Overview
- The league opens the preseason with the Hall of Fame Game on Aug. 6 and runs a three‑week slate from Aug. 13 to Aug. 29, with the Carolina Panthers and Arizona Cardinals each playing a fourth exhibition because of the Canton assignment.
- Broadcasters split national exclusive windows among NBC, Fox, CBS, ESPN and Prime Video while NFL Network will carry a large slate of nationally televised games and replays.
- Streaming access is spread across multiple services with many local and national games available on fubo, Peacock, Prime Video, the ESPN App (ESPN Unlimited) and DAZN/NFL Game Pass, although in‑market blackouts and team app arrangements will vary by market.
- Teams will treat preseason primarily as an evaluation period for injuries, rookies and coaching changes, and some clubs will limit starter snaps; Patrick Mahomes’ recovery from an ACL and LCL tear is being monitored and could keep him out of preseason action.
- The combined schedule and distribution strategy affects fans and the market by pushing subscription sales, fragmenting viewing options, and shaping ticket demand on secondary sites such as StubHub as teams decide how much to play their stars.