NFL Preseason 2019: Dates, Ticket Info, TV Schedule and More for Early Showdowns
August 3, 2019
One NFL preseason game down, four weeks to go.
While the Denver Broncos and Atlanta Falcons played in the annual Hall of Fame Game on August 1, the other 30 NFL teams have yet to open their preseason schedule. But that will change soon, as every team will take the field for preseason action between Thursday and Saturday, August 10.
It may not be as competitive as the regular season, but the preseason gives football fans the opportunity to see their favorite teams gear up for a new campaign. That features players battling for roster spots, rookies making their professional debuts and starters getting in work before the regular season begins.
Here's a look at the televised games for the first half of the preseason, followed by some top storylines to watch over the next two weeks.
Early 2019 NFL Preseason TV Schedule
Week 1
Thursday, Aug. 8
New York Jets at New York Giants, 7 p.m., NFL Network
Los Angeles Chargers at Arizona Cardinals, 10 p.m., NFL Network
Friday, Aug. 9
Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Pittsburgh Steelers, 7:30 p.m., NFL Network
Saturday, Aug. 10
Dallas Cowboys at San Francisco 49ers, 9 p.m., NFL Network
Week 2
Thursday, Aug. 15
Oakland Raiders at Arizona Cardinals, 8 p.m., ESPN
Friday, Aug. 16
Chicago Bears at New York Giants, 7:30 p.m., NFL Network
Saturday, Aug. 17
Cleveland Browns at Indianapolis Colts, 4 p.m., NFL Network
Kansas City Chiefs at Pittsburgh Steelers, 7:30 p.m., NFL Network
Dallas Cowboys at Los Angeles Rams, 10 p.m., NFL Network
Sunday, Aug. 18
New Orleans Saints at Los Angeles Chargers, 4 p.m., CBS
Seattle Seahawks at Minnesota Vikings, 8 p.m., Fox
Monday, Aug. 19
San Francisco 49ers at Denver Broncos, 8 p.m., ESPN
Tickets available via StubHub
Storylines to Watch
Murray prepares for NFL debut
Kyler Murray, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 NFL draft, will likely be the starter for the Arizona Cardinals this year in his rookie season.
It's likely that he'll take the field for a game in a Cardinals uniform for the first time on Thursday, when Arizona opens its preseason schedule with a home game against the Los Angeles Chargers. There are high expectations for Murray, who impressed during his career at Oklahoma, which included winning the Heisman Trophy last season.
"I got to go out and play well," Murray said, according to ESPN.com's Josh Weinfuss. "And if I don't, then people are gonna be mad, I'm gonna be mad, everybody's gonna be mad. So, my focus is play well."
Murray likely won't play much the first week of the preseason, but it will still be the first opportunity for fans to watch the No. 1 pick in a competitive professional setting.
Brown yet to appear at Raiders camp
One of the biggest moves of the offseason came when star wide receiver Antonio Brown was traded from the Pittsburgh Steelers to the Oakland Raiders.
Brown spent the first nine seasons of his NFL career with the Steelers. He has yet to show up at Raiders training camp in Napa, Calif., due to an undisclosed injury. So, while Oakland is excited to have the standout receiver in the fold, his absence has impacted camp early.
"I think we're all disappointed," Raiders coach Jon Gruden said, according to The Athletic's Lindsay Jones. "We want to get the party started."
Sometimes, starters don't play during the preseason to rest up and prepare for the regular season, so there's a chance Brown won't take the field for a game in a Raiders uniform until Week 1 arrives in September. But it's also possible Brown could appear in the preseason, and if that's the case, fans will surely want to watch to see the new Oakland offense.
Browns seeking turnaround in 2019
The Browns are not the same team that went winless for 19 consecutive games from 2016-18.
Since the end of last season, Cleveland traded for wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. and defensive end Olivier Vernon, signed defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson and drafted cornerback Greedy Williams among its most notable moves. Now, the Browns are preparing for what they hope will be an improved 2019 campaign.
"Everything takes time," Beckham said, according to NFL.com's Adam Maya. "Everything that's great comes with patience and takes time. We're still developing. The best part about it it's training camp. It's not the real season right now. We're just trying to all get on the same page, get everything down."
Even if the Browns get off to a slow start, the future in Cleveland is much brighter than it was less than two years ago, and they should be one of the more exciting teams to keep an eye on during the preseason.