Bengals are out of excuses after gift from NFL schedule makers

With the official NFL schedule release one day away, a graphic was posted on social media of all the miles each team will travel during the 2025 campaign. The Cincinnati Bengals have hit the jackpot as the team that will travel the fewest miles next season. While others rack up tens of thousands of miles, the Bengals will travel only 8,753 miles, by far the league’s lowest total.

This means Cincy is free from planning for international and therefore all out of excuses. With such a favorable setup, the expectations for the Bengals are to get back on track and into the playoffs.

2025 NFL travel stats

Here’s how the Bengals compare

• Cincinnati Bengals: 8,753 miles (fewest in the NFL)
• Buffalo Bills: 10,546 miles
• Kansas City Chiefs: 21,695 miles
• Los Angeles Chargers: 37,086 miles (most in NFL history)

The Bengals avoid all international games and most long-haul flights. Their furthest trip is to Denver, roughly 1,200 miles away. This tight geographic clustering is a huge advantage compared to teams like the Chargers, who face a grueling, wear-and-tear travel schedule for the 2025 season.

Fewer roadblocks thanks to light travel schedule

A light travel schedule isn’t just a luxury, it’s a proven boost. Shorter trips mean less time on airplanes and in hotels, which helps with player rest and recovery. The Bengals don’t leave the country and face only minimal time zone changes. This means their week-to-week routine will look and feel more like a college schedule than the usual NFL grind.

Travel fatigue is a real thing. Studies and past league trends confirm that long flights disrupt sleep cycles, delay recovery from injuries and can even lower on-field performance. Teams that fly less tend to maintain sharper game prep. The Bengals will reap the benefits all season, with more time at their own facility, fresher legs, and clearer minds on game day.

All excuses thrown out the window

Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase and this talented Bengals roster can’t point fingers at the schedule in 2025. The NFL has set them up with a path that eliminates travel fatigue as a factor. They’re also expected to feature in multiple primetime games, facing key rivals with the eyes of the football world watching. In past years, tough travel or schedule quirks offered ready-made storylines for slow starts. That should not be an issue this season.

This travel edge is a rare advantage. Cincy’s coaches have more time to game plan. Players can recover faster after Sunday’s bruises. Every step of their week becomes more effective whether we’re talking about film study, rehab or practice. If the Bengals can’t translate this gift into wins, fans will have every right to demand answers. The bar is set high, and the excuses are gone.