The Indianapolis Colts will have to endure a long stretch of games without much of a rest during the 2026 NFL season.
Team’s who play an international game have the option of taking their bye the following week after all that travel and being out of their usual routine. But with the Colts playing Washington in Week 4, Indianapolis elected not to take the bye in Week 5.
For what it’s worth, however, JJ Stankevitz of Colts.com pointed out that teams are 10-6 following games in London when they chose not to take their bye week.
So, if the Colts’ bye isn’t in Week 5, where did it end up landing on the schedule?
Week 13. The second-to-last week of the season when a bye can take place.
That means the Colts must play 12 consecutive weeks to start the season, which includes a trip to London during the early portion.
A bit of reprieve may come after Week 11, when the Colts face the Houston Texans on Thursday Night Football. That will provide them with a mini-bye heading into Week 12.
That said, it will be a grueling stretch of games for the Colts to get to the bye week. The opportunity to get healthy if needed or hit the pause button if things aren’t going well won’t really exist for a large portion of the season.
A strong start to the season feels like a must, although accomplishing that will come with its challenges as well.
This article originally appeared on Colts Wire: Late season bye provides little rest for Colts on 2026 schedule
Reporting by Paul Bretl, Colts Wire / Colts Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
