If you are turning on your television tonight expecting NFL football, you will have to hold off just a little bit longer. There are no NFL preseason games scheduled for Tuesday night.
Following a packed opening slate of Week 1 action, Tuesday serves as an off-day across the league. Teams are currently holding midweek practices, joint workouts, and film sessions as coaching staffs evaluate roster cuts before kicking off Preseason Week 2 on Thursday.
When Does NFL Preseason Week 2 Start?
NFL action resumes on Thursday, August 20, with a Thursday night doubleheader featuring a nationally televised showdown on ESPN. Week 2 features 16 matchups over four days, from Thursday through Sunday.
NFL Preseason Week 2 Schedule & TV Channels
Thursday, August 20
- Las Vegas Raiders at Houston Texans, 8 p.m. – ESPN
- San Francisco 49ers at Los Angeles Chargers, 10 p.m. – NFL Network
Friday, August 21
- New York Jets at Pittsburgh Steelers, 7 p.m. – NFL Network
- Carolina Panthers at Jacksonville Jaguars, 7:30 p.m. – Local TV
- Green Bay Packers at Denver Broncos, 9 p.m. – NFL Network
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Saturday, August 22
- Washington Commanders at Detroit Lions, noon – Local TV
- Buffalo Bills at Cleveland Browns, 1 p.m. – NFL Network
- Atlanta Falcons at Indianapolis Colts, 1 p.m. – Local TV
- Baltimore Ravens at Minnesota Vikings, 1 p.m. – Local TV
- New Orleans Saints at Los Angeles Rams, 4 p.m. – Local TV
- New York Giants at Miami Dolphins, 4 p.m. – NFL Network
- Chicago Bears at Cincinnati Bengals, 7 p.m. – Local TV
- Philadelphia Eagles at New England Patriots, 7 p.m. – NFL Network
- Kansas City Chiefs at Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 7:30 p.m. – Local TV
- Dallas Cowboys at Arizona Cardinals, 10 p.m. – NFL Network
Sunday, August 23
- Seattle Seahawks at Tennessee Titans, 8 p.m. – FOX / FOX One
How to Watch and Stream Week 2 Games
National Broadcasts: Two Week 2 contests air on main national television networks – Las Vegas Raiders at Houston Texans (Thursday at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN) and Seattle Seahawks at Tennessee Titans (Sunday at 8 p.m. ET on FOX).
NFL Network: NFL Network will broadcast seven games nationally throughout the week, starting with the 49ers vs. Chargers late-night matchup on Thursday.
Fans can stream live TV on platforms like Fubo and YouTube TV, or on mobile devices via NFL+.
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NFL Preseason Week 1 Recap:
NFL Preseason Week 1 featured a strong wave of rookie debuts and sharp execution from backup quarterbacks fighting for roster spots.
Highlights included rookie passers like Ty Simpson delivering a 190-yard, two-touchdown performance for the Los Angeles Rams, while top draft pick Fernando Mendoza showed franchise promise for the Las Vegas Raiders by throwing a touchdown in his opening action.
Established starters also made brief appearances, with Joe Burrow efficiently orchestrating the Cincinnati Bengals’ under-center offense in limited series.
Beyond quarterback play, depth receivers and defensive reserves made compelling cases for the 53-man roster threshold. Undrafted rookie wideout Camden Brown stole the show for the Dallas Cowboys with two highlight-reel touchdown catches, while Baltimore’s rookie target Ja’Kobi Lane quickly found the end zone to validate summer hype.
With teams balancing limited starter reps against high-octane battles for backup positions, Week 1 provided coaching staffs nationwide with vital tape before shifting to mid-camp cuts and Week 2 preparations.
If you want an easy way to keep the 2026 NFL schedule handy throughout the season, check out PFN’s free printable schedule.
