JJ Watt Talks About What Players Look For When The NFL Schedule Drops

The NFL schedule for the 2024 season will be released on Wednesday night and everyone is excited to see what it looks like. As you can imagine, players in particular have an interest in what it looks like and former defensive end JJ Watt gave some insights into what players look for when they first glance at a new schedule.

I won't lie to you: it's some of the same stuff fans look for.

Some of that seems pretty obvious. I mean, of course, you'd want to know when the first game is. Plus, knowing when the bye week is coming so you can book a vacation sooner rather than later and get the best rates.

Of course, those pesky Thursday night games that everyone hates are a consideration too. Those short weeks can be brutal, almost as brutal as the Thursday night matchups themselves.

To that point, Monday nights can be rough, and nowadays there are even occasional Friday night games, Saturday night games, and the recently announced Christmas Day games that will stream on Netflix take place on a Wednesday this year.

That will all throw a wrench into players' usual between-games recovery routines.

And then there are the games that are part of the NFL's ever-expanding international slate. It was already announced that the league will play in Brazil, the United Kingdom, and Germany and you can bet that's a biggie for any player whose teams need to go on those trips.

Watt's mention of the weather also got me thinking about something. We all think of how brutal those late-season games at Lambeau or in Buffalo can be, but I never really think about those early-season games in places like Miami or Tampa. 

I'm not sure which I'd rather do. I think if I was going to be in the game for most of the game, I'd take the cold. If I'm riding pine (which would probably be the case) then give me the heat.

It's interesting to get a pro perspective on this while we wait to see the full slate.