Buffalo Bills' Upcoming Exhibition Schedule as NFL Preseason Kicks Off Thursday Night

The Carolina Panthers and Arizona Cardinals kicked off the NFL Preseason slate on Thursday night in Canton, and the Buffalo Bills aren't far behind.

The Bills, who haven't played in the Hall of Fame Game since 2014, are set to open their three-game exhibition schedule one week from Saturday.

Buffalo will actually be the Panthers' next preseason opponent that day. The August 15 affair, which begins at 1 p.m. ET, will be the first official NFL game in the new Highmark Stadium.

A number of fans, however, will get their first look at the state-of-the-art facility on August 8 as the Return of the Blue & Red practice serves as a good dress rehearsal for stadium operations.

It'll be worth watching how first-year head coach Joe Brady handles the preseason games, especially with multiple position battles to decide throughout the Bills' roster. Proven veterans like quarterback Josh Allen, wide receiver DJ Moore and running back James Cook may not see any live game action, and that would seemingly be preferred by most fans.

Here are the Bills' three tune-up games before the Week 1 opener on the road against the Houston Texans.

August 15 vs. Carolina Panthers (1 p.m.)

The Bills open their three-game preseason slate with a home Saturday matinee against the Carolina Panthers. The exhibition will kick off at 1 p.m. ET, and will be the first official NFL contest in Buffalo's new 60,000-seat venue.

It's an appropriate opponent for Brady's first game on the sideline being that he served as Panthers' offensive coordinator in 2020 and 2021. Furthermore, Moore was a first-round draft pick by the Panthers in 2018. The Bills won in Carolina last season with a 40-9 thumping in Week 8.

Oct 26, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Buffalo Bills running back James Cook III (4) scores a touchdown during the second half against the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

August 22 at Cleveland Browns (1 p.m.)

The trip to Cleveland also includes a joint practice against the Browns in Berea on August 20. It's Buffalo's lone road game this preseason.

The Bills last met the Browns in the regular season this past December when Allen broke a bone in his foot while being chased by Myles Garrett. Buffalo posted a 23-20 win in Cleveland.

Dec 21, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) is sacked by Cleveland Browns defensive tackle Mason Graham (94) and defensive end Myles Garrett (95) during the first half at Huntington Bank Field. Both Cleveland players were credited with a half of sack on the play. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

August 27 vs. Pittsburgh Steelers ( 7 p.m.)

Buffalo closes out their exhibition slate with a Thursday night home game, which is exactly three weeks prior to the real Highmark Stadium opener.

The Bills and the Steelers will kick off at 7 p.m. in a game that will likely be absent of star players. Buffalo and Pittsburgh also faced each other last regular season. The Bills posted a 26-7 road win on November 30, 2025. Two summers ago, Buffalo and the Steelers held a joint practice in Pittsburgh.

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