Football is back! The 2025 NFL preseason is set to kick off on Thursday as the Detroit Lions take on the Los Angeles Chargers in the Pro Football Hall of Fame game in Canton, Ohio. The game will be followed by a three-week slate of NFL preseason games that are set to run from Aug. 7 to the Aug. 23.
What is the purpose of NFL preseason games?
NFL preseason games serve as a warmup for teams as they prepare for the grueling 17-game regular season schedule. Preseason games have been around since the NFL first started in 1920, so these games aren't a new event that players have had to get used to, unlike the 17-game NFL schedule.
When the NFL switched to a 17-game schedule in 2021, preseason games were decreased from four games to three. Preseason game, mainly features backups, including mostly third and fourth position options, getting the majority of the reps.
Starters rarely play in the preseason to avoid the risk of injury before the season starts. When starters do play, they are mainly used during a couple of plays in a drive in a game.
How to watch NFL preseason games?
Several games during the three-week schedule will be broadcast on national television, including CBS, FOX, and ESPN. NFL Network will also be featured in the preseason coverage.
Prime Video has one preseason game this year as they will stream the matchup between the New England Patriots and the New York Giants on Thursday, August 21st. Here is a look at the 2025 NFL preseason schedule for all 32 teams.
Arizona Cardinals
Week | Opponent | Date | Time (ET) | TV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | vs Kansas City Chiefs | August 9 | 8 p.m. | N/A |
2 | at Denver Broncos | August 16 | 9:30 p.m. | NFL Network |
3 | vs Las Vegas Raiders | August 23 | 10:00 p.m. | NFL Network |
Atlanta Falcons
Week | Opponent | Date | Time (ET) | TV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | vs Detroit Lions | August 8 | 7 p.m. | N/A |
2 | vs Tennessee Titans | August 15 | 7p.m. | NFL Network |
3 | at Dallas Cowboys | August 22 | 8 p.m. | NFL Network |
Baltimore Ravens
Week | Opponent | Date | Time (ET) | TV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | vs Indianapolis Colts | August 7 | 7 p.m. | NFL Network |
2 | at Dallas Cowboys | August 16 | 7 p.m. | N/A |
3 | at Washington Commanders | August 23 | 12 p.m. | N/A |
Buffalo Bills
Week | Opponent | Date | Time (ET) | TV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | vs New York Giants | August 9 | 1 p.m. | NFL Network |
2 | at Chicago Bears | August 17 | 8 p.m. | FOX |
3 | at Tampa Bay Buccaneers | August 23 | 7:30 p.m. | N/A |
Carolina Panthers
Week | Opponent | Date | Time (ET) | TV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | vs Cleveland Browns | August 8 | 7 p.m. | NFL Network |
2 | at Houston Texans | August 16 | 1 p.m. | N/A |
3 | vs Pittsburgh Steelers | August 21 | 7 p.m. | NFL Network |
Chicago Bears
Week | Opponent | Date | Time (ET) | TV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | vs Miami Dolphins | August 10 | 1 p.m. | NFL Network |
2 | vs Buffalo Bills | August 17 | 8 p.m. | FOX |
3 | at Kansas City Chiefs | August 22 | 8:20 p.m. | N/A |
Cincinnati Bengals
Week | Opponent | Date | Time (ET) | TV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | at Philadelphia Eagles | August 7 | 7:30 p.m. | N/A |
2 | at Washington Commanders | August 18 | 8 p.m. | ESPN |
3 | vs Indianapolis Colts | August 23 | 1 p.m. | N/A |
Cleveland Browns
Week | Opponent | Date | Time (ET) | TV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | at Carolina Panthers | August 8 | 7 p.m. | NFL Network |
2 | at Philadelphia Eagles | August 16 | 1 p.m. | NFL Network |
3 | vs Los Angeles Rams | August 23 | 1 p.m. | NFL Network |
Dallas Cowboys
Week | Opponent | Date | Time (ET) | TV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | at Los Angeles Rams | August 9 | 7 p.m. | N/A |
2 | vs Baltimore Ravens | August 16 | 7 p.m. | N/A |
3 | vs Atlanta Falcons | August 22 | 8 p.m. | NFL Network |
Denver Broncos
Week | Opponent | Date | Time (ET) | TV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | at San Francisco 49ers | August 9 | 8:30 p.m. | N/A |
2 | vs Arizona Cardinals | August 16 | 9:30 p.m. | NFL Network |
3 | at New Orleans Saints | August 23 | 1 p.m. | N/A |
Detroit Lions
Week | Opponent | Date | Time | TV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Hall of Fame Game | vs Los Angeles Chargers | July 31 | 8 p.m. | NBC |
1 | at Atlanta Falcons | August 8 | 7 p.m. | N/A |
2 | vs Miami Dolphins | August 16 | 1 p.m. | N/A |
3 | vs Houston Texans | August 23 | 1 p.m. | N/A |
Green Bay Packers
Week | Opponent | Date | Time (ET) | TV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | vs New York Jets | August 9 | 7 p.m. | NFL Network |
2 | at Indianapolis Colts | August 16 | 1 p.m. | N/A |
3 | vs Seattle Seahawks | August 23 | 4 p.m. | NFL Network |
Houston Texans
Week | Opponent | Date | Time (ET) | TV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | at Minnesota Vikings | August 9 | 4 p.m. | NFL Network |
2 | vs Carolina Panthers | August 16 | 1 p.m. | N/A |
3 | at Detroit Lions | August 23 | 1 p.m. | N/A |
Indianapolis Colts
Week | Opponent | Date | Time (ET) | TV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | at Baltimore Ravens | August 7 | 7 p.m. | NFL Network |
2 | vs Green Bay Packers | August 16 | 1 p.m. | N/A |
3 | at Cincinnati Bengals | August 23 | 1 p.m. | N/A |
Jacksonville Jaguars
Week | Opponent | Date | Time (ET) | TV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | vs Pittsburgh Steelers | August 9 | 7 p.m. | N/A |
2 | at New Orleans Saints | August 17 | 1 p.m. | NFL Network |
3 | at Miami Dolphins | August 23 | 7 p.m. | NFL Network |
Kansas City Chiefs
Week | Opponent | Date | Time (ET) | TV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | at Arizona Cardinals | August 9 | 8 p.m. | N/A |
2 | at Seattle Seahawks | August 15 | 10 p.m. | NFL Network |
3 | vs Chicago Bears | August 22 | 8:20 p.m. | N/A |
Los Angeles Chargers
Week | Opponent | Date | Time (ET) | TV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Hall of Fame Game | vs Detroit Lions | July 31 | 8 p.m. | NBC |
1 | vs New Orleans Saints | August 10 | 7:05 p.m. | NFL Network |
2 | at Los Angeles Rams | August 16 | 10 p.m. | N/A |
3 | at San Francisco 49ers | August 23 | 8:30 p.m. | N/A |
Los Angeles Rams
Week | Opponent | Date | Time (ET) | TV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | vs Dallas Cowboys | August 9 | 7 p.m. | N/A |
2 | vs Los Angeles Chargers | August 16 | 10 p.m. | N/A |
3 | at Cleveland Browns | August 23 | 1 p.m. | NFL Network |
Las Vegas Raiders
Week | Opponent | Date | Time (ET) | TV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | at Seattle Seahawks | August 7 | 10 p.m. | NFL Network |
2 | vs San Francisco 49ers | August 16 | 4 p.m. | NFL Network |
3 | at Arizona Cardinals | August 23 | 10 p.m. | NFL Network |
Miami Dolphins
Week | Opponent | Date | Time (ET) | TV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | at Chicago Bears | August 10 | 1 p.m. | NFL Network |
2 | at Detroit Lions | August 16 | 1 p.m. | N/A |
3 | vs Jacksonville Jaguars | August 23 | 7 p.m. | NFL Network |
Minnesota Vikings
Week | Opponent | Date | Time (ET) | TV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | vs Houston Texans | August 9 | 4 p.m. | NFL Network |
2 | vs New England Patriots | August 16 | 1 p.m. | N/A |
3 | at Tennessee Titans | August 22 | 8 p.m. | CBS |
New England Patriots
Week | Opponent | Date | Time (ET) | TV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | vs Washington Commanders | August 8 | 7 p.m. | N/A |
2 | at Minnesota Vikings | August 16 | 1 p.m. | N/A |
3 | at New York Giants | August 21 | 8 p.m. | PrimeVideo |
New Orleans Saints
Week | Opponent | Date | Time (ET) | TV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | at Los Angeles Chargers | August 10 | 7:05 p.m. | NFL Network |
2 | vs Jacksonville Jaguars | August 17 | 1 p.m. | NFL Network |
3 | vs Denver Broncos | August 23 | 1 p.m. | N/A |
New York Giants
Week | Opponent | Date | Time (ET) | TV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | at Buffalo Bills | August 7 | 1 p.m. | NFL Network |
2 | vs New York Jets | August 16 | 7 p.m. | NFL Network |
3 | vs New England Patriots | August 23 | 8 p.m. | PrimeVideo |
New York Jets
Week | Opponent | Date | Time (ET) | TV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | at Green Bay Packers | August 9 | 7 p.m. | NFL Network |
2 | at New York Giants | August 16 | 7 p.m. | NFL Network |
3 | vs Philadelphia Eagles | August 22 | 7:30 p.m. | N/A |
Philadelphia Eagles
Week | Opponent | Date | Time (ET) | TV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | vs Cincinnati Bengals | August 7 | 7:30 p.m. | N/A |
2 | vs Cleveland Browns | August 16 | 1 p.m. | NFL Network |
3 | at New York Jets | August 22 | 7:30 p.m. | N/A |
Pittsburgh Steelers
Week | Opponent | Date | Time (ET) | TV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | at Jacksonville Jaguars | August 9 | 7 p.m. | N/A |
2 | vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers | August 16 | 7 p.m. | N/A |
3 | at Carolina Panthers | August 21 | 7 p.m. | NFL Network |
San Francisco 49ers
Week | Opponent | Date | Time (ET) | TV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | vs Denver Broncos | August 9 | 8:30 p.m. | N/A |
2 | at Las Vegas Raiders | August 16 | 4 p.m. | NFL Network |
3 | vs Los Angeles Chargers | August 23 | 8:30 p.m. | N/A |
Seattle Seahawks
Week | Opponent | Date | Time (ET) | TV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | vs Las Vegas Raiders | August 7 | 10 p.m. | NFL Network |
2 | vs Kansas City Chiefs | August 15 | 10 p.m. | NFL Network |
3 | at Green Bay Packers | August 23 | 4 p.m. | NFL Network |
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Week | Opponent | Date | Time (ET) | TV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | vs Tennessee Titans | August 9 | 7:30 p.m. | N/A |
2 | at Pittsburgh Steelers | August 16 | 7 p.m. | N/A |
3 | vs Buffalo Bills | August 23 | 7:30 p.m. | N/A |
Tennessee Titans
Week | Opponent | Date | Time (ET) | TV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | at Tampa Bay Buccaneers | August 9 | 7:30 p.m. | N/A |
2 | at Atlanta Falcons | August 15 | 7 p.m. | NFL Network |
3 | vs Minnesota Vikings | August 22 | 8 p.m. | CBS |
Washington Commanders
Week | Opponent | Date | Time (ET) | TV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | at New England Patriots | August 8 | 7:30 p.m. | N/A |
2 | vs Cincinnati Bengals | August 18 | 8 p.m. | ESPN |
3 | vs Baltimore Ravens | August 23 | 12 p.m. | N/A |
What happens after the conclusion of the preseason?
Once the preseason NFL game concludes on August 23rd, the league will have a 12-day break until the regular season kicks off on Thursday, September 4th. The Cowboys will face off against the defending Super Bowl Champions, the Philadelphia Eagles, at Lincoln Financial Field to open up the 2025 NFL season.