The Browns were given two prime-time games at home against division rivals Cincinnati and Baltimore.
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Editor's note: Tony Grossi is a Cleveland Browns analyst for TheLandOnDemand.com and 850 ESPN Cleveland.
The Browns will open the 2020 season on the road against the defending division champion Baltimore Ravens and close it at home against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
They have two prime-time games at home – Week 2 in a Thursday night special against the Cincinnati Bengals and a Week 14 Monday night meeting with the Ravens.
“I think it's really an exciting day when you get this schedule,” Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski said in a statement issued by the club. “As coaches, we look at it and start to put some plans in place. We knew who we were playing, we knew where but now to see it all put together certainly is a really fun time for our coaching staff to map out our plan as this offseason continues on.”
The Browns' bye week comes right in the middle of the season after the eighth game.
And their two trips to MetLife Stadium in New Jersey come on back-to-back meetings against the Giants and Jets wrapped around Christmas week. The Jets game could be played on Saturday, Dec. 26, or Sunday, Dec. 27.
“That's unique,” Stefanski said. “I don't know if I've ever done that before, where you're staying at the same hotel and playing in the same building. It definitely will be a unique experience.”
The schedule released by the NFL did not back up speculation that non-conference games would be played in the season’s first month in case the Covid-19 pandemic caused cancellation of early games.
But the one concession to the coronavirus crisis did affect the Browns. Cancellation of the NFL’s international series saved the Browns a trip to London.
A league source confirmed the Browns tentatively were slated to play the Jacksonville Jaguars in London on Nov. 1. It was moved to Nov. 29 in Jacksonville on the final draft of the schedule.
The Browns’ tentative four-game preseason schedule starts with road games at Chicago and Green Bay and finishes at home against the Minnesota Vikings and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Times and dates of those games will be finalized later.
Stefanski intends to hold a pair of joint practices with the Packers preceding the second game.
Unless he needs a final tune-up, new Bucs quarterback Tom Brady is not expected to play in the pre-season finale.
There is still no way to tell if or when fans will be permitted to attend games this summer and fall.
In the event games are cancelled or fans are not permitted based on policies set by medical experts, government officials or the NFL, the Browns said they would make various credit and refund options available to fans who purchase tickets directly from the club.
The Browns’ 2020 schedule:
REGULAR SEASON
Week 1: Sept. 13, at Baltimore Ravens, 1:00 p.m. CBS
Week 2: Sept. 17 (Thurs.), home v. Cincinnati Bengals, 8:20 p.m. NFL Network.
Week 3: Sept. 27, home v. Washington Redskins, 1:00 p.m. FOX
Week 4: Oct. 4, at Dallas Cowboys, 1:00 p.m. FOX
Week 5: Oct. 11, home v. Indianapolis Colts, 4:25 p.m. CBS
Week 6: Oct. 18, at Pittsburgh Steelers, 1:00 p.m. CBS
Week 7: Oct. 25, at Cincinnati Bengals, 1:00 p.m. CBS
Week 8: Nov. 1, home v. Las Vegas Raiders, 1:00 p.m. FOX
Week 9: Nov. 8 - BYE
Week 10: Nov. 15, home v. Houston Texans, 1:00 p.m. FOX
Week 11: Nov. 22, home v. Philadelphia Eagles, 1:00 p.m. FOX
Week 12: Nov. 29, at Jacksonville Jaguars, 1:00 p.m. CBS
Week 13: Dec. 6, at Tennessee Titans, 1:00 p.m. CBS
Week 14: Dec. 14 (Mon.), home v. Baltimore Ravens, 8:15 p.m. ESPN
Week 15: Dec. 20, at New York Giants, 1:00p.m. CBS
Week 16: Dec. 26 or 27, at New York Jets, Time TBD
Week 17: Jan. 3, home v. Pittsburgh Steelers, 1:00 p.m. CBS
PRESEASON
Week 1 (Aug. 13-17), at Chicago Bears, Time TBD
Week 2 (Aug. 20-24), at Green Bay Packers, Time TBD
Week 3 (Aug. 30), Minnesota Vikings, 4:00 p.m. FOX
Week 4 (Sept. 3-4), Tampa Bay Buccaneers, TBD