The Packers will face Kansas City in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game.
The NFL's 11-game preseason television schedule will feature at least one 2002 playoff team in every contest, the NFL announced Wednesday.
The schedule kicks off with the Super Bowl XXXVII champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers taking on the AFC East champion New York Jets in Tokyo, Japan in an American Bowl on Saturday night, August 2 on ESPN.
It will be the first American Bowl appearance for both the Bucs and Jets, and the 11th American Bowl in Tokyo, the most of any city in the NFL's international series that began in 1986.
The American Bowl will be followed two days later by the annual Pro Football Hall of Fame Game on Monday night, August 4 on ABC. In the 40th anniversary year of the Hall, the game will match the teams that played in Super Bowl I, the Green Bay Packers and Kansas City Chiefs. The game will cap a Reunion Weekend in Canton which all Hall of Famers will attend.
Two national TV games on the first full preseason weekend will be carried by ESPN. On Thursday night, August 7, the New York Giants, a 2002 Wild Card playoff team, will travel to the New England Patriots. On Monday night, August 11, the NFC East champion Philadelphia Eagles, who have participated in the NFC Championship Game the past two seasons, will face the Saints in New Orleans.
The following weekend (August 14-18) features four national TV games.
On Thursday night, FOX will present a matchup of 2002 playoff teams - and San Francisco Bay rivals - when the AFC champion Oakland Raiders travel to the NFC West champion San Francisco 49ers.
The next night on CBS, another meeting of 2002 playoff teams matches the NFC North champion Green Bay Packers at the AFC Wild Card Cleveland Browns.
On Saturday night on ESPN, the AFC South champion Tennessee Titans will host the Buffalo Bills, and on Monday night on ABC, the Buccaneers will make their second national TV appearance of the preseason when they travel to the St. Louis Rams.
The national preseason TV schedule concludes on the weekend of August 21-25.
On Thursday on FOX, the AFC North champion Pittsburgh Steelers will host the Dallas Cowboys.
On Friday night on CBS, the Atlanta Falcons, who advanced to the NFC Divisional Playoffs last season, visit the Miami Dolphins.
The 2003 national preseason television schedule will conclude on Monday night, August 25, on ABC when the AFC Wild Card Indianapolis Colts visit the Denver Broncos.
2003 NFL PRESEASON NATIONAL TELEVISION SCHEDULE
8/2: American Bowl (Tokyo): NY Jets vs. Tampa Bay - ESPN (TBA)
8/4: Pro Football Hall of Fame Game: Green Bay vs. Kansas City - ABC (7:00 PM)
Preseason Week 1 (August 7-11)
8/7: NY Giants at New England - ESPN (7:00 PM)
8/11: Philadelphia at New Orleans - ESPN (7:00 PM)
Preseason Week 2 (August 14-18)
8/14: Oakland at San Francisco - FOX (7:00 PM)8/15: Green Bay at Cleveland - CBS (7:00 PM)
8/16: Buffalo at Tennessee - ESPN (7:00 PM)
8/18: Tampa Bay at St. Louis - ABC (7:00 PM)
Preseason Week 3 (August 21-25)
8/21: Dallas at Pittsburgh - FOX (7:00 PM)
8/22: Atlanta at Miami - CBS (7:00 PM)
8/25: Indianapolis at Denver - ABC (7:00 PM)
(All times Central)
