Al Harris' 52-yard interception return ended Seattle's 2003 playoff run.
There will be a rematch of the Super Bowl XXXVIII contestants. Every game will feature at least one 2003 playoff team. And Joe Gibbs will match a Hall of Fame milestone.
Those stories and more are featured in the 11-game national TV schedule that was announced today by the NFL with the complete 2004 preseason matchups.
The schedule kicks off with the annual Pro Football Hall of Fame game in Canton, Ohio on Monday night, August 9 on ABC when the Washington Redskins take on the Denver Broncos. The day before, John Elway will become the first player who spent his entire career with the Broncos to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. Then new Redskins head coach Gibbs will become the second Hall of Fame member to coach a team in the Hall of Fame Game (Paul Brown, Cincinnati, 1975).
The first full preseason weekend starts three nights later on Thursday night, August 12 on ESPN when the Atlanta Falcons - in Jim Mora's first game as an NFL head coach -- visit the Baltimore Ravens, winners of the AFC North Division last season.
That Monday night, ESPN will televise a rematch of one of last season's most exciting playoff games when the Seattle Seahawks travel to Green Bay to take on the Packers. Last January 4, Green Bay defeated the Seahawks 33-27 in overtime in an NFC Wild Card game on an Al Harris 52-yard interception return.
Week 2 features four national TV games.
On Thursday night, August 19 on FOX, a former New York Giants defensive coordinator (1997-2001), head coach John Fox of the NFC Champion Carolina Panthers, will welcome the Giants' new head coach, Tom Coughlin, to Bank of America Stadium.
The next night on CBS, two division winners square off as Baltimore visits the Philadelphia Eagles, featuring their new wide receiver, Terrell Owens, the former San Francisco 49er who was briefly a member of the Ravens before being traded by them to the Eagles earlier this month.
Saturday night on ESPN, the New York Jets visit their former division rival, the Indianapolis Colts, champions of the AFC South Division. The weekend concludes on Monday night with a matchup of 2003 playoff teams. The NFC West titlist St. Louis Rams visit the AFC West champion Kansas City Chiefs on ABC.
Week 3 also includes four national games.
On Thursday night on ESPN, the Pittsburgh Steelers - with newly signed former Philadelphia running back Duce Staley - visit the Eagles. The next night in St. Louis, the Rams welcome the Washington Redskins on FOX.
On Saturday night, August 28, CBS will present a reprise of Super Bowl XXXVIII as the NFL champion New England Patriots face the Panthers in Carolina. It will be the first rematch in preseason of the previous season's Super Bowl teams since August 31, 2001 when the Super Bowl XXXV-champion Ravens topped the Giants 38-9.
The preseason national TV schedule concludes on Monday night, August 30 on ABC when the Tennessee Titans play in Dallas against the Cowboys. Both teams made the playoffs as Wild Card entrants last season.
The dates and times of the 2004 preseason schedule will be announced after the participating teams confirm them for games that are not nationally televised.
2004 NFL Preseason National Television Schedule (All times Central)
Monday, August 9 - Pro Football Hall of Fame Game, Canton, Ohio: Denver vs. Washington - ABC (7:00 PM)
Preseason Week 1 (August 12-16)
Thursday, August 12 - Atlanta at Baltimore - ESPN (7:00 PM)
Monday, August 16 - Seattle at Green Bay - ESPN (7:00 PM)
Preseason Week 2 (August 19-23)
Thursday, August 19 - NY Giants at Carolina - FOX (7:00 PM)
Friday, August 20 - Baltimore at Philadelphia - CBS (7:00 PM)
Saturday, August 21 - NY Jets at Indianapolis - ESPN (7:00 PM)
Monday, August 23 - St. Louis at Kansas City - ABC (7:00 PM)
Preseason Week 3 (August 26-30)
Thursday, August 26 - Pittsburgh at Philadelphia - ESPN (7:00 PM)
Friday, August 27 - Washington at St. Louis - FOX (7:00 PM)
Saturday, August 28 - New England at Carolina - CBS (7:00 PM)
Monday, August 30 - Tennessee at Dallas - ABC (7:00 PM)
2004 Preseason Week-By-Week Schedule
Hall Of Fame Fame - August 9: Denver vs Washington (ABC)
Week 1 - August 12-16
Atlanta at Baltimore (ESPN, 8/12)
Seattle at Green Bay (ESPN, 8/16)
Arizona at Minnesota
Carolina at Washington
Chicago at St. Louis
Cincinnati at Tampa Bay
Cleveland at Tennessee
Dallas at Houston
Denver at Buffalo
Indianapolis at San Diego
Jacksonville at Miami
Kansas City at New York Giants
New York Jets at New Orleans
Oakland at San Francisco
Philadelphia at New England
Pittsburgh at Detroit
Week 2 - August 19-23
New York Giants at Carolina (FOX, 8/19)
Baltimore at Philadelphia (CBS, 8/20)
New York Jets at Indianapolis (ESPN, 8/21)
St. Louis at Kansas City (ABC, 8/23)
Dallas at Oakland
Denver at Seattle
Detroit at Cleveland
Houston at Pittsburgh
Minnesota at Atlanta
New England at Cincinnati
New Orleans at Green Bay
San Diego at Arizona
San Francisco at Chicago
Tampa Bay at Jacksonville
Tennessee at Buffalo
Washington at Miami
Week 3 - August 26-30
Pittsburgh at Philadelphia (ESPN, 8/26)
Washington at St. Louis (FOX, 8/27)
New England at Carolina (CBS, 8/28)
Tennessee at Dallas (ABC, 8/30)
Buffalo at Indianapolis
Cincinnati at Atlanta
Cleveland at Kansas City
Detroit at Baltimore
Green Bay at Jacksonville
Houston at Denver
Miami at Tampa Bay
New Orleans at Chicago
New York Giants at New York Jets
Oakland at Arizona
San Francisco at Minnesota
Seattle at San Diego
Week 4 - September 2-5
Arizona at Denver
Atlanta at Washington
Baltimore at New York Giants
Buffalo at Detroit
Carolina at Pittsburgh
Chicago at Cleveland
Green Bay at Tennessee
Indianapolis at Cincinnati
Jacksonville at New England
Kansas City at Dallas
Miami at New Orleans
Minnesota at Seattle
Philadelphia at New York Jets
San Diego at San Francisco
St. Louis at Oakland
Tampa Bay at Houston
