2022 NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE IMPORTANT DATES

– DATES SUBJECT TO CHANGE –

January 8-9Week 18 of the 2021 regular season
January 10Clubs may begin signing free agent players for the 2022 season
January 15-17Wild Card Playoff Games
January 17Deadline for college players who are underclassmen to apply for special eligibility. A list of underclassmen who have been approved for entry into the 2022 NFL Draft will be sent to clubs on January 21
January 22Divisional Playoff Games begin
January 28-29HBCU Combine, University of South Alabama: Mobile, Alabama
January 29NFLPA Collegiate Bowl, Rose Bowl: Pasadena, California
January 30AFC and NFC Championship Games
February 3East-West Shrine Bowl, Allegiant Stadium: Las Vegas, Nevada
February 5Senior Bowl, Hancock Whitney Stadium: Mobile, Alabama
February 6NFL Pro Bowl, Allegiant Stadium: Las Vegas, Nevada
February 82021 CFL player contracts expire at 12:00 p.m., New York time. Beginning at 12:01 p.m., New York time, NFL clubs may no longer try out, negotiate with, and/or sign CFL players with 2022 contracts
February 13Super Bowl LVI, SoFi Stadium: Inglewood, California
February 14Waiver system begins for 2022
February 19HBCU Legacy Bowl, Yulman Stadium: New Orleans, Louisiana
February 22First day for clubs to designate Franchise or Transition Players
March 1-7NFL Scouting Combine, Lucas Oil Stadium: Indianapolis, Indiana
March 8Prior to 4:00 p.m., New York time, deadline for clubs to designate Franchise or Transition Players
March 14-16Clubs 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 2021 player contracts at 4:00 p.m., New York time, on March 16
March 16Prior to 4:00 p.m., New York time, clubs must exercise options for 2022 on all players who have option clauses in their 2021 contracts
March 16Prior to 4:00 p.m., New York time, clubs must submit qualifying offers to their Restricted Free Agents with expiring contracts to retain a Right of First Refusal/Compensation
March 16Prior to 4:00 p.m., New York time, clubs must submit a minimum salary tender to retain exclusive negotiating rights to their players with expiring 2021 contracts who have fewer than three accrued seasons of free agency credit
March 16Top 51 Rule begins. All clubs must be under the 2022 Salary Cap prior to 4:00 p.m., New York time
March 16All 2021 player contracts will expire at 4:00 p.m., New York time
March 16The 2022 league year and free agency period begin at 4:00 p.m., New York time
March 16The first day of the 2022 league year will end at 11:59:59 p.m., New York time, on March 16. Clubs will receive a personnel notice that will include all transactions submitted to the league office during the period between 4:00 p.m., New York time, and 11:59:59 p.m., New York time, on March 16
March 16Trading period for 2022 begins at 4:00 p.m., New York time, after expiration of all 2021 contracts
Late MarchInternational Player Pathway Pro Day (TBD)
March 27-30Annual League Meeting: Palm Beach, Florida
April 4Clubs that hired a new head coach after the end of the 2021 season may begin offseason workout programs
April 18Clubs with returning head coaches may begin offseason workout programs
April 22Deadline for Restricted Free Agents to sign offer sheets
April 28-302022 NFL Draft: Las Vegas, Nevada
May 2Deadline for prior club to send “May 2 Tender” to its unsigned Unrestricted Free Agents. If the player has not signed a player contract with a club by July 22 or the first scheduled day of the first NFL training camp, whichever is later, he may negotiate or sign a player contract from that date until the Tuesday following the 10th weekend of the regular season, at 4:00 p.m., New York time, only with his prior club
May 2Deadline for clubs to exercise fifth-year option for players selected in the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft
May 6-9 or
May 13-16
Clubs may elect to hold their one three-day post-Draft rookie minicamp from Friday through Sunday or Saturday through Monday on one of the two weekends following the Draft
May 16Rookie Football Development Programs begin
May 19-22
(Tentative)
NFLPA Rookie Premiere, TBD. Invited rookies (typically, first- and/or second-round selections) must be permitted by their respective clubs to attend. Such players are unavailable for offseason workouts, OTA days, and minicamps during this period
May 23-25Spring League Meeting
June 1Deadline for prior club to send “June 1 Tender” to its unsigned Restricted Free Agents who received a qualifying offer for a right of first refusal only in order for such player to be subject to the CBA’s “June 15 Tender” provision
June 15Deadline for club to withdraw qualifying offer to Restricted Free Agents and still retain exclusive negotiating rights by substituting “June 15 Tender” of one-year contract at 110 percent of the player’s prior-year Paragraph 5 Salary (with all other terms of his prior-year contract carried forward unchanged)
Late JuneRookie Readiness Program to be held at individual clubs