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NFL schedule 2026: This team will rack up the fewest miles this year
This transcript does not include audio timing.
Mark Schofield is a former college quarterback and attorney covering the NFL and F1.While we wait for the full release of the 2026 NFL regular-season schedule — and comb through the details we do have such as the nine international games — we start to think about what teams have a tough road in the year ahead, and what teams will barely even go on the road.The Carolina Panthers fall into the latter category.Due to the NFL’s scheduling formula, the Panthers have just eight road games this year. Those include games against their NFC South division rivals, games against the Cleveland Browns and the Pittsburgh Steelers (as the NFC South squares off with the AFC North in 2026), and a game against the Philadelphia Eagles.When you add up all the road trips, the Panthers are traveling just 8,740 miles this year, the fewest in the league, according to this projection.Not too far behind are the Cleveland Browns, who will rack up just 9,073 miles this year.It probably comes as no surprise that the two teams that are traveling the most are the San Francisco 49ers and the Los Angeles Rams, who will meet in Week 1 in the NFL’s first regular-season game in Australia. The two NFC West rivals will square off at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on September 11 in Australia/September 10 here in the United States.That is not the only international game on San Francisco’s slate, as the 49ers will travel to Mexico City to take on the Minnesota Vikings in Week 11.As for the Panthers, this schedule could be a blessing. Last year the New England Patriots advanced to Super Bowl LX, and while the relative ease of their schedule was a talking point, another factor in their rise was how little New England traveled in 2025. Until the Patriots traveled to Denver to take on the Broncos in the AFC Championship Game, their longest trek in 2025 was to New Orleans to play the Saints, and they left the Eastern Time Zone just twice during the regular season: For that Saints game, and for a game against the Tennessee Titans.Could the Panthers follow a similar path to a Super Bowl?
Takes mentioned in this episode
- Tennessee Titans team · neutral
“and they left the Eastern Time Zone just twice during the regular season: For that Saints game, and for a game against the Tennessee Titans.”
Describing the travel history of the New England Patriots
- Philadelphia Eagles team · neutral
“Those include games against their NFC South division rivals, games against the Cleveland Browns and the Pittsburgh Steelers (as the NFC South squares off with the AFC North in 2026), and a game against the Philadelphia Eagles.”
Listing road games for the Carolina Panthers.
- Philadelphia Eagles team · neutral
“and a game against the Philadelphia Eagles.”
Those include games against their NFC South division rivals, games against the Cleveland Browns and the Pittsburgh Steelers (as the NFC South squares off with the AFC North in 2026), and a game agains
- Cleveland Browns team · neutral
“games against the Cleveland Browns and the Pittsburgh Steelers”
Those include games against their NFC South division rivals, games against the Cleveland Browns and the Pittsburgh Steelers (as the NFC South squares off with the AFC North in 2026), and a game agains
- Carolina Panthers team · neutral
“The Carolina Panthers fall into the latter category.”
The Carolina Panthers fall into the latter category.
- Pittsburgh Steelers team · neutral
“games against the Cleveland Browns and the Pittsburgh Steelers”
Those include games against their NFC South division rivals, games against the Cleveland Browns and the Pittsburgh Steelers (as the NFC South squares off with the AFC North in 2026), and a game agains
- New England Patriots team · neutral
“Last year the New England Patriots advanced to Super Bowl LX”
Last year the New England Patriots advanced to Super Bowl LX, and while the relative ease of their schedule was a talking point, another factor in their rise was how little New England traveled in 202
- Denver Broncos team · neutral
“Until the Patriots traveled to Denver to take on the Broncos in the AFC Championship Game”
Until the Patriots traveled to Denver to take on the Broncos in the AFC Championship Game, their longest trek in 2025 was to New Orleans to play the Saints, and they left the Eastern Time Zone just tw
- New Orleans Saints team · neutral
“their longest trek in 2025 was to New Orleans to play the Saints”
Until the Patriots traveled to Denver to take on the Broncos in the AFC Championship Game, their longest trek in 2025 was to New Orleans to play the Saints, and they left the Eastern Time Zone just tw
- San Francisco 49ers team · neutral
“the two teams that are traveling the most are the San Francisco 49ers and the Los Angeles Rams”
It probably comes as no surprise that the two teams that are traveling the most are the San Francisco 49ers and the Los Angeles Rams, who will meet in Week 1 in the NFL’s first regular-season game in
- Pittsburgh Steelers team · neutral
“Those include games against their NFC South division rivals, games against the Cleveland Browns and the Pittsburgh Steelers (as the NFC Soft squares off with the AFC North in 2026), and a game against the Philadelphia Eagles.”
Listing road games for the other Carolina Panthers schedule.
- Los Angeles Rams team · neutral
“the two teams that are traveling the most are the San Francisco 49ers and the Los Angeles Rams”
It probably comes as no surprise that the two teams that are traveling the most are the San Francisco 49ers and the Los Angeles Rams, who will meet in Week 1 in the NFL’s first regular-season game in
- Minnesota Vikings team · neutral
“That is not the only international game on San Francisco's slate, as the 49ers will travel to Mexico City to take on the Minnesota Vikings in Week 11.”
Factual scheduling information
- Minnesota Vikings team · neutral
“the 49ers will travel to Mexico City to take on the Minnesota Vikings in Week 11.”
That is not the only international game on San Francisco’s slate, as the 49ers will travel to Mexico City to take on the Minnesota Vikings in Week 11.
- Carolina Panthers team · neutral
“The Carolina Panthers fall into the latter category. Due to the NFL's scheduling formula, the Panthers have just eight road games this year.”
Favorable scheduling with fewest road games and travel miles in the league
- Cleveland Browns team · neutral
“Not too far behind are the Cleveland Browns, who will rack up just 9,073 miles this year.”
Factual reporting of travel distance; second-fewest in league
- San Francisco 49ers team · neutral
“It probably comes as no surprise that the two teams that are traveling the most are the San Francisco 49ers and the Los Angeles Rams, who will meet in Week 1 in the NFL's first regular-season game in Australia.”
Most travel miles in league due to international games
- Los Angeles Rams team · neutral
“It probably comes as no surprise that the two teams that are traveling the most are the San Francisco 49ers and the Los Angeles Rams, who will meet in Week 1 in the NFL's first regular-season game in Australia.”
Most travel miles in league due to international games
- New Orleans Saints team · neutral
“their longest trek in 2025 was to New Orleans to play the Saints, and they left the Eastern Time Zone just twice during the regular season: For that Saints game, and for a game against the Tennessee Titans.”
Factual scheduling information
- Tennessee Titans team · neutral
“they left the Eastern Time Zone just twice during the regular season: For that Saints game, and for a game against the Tennessee Titans.”
Factual scheduling information
- Tennessee Titans team · neutral
“and for a game against the Tennessee Titans.”
Until the Patriots traveled to Denver to take on the Broncos in the AFC Championship Game, their longest trek in 2025 was to New Orleans to play the Saints, and they left the Eastern Time Zone just tw
- Carolina Panthers team · positive
“The Carolina Panthers fall into the latter category.”
Discussing teams with a light travel schedule for the 2026 season.
- Cleveland Browns team · neutral
“Not too far behind are the Cleveland Browns, who will rack up just 9,073 miles this year.”
Comparing travel distances of various NFL teams in the 2026 schedule.
- San Francisco 49ers team · positive
“the two teams that are traveling the most are the San Francisco 49ers and the Los Angeles Rams”
Identifying teams with heavy travel schedules in the 2026 season.
- Denver Broncos team · neutral
“Until the Patriots traveled to Denver to take on the Broncos in the AFC Championship Game, their longest trek in 2025 was to New Orleans to play the Saints”
Factual scheduling information
- Minnesota Vikings team · neutral
“the 49ers will travel to Mexico City to take on the Minnesota Vikings in Week 11.”
Mentioning specific international games for the San Francisco 49ers.
- New England Patriots team · positive
“Last year the New England Patriots advanced to Super Bowl LX, and while the relative ease of their schedule was a talking point...”
Comparing the Panthers' potential success based on an easy travel schedule.
- Denver Broncos team · neutral
“Until the Patriots traveled to Denver to take on the Broncos in the AFC Championship Game...”
Describing the travel history of the New England Patriots.
- New Orleans Saints team · neutral
“their longest trek in 2025 was to New Orleans to play the Saints”
Describing the travel history of the New England Patriots.
- Carolina Panthers team · neutral
“The Carolina Panthers fall into the latter category.”
Discussing teams with very few road games in the upcoming season.