The NFL preseason rolled on Friday night with a three-game slate featuring six teams in action. Fans got another chance to watch teams like the New York Jets, Pittsburgh Steelers, Green Bay Packers, and Denver Broncos, but it was the NFL Network’s broadcast time allocation that drew criticism from the NFL community.
NFL Network Criticized for Prioritizing Jets-Steelers Over Packers-Broncos
The Steelers’ offense took a step backward on Friday, falling 17-0 to the Jets in their second preseason outing. After showing encouraging signs the previous week, Pittsburgh struggled to create any rhythm on offense, reminding fans that preseason development rarely follows a linear path.
With Aaron Rodgers and Mason Rudolph unavailable, quarterbacks Will Howard and Drew Allar handled the workload. Allar played the entire second half in just his second preseason appearance, but neither young passer could overcome the early deficit created by Geno Smith and the Jets.
However, much of the conversation among NFL fans centered on the league’s television coverage rather than the matchup itself.
NFL Network was set to switch from the Jets-Steelers broadcast to the Packers-Broncos preseason game. Instead, viewers remained with the fourth quarter of a game featuring mostly backups, leaving Packers and Broncos fans frustrated as they missed the opening stages of their teams’ contest.
“NFL Network showing us the fifth-stringers for the Jets and Steelers instead of the starters for the Packers and Broncos, which will be joined in progress. Great decision,” Biloxi Sun Herald’s senior editor Tim Thorsen wrote.
NFL Network showing us the fifth-stringers for the Jets and Steelers instead of the starters for the Packers and Broncos, which will be joined in progress. Great decision.
— Tim Thorsen (@mustardbased) August 22, 2026
“NFL Network, FIRST you say that we won’t miss any of the Broncos/Packers. And NOW I’m watching 4th quarter preseason between the Jets and Steelers instead of seeing a Broncos scoring drive on what is probably Nix’s only series,” one said.
@nflnetwork FIRST you say that we won’t miss any of the Broncos/Packers. And NOW I’m watching 4th quarter preseason between the Jets and Steelers instead of seeing a Broncos scoring drive on what is probably Nix’s only series.
You officially suck!
— East Coast Denver Fan (@ECDenFan) August 22, 2026
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“NFL Network, what are we doing?!!!!! Why are we watching commercials and not showing the Broncos/Packers game? [expletive]?” a Broncos fan wrote.
Though preseason results don’t count in the standings, the games remain important for evaluating young quarterbacks, rookies, and depth-chart battles. The Packers-Broncos game also carried added excitement because Denver entered the night riding an eight-game preseason winning streak under head coach Sean Payton.
Denver started bright, with Bo Nix connecting on a 21-yard strike to RJ Harvey. However, the momentum quickly shifted even as many fans were upset that the broadcast missed much of the opening action.
“NFL Network must be run by unpaid interns. Why would you start showing the Packers-Broncos game and then STOP after the first drive to show the last dying minutes of undrafted free agents in the Steelers-Jets game? Make it make sense,” a fan said.
NFL Network must be run by unpaid interns. Why would you start showing the Packers-Broncos game and then STOP after the first drive to show the last dying minutes of undrafted free agents in the Steelers-Jets game? Make it make sense.
— Mark Russell (@Manruss) August 22, 2026
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“NFL Network makes literally no sense. Sticking with Jets/Steelers till the end with all backups in. And then gonna join Packers/Broncos in progress after both teams’ starters are out of the game. How can you be this [expletive]?” one said.
“NFL Network, HOW can you screw this Denver game up more? Don’t commit to airing if you’re not going to show it! Why finish the Jets game with 4th-string scrubs and missing the Broncos & Packers starters?” one person remarked.
The night ended on a disappointing note for Denver as well, as the Broncos’ eight-game preseason winning streak came to an end with a 33-13 defeat to the Packers. It marked their first preseason loss since falling to the San Francisco 49ers on August 19, 2023.
The game was in stark contrast to Denver’s dominant preseason performance against the Atlanta Falcons just a week earlier, where the Broncos won 27-7.
