The Green Bay Packers will have one of the most unique bye weeks in the history of the NFL during the 2026 season.
After playing the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday, Nov. 10 in Week 10, the Packers will enter their bye week in Week 11. But instead of getting the traditional 14 days between games, the Packers will immediately go into a very short week in Week 12 — with a trip to Los Angeles to play the Rams on Wednesday night, or the night before Thanksgiving.
Not only will the game be just the second Wednesday game in Packers team history (and first since 1938), but Green Bay and Los Angeles will play the NFL’s first Thanksgiving Eve game.
This scheduling quirk cuts both ways for the Packers.
While Matt LaFleur’s team will get a shorter bye week than just about every team in the NFL, the Packers will also get another “mini” bye after playing the Rams. In Week 13, the Packers will play the New Orleans Saints on Sunday, Dec. 6 — or 11 days after playing the Rams.
Overall, the Packers will play only two games over a 20-day period.
Also, consider the first eight weeks. The Packers play two Thursday night home games, providing two other “mini” byes during the first half of the 2026 season. That’s two 10-day stretches between games in the first half (and the games at home, so no travel involved with short weeks). And the Packers get another “mini” bye between playing the Chicago Bears on Friday, Dec. 25 (short road trip) and the Houston Texans at home on Monday, Jan. 4, another span of 10 days.
So, while the NFL might have drastically shortened the Packers’ traditional bye week in Week 11, LaFleur’s team will essentially get five “mini” byes during the 2026 season.
Do five “mini” byes beat one traditional bye week for the Packers? We’ll find out in 2026.
This article originally appeared on Packers Wire: Packers get unique bye week, but also 5 mini bye weeks during 2026
Reporting by Zach Kruse, Packers Wire / Packers Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
