Bye weeks are crucial in the layout of the NFL schedule. For some teams, it’s an opportunity to take a quick breather, get players back to full strength and prepare for the remaining games on the calendar. For others, it’s a necessary reprieve from a difficult campaign.
NFL teams each receive one bye week throughout the course of the 18-week season. A team can have its bye at any point from Week 5 to 13, though there are no byes during Week 12 due to the Thanksgiving slate. Bye weeks are determined by the NFL’s schedule-makers, who take into account a number of variables, including stadium availability, international and cross-country travel and competitive fairness, among other factors.
