The wait is finally over — NFL training camp season is here, and every team enters with a record of zero wins and zero losses, meaning hope is alive in every city across the league.
The Carolina Panthers, led by quarterback Bryce Young and coming off an NFC South title, reported to camp on Wednesday. Joining them were the Arizona Cardinals, who are now under the direction of first-year head coach Mike LaFleur. The two teams will square off in the Hall of Fame Game on August 6, which officially kicks off the preseason.
The reigning Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks and the New England Patriots opened their camps on Friday. Those two teams will face each other again when the regular season gets underway on September 9.
The Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers reported Saturday, rounding out six teams in camp before the week’s end. Those NFC West rivals are scheduled to play the first regular-season game ever held in Australia on September 10. The remaining 26 teams are expected to arrive by next Tuesday.
The road to a championship runs through Los Angeles this year, where Super Bowl 61 will be played on February 14 — Valentine’s Day — marking the latest calendar date the game has ever been held.
Ten teams are starting fresh with new head coaches. John Harbaugh joined the New York Giants after spending 18 seasons in Baltimore before being let go. He now has quarterback Jaxson Dart and a core of talented players to work with.
Two-time AP NFL Coach of the Year Kevin Stefanski departed Cleveland after six seasons to take over in Atlanta. He inherits an offense loaded with weapons, including All-Pro running back Bijan Robinson, wide receiver Drake London, and tight end Kyle Pitts. One major question looms: will Tua Tagovailoa or Michael Penix Jr. start at quarterback?
Robert Saleh takes the reins in Tennessee, where the Titans have endured back-to-back 3-14 seasons. Saleh has a promising building block in quarterback Cam Ward and brought in Brian Daboll to develop him and oversee the offense.
Mike McCarthy and Aaron Rodgers are back working together, this time in Pittsburgh. The duo previously won a Super Bowl in Green Bay and now hope to lead the Steelers to their first playoff victory since January 2017.
The remaining six new coaches are all first-timers in the role. LaFleur faces a challenging rebuild in Arizona. Klint Kubiak, who helped Sam Darnold win a Super Bowl in Seattle, is now tasked with turning around the Las Vegas Raiders. Jeff Hafley moves from running Green Bay’s defense to leading the Miami Dolphins. Joe Brady stepped in to replace Sean McDermott in Buffalo after the Bills repeatedly fell short in the postseason. Todd Monken replaced Stefanski in Cleveland, and Jesse Minter is Baltimore’s new head coach.
Several quarterbacks are also in new situations. Tagovailoa gets a fresh start with Stefanski in Atlanta after a rough finish in Miami. Kyler Murray left Arizona for Minnesota, where the Vikings are hoping he can stay healthy and return to his Pro Bowl level of play. Murray will have to beat out J.J. McCarthy, the team’s first-round draft pick from 2024.
Kirk Cousins is the bridge quarterback in Las Vegas, where the Raiders used the first overall pick in the draft on Fernando Mendoza. Cousins is expected to start, but Mendoza could see the field sooner than anticipated.
Malik Willis turned three solid starts over two seasons in Green Bay into a $67.5 million contract with Miami, with $45 million fully guaranteed. Geno Smith returned to the Jets. Justin Fields is now the backup to Patrick Mahomes in Kansas City. Kenny Pickett is the new No. 2 in Carolina, veteran Andy Dalton joined Philadelphia to back up Jalen Hurts, and Gardner Minshew landed with the Cardinals.
Perhaps the most intriguing quarterback competition this summer is in Cleveland, where Deshaun Watson returns after missing the 2025 season and will compete with Shedeur Sanders for the starting job.
Joint practices against other teams are becoming increasingly popular as a way to prepare quarterbacks and starters without the risks of preseason games. The only teams not participating in any joint sessions are the Lions, Chiefs, Broncos, and Steelers.
Two storylines worth watching as camp unfolds: Will Baker Mayfield land a contract extension from Tampa Bay? He is in the final year of a three-year, $100 million deal and is expected to command around $55 million per season on a new agreement. And will Aaron Donald come out of retirement to join Myles Garrett — a two-time AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year — in Los Angeles? The Rams acquired the five-time All-Pro Garrett from Cleveland and also added cornerbacks Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson to strengthen their secondary. Donald, a three-time Defensive Player of the Year, is 35 years old and has not played since retiring following the 2023 season.
Teams are permitted to carry up to 90 players throughout training camp and all preseason games. Final rosters must be cut down to 53 players by 6 p.m. Eastern time on August 30.
