The NFL is known for keeping its schedule under wraps until the big official release, and this year has been no exception. The league has been unusually tight-lipped, with very few games spoiled ahead of Thursday night's big reveal. The Cleveland Browns certainly aren't the team everyone is clamoring to see on the schedule, but they've already gotten one juicy leak: their Week One matchup.

According to the early buzz, the Browns will be heading south on September 13th to take on the Jacksonville Jaguars in what promises to be an exciting season opener. This isn't just any game—it's the latest chapter in a rivalry that has heated up over the past couple of seasons.

Remember the 2023 showdown? That was when Joe Flacco, in vintage form, broke Jaguars fans' hearts on a cold, rainy day in Cleveland. Then, in 2024, the Browns got their first win of the season down in Jacksonville, with Deshaun Watson back for his second game. Many thought that victory would be a turning point for Cleveland's season. Spoiler alert: it wasn't.

But the drama didn't stop on the field. Later that year, Browns general manager Andrew Berry pulled off what can only be described as highway robbery against the Jaguars and their rookie GM, James Gladstone. Cleveland sent the second overall pick to Jacksonville in exchange for the fifth pick, a second-rounder, a fifth-rounder, and Jacksonville's first-round pick in 2026. The Browns sweetened the deal with picks 104 and 200, but they came out looking like geniuses.

Now, these two teams are linking up again, this time to kick off the 2026 season. For Cleveland, this is one of the few games on their schedule against a team with legitimate Super Bowl aspirations. Let's be real—Jacksonville finished last season with an impressive 13-4 record, winning the AFC East convincingly. It was the worst possible time for them to have one of their best seasons ever, since Cleveland held their first-round pick. But the Browns ended up just fine, and this Week One showdown is the perfect stage for both teams to make an early statement.