When the 2025 NFL schedule for Week 13 began circulating across major sports sites, fans didn’t just get excited—they got confused. NFL Football Operations, CBS Sports, ESPN, and USA TODAY all published competing versions of the same week, with teams appearing to play multiple games on the same day, bye weeks contradicted by scheduled matchups, and even a game in Dublin, Ireland that no one expected. The result? A scheduling mess that feels more like a draft lottery than a professional sports calendar.
Conflicting Games, Confused Fans
According to CBS Sports, Week 13 kicks off with Sunday games like the Atlanta Falcons at the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium and the Denver Broncos at the Washington Commanders on NBC. But ESPN claims the week opens on Thursday with the Cincinnati Bengals hosting the Baltimore Ravens—a game CBS doesn’t even list for that day. Meanwhile, NFL Football Operations throws a curveball: a regular-season game at Croke Park in Dublin, where the Minnesota Vikings are scheduled to face the Pittsburgh Steelers at 9:30 a.m. Eastern time. That’s right: an NFL game in Ireland, on a Sunday morning, with fans in the U.S. waking up to it.The Seattle Seahawks Paradox
Here’s where things get absurd. According to NFL Football Operations, the Seattle Seahawks are scheduled to play three different teams on Sunday, November 30, 2025: the Arizona Cardinals at 8:15 p.m. ET, the Jacksonville Jaguars at 1 p.m. ET, and the Tennessee Titans at 1 p.m. ET. All three games are listed as happening on the same day, at the same stadium—State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, or TIAA Bank Field in Jacksonville. That’s not just a typo. That’s a calendar glitch. No team plays three games in one week. No team plays two home games on the same day. And yet, here it is, in the official NFL operations document.Bye Weeks That Aren’t
The confusion deepens with bye weeks. NFL Football Operations claims the Denver Broncos, Los Angeles Chargers, Miami Dolphins, and Washington Commanders are on bye during Week 13. But then, in the same document, it lists the Denver Broncos playing the Washington Commanders at Northwest Stadium, and the Los Angeles Chargers playing the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium. The Miami Dolphins are listed as hosting the Los Angeles Chargers at Hard Rock Stadium. And the Washington Commanders are scheduled to play the Philadelphia Eagles—on the same day they’re supposedly resting.It’s like someone mashed up three different drafts and hit print.
Why This Matters
Fans aren’t just confused—they’re planning. People buy tickets, book hotels, schedule time off work, and organize watch parties based on these schedules. The CBS Sports ticket prices tell a story: $8.40 for a Jacksonville Jaguars at Tennessee Titans game at Nissan Stadium, versus $168 for Minnesota Vikings at Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field. If the schedule changes after you’ve bought tickets, you’re out of luck. If you’re flying to Dublin for a Vikings-Steelers game that doesn’t actually happen? That’s a trip you won’t forget—for all the wrong reasons.What’s Really Going On?
This isn’t the first time the NFL has released a preliminary schedule with errors. In 2022, a leaked schedule had the New England Patriots playing on Thanksgiving—only to be corrected weeks later. But this level of contradiction across multiple official sources? Unheard of. The most likely explanation: this is a draft, not a final. The NFL typically releases its full schedule in May, after the draft and free agency. What we’re seeing now is a placeholder—possibly generated by automated systems trying to map out potential matchups before final decisions are made on TV windows, international games, or flex scheduling.And here’s the twist: the New York Giants at New England Patriots game on Monday, December 1, is listed consistently across all sources. Even the NFL Football Operations document agrees. That’s the one game everyone seems to have gotten right.
What’s Next?
The NFL is expected to release the official 2025 schedule in May, likely during the first week of the NFL Draft. Until then, treat every published schedule as a rumor. Don’t book flights. Don’t buy tickets. Don’t plan your Thanksgiving weekend around a game that might not happen. And if you’re a fan of the Seattle Seahawks, maybe just enjoy the fact that they’re not actually playing three games at once—yet.Frequently Asked Questions
Why do different sources show different NFL Week 13 schedules?
Because these are preliminary drafts, not official releases. The NFL uses automated scheduling tools that generate multiple potential matchups before final decisions are made on TV networks, international games, and flex scheduling. Until the league officially publishes the schedule in May 2025, discrepancies like this are expected—and common.
Is the Minnesota Vikings vs. Pittsburgh Steelers game in Dublin real?
It’s possible, but not confirmed. The NFL has played regular-season games in London and Mexico City before, and Dublin has been discussed as a potential future location. However, no official announcement has been made for 2025. The listing in NFL Football Operations may be a placeholder for an international game that hasn’t been finalized yet.
Why are teams listed as on bye but still playing games?
This is a clear sign the data is incomplete or misaligned. Teams can’t be on bye and play a game. The conflict suggests automated systems are pulling data from different sources—perhaps one listing projected matchups and another listing scheduled byes—and merging them incorrectly. It’s a data integrity issue, not a scheduling one.
When will the official 2025 NFL schedule be released?
The NFL typically releases its full regular-season schedule in May, usually the week after the NFL Draft concludes. For 2025, expect the official Week 13 schedule—and all corrections—to be published around May 8–15, 2025. Until then, treat any published schedule as speculative.
Can I trust ticket prices listed on CBS Sports or ESPN?
No—not yet. Ticket prices are based on projected matchups, not confirmed ones. The $8.40 ticket for a Jaguars-Titans game? That’s likely a placeholder for a low-demand matchup. If the game changes, so will pricing. Wait for the official schedule before spending money on tickets or travel.
What’s the one game everyone agrees on?
The New York Giants at New England Patriots on Monday, December 1, 2025, at Gillette Stadium. Every source—CBS, ESPN, NFL Operations—lists this game with the same time, venue, and network (ESPN). That’s the only true north in this chaotic schedule.