Detroit Lions release full 2023 preseason schedule: Opponents, dates

In addition to their entire 2023 regular season schedule, the Detroit Lions also revealed their 2023 preseason opponents and the order in which they will play them. For the first two games—home tilts against the New York Giants and the Jacksonville Jaguars—the specific dates have not yet been decided. For the preseason finale, a road trip to face the Carolina Panthers, will take place on Friday, August 25 at 8 p.m. ET. That game will also be nationally televised on CBS.

UPDATE: The Lions have provided their full, finalized preseason schedule.

Coincidentally enough, all three opponents were teams Detroit played during the 2022 season.

As you may remember, the Detroit will not just be opening the preseason with New York, but the Lions and Giants plan to have a week of joint practices leading up to the first exhibition game of the season. The Lions and Jaguars are also expected to have joint practices prior to their preseason Week 2 game.

Another intriguing aspect about the Lions’ preseason is a return to Charlotte, North Carolina to take on the Panthers. The Lions played the Panthers on the road last year, and were thoroughly beaten by Carolina 37-23. More interestingly, though, the NFLPA lodged a complaint on behalf of the Lions for that game because they deemed the turf too hard of a surface to play on due to the cold, but the NFL forced the game through. Obviously, with this preseason game in August, that will not likely be a problem again. The Lions and Panthers will also play in Week 5 of the regular season, but that game will be played at Ford Field in Detroit.

Here’s a full look at the Lions’ three-game preseason schedule:

Preseason Week 1 — vs. Giants — Friday, Aug. 11, 7 p.m. ET
Preseason Week 2 — vs. Jaguars — Saturday, Aug. 19, 1 p.m. ET
Preseason Week 3 — at Panthers — Friday, Aug. 25, 8 p.m. ET (CBS)