liveUpdated 3m agoFollow our live coverage as the first week of the NFL preseason continues.The Athletic Live TeamAugust 14, 2026 at 7:16 PM EDTNew York Jets QB Cade Klubnik. USA TODAY Network via Reuters ConnectNFL Preseason Week 1 — LatestThe first week of the preseason continues tonight with three games: Broncos at Falcons, Buccaneers at Jets and Dolphins at Commanders.Follow along for news, analysis and game coverage from The Athletic’s team of writers. Share your reaction with us in the Discuss tab or by emailing us at live@theathletic.com.You can watch live NFL games on Fubo (Stream Free Now).SKIP ADVERTISEMENTAdvertisementFalcons undermanned in the secondaryThe Broncos made quick work on the Falcons defense to start Friday night’s game, no real surprise with starting safeties Jessie Bates and Xavier Watts and starting linebacker Divine Deablo not dressed out for the game. Rookie linebacker Kendal Daniels got the start in Deablo’s place, and Samson Ebukam and Cameron Thomas started as edge rusher as the Broncos and Jarrett Stidham went 69 yards in six plays to score and go up 7-0.A perfect drive for the Broncos ends with an Adam Prentice plunge. That'll probably be enough for Courtland Sutton.Q1 14:02 - Buccaneers 0, Jets 0That's a three and out for Buccaneers as Will McDonald drops Bazelak. David Bailey was in pursuit too.Tampa Bay punts.Sonny Styles is wearing the green dot for Washington.Stidham flashes his arm strength on Denver's first drive Getty ImagesJarrett Stidham gets the Broncos going early with a 15-yard pass on the first play from scrimmage, and he doesn't stop there. A 40-yard completion to Courtland Sutton sets up an Adam Prentice goal-line rushing touchdown.The Broncos' starter in the AFC Championship Game last year, Stidham is in for Bo Nix, who is fully healthy but on the sideline as a precaution.A quick six-play, 69-yard drive puts the Broncos up 7-0 on the Falcons.SKIP ADVERTISEMENTAdvertisementDolphins-Commanders kick offMiami and Washington are underway in Washington, D.C. The Dolphins have the ball first!Kickoff in JerseyQ1 15:00 - Buccaneers 0, Jets 0It's time for action at MetLife Stadium as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers begin their preseason with the football.Connor Bazelak is starting quarterback for the Bucs.What to watch for the FalconsHere’s what I’ll be watching tonight when the Falcons face the Broncos:How does Tua Tagovailoa look in his first game in Atlanta? The Falcons new quarterback will play the first series, and maybe a little more tonight, as he tries to cement his lead in the starting quarterback race. Head coach Kevin Stefanski made clear this week that he is not ready to name a starter for Week 1 while Michael Penix Jr. continues to rehab the torn ACL he suffered last season, but Tagovailoa can stake a claim to the job tonight.Can the right tackles block? With Jawaan Taylor not expected to play tonight, Atlanta is expected to rotate Michael Jerrell, Brandon Walton and rookie Ethan Onianwa at right tackle. It could be an adventure, which would not be great considering Atlanta really can’t afford to lose a quarterback at the moment.How do the rookie linebackers look? Fourth-round pick Kendal Daniels and sixth-round pick Harold Perkins have had a good training camp, and they’ll probably get a lot of snaps in the middle of the defense tonight. If they can handle it, those snaps might carry over to the regular season.Week 1 opponents for team's in action Friday ReutersLooking ahead to Week 1, here are the matchups for the six teams in action tonight. Coincidently, all six teams will open the upcoming campaign on the road:New York Jets: @ Tennessee TitansTampa Bay Buccaneers: @ Cincinnati BengalsDenver Broncos: @ Kansas City ChiefsAtlanta Falcons: @ Pittsburgh SteelersWashington Commanders: @ Philadelphia EaglesMiami Dolphins: @ Las Vegas RaidersSKIP ADVERTISEMENTAdvertisementDaniels will not playJayden Daniels is among 26 Washington Commanders who won't play Friday night against the Miami Dolphins. The teams had a joint practice at Washington's facility on Wednesday, and the Commanders in recent seasons have rested many of their starters in the preseason game that follows a joint practice. Washington punter Tress Way will play but will only hold; Matt Haack will punt. In case you're in a preseason fantasy special teams league.Checking in on Malik Willis ReutersTonight we'll get our first glance at Malik Willis as the starting quarterback of the Dolphins as first-year head coach Jeff Hafley plans to play Miami's starters for a brief stint against the Washington Commanders.Willis signed a three-year, $67.5 million contract this offseason after appearing in four games for the Green Bay Packers last season, throwing from 422 yards and three touchdowns while adding 123 rushing yards and two scores. Only two of those games were starts. Tua's time ReutersThe Atlanta Falcons starters will play a series or so tonight at home against the Denver Broncos, according to first-year head coach Kevin Stefanski.This means that quarterback Tua Tagovailoa will make his Falcons debut, as he is currently the frontrunner to be Atlanta's starting quarterback as Michael Penix Jr. continues to work his way back from another ACL tear. In 14 starts last season, Tagovailoa threw for 2,660 yards and 20 touchdowns with 15 interceptions. Broncos starters expected to play ReutersDenver Broncos head coach Sean Payton has made it clear that a majority of the team's starters will suit up tonight against the Atlanta Falcons as they continue to prepare for a Week 1 matchup on Monday Night Football against the Kansas City Chiefs.Notably, Bo Nix will not suit up tonight as he continues to recover from his offseason surgery after breaking his ankle against the Buffalo Bills in the AFC Divisional Round. No Mayfield tonight ReutersWhile the Jets will be running out their starters briefly tonight, the Buccaneers starters be on the sideline for the team's preseason opener.This means we will not be seeing Tampa Bay's starting quarterback Baker Mayfield, who is coming off another solid season. In 2025, the 31-year-old threw for 3,693 with 28 touchdowns and 11 interceptions after throwing for over 4,000 yards in the two prior years.SKIP ADVERTISEMENTAdvertisementSmith out with foot sorenessGeno Smith will not play for the Jets tonight due to foot soreness. The rest of the Jets starters will play but New York is going to sit their starting quarterback out of an abundance of caution in the preseason. In his place, fourth-round rookie Cade Klubnik will get a chance to show what he can do with a first-team offense of talent — at least for a little while — that includes Garrett Wilson, Breece Hall and a solid offensive line. The Jets are letting Klubnik earn the No. 2 QB job behind Smith and a solid performance tonight would go a long way toward locking that in.Jets starters to get runNew York Jets head coach Aaron Glenn made it clear that the team's starters will play tonight, looking to establish momentum and cohesion entering the upcoming campaign.That means we'll get a glimpse of Breece Hall, Garrett Wilson and company tonight, along with key cogs on the defense like Demario Davis, Minkah Fitzpatrick and David Bailey. Rookie tight end Kenyon Sadiq will not suit up.Additional league-wide suspension updatesAside from the James Pearce suspension news, let's check out some relevant suspension situations around the NFL.Buffalo Bills defensive tackle Phidarian Mathis, Washington Commanders defensive end Dorance Armstrong and Tennessee Titans cornerback Nazeeh Johnson will begin the 2026 season serving suspensions, the NFL announced Friday.Mathis received three games for violating the league’s substance-abuse policy, Armstrong received one game for violating the personal conduct policy and Johnson received six games for violating the policy on performance-enhancing substances. All three may participate in preseason activities. Their suspensions are final, with no appeals pending. Mathis, who joined Buffalo in 2025 and re-signed on a one-year deal, has competed for a roster spot at nose tackle and the 4i position. He may have fallen behind recent draft picks DeWayne Carter, Landon Jackson and Zane Durant.Armstrong was arrested in Frisco, Texas, in May 2025 on misdemeanor charges of assault causing bodily injury and resisting arrest, according to public records. He received deferred adjudication, and both cases have been disposed of. The Commanders reported the incident and cooperated with the NFL’s investigation, according to a league source granted anonymity because of the matter’s sensitivity. Armstrong, 29, led Washington with 5.5 sacks through seven games last season before suffering a season-ending ACL injury.Johnson, a 2022 seventh-round pick who won two Super Bowls with Kansas City, signed with Tennessee in July.When is roster cutdown day? ReutersOne of the main parts of the preseason is players on the fringe of a roster fighting for the chance to make the team's final roster and avoid getting cut in late August. Strong plays in preseason games or distinguished efforts in practice drills can be the difference between an NFL roster spot and free agency.Cutdowns are necessary because NFL rosters hold up to 90 players in August but max out at 53 players during the regular season. The official day for teams to get under the 53-player threshold is at 6 p.m. ET on Sunday, Aug. 30.