FOXBOROUGH, Mass. - The New England Patriots' 2010 preseason opponents were announced today. Fans will get their first look at their 2010 New England Patriots when they host the defending Super Bowl Champion New Orleans Saints on Thursday, Aug. 12 at Gillette Stadium. It will be the third time that the Patriots have opened the preseason against the defending Super Bowl Champion. The last time it happened was in 1997 when the Patriots traveled to Green Bay to play the Packers in a Super Bowl XXXI rematch. The first time the Patriots opened the preseason against the defending Super Bowl Champion was in 1987 when the Patriots hosted the New York Giants. It is the eighth time the Patriots and the Saints will square off in the preseason. The last time the Patriots hosted the Saints for a preseason opener was on Aug. 5, 1994. It was the first game of the Kraft ownership era 16 years ago. The Patriots prevailed, 24-6, snapping a seven-year losing streak in preseason openers.

Last year, the Patriots launched a new tradition of hosting an alumni reunion and Hall of Fame induction ceremony during the weekend of the first preseason game at Gillette Stadium. Prior to the Saints game on Aug. 12, the Patriots and their fans will honor this year's Hall of Fame inductee during a pregame ceremony on the plaza outside The Hall at Patriot Place presented by Raytheon. The Patriots' 2010 Hall of Fame finalists will be announced in April and fans will have over a month to vote for the player they feel is most deserving of Hall of Fame induction. The Patriots remain the only team in professional sports who allow their fans to make the final selection for Hall of Fame induction.

In Week 2 of the preseason, New England will travel to Atlanta to play the Falcons in a prime-time, nationally-televised matchup on Thursday, Aug. 19 at 8:00 p.m. The Patriots will return to Gillette Stadium on Thursday, August 26 to host the St. Louis Rams, before closing out the preseason at the new stadium at the Meadowlands against the New York Giants. The date of that game has not been finalized, but will be played between September 2 and September 5.

Times for New England's preseason games in Weeks 1, 3 and 4 will be announced at a later date.

Three of the Patriots' preseason games will be televised in the Boston market on WBZ-TV. A network of regional affiliates will also broadcast the games in Preseason Weeks 1, 3 and 4 on the Patriots Preseason TV Network. Fans throughout New England should check their local listings for exact stations and times. The Patriots' August 19 game at Atlanta will be broadcast to a national audience by FOX and can be seen in the Boston market on WFXT-TV.

2010 PATRIOTS PRESEASON SCHEDULE