the network to protect it.

It will be the sixth head-to-head meeting between Burrow and Patrick Mahomes, with Burrow holding a 3-2 edge, including 2-0 at Paycor Stadium.

The game will come three days after Burrow’s 30th birthday.

Week 15 – Dec. 20 at Carolina Panthers, 1 p.m.

Sep 29, 2024; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Panthers quarterback Andy Dalton (14) throws ball as Cincinnati Bengals defensive tackle Zach Carter (95) pressures in the fourth quarter at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

This will be the Bengals’ sixth visit to Carolina and just the sixth after the month of September.

The Panthers are coming off a playoff season after an 8-9 record was good enough to win the NFC South.

This will be Burrow’s fourth matchup of the season against another No. 1 pick quarterback after presumably facing Mayfield, Lawrence and Ward.

Week 16 – TBD at Indianapolis Colts, TBD

The shortest road trip for any team in the league this year (minus stadium-sharing Rams vs. Chargers) comes with the largest number of variables.

The game could be played on Saturday, Dec. 27 in one of three time slots or Sunday, Dec. 28 at either 1 or 4:25.

It will pit former Bengals defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo against Taylor, the man who fired him after the 2024 season.

It also will feature a couple of former Bengals playing in Anarumo’s scheme in linebacker Akeem Davis-Gaither and cornerback Cam Taylor-Britt.

Week 17 – Dec. 31 vs. Baltimore Ravens, 8:15 p.m.

Dec 31, 2017; Baltimore, MD, USA; Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tyler Boyd (83) scores the game winning touchdown in the closing seconds against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mitch Stringer-Imagn Images | Mitch Stringer-Imagn Images

At long last, the Ravens return to Paycor in primetime after the Bengals played four consecutive night games at M&T Bank Stadium, including three in a row on a short week.

The streets of Cincinnati will be alive with revelers around midnight, and if the Bengals pull off the win and send 60,000 more people streaming out of the stadium right before midnight, it could be one heck of a scene.

Stay safe, everyone.

It’s worth noting that while everyone focuses on how good the Ravens are in primetime at home (.733 winning percentage under John Harbaugh was second best in the league during that span), they are 9-3 in their last 12 road primetime games for a league-best .750 winning percentage.

Week 18 – TBA vs. Cleveland Browns, TBA

Another option for a Saturday game, but you would need a Stretch Armstrong-like tug of the imagination to think the Browns are going to be good enough to make this an attractive Saturday game in a standalone window.

You can probably just bank on this one being 1 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 10 (the 45-year anniversary of the Freezer Bowl).

For more on the Bengals' schedule, watch the video below:

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