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Broncos Schedule Release Leaks: Confirmed Opponents and Dates

Here's everything you need to know about the Denver Broncos' leaked games on the 2026 regular-season schedule.
Chad Jensen|
Sep 15, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix (10) prepares to pass in the second half against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Empower Field at Mile High.
Sep 15, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix (10) prepares to pass in the second half against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Empower Field at Mile High. | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

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Denver Broncos

The NFL regular-season schedule release is coming on Thursday, May 14. We already know the Denver Broncos' 2026 opponents, but we're about to find out the order in which they'll face them.

As the schedule leaks, we're tracking it here. We found out on Tuesday which opponent the Broncos will face in the season opener, but we still don't know whether it'll be home or away.

Week 1: Broncos at Chiefs on MNF

ESPN's Adam Schefter reported that the Broncos will face the Chiefs in Week 1 on Monday Night Football. He stopped short of reporting whether it would be at Mile High or Arrowhead, though the Broncos later announced that the game will be played at Arrowhead Stadium.

A divisional throwdown to open the season and in front of a national audience? Sounds good. Arrowhead Stadium instead of Mile High to begin the season? Rip off the band-aid, knowing when the schedule begins to tighten later in the season, the Broncos will be at home vs. the Chiefs.

The Broncos swept the Chiefs last season. Patrick Mahomes suffered a knee injury later in the season, but signs point to him being on track for the season opener.

Because of the lack of clarity on Mahomes's injury recovery, there's an argument to be made that this is the best possible game to draw the Chiefs at Arrowhead. It'll be his first game back after suffering that grievous knee injury late last year.

Rumor: Broncos vs. Rams | Week 3 | SNF

OzzyNFL leaked that it'll be Broncos-Rams in Week 3 on Sunday Night Football. This game will be a doozy.

Rumor: Broncos vs. Chiefs | Week 8

OzzyNFL reports the Chiefs will come to Denver in Week 8, with a 2:25 pm MDT kickoff.

Rumor: Broncos at Steelers | Week 12 | Black Friday on Prime

OzzyNFL leaked on X that the Broncos will face the Steelers on the road in Week 12 on Amazon Prime, which is Black Friday. This leak has not been confirmed, but OzzyNFL has a solid reputation for breaking this type of stuff.

Adding to the oddity of this game potentially being on a Friday is the 3 pm EST kickoff. That's a weird date, by itself, but a 3 pm (local time) kick off is even harder to believe because a lot of people have to work on the Friday after Thanksgiving.

Rumor: Broncos vs. Bills on Christmas Day via Netflix | Week 16

KOARadio's Benjamin Allbright reported that Denver will play at home on Christmas, and OzzyNFL revealed on Thursday that the game will be on Netflix against the Bills, with a 2:30 pm MDT kickoff.

If both OzzyNFL and Allbright turn out to be correct, the Broncos will be playing two Friday games this season. The NFL has limited Thursday games to no more than two per season, so we have to assume that would include Wednesdays and Fridays.

In other words, if the NFL schedules the Broncos to play two Friday games this season, that would count as two "short-week" games, bringing them to their max. That should mean no Thursday night or Wednesday for Denver, if true.

Week 10 Bye

In that same tweet, Allbright also reported that Denver will have a Week 10 bye.

Rumor: Denver Broncos at New York Jets | Week 14

OzzyNFL leaked on Thursday that Denver's road trip to take on the Jets will be in Week 14.

Rumor: Denver Broncos at Las Vegas Raiders | Week 15

OzzyNFL leaked this one, too.

This year, the Broncos get eight home games and nine away games. Here's a quick look at the Broncos' opponents

Home Opponents

  • Kansas City Chiefs
  • Las Vegas Raiders
  • Los Angeles Chargers
  • Buffalo Bills
  • Miami Dolphins
  • Jacksonville Jaguars
  • Los Angeles Rams
  • Seattle Seahawks

Away Opponents

  • Kansas City Chiefs
  • Las Vegas Raiders
  • Los Angeles Chargers
  • New England Patriots
  • New York Jets
  • Pittsburgh Steelers
  • Arizona Cardinals
  • San Francisco 49ers
  • Carolina Panthers

Strength of Schedule

This year, the Broncos' strength of schedule is .512, which ranks as the 15th-hardest slate of games, and is based entirely on how their opponents fared in 2025. Last year, the Broncos also drew the 15th-hardest schedule, with the collective winning percentage of their opponents from 2024 being .505.

The Broncos are drawing a first-place schedule this year, so it's perfectly natural to see their strength of schedule climb a few points. The Broncos won 14 games last year, the AFC West, and earned the No. 1 playoff seed in the AFC.

Although fans believe the Broncos still aren't getting the respect they deserve, with the oddsmakers setting Denver's over/under win projection at 9.5 (the same as 2024), the truth is, the NFL itself is no longer sleeping on this team. Bo Nix and company absolutely captured the NFL's attention last season, and put a stranglehold on it by beating Josh Allen and the Bills in overtime in the divisional round of the playoffs — a game Denver wasn't supposed to win, despite being at home.

The Broncos will face every AFC team that finished in first place last year, including the Patriots, Steelers, and Jaguars. The road back to the playoffs looks tougher on paper this year, but parity still reigns supreme in the NFL, and each year, we see top-finishing teams regress and others rise to take their place.

That's no guarantee that any of Denver's first-place opponents will take a step backward, but this offseason has been chaotic for the Patriots with all the Mike Vrabel noise, while the Steelers still don't have a for-sure starting quarterback, as they wait to see if Aaron Rodgers is coming back.

For the first time in nearly two decades, Mike Tomlin is no longer the head coach of the Steelers, so it'll be interesting to see how Mike McCarthy manages in what is his third NFL head-coaching gig. McCarthy did win a Super Bowl in 2010 with Rodgers, leading the Green Bay Packers, so the fit is obvious. Time will tell what Rodgers does, though the expectation is that he'll return to Pittsburgh.

Lastly, in addition to the AFC East, the Broncos have to face the NFC West this season, the toughest division in that conference, which boasts the Super Bowl Champion Seahawks, the Rams, and the 49ers. The Broncos will be put through the refiner's fire this season, but they're planning on emerging from that crucible even sharper, with the benefit of last year's experience, which included 11 one-score wins, and the carryover and return of the bulk of their 14-win roster.

Key Offseason Additions

Jaylen Waddle | WR: The Broncos acquired the veteran wideout from the Dolphins to give Nix an explosive weapon, which should free up Courtland Sutton and Evan Engram to make even more plays.

Tyler Onyedim | DL: The Broncos' first draft pick this year will be in the running to replace John Franklin-Myers in the starting lineup. Onyedim brings elite run-defending prowess to the Broncos' defensive line.

Jonah Coleman | RB: As an insurance policy for J.K. Dobbins, the Broncos drafted Coleman in Round 4. The rookie is a complete running back, who, beyond depth, gives the Broncos a between-the-tackles grinder with excellent power, vision, and burst.

Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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Chad Jensen
CHAD JENSEN

Chad Jensen is the Publisher of Denver Broncos On SI, the Founder of Mile High Huddle, and creator of the popular Mile High Huddle Podcast. Chad has been on the Denver Broncos beat since 2012 and is a member of the Pro Football Writers of America.

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