ESPN announces major broadcast change for ‘Back Together Weekend’ with three-hour NFL special edition show
ESPN will give viewers a first taste of the upcoming NFL season this weekend.
The network will air a special Back Together Weekend edition of NFL Live on Saturday, July 27.
The show will provide three hours of training camp coverage.
Just like last year, it's expected to offer live look-ins from all 32 facilities and updates from on-site reporters.
Back Together Weekend will begin at 9 am ET on the main ESPN channel.
All teams had until the end of Wednesday, July 24, to report to training camp.
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The defending Super Bowl champions, the Kansas City Chiefs, returned from the summer break last weekend.
Chiefs fans have already had a chance to see Patrick Mahomes connect with some of his new offensive weapons.
That included a stunning deep ball to No. 28 overall pick Xavier Worthy — who's been dealing with a hamstring issue — that went viral on social media.
"[Worthy] has been working hard," Chiefs head coach Andy Reid said of the rookie on Saturday.
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"Looks like his hamstring feels better. We've just got to keep him going here and keep learning.
"We're just one [practice] into it and they've got 12 of them, so he's got a lot more information coming at him and formations and shifts and motions and all that stuff.
"But he did a nice job today."
The Chiefs did an intriguing experiment early into training camp, using wide receiver Kadarius Toney as a running back.
The wideout is fighting to keep a relevant role on Kansas City's offense after a disastrous 2023 season.
Meanwhile, the NFL has reportedly held serious talks with the Players' Association (NFLPA) over expanding the regular season schedule to 18 games, NFLPA Executive Director Lloyd Howell told The Washington Post.
NFL important dates
August 1 - Hall of Fame Game - Houston Texans vs Chicago Bears
August 8 - Pre-season begins
August 27 - Deadline for 53-man rosters
September 1 - Final day of pre-season
September 5 - Season opener - Baltimore Ravens vs Kansas City Chiefs
November 5 - Trade deadline
January 5 - Week 18 of regular-season
January 11 - Playoffs begin
February 9 - Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans, Louisiana
"We have talked at a very, very, very high level superficially, with a recognition … about, 'Yeah, this is something that we should be talking about. And we should really kick the tires and understand what else goes into that decision-making process,'" Howell said.
"Where does the 18th game come from?
"I think the foregone conclusion is well, you just grab it, like, in what would otherwise be [preseason games] in August.
"You play it forward. But these are details that really need to be fleshed out.
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"But, again, there are other economic, health and safety matters that also need to be clear to our members before there’s ever an agreement about an 18th game."
The NFL added a 17th game to the schedule only three years ago.