The National Football League (NFL) is one of the most-watched sports leagues in the world, with a massive following in the United States and a growing fan base globally. For fans who want to catch their favorite teams in action, understanding the TV schedule is crucial. Here’s a breakdown of when NFL games are typically on TV, including the schedule and networks that broadcast them.
Regular Season Schedule
The NFL regular season usually starts in early September and runs through late December or early January. During this period, games are spread across various days of the week, with the majority being played on Sundays. The typical schedule includes:
- Sunday Afternoon Games: These are the most common, with games usually starting at 1:00 PM ET and 4:05 PM ET. CBS and FOX are the primary networks for these games, with CBS airing games featuring AFC teams and FOX focusing on NFC teams.
- Sunday Night Football: Broadcast on NBC, these games typically start at 8:20 PM ET. Sunday Night Football features marquee matchups and is one of the most-watched programs in the United States.
- Monday Night Football: ESPN airs Monday Night Football, with games starting at 8:15 PM ET. This matchup often features teams that are considered to have a significant impact on the season standings.
- Thursday Night Football: Initially airing on NFL Network, Thursday Night Football has expanded to include broadcasts on FOX and Amazon Prime Video. Games start at 8:20 PM ET. The schedule for Thursday Night Football can vary, with some games airing exclusively on Amazon Prime, making it the first all-digital broadcast of the NFL.
Playoff Schedule
Following the regular season, the NFL enters its postseason, which includes the Wild Card Rounds, Divisional Rounds, Conference Championships, and finally, the Super Bowl. The playoffs typically start in early January and conclude with the Super Bowl in early February.
- Wild Card Round: This round features six games, with two games on Saturday and three on Sunday, broadcast across NBC, CBS, FOX, and ESPN.
- Divisional Round: Four games are played over the weekend, broadcast on NBC, CBS, and FOX.
- Conference Championships: The final four teams compete for a spot in the Super Bowl, with games broadcast on CBS and FOX, typically starting at 3:05 PM ET and 6:40 PM ET.
- Super Bowl: The championship game is one of the most-watched television events in the United States. The broadcast network for the Super Bowl rotates among CBS, FOX, and NBC on a yearly basis.
Preseason Schedule
Before the regular season, the NFL preseason offers fans a glimpse of their teams in action. This period, which typically starts in early August and ends in late August, features each team playing four games. The preseason schedule is less rigid than the regular season but often includes games on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday evenings. NFL Network broadcasts a significant number of preseason games, with some games also appearing on local networks and occasionally on national networks like CBS, FOX, NBC, and ESPN.
Network Rights and Streaming Options
The NFL has extensive media rights agreements with several networks. As of the last agreement, the primary broadcast networks include:
- CBS: Rights to AFC games on Sundays and some playoff games.
- FOX: Rights to NFC games on Sundays and some playoff games.
- NBC: Rights to Sunday Night Football and some playoff games, including a divisional round game and the Super Bowl on a rotating basis.
- ESPN: Rights to Monday Night Football.
- NFL Network: Exclusive rights to Thursday Night Football, though some games are simulcast on other networks like FOX and Amazon Prime.
- Amazon Prime Video: Exclusive streaming rights to Thursday Night Football.
For fans looking to stream games, options include the NFL Sunday Ticket (for out-of-market games), NFL Game Pass (for replays and international viewers), and various network apps (like the CBS All Access, FOX Sports, NBC Sports, and ESPN apps), which often require a cable subscription or a standalone streaming service subscription.
Key Takeaways
- The NFL schedule is extensive, with games spread across Sundays, Mondays, Thursdays, and during the postseason, Saturdays.
- Multiple networks, including CBS, FOX, NBC, ESPN, and NFL Network, broadcast games.
- Streaming options are available for those who prefer to watch digitally, including Amazon Prime for Thursday Night Football.
Understanding the NFL TV schedule and the networks involved can help fans ensure they never miss a game, whether it’s a crucial matchup in the regular season or a high-stakes playoff game. As the media landscape continues to evolve, the NFL has adapted, offering more ways than ever for fans to catch their favorite teams in action.
