NFL announces 2021 preseason schedule

After a year away because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the NFL preseason is back.

It’s one week shorter than it used to be, but don’t worry — we’ll be getting that week back during the regular season as every team will now play 17 games that count, up from 16 in previous years.

The NFL released its 2021 preseason schedule Thursday morning. It starts with the Hall of Fame game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Dallas Cowboys on Aug. 5 and wraps up with a slew of games Aug. 27-29.

The regular season starts Sept. 9 with the Cowboys visiting the Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers for a Thursday night game.

2021 NFL preseason schedule

(all times PDT)
Pro Football Hall of Fame game
Aug. 5
Pittsburgh vs. Dallas (Fox), 5 p.m.

Week 1
Aug. 12
Washington at New England, 4:30 p.m.
Pittsburgh at Philadelphia, 4:30 p.m.
Aug. 13
Tennessee at Atlanta, 4 p.m.
Buffalo at Detroit, 4 p.m.
Dallas at Arizona, 7 p.m.
Aug. 14
Miami at Chicago, 10 a.m.
Denver at Minnesota, 1 p.m.
New Orleans at Baltimore, 4 p.m.
Cleveland at Jacksonville, 4 p.m.
New York Jets at New York Giants, 4:30 p.m.
Cincinnati at Tampa Bay, 4:30 p.m.
Houston at Green Bay, 5 p.m.
Kansas City at San Francisco, 5:30 p.m.
Seattle at Las Vegas, 6 p.m.
Chargers at Rams, 7 p.m.
Sunday, Aug. 15
Carolina at Indianapolis, 10 a.m.

Week 2
Thursday, Aug. 19
New England at Philadelphia, 4:30 p.m.
Friday, Aug. 20
Kansas City at Arizona (ESPN), 5 p.m.
Cincinnati at Washington, 5 p.m.
Saturday, Aug. 21
Buffalo at Chicago, 10 a.m.
New York Jets at Green Bay, 1:25 p.m.
Baltimore at Carolina, 4 p.m.
Atlanta at Miami, 4 p.m.
Detroit at Pittsburgh, 4:30 p.m.
Tennessee at Tampa Bay, 4:30 p.m.
Houston at Dallas, 4 p.m.
Indianapolis at Minnesota, 4 p.m.
Las Vegas at Rams, 7 p.m.
Denver at Seattle, 7 p.m.
Sunday, Aug. 22
New York Giants at Cleveland, 10 a.m.
San Francisco at Chargers, 4:30 p.m.
Monday, Aug. 23
Jacksonville at New Orleans (ESPN), 5 p.m.

Week 3
Friday, Aug. 27
Indianapolis at Detroit, 4 p.m.
Pittsburgh at Carolina, 4:30 p.m.
Philadelphia at New York Jets, 4:30 p.m.
Minnesota at Kansas City, 5 p.m.
Saturday, Aug. 28
Green Bay at Buffalo, 10 a.m.
Baltimore at Washington, 3 p.m.
Chicago at Tennessee, 4 p.m.
Tampa Bay at Houston, 5 p.m.
Arizona at New Orleans, 5 p.m.
Rams at Denver, 6:05 p.m.
Chargers at Seattle, 7 p.m.
Sunday, Aug. 29
Jacksonville at Dallas, 10 a.m.
Miami at Cincinnati (CBS), 1 p.m.
Las Vegas at San Francisco, 1 p.m.
New England at New York Giants, 3 p.m.
Cleveland at Atlanta (NBC), 5 p.m.