Week 5 of the NFL season marked the first time in 2025 that not all 32 teams were in action, as the Chicago Bears, Green Bay Packers, Atlanta Falcons, and Pittsburgh Steelers enjoyed the season’s first byes. This week, two more teams will sit out.
The Houston Texans and Minnesota Vikings have a Week 6 bye, while the other 30 teams take the field. Here’s what you need to know about the teams that won’t be playing.
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NFL teams on a bye this week
This week, only two teams have a bye: the Houston Texans and Minnesota Vikings. The teams have had very different starts to the season and sit on opposite sides of the .500 line.
Minnesota has stayed above water despite the absence of starting quarterback J.J. McCarthy, who injured his ankle in a Week 2 loss to the Atlanta Falcons. With Carson Wentz leading the offense, the Vikings are 2-1 in games without McCarthy and 3-2 overall, coming off a last-minute win against the Cleveland Browns in London.
Houston, on the other hand, got off to a slow start, dropping three of its first games. But heading into the bye week, the Texans have turned things around with consecutive dominant wins, beating the Tennessee Titans 26-0 and the Baltimore Ravens 44-10. In a competitive AFC South, Houston sits at 2-3.
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NFL bye weeks schedule 2025
Each NFL team has one bye, starting in Week 5. Bye weeks will run from Week 5 to Week 14, with the exception of Week 13, where the NFL hosts three Thanksgiving games.
Here's a look at when each team will get some rest.
Week 5
- Chicago Bears
- Green Bay Packers
- Atlanta Falcons
- Pittsburgh Steelers
Week 6
- Minnesota Vikings
- Houston Texans
Week 7
- Buffalo Bills
- Baltimore Ravens
Week 8
- Detroit Lions
- Arizona Cardinals
- Los Angeles Rams
- Seattle Seahawks
- Jacksonville Jaguars
- Las Vegas Raiders
Week 9
- Philadelphia Eagles
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- New York Jets
- Cleveland Browns
Week 10
- Dallas Cowboys
- Cincinnati Bengals
- Tennessee Titans
- Kansas City Chiefs
Week 11
- New Orleans Saints
- Indianapolis Colts
Week 12
- Washington Commanders
- Miami Dolphins
- Denver Broncos
- Los Angeles Chargers
Week 13
- None
Week 14
- New York Giants
- Carolina Panthers
- San Francisco 49ers
- New England Patriots
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