With the 2013 NFL regular season now starting to wind down we can start looking forward to the playoffs, college All-Star games, the NFL scouting combine, free agency, and the draft. Below is the 2014 NFL calendar and list of important dates for you to keep track of leading up to the spring meetings in May.
– DATES SUBJECT TO CHANGE –
Jan. 4-5: Wild-card playoff games
Jan. 5: Assistant coaches under contract to playoff clubs that have byes in the wild-card weekend may be interviewed for head coaching positions through the conclusion of the wild-card games.
Jan. 11-12: Divisional playoff games
Jan. 12: 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.
Jan. 18: East-West Shrine Game, Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg, Fla.
Jan. 19: AFC and NFC Championship Games
Jan. 25: Senior Bowl, Ladd-Peebles Stadium, Mobile, Ala.
Jan. 26: Pro Bowl, Aloha Stadium, Honolulu
Jan. 26: An assistant coach whose team is participating in the Super Bowl and 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.
Feb. 2: Super Bowl XLVIII, MetLife Stadium, New York-New Jersey
Feb. 17: First day for clubs to designate franchise or transition Players.
Feb. 19-25: Combine, Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis
March 8-11: 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 2013 player contracts at 4 p.m. ET on March 11. However, a contract cannot be executed with a new club until 4 p.m. ET on March 11.
March 11: New league year, free agency begins
March 11: Before 4 p.m. ET, clubs must exercise options for 2014 on all players who have option clauses in their 2013 contracts.
March 11: Before 4 p.m. ET, clubs must submit qualifying offers to their restricted free agents with expiring contracts.
March 11: Before 4 p.m. ET, clubs must submit a minimum salary tender to retain exclusive negotiating rights to their players with expiring 2013 contracts and who have fewer than three accrued Seasons of free agency credit.
March 11: All clubs must be under the 2014 salary cap before 4 p.m. ET.
March 23-26: Owners meeting, Orlando, Fla.
April 7: Clubs that hired a new head coach after the end of the 2013 regular season may begin off-season workout programs.
April 21: Clubs with returning head coaches may begin off-season workout programs.
May 2: Deadline for restricted free agents to sign offer sheets.
May 7: Deadline for prior club to exercise right of first refusal to restricted free agents.
May 8-10: NFL draft, New York, Radio City Music Hall. First round begins at 8 p.m. ET.
May 19-21: Spring meeting, Atlanta
