Why does the NFL have bye weeks? Explaining gaps in 2023 schedule 

The 2023 NFL Season will mark the third time in league history that each club will participate in 17 games, which will result in an extended 18-game calendar. The new bye week schedule, which starts in Week 6 and lasts through Week 14, has been one of the league's biggest adjustments.

One week in the football season, when an outfit has no games scheduled is referred to as an NFL bye week. The NFL has a set period during the course of the year when a team is excused from competing in games, just like every other competition. This time frame is frequently known as a bye week.

All 32 teams benefit from the bye week, which got even more crucial when the regular season format was increased to 17 games in 2021. The bye offers each squad a chance to wind down and recuperate before proceeding with the remainder of the campaign in an industry rife with persistent ailments.

Every team in the NFL must face each other at least one time every four years, thanks to a rotational structure. The best late-season contests can be shown to the biggest fans due to schedule flexibility. To preserve competitive parity, the schedule creators take bye weeks and travels into account.

Certain squads have early-season bye weeks, which forces them to compete for as many as 13 straight games to finish the schedule. Others have to hold off on taking a break until towards the end of the season.

---

Do teams get bye weeks in the playoffs?

The NFL is a fiercely physical and intense competition. The league added bye weeks to the schedule in order to protect the well-being and physical condition of its members.

The No. 1 seed in each conference receives a bye week for the opening phase of the NFL postseason, which is known as the Wild Card round. Additionally, should they advance to the Super Bowl, they will have home-field edge for the duration of the postseason.

The significance of this week cannot be stressed enough since it provides the same chance for recovery for every team. It also provides the seeded sides with a chance to identify and prepare for the teams they face.