The Denver Broncos and Atlanta Falcons open their 2026 preseason Friday night at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, with the two teams taking different approaches to their starting quarterbacks.
Jun 16, 2026; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta Falcons quarterbacks Tua Tagovailoa (1) and Michael Penix Jr. (9) on the field during Minicamp. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images
How to Watch Broncos vs Falcons
- When: Friday, August 14, 2026
- Time: 7:00 PM ET
- TV Channel: NBC, ESPN+
- Live Stream: Fubo (try for free); ESPN Unlimited (watch now)
Denver will keep Bo Nix on the sideline for the opener, although head coach Sean Payton plans to give most of his other healthy starters roughly 10 to 15 snaps. Nix is healthy, but Denver is being cautious with its franchise quarterback and is expected to turn the offense over to Jarrett Stidham and Sam Ehlinger. That should make the night particularly important for the Broncos’ reserves and players fighting for spots further down the depth chart as Denver begins preparations for another run at the postseason.
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Atlanta, meanwhile, plans to play its starters for around 10 snaps, with Tua Tagovailoa getting the start at quarterback. The Falcons have not yet named their regular-season QB1, as Michael Penix Jr. continues working his way back from the torn ACL he suffered last season and is not ready for game action. Cooper Rush and rookie Jack Strand are also expected to play Friday, making quarterback one of the biggest storylines to follow as Kevin Stefanski begins his first preseason as Atlanta’s head coach.
This is a great NFL football matchup that you will not want to miss; make sure to tune in and catch all the action.
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