When Does The 2015 NFL Preseason Start? Dates, Start Times For Nationally Televised Exhibition Games

Super Bowl XLIX was the last game on the NFL schedule, but the league’s six month hiatus is finally set to come to an end. The 2015 NFL preseason will begin on Aug. 9 with the annual Pro Hall of Fame Game.

The Pittsburgh Steelers and Minnesota Vikings will begin the new NFL season as they square off in the first exhibition game of the year. Both teams will play five preseason games, compared to the four contests on every other team’s schedule. Adrian Peterson isn't expected to take the field, since he could sit out the entire preseason. He hasn't played an NFL game since Week 1 of last year.

Pittsburgh is set to open both the preseason and regular season. The Steelers visit the New England Patriots on Thursday, Sept. 10 in the first game of Week 1. The Patriots will play against the Green Bay Packers on Thursday, Aug. 13 to kick off their preseason. Tom Brady will be under center as he fights his four-game suspension for his role in Deflategate.

New England will help kick off the second week of the preseason, along with 11 other teams. The New Orleans Saints, Baltimore Ravens, Washington Redskins and Dallas Cowboys are among the teams that will take the field on Aug. 13.

The Indianapolis Colts and Philadelphia Eagles are the last two teams that will play their first preseason game of 2015. They will face off on Sunday, Aug. 16, and no other preseason games are scheduled for that day.

The 2015 preseason will end on Thursday, Sept. 3 with every team on the schedule that night. Every team except the Colts, Saints, Packers and Cincinnati Bengals will face an opponent from a different conference.

Below is a look at the eight nationally televised preseason games this year.

Sunday, Aug. 9

Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Minnesota Vikings, 8 p.m. ET, NBC

Thursday, Aug. 20

Buffalo Bills vs. Cleveland Browns, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN

Sunday, Aug. 23

St. Louis Rams vs. Tennessee Titans, 8 p.m. ET, FOX

Monday, Aug. 24

Cincinnati Bengals vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN

Friday, Aug. 28

Detroit Lions vs. Jacksonville Jaguars, 8 p.m. ET, CBS

Saturday, Aug. 29