Before the NFL regular season starts, there’s a month of preseason matchups to watch. Navigating the NFL preseason TV schedule can be tricky, as most of these exhibition games air on local channels. But a TV plan with NFL Network or an NFL+ subscription is the quickest way to get the most live coverage.
Will last year’s duds become this year’s studs? We can’t say for sure, but preseason can provide a glimpse of what to expect. Keep reading for complete details on how to watch your favorite NFL team this August.
What channels show NFL preseason games?
Most NFL preseason games air locally on each team’s TV affiliate network. You can also watch several nationally televised preseason games on NFL Network. In 2025, five other national broadcasts will appear across Amazon Prime Video, CBS, ESPN, FOX, and NBC.
Pro tip: All non-nationally televised games stream live on NFL+ (formerly NFL Game Pass) for out-of-market fans who don’t live near their favorite teams.
2025 NFL preseason TV schedule
The 2025 NFL preseason begins with the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game on Thursday, July 31, in Canton, Ohio. After that, preseason matchups continue over the next three weeks before wrapping up on Saturday, August 23. The fourth and final week of the NFL preseason is a bye week as college football makes its full return over the Labor Day weekend.
Below is the complete NFL preseason TV schedule. Tap the boxes to expand each week and view every matchup. We’ll continue updating kick-off times and channel listings as August approaches.
| Game | Date | Time (ET) | Channels |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Los Angeles Chargers vs. Detroit Lions (Hall of Fame Game) |
Thursday, July 31 | 8:00 p.m. | NBC |
| Indianapolis Colts at Baltimore Ravens | Thursday, Aug. 7 | 7:00 p.m. | FOX59, WBAL-TV, NFL Network |
| Cincinnati Bengals at Philadelphia Eagles | Thursday, Aug. 7 | 7:30 p.m. | Bengals Preseason TV Network, NBC10 |
| Las Vegas Raiders at Seattle Seahawks | Thursday, Aug. 7 | 10:00 p.m. | FOX5 Las Vegas, KING 5, NFL Network |
| Detroit Lions at Atlanta Falcons | Friday, Aug. 8 | 7:00 p.m. | Lions TV Network, WAGA-TV/FOX 5 |
| Cleveland Browns at Carolina Panthers | Friday, Aug. 8 | 7:00 p.m. | WEWS, NFL Network |
| Washington Commanders at New England Patriots | Friday, Aug. 8 | 7:30 p.m. | WBZ 4 (CBS), WUSA 9 (CBS) |
| New York Giants at Buffalo Bills | Saturday, Aug. 9 | 1:00 p.m. | NBC 4, WIVB, NFL Network |
| Houston Texans at Minnesota Vikings | Saturday, Aug. 9 | 4:00 p.m. | KRTK, FOX 9, NFL Network |
| Pittsburgh Steelers at Jacksonville Jaguars | Saturday, Aug. 9 | 7:00 p.m. | KDKA-TV, FOX30 |
| Dallas Cowboys at Los Angeles Rams | Saturday, Aug. 9 | 7:00 p.m. | KTVT (CBS 11), KABC |
| Tennessee Titans at Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Saturday, Aug. 9 | 7:30 p.m. | WKRN-News 2, WFLA |
| Kansas City Chiefs at Arizona Cardinals | Saturday, Aug. 9 | 8:00 p.m. | KSHB 41, CBS 5, KOLD News 13 |
| New York Jets at Green Bay Packers | Saturday, Aug. 9 | 8:00 p.m. | WCBS, Telemundo, Packers TV Network, NFL Network |
| Denver Broncos at San Francisco 49ers | Saturday, Aug. 9 | 8:30 p.m. | 9NEWS, KPIX 5 (CBS) |
| Miami Dolphins at Chicago Bears | Sunday, Aug. 10 | 1:00 p.m. | CBS Miami, Chicago Bears Network, NFL Network |
| New Orleans Saints at Los Angeles Chargers | Sunday, Aug. 10 | 4:05 p.m. | Gray TV (FOX 8), CBS 2, NFL Network |
Data effective as of post date.
| Game | Date | Time (ET) | Channels |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tennessee Titans at Atlanta Falcons | Friday, Aug. 15 | 7:00 p.m. | WAGA-TV (FOX 5), NFL Network |
| Kansas City Chiefs at Seattle Seahawks | Friday, Aug. 15 | 10:00 p.m. | KSHB 41, KING 5, NFL Network |
| Miami Dolphins at Detroit Lions | Saturday, Aug. 16 | 1:00 p.m. | CBS Miami, Lions TV Network |
| Carolina Panthers at Houston Texans | Saturday, Aug. 16 | 1:00 p.m. | Panthers Television Network, KTRK |
| Green Bay Packers at Indianapolis Colts | Saturday, Aug. 16 | 1:00 p.m. | Packers TV Network, CBS4 |
| New England Patriots at Minnesota Vikings | Saturday, Aug. 16 | 1:00 p.m. | Patriots Preseason Network, FOX 9 |
| Cleveland Browns at Philadelphia Eagles | Saturday, Aug. 16 | 1:00 p.m. | WEWS, NBC10, NFL Network |
| San Francisco 49ers at Las Vegas Raiders | Saturday, Aug. 16 | 4:00 p.m. | KPIX 5 (CBS), FOX5 Las Vegas, NFL Network |
| Baltimore Ravens at Dallas Cowboys | Saturday, Aug. 16 | 7:00 p.m. | WBAL-TV (NBC 11), KTVT (CBS 11) |
| Los Angeles Chargers at Los Angeles Rams | Saturday, Aug. 16 | 7:00 p.m. | CBS2, KABC |
| New York Jets at New York Giants | Saturday, Aug. 16 | 7:00 p.m. | WCBS-TV 2, NBC4, Telemundo47, NFL Network |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Pittsburgh Steelers | Saturday, Aug. 16 | 7:00 p.m. | WFLA, KDKA-TV |
| Arizona Cardinals at Denver Broncos | Saturday, Aug. 16 | 9:30 p.m. | 9NEWS, NFL Network |
| Jacksonville Jaguars at New Orleans Saints | Sunday, Aug. 17 | 1:00 p.m. | CBS47, Gray TV, NFL Network |
| Buffalo Bills at Chicago Bears | Sunday, Aug. 17 | 8:00 p.m. | FOX, Fox Deportes |
| Cincinnati Bengals at Washington Commanders | Monday, Aug. 18 | 8:00 p.m. | ESPN, ESPN Deportes |
Data effective as of post date.
| Game | Date | Time (ET) | Channels |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pittsburgh Steelers at Carolina Panthers | Thursday, Aug. 21 | 7:00 p.m. | KDKA-TV, NFL Network |
| New England Patriots at New York Giants | Thursday, Aug. 21 | 8:00 p.m. | Amazon Prime Video |
| Philadelphia Eagles at New York Jets | Friday, Aug. 22 | 7:30 p.m. | NBC10, WCBS-TV 2 |
| Atlanta Falcons at Dallas Cowboys | Friday, Aug. 22 | 8:00 p.m. | WAGA-TV/FOX 5, KTVT (CBS 11), NFL Network |
| Minnesota Vikings at Tennessee Titans | Friday, Aug. 22 | 8:00 p.m. | CBS, Paramount+ |
| Chicago Bears at Kansas City Chiefs | Friday, Aug. 22 | 8:20 p.m. | Chicago Bears Network, KSHB 41 |
| Baltimore Ravens at Washington Commanders | Saturday, Aug. 23 | Noon | WBAL-TV, WUSA9, ESPN+ |
| Indianapolis Colts at Cincinnati Bengals | Saturday, Aug. 23 | 1:00 p.m. | CBS4, Bengals Preseason TV Network |
| Los Angeles Rams at Cleveland Browns | Saturday, Aug. 23 | 1:00 p.m. | KABC, WEWS, NFL Network |
| Houston Texans at Detroit Lions | Saturday, Aug. 23 | 1:00 p.m. | KTRK, Lions TV Network |
| Denver Broncos at New Orleans Saints | Saturday, Aug. 23 | 1:00 p.m. | KTVD, Gray TV |
| Seattle Seahawks at Green Bay Packers | Saturday, Aug. 23 | 4:00 p.m. | KING 5, Packers TV Network, NFL Network |
| Jacksonville Jaguars at Miami Dolphins | Saturday, Aug. 23 | 7:00 p.m. | FOX30, CBS Miami, NFL Network |
| Buffalo Bills at Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Saturday, Aug. 23 | 7:30 p.m. | WIVB, WFLA |
| Los Angeles Chargers at San Francisco 49ers | Saturday, Aug. 23 | 8:30 p.m. | CBS2, KPIX 5 (CBS) |
| Las Vegas Raiders at Arizona Cardinals | Saturday, Aug. 23 | 10:00 p.m. | FOX5 Las Vegas, NFL Network |
Data effective as of post date.
Best NFL preseason TV plans
The best TV plan for watching the NFL preseason depends on which teams you want to watch. Using the schedule above for reference, here’s a breakdown of our viewing recommendations based on game type.
- Local games: An over-the-air (OTA) antenna is the best way to watch in-market preseason games. Check out our free viewing options section for more information on how an antenna can pick up live games without a monthly subscription fee.
- Out-of-market games: Starting at just $6.99 a month, NFL+ offers the only way to watch every out-of-market preseason game. The streaming service usually has device restrictions for live games, but you can watch preseason matchups on any device with NFL app support.
- National games: An antenna can get you national broadcasts that air on CBS, FOX, and NBC. But you’ll need a TV subscription to access ESPN and NFL Network. If you’re sticking around for the NFL after the preseason, YouTube TV is our favorite service for watching local and national games. It’s also the home of NFL Sunday Ticket for in-season out-of-market access.
How to watch the NFL preseason for free
*CableTV.com utilizes paid Amazon links. Amazon.com Price; $46.99 (as of 7/25/25 11:20 a.m. CT). Read full disclaimer.
You can watch some NFL preseason games for free this season. All you need is an OTA antenna to pick up your local NFL team’s affiliate station and other regional channels that air national games.
Before you settle on an antenna, you’ll want to verify the channels available in your area. You can do this by entering your zip code into the FCC’s Reception Map Tool. The map will display channel callsigns in your area, which you can click on to view the channel’s tower distance.
How far away you are from those channel towers will dictate the type of antenna you want. Usually, we recommend the Mohu Leaf 50 for its 60-mile range and slim design. But you may need a stronger antenna if you live in a rural area. We highlight several excellent antenna options in our Best OTA Antennas guide.
How to watch the NFL preseason FAQ
Are the NFL preseason games televised?
Yes, all NFL preseason games air on TV—usually on local networks within the region of each participating team. Other channels like NFL Network and ESPN broadcast select preseason games nationally, while NFL+ carries every live out-of-market preseason game.
Where can I stream NFL preseason games?
You can stream NFL preseason games through any live TV streaming service that offers your local NFL team’s affiliate network and NFL Network. NFL+ streams live out-of-market preseason games, while Amazon Prime Video carries one game per preseason.
Can I watch NFL preseason games on Amazon Prime Video?
Yes, one NFL preseason game streams on Amazon Prime Video each year. During the 2025 preseason, the streaming service will carry a Week 3 matchup between the New England Patriots and New York Giants.
Can I watch in-market preseason games on NFL+?
No, only out-of-market and nationally televised preseason games stream on NFL+. Typically, the best way to watch in-market preseason matchups is over the air if you live within range of your local team’s network affiliate. Some teams—like the Detroit Lions, Carolina Panthers, and Green Bay Packers—have network partnerships with several local affiliate stations.
Why you should trust us
Our football experts compiled every NFL team’s preseason TV schedule, complete with game times and channel listings. With that information, we researched and tested the best ways to watch preseason games by comparing popular TV providers’ channel offerings and pricing. We chose our viewing recommendations based on service accessibility and ease of use.
Check out our How We Rank page to learn more about our methods.
Disclaimer
Data effective as of post date. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.
*Amazon.com price as of 7/25/25 11:20 a.m. CT. Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon.com at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product. CableTV.com utilizes paid Amazon links.
Certain content that appears on this site comes from Amazon. This content is provided “as is” and is subject to change or removal at any time.
