Rejoice, NFL fans: A new year of football is upon us.

Following the dramatic conclusion of Super Bowl LIX, which saw the Philadelphia Eagles win their second franchise Lombardi Trophy against the Kansas City Chiefs, the NFL is set to open a fresh campaign this spring with all 32 teams looking to boost their rosters.

Everyone from newly initiated Swiftie-turned-NFL fan to the die-hard football savant to the coworker friend who plays in twelve different fantasy leagues will likely be tuned into this year’s happenings, from the NFL Draft to teams’ training camp workouts. 

Here is a list of key dates and deadlines that NFL teams will have to be wary of this offseason.

The franchise tag deadline is 4 p.m. ET on March 4.

At this time, teams will no longer be permitted to place the franchise or transition tag on eligible players. 

There are three different types of tags: non-exclusive, exclusive and transition. The non-exclusive tag is the most common. It gives the team the right to match any offer a player receives from another team, or receive two first-round draft picks as compensation if the player leaves.

The free agency negotiation period is from 12 p.m. ET on March 10 to 4 p.m. ET on March 12.

This two-day period, also known as the legal tampering period, allows teams to contact and negotiate contracts with the agents of players who are set to become unrestricted free agents. The contracts can’t be officially signed until after 4 p.m. ET on March 12. 

NFL free agency officially starts at 4 p.m. ET on March 12. The new league year is underway!

Any negotiated contracts or trades agreed upon prior to this time can now be signed and processed. Teams must also be below the salary cap at this time.

The annual league meeting will take place from March 30 to April 2. 

You may have heard of proposals for changes in the league in 2025, one of them being the Green Bay Packers trying to ban the Tush Push play. Kickoff changes are also expected to be on the docket. NFL owners, coaches and other personnel will attend this meeting in Palm Beach, Fla. to discuss those proposals. Any rule changes, along with other significant league matters, will be decided during this time.

Here’s a friendly month-by-month reference for other important dates in 2025 free agency:

The Post-June 1st designation allows teams to create more financial flexibility by spreading out the cost of releasing a player.

Teams can release up to two players with a post-June 1st designation starting in March of the new league year. This is a win-win: players can negotiate and sign earlier in the offseason while teams get cap benefits.

If a player is released or traded before June 1st, his future guarantees and remaining signing bonus will immediately “accelerate” into the team’s cap space for that season.

If a player is released or traded after June 1st, the remaining dead money will be spread across two league years instead of only the current season.