Posted by Sabrina B. @gametimegirl
The NFL will officially announce the 2011 schedule on Tuesday at 7 p.m. ET.
The schedule will be released on NFL Network.
Despite the uncertain labor situation, the schedule is still being released in mid-April, as usual. However, the preseason schedule, announced on April 12, was late because of scheduling issues in Minnesota due in part to repair of the Metrodome roof that was damaged last season.
The NFL announced Monday that the Chicago Bearswill play the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in London this season. The game will be in Wembley Stadium on Oct. 23. If the labor problems last until Aug. 1, the game will be re-scheduled for Raymond James Stadium in Tampa.
The Bucs will return to the British capital for the second time in three years, having lost to theNew England Patriots at Wembley in 2009. For the Bears, the game on Oct. 23 will mark the 25th anniversary of having played a preseason game against the Dallas Cowboys at the stadium.
“Our past four games in London have demonstrated the tremendous passion for NFL football that exists in the UK,” NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement.
This would be the fifth consecutive year that the NFL has staged a regular-season game in London as the league tries to win over new fans and increase its marketing appeal overseas.
ESPN2 will host a schedule analysis show from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.
John Clayton is a senior writer for ESPN.com. Information from The Associated Press contributed to this report.