Changes

The NFL does not operate a minor league system nor does it have working arrangements with any other football league (such as the [[Canadian Football League]]) for player development.  A player may be drafted (or sign as an undrafted free agent) once the player has been out of high school for three seasons.  A player may declare himself eligible for the draft and is permitted a window whereby he can revoke his decision, except if the player has signed with a sports agent the decision is irrevocable.

The NFL does not operate a minor league system nor does it have working arrangements with any other football league (such as the [[Canadian Football League]]) for player development.  A player may be drafted (or sign as an undrafted free agent) once the player has been out of high school for three seasons.  A player may declare himself eligible for the draft and is permitted a window whereby he can revoke his decision, except if the player has signed with a sports agent the decision is irrevocable.

Teams play 16 regular season games (eight at home and eight on the road) over 17 weeks, with each team receiving a "bye" week roughly in the middle of the season, comprised of:

Teams play 17 regular season games (eight at home and eight on the road with the 17th game alternating each year home and away) over 18 weeks, with each team receiving a "bye" week roughly in the middle of the season, comprised of:

*Six games in a home-and-home against the other three teams in its division (the 17th week of the season features only divisional matchups),

*Six games in a home-and-home against the other three teams in its division (the 17th week of the season features only divisional matchups),

*Four teams against all the opponents of a designated division from the other conference,

*Four teams against all the opponents of a designated division from the other conference,

*Four teams against all the opponents of a designated division from the same conference, and

*Four teams against all the opponents of a designated division from the same conference,

*Two games against conference opponents of the non-designated divisions of the same conference for that year; the teams will be those which finished in the same place in the standings in their respective divisions (i.e. the first place team plays the other two first place teams, etc.).

*Two games against conference opponents of the non-designated divisions of the same conference for that year; the teams will be those which finished in the same place in the standings in their respective divisions (i.e. the first place team plays the other two first place teams, etc.), and

*Beginning with the 2021 season, a designated opponent from the other conference which is not in the "designated division from the other conference" that the team would otherwise face.

As an example, the [[Green Bay Packers]] finished first in the NFC North after the 2020 season.  They will therefore play the following teams during the 2021 season:

As an example, the [[Green Bay Packers]] finished first in the NFC North after the 2020 season.  They will therefore play the following teams during the 2021 season:

*[[Chicago Bears|Chicago]], [[Detroit Lions|Detroit]] and [[Minnesota Vikings|Minnesota]], their NFC North Division Rivals,

*[[Chicago Bears|Chicago]], [[Detroit Lions|Detroit]] and [[Minnesota Vikings|Minnesota]], their NFC North Division Rivals,

*All four teams from the AFC North ([[Baltimore Ravens|Baltimore]] [[Cincinnati Bengals|Cincinnati]], [[Cleveland Browns|Cleveland]] and [[Pittsburgh Steelers|Pittsburgh]], which is their designated inter-conference division for that year,

*All four teams from the AFC North ([[Baltimore Ravens|Baltimore]] [[Cincinnati Bengals|Cincinnati]], [[Cleveland Browns|Cleveland]] and [[Pittsburgh Steelers|Pittsburgh]], which is their designated inter-conference division for that year,

*All four teams from the NFC West ([[Arizona Cardinals|Arizona]] [[Los Angeles Rams]], [[San Francisco 49ers|San Francisco]] and [[Seattle Seahawks|Seattle]], which is their designated intra-conference division for that year, and

*All four teams from the NFC West ([[Arizona Cardinals|Arizona]] [[Los Angeles Rams]], [[San Francisco 49ers|San Francisco]] and [[Seattle Seahawks|Seattle]], which is their designated intra-conference division for that year,

*The other teams from the NFC (besides the West) which also finished first in their divisions: that would be [[New Orleans Saints|New Orleans]] (NFC South) and [[Washington Football Team|Washington]] (NFC East).

*The other teams from the NFC (besides the West) which also finished first in their divisions: that would be [[New Orleans Saints|New Orleans]] (NFC South) and [[Washington Football Team|Washington]] (NFC East), and

*A designated AFC team not in the AFC North, which for 2021 would be [[Kansas City Chiefs|Kansas City]].

The season generally begins on the Thursday after [[Labor Day]] and concludes the week after [[Christmas]].  Most games are played on Sunday, with one or more games played on Monday and on Thursday as well.  Games are not played on Friday or Saturday during most of the season due to federal laws prohibiting NFL games competing with high school or college games; the league will play some Saturday games once the college football season ends and has very rarely played on Friday.

The season generally begins on the Thursday after [[Labor Day]] and concludes the week after [[Christmas]].  Most games are played on Sunday, with one or more games played on Monday and on Thursday as well.  Games are not played on Friday or Saturday during most of the season due to federal laws prohibiting NFL games competing with high school or college games; the league will play some Saturday games once the college football season ends and has very rarely played on Friday.