When Does The 2022 NFL Preseason Start? Games Loom With Training Camps Open

Football is finally returning with every NFL team reporting for training camp by Tuesday. Following a six-month hiatus, preseason games will soon be on the schedule.

The 2022 NFL preseason starts Thursday, Aug. 4, with the annual Hall of Fame Game. The Jacksonville Jaguars and Las Vegas Raiders are set to square off at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio.

It’s the only exhibition game of the week. The Jaguars and Raiders will play four exhibition games, while the NFL’s other 30 teams each have three games on their preseason schedule.

Few, if any, starters are expected to take the field in the first game of the season. Davante Adams, who was sent to Las Vegas in one of the NFL’s biggest offseason trades, is unlikely to make his Raiders debut in the Hall of Fame Game.

Week 1 of the 2022 preseason kicks off Thursday, Aug. 11, with a pair of games. The New York Giants visit the New England Patriots and the Baltimore Ravens host the Tennessee Titans to start the preseason’s full slate of games.

The preseason standings usually aren't indicative of how well teams will perform in the regular season. Four of the eight 2021 division winners finished the preseason in last place.

That includes the Cincinnati Bengals and Los Angeles Rams, who met in the Super Bowl in February. The Rams went winless in the preseason before capturing the championship.

This year, fans can watch every out-of-market preseason game with a subscription to NFL+, the league's new streaming service. The Hall of Fame Game will be broadcast nationally on NBC.

The biggest stories of training camp and the preseason will likely revolve around injuries. Star players who refuse to report to training camp as they seek new contracts will also make headlines.

The 2022 NFL regular season starts Sept. 8, when the Rams open their title defense against the visiting Buffalo Bills.