When the NFL schedule drops each spring, fans mark their calendars and count down the days. But for the New England Patriots players, the reaction is more of a collective shrug.

Speaking to reporters at Gillette Stadium ahead of Thursday night's schedule release, three Patriots veterans delivered the same message: the schedule is just a list of dates.

"Seventeen games is 17 games. We're going to play football regardless," said starting center Jared Wilson, a third-round pick in 2025 experiencing his second schedule release.

Tight end Julian Hill and safety Mike Brown, both free agent additions this offseason, echoed that sentiment. With four and five years of NFL experience respectively, they've seen enough schedule drops to know the drill.

"I know it sounds cliche, but whoever is on the schedule, whoever we have that week, that's the talk," Hill said. "I don't have social media, so I don't know who we play Week 1. The guys in the locker room tell me. The coaches tell me who we've got Week 1. I'm sure other guys might have different opinions, but myself, whoever is right there, that's who I'm focused on."

Brown admitted there's some buzz around the release—just not from the locker room. "I think it's more my family," he explained. "Family is already asking about tickets and stuff like that. I mean, we know who we've got to play; we just don't know when. But I think it's more or less a family and friends thing. We're excited to play every game."

The Patriots open their season on Wednesday, Sept. 9, with a Super Bowl LX rematch against the Seattle Seahawks. The schedule also features four additional primetime games and an international trip to Germany, as New England looks to defend their division title.