The 2025 NFL preseason kicks off on July 31 with the Hall of Fame Game featuring the Los Angeles Chargers vs. Detroit Lions, followed by three weeks of exhibition games running from August 7 to August 23. A total of 21 preseason games will be played, with five nationally televised prime-time matchups airing on major networks like NBC, FOX, ESPN, CBS, and Prime Video. Notable games include Bills vs. Bears on August 17 and Patriots vs. Giants on August 21. Fans can watch games on local affiliates, NFL Network, or stream via NFL+ and services like YouTube TV, Sling, and Fubo. This preseason is especially exciting as several high-profile rookies and veteran quarterbacks make their team debuts, offering early insights into the 2025 NFL regular season.
Match Details
The full details for the 2025 NFL Preseason — matchups, dates, kickoff times, and broadcast info:
Preseason Matchups
• Hall of Fame Game
• Thursday, July 31
Los Angeles Chargers vs. Detroit Lions – 8:00 p.m. ET on NBC
Week 1 (Aug 7–10)
• Thursday, Aug 7
- Colts @ Ravens – 7:00 p.m. ET (NFL Network)
- Bengals @ Eagles – 7:30 p.m. ET
- Raiders @ Seahawks – 10:00 p.m. ET (NFL Network)
• Friday, Aug 8
- Browns @ Panthers – 7:00 p.m. ET (NFL Network)
- Lions @ Falcons – 7:00 p.m. ET
- Commanders @ Patriots – 7:30 p.m. ET
• Saturday, Aug 9
- Giants @ Bills – 1:00 p.m. ET (NFL Network)
- Texans @ Vikings – 4:00 p.m. ET (NFL Network)
- Steelers @ Jaguars – 7:00 p.m. ET
- Cowboys @ Rams – 7:00 p.m. ET
- Titans @ Buccaneers – 7:30 p.m. ET
- Jets @ Packers – 8:00 p.m. ET (NFL Network)
- Chiefs @ Cardinals – 8:00 p.m. ET
- Broncos @ 49ers – 8:30 p.m. ET
• Sunday, Aug 10
- Dolphins @ Bears – 1:00 p.m. ET (NFL Network)
- Saints @ Chargers – 4:05 p.m. ET (NFL Network)
Week 2 (Aug 15–18)
• Friday, Aug 15
- Titans @ Falcons – 7:00 p.m. ET (NFL Network)
- Chiefs @ Seahawks – 10:00 p.m. ET (NFL Network)
• Saturday, Aug 16
- Browns @ Eagles – 1:00 p.m. ET (NFL Network)
- Patriots @ Vikings – 1:00 p.m. ET
- Packers @ Colts – 1:00 p.m. ET
- Dolphins @ Lions – 1:00 p.m. ET
- Panthers @ Texans – 1:00 p.m. ET
- 49ers @ Raiders – 4:00 p.m. ET (NFL Network)
- Ravens @ Cowboys – 7:00 p.m. ET
- Buccaneers @ Steelers – 7:00 p.m. ET (CBS)
- Jets @ Giants – 7:00 p.m. ET (NFL Network)
- Chargers @ Rams – 7:00 p.m. ET
- Cardinals @ Broncos – 9:30 p.m. ET (NFL Network)
• Sunday, Aug 17
- Jaguars @ Saints – 1:00 p.m. ET (NFL Network)
- Bills @ Bears – 8:00 p.m. ET (FOX)
• Monday, Aug 18
- Bengals @ Commanders – 8:00 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Week 3 (Aug 21–23)
• Thursday, Aug 21
- Steelers @ Panthers – 7:00 p.m. ET (NFL Network)
- Patriots @ Giants – 8:00 p.m. ET (Prime Video)
• Friday, Aug 22
Eagles @ Jets – 7:30 p.m. ET
Vikings @ Titans – 8:00 p.m. ET (CBS)
Falcons @ Cowboys – 8:00 p.m. ET (NFL Network)
Bears @ Chiefs – 8:20 p.m. ET
• Saturday, Aug 23
Ravens @ Commanders – 12:00 p.m. ET
Colts @ Bengals – 1:00 p.m. ET
Rams @ Browns – 1:00 p.m. ET (NFL Network)
Texans @ Lions – 1:00 p.m. ET
Broncos @ Saints – 1:00 p.m. ET
Seahawks @ Packers – 4:00 p.m. ET (NFL Network)
Jaguars @ Dolphins – 7:00 p.m. ET (NFL Network)
Bills @ Buccaneers – 7:30 p.m. ET
Chargers @ 49ers – 8:30 p.m. ET
Raiders @ Cardinals – 10:00 p.m. ET (NFL Network)
Venue Details
The 2025 NFL preseason games will be played in stadiums across the U.S., starting July 31 in Canton, Ohio. Teams will host games at their home venues like AT&T Stadium, SoFi Stadium, Lambeau Field, and MetLife Stadium, giving fans nationwide a chance to watch live action before the regular season begins.
Here are the venue details for each game during the 2025 NFL preseason:
Hall of Fame Game
• Date & Time: Thursday, July 31, 8:00 p.m. ET
• Venue: Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium, Canton, Ohio – part of the Pro Football Hall of Fame complex
Week 1–3 Preseason Games
Below are key stadiums used across Weeks 1–3:
Week 1 (Aug 7–10)
• Baltimore Ravens host Indianapolis Colts at M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore
• Philadelphia Eagles host Cincinnati Bengals at Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia
• Seattle Seahawks host Las Vegas Raiders at Lumen Field, Seattle
• Detroit Lions at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta
• Cleveland Browns at Bank of America Stadium, Carolina
• New England Patriots host Washington Commanders at Gillette Stadium, Foxborough
• New York Giants at Highmark Stadium, Orchard Park (host Bills)
• Minnesota Vikings host Houston Texans at U.S. Bank Stadium, Minneapolis
• Pittsburgh Steelers at EverBank Stadium, Jacksonville
• Dallas Cowboys at SoFi Stadium, Los Angeles (Rams home)
• Tampa Bay Buccaneers host Tennessee Titans at Raymond James Stadium, Tampa
• Arizona Cardinals host Kansas City Chiefs at State Farm Stadium, Glendale
• New York Jets at Lambeau Field, Green Bay
• Denver Broncos at Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara
• Los Angeles Chargers host New Orleans Saints at SoFi Stadium, Inglewood
Week 2 (Aug 15–18)
• Atlanta Falcons host Tennessee Titans at Mercedes-Benz Stadium
• Seattle Seahawks host Kansas City Chiefs at Lumen Field
• Detroit Lions host Miami Dolphins at Ford Field, Detroit
• Houston Texans host Carolina Panthers at NRG Stadium, Houston
• Indianapolis Colts host Green Bay Packers at Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis
• Minnesota Vikings host New England Patriots at U.S. Bank Stadium
• Cleveland Browns host Philadelphia Eagles at FirstEnergy Stadium, Cleveland
• Las Vegas Raiders host San Francisco 49ers at Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas
• Dallas Cowboys host Baltimore Ravens at AT&T Stadium, Arlington
• Los Angeles Rams host Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium
• New York Giants host New York Jets at MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford
• Tampa Bay Buccaneers host Pittsburgh Steelers at Raymond James Stadium
• Denver Broncos host Arizona Cardinals at Empower Field, Denver
Week 3 (Aug 21–23)
• Carolina Panthers host Pittsburgh Steelers at Bank of America Stadium
• New York Giants host New England Patriots at MetLife Stadium
• Philadelphia Eagles host New York Jets at Lincoln Financial Field
• Dallas Cowboys host Atlanta Falcons at AT&T Stadium
• Tennessee Titans host Minnesota Vikings at Nissan Stadium, Nashville
• Kansas City Chiefs host Chicago Bears at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City
• Washington Commanders host Baltimore Ravens at FedExField, Landover
• Cincinnati Bengals host Indianapolis Colts at Paycor Stadium, Cincinnati
• Los Angeles Rams host Cleveland Browns at Huntington Bank Field, Cleveland
• Detroit Lions host Houston Texans at Ford Field
• New Orleans Saints host Denver Broncos at Caesars Superdome, New Orleans
• Seattle Seahawks host Green Bay Packers at Lumen Field
• Jacksonville Jaguars at Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens
• Buffalo Bills at Raymond James Stadium, Tampa Bay
• Los Angeles Chargers at Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara
• Las Vegas Raiders at State Farm Stadium, Glendale
Cost & Compensation
A detailed breakdown of preseason cost & compensation in the NFL:
Player Pay During Preseason & Training Camp
Weekly Compensation
• Veteran players (with at least one credited NFL season):
Earn $3,500 per week during training camp and preseason in 2025 and 2026 (up from $3,200 in prior seasons).
• First-year/rookie players receive $2,000 weekly during the same period in 2025 and 2026 (up from $1,850 in 2023‑2024).
This pay is fixed per week, unaffected by how many preseason games a player appears in, and does not depend on their regular-season contract.
Additional Benefits
• Room and board are provided by the team for all players during training camp and preseason.
• Players get reimbursed for travel meals at standardized rates (~$38 breakfast, $48 lunch, $66 dinner).
Other Potential Earnings
• Some players may negotiate signing bonuses, performance incentives, or salary-continuation benefits if they’re released during the preseason.
Regular Season vs Preseason Pay
• Preseason pay is separate from the regular-season salary, which is paid 1/16 weekly during the season.
• Preseason earnings don’t count against the salary cap and are relatively modest compared to regular-season game checks.
Team Costs & Revenue
• Teams don’t pay player salaries for preseason beyond the per-diem.
• However, they still incur expenses — stadium operations, staff, travel, lodging, insurance, marketing, etc.
• Preseason games generate full-price ticket revenue, concessions, parking, sponsorship, and broadcast rights, often bundled with mandatory season-ticket packages—even though many starters don’t play extensively.
That discrepancy fuels criticism that players aren’t paid proportionately for the revenue preseason generates.
Importance of NFL
The detailed importance of the NFL Preseason, broken down into key points:
1. Player Evaluation
• Coaches assess rookies, new signings, and practice squad players.
• Helps determine final 53-man roster spots.
• Identifies potential starters, backups, or cut candidates.
2. Strategy Testing
• Teams experiment with playbooks, formations, and schemes.
• Coaches observe how new tactics perform under live conditions without risking regular season standings.
3. Injury Recovery & Conditioning
• Allows injured players from the previous season to ease back into full-speed action.
• Helps all players get into game shape after the offseason.
4. Depth Chart Building
• Helps finalize the depth chart across all positions including QB, RB, defense, etc.
• Determines key roles like special teams players and rotational defenders.
5. Rookie Development
• First chance for NFL rookies to play against pro-level competition.
• Builds confidence, speed awareness, and transition from college football.
6. Team Chemistry
• Encourages bonding between players, especially for teams with new coaches or quarterbacks.
• Builds on-field communication and timing.
7. Coaching Evaluation
• Offers insight into new coaching staffs, assistants, or coordinators.
• Allows head coaches to observe sideline management and decision-making.
8. Fan Engagement & Hype
• Gives fans their first live football experience of the year.
• Creates buzz around breakout players and training camp stories.
9. Venue & Broadcast Readiness
• Tests stadium logistics, broadcast systems, and referee performance.
• Useful for tuning NFL operations before the high-stakes season begins.
Conclusion: NFL Preseason 2025
The 2025 NFL preseason serves as a vital preparation phase for all 32 teams, starting July 31 with the Hall of Fame Game. It offers players—especially rookies and backups—a chance to earn roster spots, while coaches fine-tune strategies and finalize lineups. Games are played at major stadiums nationwide, giving fans early access to live action. Though player pay is modest compared to the regular season (ranging from $2,000 to $3,500 per week), the experience and exposure are invaluable. Overall, the preseason lays the groundwork for a competitive and successful NFL regular season.
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