- The NFL released its 2023 schedule on Thursday.
- To announce their schedule, teams put out clever promotional videos on social media.
The NFL calendar never stops.
While sports fans were taking in two Game 6s in the NBA playoffs on Thursday night, the NFL provided its own bit of content, releasing the 2023 schedule.
The release of the NFL schedule used to come with little fanfare, but given the existence of the NFL Network, and the stunning ability the league has shown to make content out of anything — the draft, the combine, "Black Monday" — the release of the NFL schedule has turned into a holiday of sorts.
Teams have responded ambitiously to the elevation of schedule release day, with social media teams across the league putting out comical, cute, and sometimes ambitious videos to announce their schedules.
While there were plenty of great contenders, this year, the Tennessee Titans won the prize of best announce video by asking non-football-loving pedestrians to name teams on their coming schedule based on their logo.
The results, and the video that they produced, are simply perfect.
—Tennessee Titans (@Titans) May 12, 2023
There's so much gold in this video. "Lightning McQueen" for the Los Angeles Chargers. The confidence of a possible bachelorette party in the Indianapolis Colts being the Dallas Cowboys. The Atlanta Falcons as The Red Stallions (rawr).
Between some glorious answers and solid comedic timing built into the editing, the Titans produced something simple and filled with joy.
Across the league, people applauded the Titans' effort.
—NFL GameDay (@NFLGameDay) May 12, 2023
—Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) May 12, 2023
Several social media teams of the franchises misidentified in the video quickly jumped to action to embrace the memes the video was creating.
—Field Yates (@FieldYates) May 12, 2023
—The Athletic (@TheAthletic) May 12, 2023
Hilariously, this was not the only schedule release video the Titans produced, having published another, much more choreographed and expensive video on their feed as well.
—Tennessee Titans (@Titans) May 12, 2023
Despite the production value, it's difficult to beat the simplicity of a perfect joke.
That said, some other teams that went all-in on production value had it pay off in a big way.
The Los Angeles Chargers, who wowed NFL fans with an anime-inspired schedule release video in 2022, pulled off another stunner, loaded with even more references to both anime and NFL lore.
—Los Angeles Chargers (@chargers) May 12, 2023
Reader, I've watched this video seven times and found a new Easter egg in each viewing. Kudos to the entire Chargers team, may you all get to enjoy some PF Changs tonight.
The Jacksonville Jaguars also get an A for effort. Their video leans hard into the joke of the NFL being scripted that permeated through the league late last season.
Clocking in at almost nine minutes, it might go a bit long for people who aren't die hard Jags supporters, but game performances from several players, head coach Doug Pederson, and team owner Shad Khan make the video sing.
—Jacksonville Jaguars (@Jaguars) May 12, 2023
The elevation of schedule release day into an NFL holiday is honestly pretty ridiculous, but if it keeps giving social media teams a fun outlet to work on in the offseason, that's good enough for me.
Congratulations to all of this year's nominees.