It makes no sense that the NFL’s annual schedule reveal is all about the “when”

The NFL finally revealed its 2023 regular-season schedule on Thursday evening.

There was talk earlier in the week of the league delaying the much-anticipated “event” but after many pleas and prayers—including, “Please don’t do this, bruh!”—everything went off without a hitch.

I would share my thoughts on the Steelers 2023 schedule, but I wrote this article on Thursday morning, hours before it was revealed to the viewing public.

I will say this after the fact: Wow! I did not see that coming.

Anyway, I just don’t get the hoopla over the annual NFL/Steelers schedule reveal, something that has morphed into appointment viewing over the past decade or so.

I seriously mean that, too. People say things this time of year, like, “Well, it’s a slow news day; we’re in that dull period between the draft and the schedule release....”

I probably said this last year and the year before that and the year before that, but are you kidding me?

Why are you so fascinated with the annual schedule reveal? In my opinion, NFL fans are privy to the most important “Ws” of the following year’s NFL schedule just days after the previous regular season ends. I’m talking about the “who” and the “where.” The “when” seems anti-climatic, by comparison.

I think it would be way more intriguing and exciting if the NFL simply released the 17 dates and times of the Steelers' 2023 schedule right after their 2022 regular season wrapped up but made us wait months for the “who” and “where” to be revealed on some primetime television show in May.

I might tune in to see that. I might even watch until the very end.

The “when” is like the Larry (The Three Stooges) of the three “Ws.” Sure, it’s necessary and vital to the act, but it doesn’t deserve top billing.

But, again, we can’t wait for the "when" to be revealed to us each and every year. What the holy frick is wrong with us? How did we get here as NFL/Steelers fans?

Remember when we used to binge-watch shows on DVD? We’d get to the end of a really exciting season but couldn’t stop being obsessed with this program. We wanted more, so we stayed in our recliners and devoured every last “extra.” We even clicked on the one where Toby gave us a tour of his desk back in the annex. It wasn’t long before we went to NBC.com and clicked on those shorts starring other secondary characters, like the late, great Patrice O’Neal and the guy who played Bob Vance from Vance Refrigeration.

That’s what the annual schedule release has turned into among obsessed NFL/Steelers fans; it’s the Toby “extra” of the offseason or the little short on NBC.com starring Dwight’s cousin Mose.

I know what you’re going to say next: “Why are you the way that you are? Honestly, every time I try to do something fun or exciting, you make it not that way. I hate so much about the things that you choose to be.”

I’m sorry, but someone has to say it.

Finally, while there are three prominent “Ws” associated with the NFL’s annual schedule reveal—who, where and when—there should be one more “W” added to the mix:

Why?