The NFL has bestowed a rebuilding tool on the Detroit Lions in 2026 that’s better than the draft or free agency.
It’s the 2026 schedule. Or, more accurately, a perk in that schedule.
Each NFL team plays six division games each season plus four games against a designated division from each conference. In 2025, Detroit played the AFC North and the NFC East in addition to its NFC North rivals. That left three openings in their 17-game schedule.
Under the NFL’s balanced-schedule format implemented in 1984, the first-place teams would play other first place teams from the previous season, second-place teams play other second-place teams, third-place teams play other third-place teams and the fourth-place finishers play other fourth-place finishers.
The Detroit Lions won back-to-back NFC North titles in 2023-24. Playing that first-place schedule against fellow heavyweights in 2024, Detroit finished with the best record in the NFL at 15-2. But the scheduling format took a toll on the Lions in 2025. Detroit went 1-2 against fellow defending division champions Kansas City, the Los Angeles Rams and Tampa Bay.
Those two losses were the difference between a third-consecutive playoff appearance by the Lions and a seat on the January couch. Despite sweeping NFC North champion Chicago, Detroit missed out on the playoffs with a 9-8 record.
Which brings us to the Bears. Chicago finished fourth in the NFC North in 2024, which earned the Bears the last-place schedule in 2025. Instead of heavyweights, the Bears got to play their fellow lightweights. Chicago went 2-1 against fellow last-place finishers the Saints, Raiders and 49ers. That powered Chicago to an 11-6 record and its first division title since 2018.
The balanced-schedule format was another step taken by the league to promote parity. And it has worked.
There have been 274 teams that have played last-place schedules since 1984 and 72.2 percent of them improved their records from the previous season. The last-place schedule has produced 62 playoff teams, 37 division winners and four Super Bowl champions.
Two teams this decade used the last place-schedule as a springboard to a Super Bowl appearance, the Bengals in 2021 and the Patriots in 2025. New England, in fact, tied for the single greatest improvement in record since 1984, vaulting 10 games from a 4-13 mark in 2024 to 13-4 in 2025. The 1999 St. Louis Rams, 2001 Patriots, 2009 Saints and 2017 Patriots all won Super Bowls playing last-place schedules.
Which brings us back to the Lions. Despite their 9-8 record in 2025, the Lions finished last in the NFL North. So in 2026, the Lions will play the fourth-place schedule…and the Bears will play the first-place schedule. The two teams will play the same schedule except for three games.
The first-place schedule gives the Bears fellow division winners the Eagles, Jaguars and Seahawks – three teams with a combined record of 38-13 in 2025. The last-place schedule gives the Lions fellow last-place finishers the Cardinals, Giants and Titans – three teams with a combined record of 10-41 last season.
Advantage, Lions.
The Jets (3-14), Browns (5-12), Titans (3-14), Raiders (3-14), Giants (4-13), Saints (6-11) and Cardinals (3-14) also play last-place schedules this season. At least one team playing a fourth-place schedule has vaulted from worst-to-first in nine of the last 11 seasons. In 2025, three teams playing last-place schedules advanced to the playoffs.
Detroit is not your ordinary last place team. As stated earlier, there have been 274 teams since 1984 that have been played last-place schedules. The Lions will be only the second team coming off a winning season given the luxury of a last-place schedule.
Detroit had a 4,500-yard passer (Jared Goff), a 1,000-yard rusher (Jahmyr Gibbs) and two 1,000-yard receivers (Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams) in 2025. Goff, Gibbs and St. Brown are among eight Pro Bowlers on Detroit’s 2026 roster.
The Lions were derailed by injuries in 2025. Detroit finished the season with Pro Bowl tight end Sam LaPorta and three starting defensive backs — safeties Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph and cornerback Terrion Arnold — on injured reserve. Four starting offensive linemen also sat out games last season with injuries.
The Lions have had an offseason to heal and, for the first time in three seasons, a favorable schedule. Detroit will be a team to watch in 2026.
