The Houston Texans are only days from kicking off their preseason, and the next few weeks will be about more than just shaking off the rust. For some players, these three games could decide whether they stick around when the roster gets cut down to 53.
It will also be Houston’s first live action since the end of its 2025 season, when the Texans fell to the New England Patriots in the divisional round. Now the focus shifts to August, where the team will try to build momentum before the regular season arrives.
Under DeMeco Ryans, the Texans have handled preseason business well. They’ve posted a winning record in each of the past three preseasons and are 7-3 over that span.
Here’s a look at Houston’s three-game preseason slate:
The Texans open at home on Thursday, Aug. 13 at 7 PM CT against the LA Chargers at Reliant Stadium in Houston. KTRK/ABC13 will carry the game, with radio coverage on 95.7 THE FAN.
That first matchup figures to be a cautious one on both sides, with starters likely seeing limited work. The bulk of the action should fall to the backups as the teams ease into preseason form.
Houston and Los Angeles will see each other again later in the year in a much bigger setting. The Texans are scheduled to travel to Los Angeles in Week 9, coming right after their bye, so this August meeting serves as the warm-up act.
Week 2 comes on Thursday, Aug. 20, again at 7 PM CT at Reliant Stadium, this time against the Las Vegas Raiders. KTRK/ABC13 and 95.7 THE FAN will again handle the broadcast.
That game could offer a look at this year’s first-overall pick, Fernando Mendoza. The Texans are expected to open the regular season with Kirk Cousins, but the preseason gives rookies a chance to get on the field and make a case.
Houston could also give C.J. Stroud and some of the other starters a brief run, perhaps for a quarter, but this game should still lean heavily on the second and third-stringers as they battle for roster spots.
The preseason wraps up on Friday, Aug. 28 at 7 PM CT, when the Texans travel to Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte to face the Carolina Panthers. The game will air on KTRK/ABC13, with radio coverage once again on 95.7 THE FAN.
It’s the second straight year the Texans and Panthers will meet in preseason. Carolina came to Houston last year and lost 20-3, and now gets the chance to answer back on its home field.
Before the game, Houston will also take part in a joint practice with Carolina, marking the Texans’ second of two such sessions this preseason. Their other joint practice will come with the Raiders a week earlier.
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