NFLTR Features

2020 NFL Important Dates Calendar

December 31, 2019

Here is a list of Important Dates for 2019 NFL Calendar. We’ll post updates to the list as more dates are announced.

2019-20 NFL Important Dates Calendar

January 4-5	Wild Card Playoffs.
5-Jan	Assistant coaches under contract to playoff clubs that have byes in Wild Card weekend may be interviewed for head coaching positions through the conclusion of the Wild Card games.
January 11-12	Divisional Playoffs.
12-Jan	Assistant coaches under contract to playoff clubs that won their Wild Card games may be interviewed for head coaching positions through the conclusion of Divisional Playoff games.
18-Jan	East-West Shrine Game, Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg, Florida.
19-Jan	AFC and NFC Championship Games.
20-Jan	Deadline for college players who are underclassmen to apply for Special Eligibility. A list of underclassmen who have been approved for entry into the 2020 College Draft will be sent to clubs on January 24.
25-Jan	Senior Bowl, Ladd-Peebles Stadium, Mobile, Alabama.
26-Jan	NFL Pro Bowl
26-Jan	An assistant coach, whose team is participating in the Super Bowl, who has previously interviewed for another club’s head coaching job may have a second interview with such club no later than the Sunday preceding the Super Bowl.
2-Feb	Super Bowl LIV, Hard Rock Stadium, South Florida.
February 24-March 2	NFL Scouting Combine, Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, Indiana.
25-Feb	First day for clubs to designate Franchise or Transition Players.
10-Mar	Prior to 4:00 p.m., New York time, deadline for clubs to designate Franchise or Transition Players.
March 16-18	During the period beginning at 12:00 noon, New York time, on March 16 and ending at 3:59:59 p.m., New York time, on March 18, clubs are permitted to contact, and enter into contract negotiations with, the certified agents of players who will become Unrestricted Free Agents upon the expiration of their 2019 Player Contracts at 4:00 p.m., New York time, on March 18.
	During the above two-day negotiating period, a prospective UFA who is not represented by an NFLPA Certified Contract Advisor is permitted to communicate directly with a new club’s front office officials (excluding the head coach and other members of the club’s coaching staff) regarding contract negotiations.
	No prospective Unrestricted Free Agent is permitted to execute a contract with a new club until 4:00 p.m., New York time, on March 18.
18-Mar	The 2020 League Year and Free Agency period begin at 4:00 p.m., New York time.
	The first day of the 2020 League Year will end at 11:59:59 p.m., New York time, on March 18. Clubs will receive a personnel notice that will include all transactions submitted to the League office during the period between 4:00 p.m., New York time, and 11:59:59 p.m., New York time, on March 18.
18-Mar	Trading period for 2020 begins at 4:00 p.m., New York time, after expiration of all 2019 contracts.
March 29-April 1	Annual League Meeting, Palm Beach, Florida.
6-Apr	Clubs that hired a new head coach after the end of the 2019 regular season may begin offseason workout programs.
17-Apr	Deadline for restricted free agents to sign offer sheets
20-Apr	Clubs with returning head coaches may begin offseason workout programs.
22-Apr	Deadline for prior club to exercise right of first refusal to restricted free agents.
April 23-25	NFL Draft, Las Vegas, Nevada.
27-Apr	Beginning this date, NFL clubs may request permission to visit with, try out, or sign any player who was under contract to the XFL at the conclusion of the XFL season.
May 1-4	Clubs may elect to hold their one three-day post-Draft rookie minicamp from Friday through Sunday or Saturday through Monday.
5-May	Deadline for prior club to send “May 5 Tender” to its unsigned Unrestricted Free Agents. If the player has not signed a player contract with a club by July 22 or the first scheduled day of the first NFL training camp, whichever is later, he may negotiate or sign a player contract from that date until the Tuesday following the 10th weekend of the regular season, at 4:00 p.m., New York time, only with his prior club.
May 8-11	Clubs may elect to hold their one three-day post-Draft rookie minicamp from Friday through Sunday or Saturday through Monday.
11-May	Rookie Football Development Programs begin.
May 14-17	NFLPA Rookie Premiere. Invited rookies (typically, first- and/or second-round selections) must be permitted by their respective clubs to attend. Such players are unavailable for offseason workouts, OTA days, and minicamps during this period.
May 19-20	Spring League Meeting, Marina Del Ray, California.
1-Jun	Deadline for prior club to send “June 1 Tender” to its unsigned Restricted Free Agents who received a qualifying offer for a right of first refusal only in order for such player to be subject to the CBA’s “June 15 Tender” provision.
15-Jun	Deadline for club to withdraw qualifying offer to Restricted Free Agents and still retain exclusive negotiating rights by substituting “June 15 Tender” of one-year contract at 110 percent of the player’s prior-year Paragraph 5 Salary (with all other terms of his prior-year contract carried forward unchanged).
Late June	Rookie Transition Program to be held at individual clubs.
15-Jul	At 4:00 p.m., New York time, deadline for any club that designated a Franchise Player to sign such player to a multiyear contract or extension. After this date, the player may sign only a oneyear contract with his prior club for the 2020 season, and such contract cannot be extended until after the club’s last regular season game.
Mid-July	Clubs are permitted to open preseason training camp for rookies beginning seven days prior to the club’s earliest permissible mandatory reporting date for veteran players.
	Veteran players (defined as a player with at least one pension-credited season) other than quarterbacks or “injured players” (as defined in CBA Article 21, Section 6) may report to a club’s preseason training camp no earlier than 15 days prior to the club’s first scheduled preseason game or July 15, whichever is later.
	Veteran quarterbacks and injured players may be required to report to the club’s preseason training camp no earlier than five days immediately prior to the mandatory reporting date for all other veteran players, provided the club has already opened (or simultaneously opens) its official preseason training camp for all rookies and first-year players
	A three-day acclimation period will apply to players who are on a club’s roster up to and including the mandatory veteran reporting date. Players who rejoin the roster after that date may practice (including wearing pads) and play immediately after passing a physical.
22-Jul	Signing period ends for Unrestricted Free Agents to whom a “May 5 Tender” was made by prior club. After this date and until 4:00 p.m., New York time, on the Tuesday following the 10th weekend of the regular season, prior club has exclusive negotiating rights.
	* or the first scheduled day of the first NFL training camp, whichever is later.
22-Jul	Signing period ends for Transition Players with outstanding tenders. After this date and until 4:00 p.m., New York time, on the Tuesday following the 10th weekend of the regular season, prior club has exclusive negotiating rights.
6-Aug	Hall of Fame Game, Canton, Ohio.
August 6-9	Hall of Fame Weekend, Canton, Ohio.
11-Aug	Deadline for players under contract to report to their clubs to earn an accrued season for free agency.
11-Aug	If a drafted rookie has not signed with his club by this date, he cannot be traded to any other club in 2020, and may sign a player contract only with the drafting club until the day of the Draft in the 2021 league year.
5-Sep	Prior to 4:00 p.m., New York time, clubs must reduce rosters to a maximum of 53 players on the Active/Inactive List.
5-Sep	Simultaneously with the cut-down to 53, clubs that have players in the categories of Active/Physically Unable to Perform or Active/Non-Football Injury or Illness must select one of the following options: place player on Reserve/Physically Unable to Perform or Reserve/NonFootball Injury or Illness, whichever is applicable; request waivers; terminate contract; trade contract; or continue to count the player on the Active List.
6-Sep	Claiming period for players placed on waivers at the final roster reduction will expire at 12:00 noon, New York time.
6-Sep	Upon receipt of the Personnel Notice at approximately 1:00 p.m., New York time, clubs may establish a practice squad of 10 players (clubs participating in the International Player Development Program may sign one additional international player to a Practice Player Contract.) No club, including the player’s prior club, will be permitted to sign a player to a practice player contract until all clubs have received simultaneous notification via the above Personnel Notice that such player’s prior NFL player contract has been terminated via the waiver system.
10-Sep	At 12:00 a.m., New York time, the Top 51 Rule expires for all NFL clubs.
September 10, 13-14	Regular Season Week 1.