Lions 2026 Schedule Rumor: Early Sunday Night Football Game Scheduled

Detroit Lions are set to play the Carolina Panthers early in the 2026 NFL season.

Former Detroit Lions defensive tackle Quinton Bohanna (90) pressures Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young (9) | Kirthmon F. Dozier / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Detroit Lions are set to play the Carolina Panthers early in the 2026 NFL season.

According to multiple reports, the team is scheduled to face the Carolina Panthers in Week 4 of the 2026 NFL season on Sunday Night Football.

It has been confirmed the team will play the Buffalo Bills in Week 2 on Thursday Night Football.

Based on Detroit's popularity, they are reportedly scheduled to play two primetime NFL games in the first month of the 2026 NFL season.

Despite the team's 9-8 record last season, team president Rod Wood expressed to reporters in Arizona at the owner's meetings he still expected the team to be featured quite a bit in primetime.

“Based upon my discussions with (NFL vice president of broadcast planning) Mike North, I think so, yeah,” Wood said, via the Detroit News. "Because he was pushing back on a lot of my (schedule) requests. I think that there's still a lot of interest in the Lions, despite last year's little disappointment. And I think there's probably an expectation that we're going to bounce back and be really competitive next year. So I would assume, yes."

Wood indicated he asked the league specifically not to play in primetime the Thursday after Thanksgiving.

"The thing about flying back, playing a game, playing Thanksgiving and playing the Thursday afterwards, it's really tough on the players and travel," said Wood. "So, that's the one thing I've requested, and hopefully I've made my case."

Detroit is playing a game in Germany this season. While it is not expected, it is possible the team could play two International games in the same NFL season.

It has been uncommon, but the Jacksonville Jaguars and Minnesota have played in back-to-back games overseason in recent seasons.

“I would never say never, but no one’s brought it up to me, so I’m hoping they would have brought it up if that was gonna happen,” Wood explained. “So I don’t think that’s likely.”

Detroit played in a total of five primetime games last season. Also, games featuring the Lions in primetime have drawn significant numbers in the ratings the past couple of seasons, keeping Detroit a popular team to feature in marquee time slots.

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