2026 NFL Schedule Release: 5 games Duck fans should be excited about

The Oregon Ducks are among the leaders in college football of sending their players to the NFL, with 54 players either signed to a team's active roster or on the practice squad. Much of those players have been under head coach Dan Lanning , who's transformed the program into a fast-track to the pros. As such, with the NFL releasing its 2026 schedule on Thursday, the schedule is lined with pro Duck versus pro Duck matchups, all of which are worthy of getting excited for from an Oregon fan's perspective.

Some occur every year, with the Denver Broncos led by quarterback Bo Nix facing off against the AFC West rival Los Angeles Chargers, quarterbacked by Justin Herbert . Those are always priority No. 1 for Duck fans, as the two former Oregon standouts always seem to put on a show.

Also littered in the schedule are a bevy of niche matchups between Ducks , with potential one-on-one matchups taking place between offense and defense. Though every week is set to have a former Duck take on another former Duck, these five games are ones in particular that Oregon fans should circle ahead of the 2026 NFL season. Week 1 — Kansas City Chiefs vs.

Denver Broncos Right away, the NFL schedule-makers give Duck fans an exciting matchup to look forward to. Of course, Nix is the headliner here, as he'll be kicking off his third season in the NFL after making a leap as a sophomore. But baked into this matchup are the Ducks at other positions that could find themselves matched up with one another.