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NFL training camp live tracker: Latest news, intel ahead of preseason Week 1
Joe RiveraUSA TODAY
Aug. 13, 2026, 6:01 a.m. ET
At long last: NFL action, again
While the 2026 Hall of Fame game got the show on the road, the remainder of the league joins preseason fun starting on Thursday, Aug. 13, with more games on Friday and Saturday to wet your proverbial whistle
On Thursday, 11 teams enter the fray (while the Arizona Cardinals play their second preseason game), some playing starters and some not, as the NFL season quickly approaches. A total of six games will be played on Thursday night, with one something of a treat: No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza will take the field as the Las Vegas Raiders and Cardinals meet in the desert
Other notable quarterbacks will be on the field: Pittsburgh Steelers passer Aaron Rodgers is expected to play come Thursday night, as is his Green Bay Packers successor Jordan Love
Joe Burrow could take the field as the Cincinnati Bengals start their preseason slate, and Cam Ward and the Tennessee Titans look to show off a new era when they take the field
Otherwise, practices, news and other NFL updates will come your way Thursday. USA TODAY Sports will track the latest happenings from training camp and preseason right here. All times are Eastern
8:20 am ET
Deeper insight, expert analysis from USA TODAY’s Jarrett Bell
7:30 am ET
Madden NFL 27 is out. Here’s how it was made
Jack McKessy
EA SPORTS has long said, “It’s in the game.” But what goes into getting “it” into the game in the first place?
By now, everyone interested in the latest editions of the Madden NFL and College Football video games has gotten an extended look at the games. “College Football 27” has been out for more than a month, and some players have participated in a closed beta for “Madden NFL 27.”
They know who the cover stars are for each game, what new features have been implemented, and – generally – what to expect from a game that has released a new iteration annually since 1990
Less familiar are the intricacies of developing a game like Madden. What are the challenges of making an annual release? How has game development changed for EA SPORTS as technology has developed? More generally, what does the making of Madden look like from the developer chair?
USA TODAY Sports spoke with two EA SPORTS executives – Evan Dexter, vice president of brand strategy and marketing, and Scott O’Gallagher, senior creative director for Madden and College Football – in one-on-one interviews about how they got this year’s releases ready for store shelves.
7:00 am ET
What’s next for J.J. McCarthy?
Jack McKessy
McCarthy’s time in Minnesota is likely running out. Though the Vikings’ commitment to Murray is only officially for the 2026 season, the decision to name the more veteran signal-caller the starter is a sign the team may be moving on from McCarthy
The question that remains is whether Minnesota head coach Kevin O’Connell and new general manager Nolan Teasley envision keeping McCarthy around as a backup or if they will let him seek opportunities elsewhere. With Wentz on a one-year, $3 million contract with the Vikings, it’s plausible that the team would prefer to retain the former Eagles quarterback as the QB2 behind Murray
Given that McCarthy competed for the starting job in training camp, he’ll remain as the No. 2 quarterback on Minnesota’s depth chart for the time being. How the Vikings choose to deploy him (and Wentz) during their three preseason games could offer insight into their future plans for the former No. 10 overall pick
As for what could come next, McCarthy could end up with one of several teams around the league with an aging starter and no clear succession plan
6:30 am ET
AI makes win-loss picks for all 32 teams
Joe Rivera
The 2026 NFL season is rapidly approaching, and prognosticators everywhere are beginning to release their predictions for how the campaign will unfold
The exercise isn’t an easy one given the league’s general unpredictability. The 2025 season reminded fans of that, as few would have projected the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots to be the final teams standing in Super Bowl 60
With that in mind, USA TODAY Sports decided to give Microsoft Copilot – an artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot – a crack at predicting the results of the 2026 NFL season
- Buffalo Bills: 13-4
- Pittsburgh Steelers: 10-7
- Houston Texans: 12-5
- Dallas Cowboys: 9-8
- Seattle Seahawks: 13-4
Here’s the complete list
6:01 am ET
NFL preseason schedule: Week 1
Joe Rivera
Week 1 of the 2026 NFL preseason is here in full:
Thursday, Aug. 13
- Cincinnati Bengals vs. Detroit Lions, 7 p.m. ET
- Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Green Bay Packers, 7 p.m. ET
- New England Patriots vs. Indianapolis Colts, 7:30 p.m. ET
- Houston Texans vs. Los Angeles Chargers, 8 p.m. ET
- Las Vegas Raiders vs. Arizona Cardinals, 8 p.m. ET
- San Francisco 49ers vs. Tennessee Titans, 9 p.m. ET
Friday, Aug. 14
- Atlanta Falcons vs. Denver Broncos, 7 p.m. ET
- New York Jets vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 7 p.m. ET
- Washington Commanders vs. Miami Dolphins, 7 p.m. ET
Saturday, Aug. 15
- Chicago Bears vs. Cleveland Browns, 1 p.m. ET
- Buffalo Bills vs. Carolina Panthers, 1 p.m. ET
- New York Giants vs. Minnesota Vikings, 1 p.m. ET
- Kansas City Chiefs vs. Los Angeles Rams, 4 p.m. ET
- New Orleans Saints vs. Jacksonville Jaguars, 4 p.m. ET
- Baltimore Ravens vs. Philadelphia Eagles, 7 p.m. ET
- Seattle Seahawks vs. Dallas Cowboys, 8 p.m. ET
