NFL preseason starts Thursday with Cardinals facing Panthers in Hall of Fame Game

The NFL preseason kicks off this Thursday with the Hall of Fame Game featuring the Cardinals and Panthers. This marks the first game of the 2026 preseason. Meanwhile, NFL experts ranked the top 10 coaches, with Sean McVay, Mike Macdonald, and Kyle Shanahan occupying the top three spots. As training camps progress, key quarterback battles are heating up, particularly for the Vikings and Browns, where predictions favor Kyler Murray and Deshaun Watson, respectively, to start in Week 1. This week is crucial for teams to finalize their rosters ahead of the preseason.

• 5:01 PMCBS NFL — NFL coach rankings are here, plus QB battle predictions and our top 100 players ever