2026 NFL Preseason Week 3: TV Schedule, Channels & Streaming Guide
NFL Preseason Week 3 closes out the 2026 exhibition slate with 16 games from Thursday, August 27 through Saturday, August 29. The week opens with Aaron Rodgers and the Pittsburgh Steelers at the Buffalo Bills on NFL Network, and it ends with the Chicago Bears at the Tennessee Titans on Saturday evening.
Below is the full 2026 NFL preseason Week 3 TV schedule, every channel and streaming option, and the roster deadline that follows two days later.
| Dates | Thursday, Aug 27 to Saturday, Aug 29, 2026 |
| Games | 16 (4 Thursday, 10 Friday, 2 Saturday) |
| National TV | Prime Video (Aug 27), CBS (Aug 28) |
| Out of market | NFL Network 6 games, ESPN App 3 games |
| Local TV | All 16 games air on team broadcast partners in the two home markets |
| Roster cutdown | Sunday, Aug 30, 6:00 PM ET (90 to 53) |
| Season opener | Wednesday, Sept 9, Patriots at Seahawks, NBC |
NFL Preseason Week 3 2026 Full TV Schedule
All times below are Eastern. Ten of the 16 games land on Friday, August 28, which makes it the busiest single night of the entire 2026 preseason.
Thursday, August 27
| GAME | TIME (ET) | CHANNEL |
|---|---|---|
| Steelers at Bills | 7:00 p.m. | NFL Network, local TV |
| 49ers at Raiders | 8:00 p.m. | ESPN App, local TV |
| Patriots at Browns | 8:00 p.m. | Prime Video |
| Rams at Chargers | 10:00 p.m. | NFL Network, local TV |
Friday, August 28
| GAME | TIME (ET) | CHANNEL |
|---|---|---|
| Commanders at Ravens | 6:00 p.m. | NFL Network, local TV |
| Texans at Panthers | 7:00 p.m. | Local TV only |
| Falcons at Dolphins | 7:00 p.m. | Local TV only |
| Buccaneers at Jaguars | 7:30 p.m. | Local TV only |
| Giants at Jets | 7:30 p.m. | Local TV only |
| Cardinals at Packers | 8:00 p.m. | Local TV only |
| Saints at Cowboys | 8:00 p.m. | ESPN App, local TV |
| Seahawks at Chiefs | 8:00 p.m. | ESPN App, local TV |
| Bengals at Eagles | 8:00 p.m. | CBS, Paramount+ |
| Vikings at Broncos | 9:00 p.m. | NFL Network, local TV |
Saturday, August 29
| GAME | TIME (ET) | CHANNEL |
|---|---|---|
| Lions at Colts | 1:00 p.m. | NFL Network, local TV |
| Bears at Titans | 6:00 p.m. | NFL Network, local TV |
There is no Sunday game. Week 3 ends Saturday night because the 90 to 53 roster deadline falls on Sunday, August 30.
What Channels Are the Week 3 Games On?
Every preseason game is first and foremost a local broadcast. Each club sells its games to a station or regional network in its own market, and the visiting club does the same, so most Week 3 games are on free over the air television in two cities.
On top of that, Week 3 carries three layers of wider coverage:
- National TV: Patriots at Browns on Prime Video (Aug 27) and Bengals at Eagles on CBS and Paramount+ (Aug 28). These two are available everywhere in the United States.
- NFL Network: six games, shown only outside the two participating markets.
- ESPN App: three games, also out of market only, and they require an ESPN Unlimited plan.
- Local only: five Friday games with no national or out of market feed at all.
ESPN completed its purchase of NFL Network at the end of January 2026 and took over day to day operations on April 1, 2026. ESPN now holds the pay TV distribution rights, while the league still owns and produces NFL RedZone.
See our full NFL Network preseason schedule for all 19 games across the three weeks.
How to Stream NFL Preseason Week 3 Without Cable
There is no single service that carries all 16 games. Pick based on which game you actually want, because the blackout rules decide the rest.
NFL+
NFL+ costs $6.99 per month or $49.99 per year, and NFL+ Premium is $14.99 per month or $99.99 per year. Preseason games on NFL+ can be watched on connected TV devices, including Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV, Android TV, Xbox, PlayStation and Samsung, LG and Vizio smart TVs from 2020 onward.
Premium adds full and condensed game replays, All-22 coaches film, NFL Pro and NFL RedZone. Base NFL+ does not include replays.
ESPN App
The three ESPN App games need an ESPN Unlimited plan at $29.99 per month or $299.99 per year. The cheaper ESPN Select tier does not work. Unlimited is already included at no extra cost with DirecTV, Fubo, Hulu + Live TV, Spectrum, U-verse, Cox, Verizon Fios and Xfinity TV, so check before you pay twice. Activation runs through a MyDisney account. YouTube TV is expected to add it in fall 2026.
Live TV streaming services with NFL Network
| SERVICE | PRICE / MONTH | NFL NETWORK | ESPN UNLIMITED |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sling Select | $19.99 | Yes | No |
| Sling Blue | $45.99 | Yes | No |
| YouTube TV Sports Plan | $64.99 | Yes | Expected fall 2026 |
| YouTube TV Base | $82.99 | Yes | Expected fall 2026 |
| Fubo Pro | $88.99 | Yes | Yes |
| Hulu + Live TV | $89.99 | Yes | Yes |
| DirecTV Choice | $94.99 | Yes | Yes |
Two traps worth knowing. The DirecTV Entertainment package at $89.99 does not carry NFL Network, so Choice is the cheapest DirecTV tier that does. And Fubo’s price increase is rolling out market by market, so your quote may still show the older rate. Viewers outside the United States should look at NFL Game Pass on DAZN instead.
Blackout Rules That Decide What You Can Watch
Three rules explain almost every “why can I not watch this game” problem in preseason:
- Local blackout. If a game is airing on a broadcast station in your market, it is blacked out live on NFL+. Watch it on that free channel instead.
- National blackout. Games carried live by NBC, FOX, CBS or ESPN are blacked out on NFL+ nationwide. In Week 3 that applies to Bengals at Eagles on CBS.
- Out of market only. NFL Network and ESPN App games are not shown in the two cities whose teams are playing, because the local stations own those rights.
Live game audio is never blacked out on NFL+. ESPN has also said all 48 preseason games will be available as replays on NFL Network.
Xfinity Customers Still Have No NFL Network
Comcast Xfinity lost NFL Network and NFL RedZone on May 1, 2026 when the carriage contract expired, and as of late July 2026 there is still no new deal.
Disney and ESPN say Comcast declined an extension; Comcast says the fee demand roughly doubled. If you are an Xfinity subscriber, the six NFL Network games in Week 3 are not available to you on cable.
The workaround: Xfinity TV subscribers were given ESPN Unlimited at no extra cost in February 2026, so the three ESPN App games are still watchable. For the NFL Network games, Sling Select at $19.99 is the cheapest way in.
What to Watch For in Week 3
Week 3 used to be the dress rehearsal when starters played into the third quarter. Since the schedule moved to three preseason games, most head coaches treat it as another evaluation night and rest anyone locked into a starting role. Expect the roster bubble to get the snaps.
- Steelers at Bills, Thursday. Aaron Rodgers re-signed in Pittsburgh in May and has said 2026 is his last season. He sat out the entire 2025 preseason, so do not count on seeing him. Rookie Drew Allar has been the story of Pittsburgh’s August.
- 49ers at Raiders, Thursday. Fernando Mendoza went first overall to Las Vegas. All three Raiders preseason games are on ESPN platforms.
- Patriots at Browns, Thursday. New England reached Super Bowl LX and lost to Seattle. This is the only Week 3 game on Prime Video.
- Falcons at Dolphins, Friday. Tua Tagovailoa returns to Miami with Atlanta. Local broadcast only in the two markets.
- Seahawks at Chiefs, Friday. The reigning champions on the road, on the ESPN App.
- Vikings at Broncos, Friday. Kyler Murray’s first August in Minnesota, on NFL Network.
Key Dates After Week 3
| DATE | EVENT |
|---|---|
| Sun, Aug 30, 6:00 p.m. ET | Rosters cut from 90 to 53 |
| Mon, Aug 31, 1:00 p.m. ET | Waiver claims processed, practice squads form |
| Wed, Sept 9, 8:20 p.m. ET | Kickoff Game: Patriots at Seahawks (NBC) |
| Thu, Sept 10, 8:35 p.m. ET | 49ers vs Rams in Melbourne (Netflix) |
| Sun, Sept 13 | First full Sunday of the regular season |
The cutdown deadline moved up to Sunday this year, two days earlier than the traditional Tuesday. Full dates are in our 2026 NFL schedule guide.
When is NFL Preseason Week 3 in 2026?
NFL Preseason Week 3 runs Thursday, August 27 through Saturday, August 29, 2026. Four games are on Thursday, ten on Friday and two on Saturday. There is no Sunday game.
How many games are in NFL Preseason Week 3?
Sixteen games, one for every pair of teams. That makes 48 games across the three preseason weeks, plus the Hall of Fame Game on August 6 for a total of 49.
What channels are the NFL Preseason Week 3 games on?
Every game airs on local broadcast partners in the two home markets. Nationally, Prime Video has Patriots at Browns on August 27 and CBS has Bengals at Eagles on August 28. NFL Network carries six games and the ESPN App carries three, both out of market only.
Which Week 3 games are on NFL Network?
Six games: Steelers at Bills and Rams at Chargers on August 27, Commanders at Ravens and Vikings at Broncos on August 28, and Lions at Colts and Bears at Titans on August 29. These are blacked out in the two participating markets.
Do I need ESPN Unlimited to watch preseason games on the ESPN App?
Yes. The three Week 3 games on the ESPN App require an ESPN Unlimited plan at 29.99 dollars per month or 299.99 dollars per year. The cheaper ESPN Select tier does not include them. Unlimited comes free with DirecTV, Fubo, Hulu Plus Live TV, Spectrum, U-verse, Cox, Verizon Fios and Xfinity TV.
Can I watch NFL Preseason Week 3 for free?
Yes, in the two markets whose teams are playing. Preseason games air on free over the air stations locally, so an antenna gets you both of your local teams. The CBS game on August 28 is free over the air nationwide.
Why is NFL Network missing on Xfinity?
Comcast and Disney did not renew their carriage deal before it expired on April 30, 2026, so NFL Network and NFL RedZone went dark for Xfinity customers on May 1. There was still no agreement as of late July 2026.
Is there overtime in NFL preseason games?
No. Owners voted in April 2021 to remove overtime from preseason games. If the score is tied after the fourth quarter, the game ends in a tie.
Do starters play in Preseason Week 3?
Rarely for long. With only three preseason games, most coaches rest established starters and use Week 3 to evaluate players fighting for the last roster spots before the August 30 cutdown.
When is the 2026 roster cutdown deadline?
Sunday, August 30, 2026 at 6:00 PM ET, when all clubs must go from 90 players to 53. Waiver claims are processed Monday, August 31 at 1:00 PM ET.
NFL Preseason Week 3 is the last live football before rosters shrink, and the viewing plan is simple. If you want your own team, the local broadcast channel is free and it is the only feed that is never blacked out.
If you want somebody else’s team, NFL Network covers six games and the ESPN App covers three, both out of market. Prime Video and CBS carry the two national windows.
Bookmark this page, because kickoff times can still shift and we update it as the league confirms changes.
