Is Monday Night Football On Tonight? Preseason Week 2 Schedule
Your Complete Guide to NFL Preseason Week 2 and Monday Night Football’s Return
New to football? No worries! Think of the preseason like practice games before the real season starts. Teams test new players (called rookies) and try out strategies. The games count for stats but not for playoff standings.
Week 1 Recap: Rookies Shine Bright
The first week of preseason gave us a sneak peek at the future stars:
- Cade Klubnik (QB for the New York Jets): Led two scoring drives in his debut. QB = Quarterback, the leader of the offense who throws/passes the ball.
- Drew Allar (QB for Pittsburgh Steelers): Went 10-for-13 passing with two passing touchdowns + one rushing touchdown in a 28–9 win over Green Bay. Rushing TD = running the ball into the end zone yourself.
Important Note: Don’t draft Allar in your fantasy league just yet! Preseason stats don’t always translate to regular-season success.
When Does Monday Night Football (MNF) Come Back?
Short answer: Not during the 2026 preseason.
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Is there MNF tonight (Aug 17)? | No |
| Any MNF games in the 2026 preseason? | None scheduled |
| First regular-season MNF game? | September 14, 2026 |
| Matchup | Kansas City Chiefs (host) vs. Denver Broncos |
| Time | 8:15 p.m. ET |
| Channels | ESPN, ABC, and NFL+ (streaming) |
ELI5 Definition: Monday Night Football (MNF) is a weekly prime-time NFL game aired on Monday nights. It’s a big deal because it’s the only game on TV that night!
NFL Preseason Week 2 Schedule (Aug 20–23, 2026)
All times Eastern. Games air on various channels—check your local listings or streaming apps.
Thursday, August 20
- Las Vegas Raiders @ Houston Texans — 8:00 p.m. on ESPN
- San Francisco 49ers @ Los Angeles Chargers — 10:00 p.m. on NFL Network
Friday, August 21
- New York Jets @ Pittsburgh Steelers — 7:00 p.m. on NFL Network
- Carolina Panthers @ Jacksonville Jaguars — 7:30 p.m. on ESPN Unlimited
- Green Bay Packers @ Denver Broncos — 9:00 p.m. on NFL Network
Saturday, August 22 (Packed day!)
- Washington Commanders @ Detroit Lions — 12:00 p.m.
- Buffalo Bills @ Cleveland Browns — 1:00 p.m. on NFL Network
- Atlanta Falcons @ Indianapolis Colts — 1:00 p.m.
- Baltimore Ravens @ Minnesota Vikings — 1:00 p.m. on ESPN Unlimited
- New Orleans Saints @ Los Angeles Rams — 4:00 p.m. on ESPN Unlimited
- New York Giants @ Miami Dolphins — 4:00 p.m. on NFL Network
- Chicago Bears @ Cincinnati Bengals — 7:00 p.m.
- Philadelphia Eagles @ New England Patriots — 7:00 p.m. on NFL Network
- Kansas City Chiefs @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers — 7:30 p.m. on ESPN Unlimited
- Dallas Cowboys @ Arizona Cardinals — 10:00 p.m. on NFL Network
Sunday, August 23
- Seattle Seahawks @ Tennessee Titans — 8:00 p.m. on FOX
Pro Tip: You can stream out-of-market preseason games live on NFL+ (phone, tablet, TV, PC).
How to Watch NFL Network & ESPN Unlimited (Simple Streaming Guide)
NFL Network is available on:
- Cable/Satellite: Dish, Fios, Optimum, Xfinity, and more
- Live TV Streaming Services (most offer free trials):
- Hulu + Live TV
- YouTube TV
- Fubo TV
- Sling TV
- DIRECTV (via "MySports Genre Pack" — $49.99/mo first month, 5-day free trial)
- Direct from NFL: NFL+ subscription
- ESPN App: YES! NFL Network is now included with ESPN Unlimited plan.
ESPN Unlimited Access:
You can activate ESPN Unlimited if you already subscribe to:
- DIRECTV, FuboTV, Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, Comcast Xfinity, Spectrum, Verizon FiOS, U-Verse, or Cox.
Key Takeaway: No cable? No problem. Pick a streaming service with a free trial, watch Week 2, then cancel if you want.
Monday Night Football 2026 Regular Season Schedule
All games at 8:15 p.m. ET on ESPN & ABC (unless noted ESPN-only). Stream on NFL+.
| Week | Date | Matchup | Network |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sept 14 | Denver Broncos @ Kansas City Chiefs | ESPN, ABC |
| 2 | Sept 21 | New York Giants @ Los Angeles Rams | ESPN, ABC |
| 3 | Sept 28 | Philadelphia Eagles @ Chicago Bears | ESPN, ABC |
| 4 | Oct 5 | Atlanta Falcons @ New Orleans Saints | ESPN |
| 5 | Oct 12 | Buffalo Bills @ Los Angeles Rams | ESPN, ABC |
| 6 | Oct 19 | Washington Commanders @ San Francisco 49ers | ESPN, ABC |
| 7 | Oct 26 | Dallas Cowboys @ Philadelphia Eagles | ESPN, ABC |
| 8 | Nov 2 | Chicago Bears @ Seattle Seahawks | ESPN, ABC |
| 9 | Nov 9 | Buffalo Bills @ Minnesota Vikings | ESPN, ABC |
| 10 | Nov 16 | Los Angeles Chargers @ Baltimore Ravens | ESPN, ABC |
| 11 | Nov 23 | Cincinnati Bengals @ Washington Commanders | ESPN |
| 12 | Nov 30 | Carolina Panthers @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers | ESPN |
| 13 | Dec 7 | Dallas Cowboys @ Seattle Seahawks | ESPN, ABC |
| 14 | Dec 14 | Pittsburgh Steelers @ Jacksonville Jaguars | ESPN, ABC |
| 15 | Dec 21 | New England Patriots @ Kansas City Chiefs | ESPN, ABC |
| 16 | Dec 28 | New York Giants @ Detroit Lions | ESPN |
| 17 | Jan 4 | Houston Texans @ Green Bay Packers | ESPN |
Note: Bold team = home team. Flex scheduling may change some games later in the season.
Summary: What You Need to Know Right Now
- Preseason Week 2 runs Aug 20–23 — tons of games on ESPN, NFL Network, FOX, and ESPN Unlimited.
- No Monday Night Football until September 14 (Chiefs vs. Broncos).
- Stream free via trials on YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, Fubo, Sling, or DIRECTV’s MySports pack.
- NFL Network is now inside the ESPN App if you have ESPN Unlimited.
- Mark your calendar for the full MNF 2026 schedule above.
FAQ: Your Top 5 Questions Answered
Q1: What’s the difference between preseason and regular season?
A: Preseason = practice games (don’t count for standings). Regular season = games that determine playoffs. Starters play limited snaps in preseason.
Q2: Can I watch preseason games for free?
A: Yes! Most streaming services (YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, Fubo, Sling, DIRECTV) offer 5–7 day free trials. NFL+ also has a trial.
Q3: Is NFL Network free with Amazon Prime?
A: No. NFL Network is not included with Prime Video. You need a cable login or a live TV streaming service.
Q4: Why isn’t there MNF during preseason?
A: The NFL schedules MNF only for the regular season (Weeks 1–17). Preseason games are spread across other nights.
Q5: What is ESPN Unlimited?
A: It’s ESPN’s premium streaming tier (included with certain pay-TV providers). It now includes NFL Network live inside the ESPN app.
Enjoy the football! Whether you’re here for the rookies, the streaming tips, or the MNF countdown — you’re now ready for Week 2 and beyond.