Football fans have waited months, but finally get to see some real action when the Carolina Panthers and Arizona Cardinals take the field in the Hall of Fame game on Thursday night.
But they will have to wait a bit longer to see a full slate of games, with Thursday’s return to action the only game they’ll see for another week.
Are There Other NFL Preseason Games Scheduled
The NFL has traditionally scheduled the Hall of Fame game as a stand-alone event, giving both teams an extra preseason game that season and starting the full slate of games the following week.
That means there are no other preseason games to watch during the weekend of August 8-10, with a full slate of games taking place starting on Thursday, August 13.
Below is the full slate of games for Preseason Week 1:
Thursday, Aug. 13
- Lions vs. Bengals — 7:00 p.m. ET
- Packers vs. Steelers — 7:00 p.m. ET
- Colts vs. Patriots — 7:30 p.m. ET
- Cardinals vs. Raiders — 8:00 p.m. ET
- Chargers vs. Texans — 8:00 p.m. ET
- Titans vs. 49ers — 9:00 p.m. ET
Friday, Aug. 14
- Dolphins vs. Commanders — 7:00 p.m. ET
- Buccaneers vs. Jets — 7:00 p.m. ET
- Broncos vs. Falcons — 7:00 p.m. ET
Saturday, Aug. 15
- Browns vs. Bears — 1:00 p.m. ET
- Vikings vs. Giants — 1:00 p.m. ET
- Panthers vs. Bills — 1:00 p.m. ET
- Jaguars vs. Saints — 4:00 p.m. ET
- Rams vs. Chiefs — 4:00 p.m. ET
- Eagles vs. Ravens — 7:00 p.m. ET
- Cowboys vs. Seahawks — 8:00 p.m. ET
What is the NFL Hall of Fame Game
The first preseason game on the NFL slate is a build-up to the Pro Football Hall of Fame induction ceremony, which takes place on Saturday. As USA Today’s Jack McKessy noted, the game itself has a storied history.
“The very first Hall of Fame game took place on Aug. 11, 1962 as part of a fundraising campaign for the construction of the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio. Since then, it has taken place there almost every year, and it has served as the introduction to the NFL’s preseason action since 1970,” McKessy wrote.
For the last decade, the game has been a prelude to the induction ceremony, McKessy added.
“Starting in 2017, the exhibition game has also served as a kickoff event for the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s ‘Enshrinement Weekend.’ Following the game, the weekend will also feature a dinner event for the class of 2026 to receive their gold jackets on Aug. 7, and the official enshrinement ceremony will take place on Aug. 8,” McKessy wrote.
This year’s Hall of Fame class includes Arizona Cardinals legend Larry Fitzgerald and Carolina Panthers linebacker Luke Kuechly.
Are There Any Other NFL Preseason Games This Weekend? Full Schedule After Hall of Fame Game