- May 21, 2026
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ESPN, if you haven't heard, is making plenty of changes in the aftermath of the April 1 takeover of NFL Network. One thing has remained the same.
The two networks are partnering on a continuation of "Back Together Weekend."
Of course, it wasn't an NFL Network initiative. The league tried to make it into a thing several years ago. It hasn't really established the full-fledged footing that had been envisioned. But they're still doing it.
This year, it's the weekend of August 1 and 2. All camps will be open, and the Hall of Fame game will happen the following Thursday.
It starts at 9:00 a.m. ET on August 1, with a three-hour edition of NFL Live on ESPN. Which means that NFL Live won the internal rock-paper-scissors competition with NFL Network's Good Morning Football. At noon ET, coverage of "Back Together Weekend" shifts to NFL Network until 5:00 p.m. ET. On Sunday, it's NFLN only from 10 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. ET.
The announcement comes two days after ESPN implemented massive layoffs impacting numerous recognizable on-air names. And the timing of the press release underscores the reality that the date for the implementation of the belt tightening was carefully and strategically selected to fall between ESPYs week and the official disclosure of the various assignments for "Back Together Weekend."
Which becomes an ironic label, to say the least, given recent events.
The two networks are partnering on a continuation of "Back Together Weekend."
Of course, it wasn't an NFL Network initiative. The league tried to make it into a thing several years ago. It hasn't really established the full-fledged footing that had been envisioned. But they're still doing it.
This year, it's the weekend of August 1 and 2. All camps will be open, and the Hall of Fame game will happen the following Thursday.
It starts at 9:00 a.m. ET on August 1, with a three-hour edition of NFL Live on ESPN. Which means that NFL Live won the internal rock-paper-scissors competition with NFL Network's Good Morning Football. At noon ET, coverage of "Back Together Weekend" shifts to NFL Network until 5:00 p.m. ET. On Sunday, it's NFLN only from 10 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. ET.
The announcement comes two days after ESPN implemented massive layoffs impacting numerous recognizable on-air names. And the timing of the press release underscores the reality that the date for the implementation of the belt tightening was carefully and strategically selected to fall between ESPYs week and the official disclosure of the various assignments for "Back Together Weekend."
Which becomes an ironic label, to say the least, given recent events.