The Browns are set to host two primetime games against divisional rivals — one on Halloween night and another in a Thursday Night contest — to highlight some of their biggest games of their 2022 regular season schedule.
The NFL announced its complete schedule Thursday for the regular season. The Browns will open the year on the road against the Panthers before returning to Cleveland for a home-opener against the Jets and a Thursday night showdown against the Steelers for their first AFC North game of the year four days later.
Week | Date | Opponent | Time | TV | Tickets |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Sept. 11 | at Carolina Panthers | 1 p.m. | CBS | |
2 | Sept. 18 | New York Jets | 1 p.m. | CBS | Buy Tickets |
3 | Sept. 22 | Pittsburgh Steelers | 8:15 p.m. | Prime Video | Buy Tickets |
4 | Oct. 2 | at Atlanta Falcons | 1 p.m. | CBS | |
5 | Oct. 9 | Los Angeles Chargers | 1 p.m. | CBS | Buy Tickets |
6 | Oct. 16 | New England Patriots | 1 p.m. | CBS | Buy Tickets |
7 | Oct. 23 | at Baltimore Ravens | 1 p.m. | CBS | |
8 | Oct. 31 | Cincinnati Bengals | 8:15 p.m. | ESPN | Buy Tickets |
9 | BYE | ||||
10 | Nov. 13 | at Miami Dolphins | 1 p.m. | CBS | |
11 | Nov. 20 | at Buffalo Bills | 1 p.m. | CBS | |
12 | Nov. 27 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 1 p.m. | FOX | Buy Tickets |
13 | Dec. 4 | at Houston Texans | 1 p.m. | CBS | |
14 | Dec. 11 | at Cincinnati Bengals | 1 p.m. | CBS | |
15 | Dec. 17/18 | Baltimore Ravens | TBD | TBD | Buy Tickets |
16 | Dec. 24 | New Orleans Saints | 1 p.m. | CBS | Buy Tickets |
17 | Jan. 1 | at Washington Commanders | 1 p.m. | FOX | |
18 | Jan. 7/8 | at Pittsburgh Steelers | TBD | TBD |
"It's always an exciting day when you get the schedule," head coach Kevin Stefanski said. "For months, we've known who were playing and where, but to see how it unfolds, where our bye week is and where our division opponents are is fun for our coaches. That first opponent is something you look at so you can start to work on their coordinators, understand what they've done and try and get a head start on that game."
The Week 1 matchup in Charlotte, slated for 1 p.m. on CBS, will mark the first time the Browns have ever opened a season against the Panthers and will be their third consecutive year in which they've started on the road. The Browns will then hold their home-opener in Week 2 before they take a primetime stage against the Steelers at FirstEnergy Stadium in Week 3. Kickoff is slated for 8:15 p.m. and will be broadcast on Amazon Prime Video.
The Browns are 7-2 all-time at home on Thursday night, including winning each of their last six home Thursday night contests. Overall, the Browns have won their past four Thursday night games.
The Browns will then play four consecutive games in the Sunday 1 p.m. kickoff slot against the Falcons (away), Chargers (home), Patriots (home) and Ravens (away) before they host another primetime game against the Bengals for a Halloween edition of Monday Night Football. This will mark just the third meeting all-time between the Browns and Bengals on Monday night, with the most recent coming on Oct. 22, 1990, and will be the second of two primetime home games the Browns are set to host against a divisional opponent in 2022.
"Our players love to play under the lights, and I know our fans love to be loud under the lights," Stefanski said. "To get the Steelers on Thursday Night Football and then get the Bengals on Monday Night Football, I know those will be unbelievable atmospheres to watch a ballgame."
The Browns' 2022 regular-season schedule has been released. Check out how the season unfolds with this photo gallery
Cleveland has its bye placed in the middle of the schedule in Week 9. The mid-year bye will be opportune for the Browns as they rest, regroup and prepare for their final nine games.
"You always like having the bye week smack in the middle," Stefanski said. "We'll play eight games, then take a break and play nine games. I think there's benefits to having it in the middle of the season."
The Browns will host eight total games at FirstEnergy Stadium in 2022, including a Week 12 battle between QB Tom Brady and the Buccaneers that comes after a two-game road stretch against the Dolphins (Week 10) and Bills (Week 11) following the bye week. Kickoff for each of those games is set for 1 p.m.
Cleveland will also play three divisional games in its last five contests, starting with a Week 14 trip to Cincinnati and followed by a Week 15 home matchup against Baltimore. The Browns will then host the Saints for a Christmas Eve showdown in Week 16 before hitting the road for their final games against the Commanders and Steelers, the 10th time they've finished a season against Pittsburgh in the past 15 seasons and first time they will end the year with consecutive road games since 2017.
The Browns could receive at least two more primetime games in their schedule — the league hasn't yet determined kickoff times for the Browns' Week 15 game against the Ravens and Week 18 game against the Steelers.
In Week 15, three of five designated matchups will be played on Saturday with the remainder to be played on Sunday. Specific dates and start times for the designated Week 15 matchups will be determined and announced at a later date during the season.
In Week 18, two games will be played on Saturday (4:30 p.m. and 8:15 p.m.) with the remainder to be played on Sunday afternoon (1:00 p.m. and 4:25 p.m.) and one matchup to be played on Sunday night (8:20 p.m.) Specific dates, start times, and networks for Week 18 matchups will be determined and announced following the conclusion of Week 17.
All other Browns games, with the exception of the Week 3 and Week 8 primetime games, are set for 1 p.m.
The Browns' three-game preseason schedule was also announced Thursday. It begins with a trip to Jacksonville — the second consecutive road preseason start against the Jaguars — and ends with home games against the Eagles and Bears. The Eagles will be in Cleveland in the days preceding their preseason matchup for joint workouts.
Week | Date | Opponent | Time | TV | Tickets |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Aug. 12 | at Jacksonville Jaguars | 7 p.m. | TBD | |
2 | Aug. 21 | Philadelphia Eagles | 1 p.m. | TBD | Buy Tickets |
3 | Aug. 27 | Chicago Bears | 7 p.m. | TBD | Buy Tickets |