GREEN BAY, Wis. -- The Green Bay Packers' 2024 schedule was released along with the rest of the NFL slate Wednesday.
When Brett Favre returned to play his first game against the Packers in 2009, as a member of the Minnesota Vikings, it was perhaps the most anticipated game of the NFL season.
Aaron Rodgers versus the Packers has yet to generate quite as much buzz. Perhaps that's because Rodgers has yet to decide whether to play for the Pittsburgh Steelers or retire. But with or without Rodgers, it's still one of the NFL's marquee games in Week 8 on "Sunday Night Football."
Here's what's in store for the Packers:
Packers 2025 regular-season schedule
Week 1: Sept. 7 vs. Detroit Lions
Week 2: Sept. 11 vs. Washington Commanders (TNF)
Week 3: Sept. 21 at Cleveland Browns
Week 4: Sept. 28 at Dallas Cowboys (SNF)
Week 5: BYE
Week 6: Oct. 12 vs. Cincinnati Bengals
Week 7: Oct. 19 at Arizona Cardinals
Week 8: Oct. 26 at Pittsburgh Steelers (SNF)
Week 9: Nov. 2 vs. Carolina Panthers
Week 10: Nov. 10 vs. Philadelphia Eagles (MNF)
Week 11: Nov. 16 at New York Giants
Week 12: Nov. 23 vs. Minnesota Vikings
Week 13: Nov. 27 at Lions (Thanksgiving)
Week 14: Dec. 7 vs. Chicago Bears
Week 15: Dec. 14 at Denver Broncos
Week 16: Dec. 20 at Bears
Week 17: Dec. 27 or 28 vs. Baltimore Ravens*
Week 18: Jan 3 or 4 at Vikings*
*Date for Weeks 17 and 18 are to be determined
Strength of schedule: The Packers are tied for the fifth hardest schedule in the league (opponents had a 0.557 winning percentage in 2024).
Over/Under: 9.5 wins
Biggest takeaway
The Packers finally get to open the season at home. The last time they had a Week 1 game at Lambeau Field was 2018, meaning coach Matt LaFleur has never started a season at home in his six years as head coach. According to the Packers, only Philadelphia (in 2019) and Green Bay (2018) had not had a Week 1 game in its home stadium in the 2020s. In fact, they will have their first two at home, but it's a quick turnaround to Week 2 against the Commanders on "Thursday Night Football."
Circle this date
Nov. 10 against the Eagles on "Monday Night Football." It's a rematch of the Packers' season-ending loss in the NFC wild-card round. The Packers actually lost twice to the Eagles last season, including the season opener in Brazil. The Packers haven't beaten the Eagles since 2020 season. The other loss since then came in 2022, when Jordan Love came in as a backup and nearly led a comeback win.
Key stretch
It's division-heavy late in the season. After opening with the Lions, the Packers don't play another NFC North opponent for more than two months. Then, beginning with the Nov. 29 game against the Vikings, they play five of their final seven games against division foes. That includes two games against the Bears in a three-week stretch.
Bold prediction
The Packers will end up with more than the four prime-time games they currently have on the schedule. Flexible scheduling will move them into at least one more showcase game. The Week 16 game against the Bears could either be on that Saturday afternoon or Saturday night. And it's possible either or both of the final two games, against the Ravens and at the Vikings, could become a night game.
How important will the NFC North games be this season?
Critical, if the Packers want to break free from playing playoff games on the road like they have the past two seasons. They were a blocked field goal away from being winless in the NFC North last season. Still, they went 1-5 in the division and had the fewest division wins of any team that has ever won 11 games in a season. Early in LaFleur's tenure as coach, he dominated the NFC North, winning 13 of his first 14 division games and going 15-3 overall in his first three years. In each of those seasons, the Packers hosted at least one playoff game.