It's preseason but it'll have the look of the playoffs.
The NFL's slate of 11 nationally televised preseason games will feature all 12 2008 playoff teams, one of the highlights of the 2009 NFL preseason schedule announced today.
Among those games is a rematch of Super Bowl XLIII with the world champion Pittsburgh Steelers hosting the Arizona Cardinals on Thursday, Aug. 13 (ESPN, 8 p.m. ET). The contest will take place six months after Pittsburgh defeated Arizona 27-23 at Raymond James Stadium in one of the most exciting Super Bowls of all time.
One of the themes of the 2009 season will be the celebration of the 50th anniversary season of the American Football League. Two franchises that began playing in the inaugural 1960 AFL season - the Buffalo Bills and Tennessee Titans (Houston Oilers) - will kick off the preseason in Canton, Ohio, site of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. On Sunday night, Aug. 9 (NBC, 8 p.m. ET), the Bills will take on the Titans in the annual Pro Football Hall of Fame Game. That weekend will include the induction of the Buffalo Bills founder and owner Ralph Wilson into the Hall of Fame.
Following is the complete 2009 NFL preseason national TV schedule:
| 2009 NFL preseason national television schedule | ||
| Date | Matchup | TV (time) |
| Hall of Fame Game | ||
| Sunday, Aug. 9 | Buffalo Bills vs. Tennessee Titans, at Canton, Ohio | NBC (8 p.m. ET) |
| Week 1 (Aug. 13-17) | ||
| Thursday, Aug. 13 | Arizona Cardinals at Pittsburgh Steelers | ESPN (8 p.m. ET) |
| Monday, Aug. 17 | Carolina Panthers at New York Giants | ESPN (8 p.m. ET) |
| Week 2 (Aug. 20-24) | ||
| Thursday, Aug. 20 | Philadelphia Eagles at Indianapolis Colts | FOX (8 p.m. ET) |
| Friday, Aug. 21 | Tennessee Titans at Dallas Cowboys | FOX (8 p.m. ET) |
| Monday, Aug. 24 | New York Jets at Baltimore Ravens | ESPN (8 p.m. ET) |
| Week 3 (Aug. 27-31) | ||
| Thursday, Aug. 27 | Miami Dolphins at Tampa Bay Buccaneers | FOX (8 p.m. ET) |
| Friday, Aug. 28 | New England Patriots at Washington Redskins | CBS (8 p.m. ET) |
| Saturday, Aug. 29 | San Diego Chargers at Atlanta Falcons | CBS (8 p.m. ET) |
| Sunday, Aug. 30 | Chicago Bears at Denver Broncos | NBC (8 p.m. ET) |
| Monday, Aug. 31 | Minnesota Vikings at Houston Texans | ESPN (8 p.m. ET) |
| 2009 NFL preseason schedule | ||
| Hall of Fame Game | ||
| Date | Matchup | |
| Aug. 9 | Buffalo Bills vs. Tennessee Titans, at Canton, Ohio (NBC) | |
| Week 1 (Aug. 13-17) | ||
| Date | Matchup | |
| Aug. 13 | Arizona Cardinals at Pittsburgh Steelers (ESPN) | |
| Aug. 13 | Dallas Cowboys at Oakland Raiders | |
| Aug. 13 | Washington Redskins at Baltimore Ravens | |
| Aug. 17 | Carolina Panthers at New York Giants (ESPN) | |
| TBD | Atlanta Falcons at Detroit Lions | |
| TBD | Chicago Bears at Buffalo Bills | |
| TBD | Cincinnati Bengals at New Orleans Saints | |
| TBD | Cleveland Browns at Green Bay Packers | |
| TBD | Denver Broncos at San Francisco 49ers | |
| TBD | Houston Texans at Kansas City Chiefs | |
| TBD | Jacksonville Jaguars at Miami Dolphins | |
| TBD | Minnesota Vikings at Indianapolis Colts | |
| TBD | New England Patriots at Philadelphia Eagles | |
| TBD | St. Louis Rams at New York Jets | |
| TBD | Seattle Seahawks at San Diego Chargers | |
| TBD | Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Tennessee Titans | |
| Week 2 (Aug. 20-24) | ||
| Date | Matchup | |
| Aug. 20 | Philadelphia Eagles at Indianapolis Colts (FOX) | |
| Aug. 21 | Tennessee Titans at Dallas Cowboys (FOX) | |
| Aug. 24 | New York Jets at Baltimore Ravens (ESPN) | |
| TBD | Atlanta Falcons at St. Louis Rams | |
| TBD | Buffalo Bills at Green Bay Packers | |
| TBD | Carolina Panthers at Miami Dolphins | |
| TBD | Cincinnati Bengals at New England Patriots | |
| TBD | Denver Broncos at Seattle Seahawks | |
| TBD | Detroit Lions at Cleveland Browns | |
| TBD | Kansas City Chiefs at Minnesota Vikings | |
| TBD | New Orleans Saints at Houston Texans | |
| TBD | New York Giants at Chicago Bears | |
| TBD | Oakland Raiders at San Francisco 49ers | |
| TBD | Pittsburgh Steelers at Washington Redskins | |
| TBD | San Diego Chargers at Arizona Cardinals | |
| TBD | Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Jacksonville Jaguars | |
| Week 3 (Aug. 27-31) | ||
| Date | Matchup | |
| Aug. 27 | Miami Dolphins at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (FOX) | |
| Aug. 27 | Jacksonville Jaguars at Philadelphia Eagles | |
| Aug. 28 | New England Patriots at Washington Redskins (CBS) | |
| Aug. 29 | San Diego Chargers at Atlanta Falcons (CBS) | |
| Aug. 29 | Buffalo Bills at Pittsburgh Steelers | |
| Aug. 29 | San Francisco 49ers at Dallas Cowboys | |
| Aug. 30 | Chicago Bears at Denver Broncos (NBC) | |
| Aug. 31 | Minnesota Vikings at Houston Texans (ESPN) | |
| TBD | Baltimore Ravens at Carolina Panthers | |
| TBD | Green Bay Packers at Arizona Cardinals | |
| TBD | Indianapolis Colts at Detroit Lions | |
| TBD | Tennessee Titans at Cleveland Browns | |
| TBD | New Orleans Saints at Oakland Raiders | |
| TBD | New York Jets at New York Giants | |
| TBD | St. Louis Rams at Cincinnati Bengals | |
| TBD | Seattle Seahawks at Kansas City Chiefs | |
| Week 4 (Sept. 3-4) | ||
| Date | Matchup | |
| Sept. 3 | Arizona Cardinals at Denver Broncos | |
| Sept. 3 | Baltimore Ravens at Atlanta Falcons | |
| Sept. 3 | Kansas City Chiefs at St. Louis Rams | |
| Sept. 3 | Philadelphia Eagles at New York Jets | |
| Sept. 4 | Houston Texans at Tampa Bay Buccaneers | |
| Sept. 4 | Dallas Cowboys at Minnesota Vikings | |
| TBD | Cleveland Browns at Chicago Bears | |
| TBD | Detroit Lions at Buffalo Bills | |
| TBD | Green Bay Packers at Tennessee Titans | |
| TBD | Indianapolis Colts at Cincinnati Bengals | |
| TBD | Miami Dolphins at New Orleans Saints | |
| TBD | New York Giants at New England Patriots | |
| TBD | Oakland Raiders at Seattle Seahawks | |
| TBD | Pittsburgh Steelers at Carolina Panthers | |
| TBD | San Francisco 49ers at San Diego Chargers | |
| TBD | Washington Redskins at Jacksonville Jaguars | |
