CLEVELAND — Editor's note: the video in the player above is from Jan. 3, 2021
Having clinched their first playoff berth since 2002, the Cleveland Browns' 2020 season isn't yet over. But on Monday, the team had some news to share regarding its 2021 campaign.
With the NFL's 2020 regular season in the books, teams now know who they are slated to play in 2021. In the case of the Browns, they'll play their traditional home-and-away series' against the rest of the AFC North, as well as cross-divisional games against the AFC West and NFC North. Additionally, Cleveland will face the third-place teams in the AFC East and AFC South after finishing third in the AFC North behind the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens.
As a result, the following 16 opponents are currently set to comprise the Browns' 2021 schedule:
Home
- Chicago Bears
- Denver Broncos
- Detroit Lions
- Las Vegas Raiders
- Houston Texans
- Cincinnati Bengals
- Baltimore Ravens
- Pittsburgh Steelers
Away
- Los Angeles Chargers
- Kansas City Chiefs
- Green Bay Packers
- New England Patriots
- Minnesota Vikings
- Cincinnati Bengals
- Baltimore Ravens
- Pittsburgh Steelers
The exact dates for each game will be announced later this year.
Additionally, the possibility -- if not likelihood -- exists that a 17th game will be added to the Browns' schedule. As a result of the league's new collective bargaining agreement that was ratified last year, the NFL's owners now have the option to add a 17th game to the league's schedule beginning in the 2021 season.
Although the league's owners have yet to officially commit to doing just that, they have already approved the process for determining who each team will play should a 17th game be added as expected. Last month, the league determined that the extra interconference game for each team will be based on divisional standings from the previous season and on a rotating divisional basis.
According to Monday Morning Quarterback's Albert Breer, teams from the AFC North will first match up with teams from the NFC West. That would mean that third-place Browns will be scheduled to face the third-place Arizona Cardinals once a 17th game is added to Cleveland's schedule.