Context:

The 2025 NFL schedule release is eagerly anticipated, with fans set to discover the logistical challenges their teams will face, which can significantly impact their season. Among the teams with the hardest schedules are the New York Giants, Chicago Bears, and Detroit Lions, each facing formidable opponents based on last year's winning percentages. The Giants, already in a tough NFC East division, will encounter robust teams like the Eagles, Commanders, and Cowboys, along with AFC West powerhouses. The Bears, under new leadership, will navigate a difficult schedule within their division and against the challenging AFC North. The Lions, despite their strong performance last year, face arduous road games against playoff-caliber teams, testing their resilience throughout the season.

Dive Deeper:

• The New York Giants face one of the toughest schedules in the NFL, with a .574 opponent winning percentage and having to play in the challenging NFC East division, which includes the Eagles, Commanders, and Cowboys. They also face the AFC West teams like the Chiefs, Chargers, and Broncos, all of whom were playoff teams last year.

• The Chicago Bears, with a .571 opponent winning percentage, have added Ben Johnson as their new coach to potentially aid in quarterback Caleb Williams' development. Their schedule includes six divisional games against the Packers, Lions, and Vikings, as well as matchups with the formidable AFC North teams.

• Detroit Lions, tied for the best 2024 record, now face the third most challenging 2025 schedule, including tough road games against teams like Washington and Kansas City. Despite losing offensive coordinator Ben Johnson to a division rival, they have the talent to compete at a high level.

• The Philadelphia Eagles, reigning Super Bowl champions, have a .561 opponent winning percentage and a schedule that includes games against top teams from the AFC East, NFC West, and NFC South. They will also face a Super Bowl rematch against the Chiefs, with 10 of their opponents being playoff teams from last season.

• The Dallas Cowboys, with a .557 opponent winning percentage, aim for a stronger season following a 7-10 record plagued by injuries. They face strong defenses, including the Eagles, Commanders, and Jets, and need to improve their home performance to secure a playoff spot, particularly with games against the Packers and Chiefs.

• The 2025 NFL schedule release is set for May 14, and fans will soon find out when and where their favorite teams are playing this fall.

• The opponents for each team have been known for quite some time, but the way a schedule shakes out logistically can make or break a team's season.

• Schedule release day is also a time when analysts and fans take an audit of the rest of the league. Who has the easiest schedule, and who has the most difficult?

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• The Sporting News has you covered on that front for the time being. Here are the five teams with the hardest schedules for the 2025 NFL season based on opponent winning percentages from last year.

• MORE: Strength of schedule for all 32 NFL teams 

• Toughest NFL schedules for 2025

  1. New York Giants

  • Opponents' 2024 winning percentage .574
  • SOS based on 2025 projected Vegas win totals: 4
  The Giants finished with the third-worst record in the NFL last year and could be headed for another tough year.

• New York already plays in one of the toughest divisions in football in the NFC East and will have six games against the Eagles (Super Bowl champion), Commanders (NFC championship game), and Cowboys, who are all markedly better. 

• The NFC East will also play the AFC West this year, meaning the Giants will also have games against the Chiefs, Chargers, and Broncos, who were all playoff teams last year and improved in the offseason. Throw in games against the Packers, Lions, and Vikings, and New York could be headed for the top of the draft again in 2026.

• T-2. Chicago Bears

  • Opponents' 2024 winning percentage .571
  • SOS based on 2025 projected Vegas win totals: 17
  The Bears won the offseason by bringing in Ben Johnson, the big fish on the coaching market, to be their next leader. Whether he can help quarterback Caleb Williams develop and lead the Bears to more victories remains to be seen.

• Chicago has one of the most challenging schedules in 2025, as it's probably the fourth-best team in a division that had three playoff teams last year. As usual, the Bears will play six games against the Packers, Lions, and Vikings.

• The NFC North also draws the always-challenging AFC North this year. While the Bears are a better team than the Steelers (until Pittsburgh figures out its quarterback situation, at least), their defense will definitely be challenged by Lamar Jackson and Joe Burrow.

• T-2. Detroit Lions

  • Opponents' 2024 winning percentage .571
  • SOS based on 2025 projected Vegas win totals: 28
  The Lions finished 15-2 in 2024, tied with the Chiefs for the best record in the NFL, and were rewarded with the third-most difficult schedule in 2025.

• Detroit can certainly compete with anyone and gets a key member of their defense back this year in Aidan Hutchinson, but it has a grueling slate of road games against other playoff teams. The Lions will travel to Washington, the team that eliminated them in the NFC Divisional round, and to Kansas City, one of the toughest places to play in the entire league.

• Jared Goff had one of the best seasons of his career last season, but he lost Ben Johnson, his offensive coordinator, to a division rival. The Lions will play the Bears twice, and Chicago should have a good idea of how to attack Goff and the Detroit offense from a defensive standpoint. 

• 4. Philadelphia Eagles

  • Opponents' 2024 winning percentage .561
  • SOS based on 2025 projected Vegas win totals: 29
  The reigning Super Bowl champions will have the fourth-toughest schedule by opponent winning percentage and will have to stay locked-in to return to the playoffs.

• As the NFC East champions, Philadelphia will play the first-place teams in the AFC East, NFC West, and NFC South. A trip to Buffalo is never easy, and the Rams nearly beat the Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field last year in the NFC Divisional round.

• The Eagles will also have a Super Bowl 59 rematch against the Chiefs, which will be in Kansas City. Overall, 10 of the Eagles opponents made the playoffs last season.

•  5. Dallas Cowboys

  • Opponents' 2024 winning percentage .557
  • SOS based on 2025 projected Vegas win totals: 12
  The Cowboys were decimated by injuries in 2024 and finished with a 7-10 record. They will still have one of the most difficult schedules in the NFL in 2025.

• Dak Prescott should be returning this season, but he will face three top-five passing defenses in 2024 in the Eagles, Commanders and Jets. Dallas didn't do much to upgrade the running back position in the offseason, hoping for a bounce-back year from their quarterback.

• After going 2-7 at AT&T Stadium in 2024, the Cowboys will have to be better at home if they want to return to the playoffs this year. Things won't get much easier with home contests against the Packers and Chiefs.