If you’ve ditched your cable company in favor of one (or several) video streaming services, you can still watch NFL games. On-demand services such as Netflix and Disney+ don’t offer live sports though, so you need to subscribe to a live TV streaming service.
Not every live TV streaming service is ideal for NFL fans, though, as some are missing key channels. You should also consider the features and other streaming content a service offers to determine which one is the best value for your household. Check out our guide to the best video streaming services for your budget if you don’t know where to start.
What Channels Do You Need to Watch NFL Games?
NFL games generally air during four time slots on different networks throughout the regular season: Thursday Night Football (typically on NFL Network, with most games simulcast on FOX and Amazon Prime Video), Sunday afternoons (CBS and FOX), Sunday Night Football (NBC), and Monday Night Football (ESPN). Broadcasts of playoff games last season were split between CBS, ESPN, FOX, and NBC. US holidays affect the schedule, which means that there may be multiple games on a Thursday or a game on Saturday. Consult the schedule below for details on watching those games.
The NFL recently renegotiated the broadcast rights for games starting with the 2023 season and running through the 2033 season. Under this new deal, the broadcast rights for Sunday afternoons, Sunday nights, and Monday nights remain the same. Super Bowl coverage will rotate between ABC, CBS, FOX, and NBC, while NFL Network retains rights to some exclusive games. Both Thursday Night Football and Monday Night Football games are subject to flex schedules with this new contract; in other words, the NFL can change which games air during these prime-time slots based on what will make for more entertaining matchups.
However, the agreement also signals a dramatic shift in the NFL’s support for streaming services. One major change is that Prime Video will become the exclusive broadcaster of Thursday Night Football starting in 2022. Some changes take effect this year. For example, NBC will begin streaming Sunday Night Football games this season on Peacock, much like CBS does for Sunday afternoon games on Paramount+. We hope ESPN+ starts to carry NFL games that air on ABC or ESPN.
DirecTV’s rights to the NFL Sunday Ticket package are set to expire at the end of the 2022 season. Amazon, Apple, and Disney are all reportedly interested in securing these rights going forward, so NFL Sunday Ticket could very well shift ownership to one of these streaming giants.
Which NFL games you can watch on Sunday afternoons depends on where you live. These games are carried on local CBS and FOX affiliate channels and are subject to the same blackout rules as cable broadcasts. You will get other games on Sunday afternoons in addition to those involving your local team, but how many and which ones is not always easy to determine. Check out 506Sports’ regional NFL coverage maps each week for all the details.
The NFL matchups on Sunday nights and every other day of the week are national broadcasts, so everyone will see the same game regardless of where they live. Playoff games and the Super Bowl are also televised to national audiences. NFL fans don’t have to navigate the mess that is regional sports network (RSN) broadcast rights; all these channels are available in the vast majority of broadcast markets and on most live TV streaming services.
Even with the upcoming changes, the NFL’s current streaming strategy still isn’t ideal. It puts the burden on fans to pay for and manage multiple streaming services at a time. The NFL also doesn’t seem to recognize the reality that a location-based strategy is ineffectual at reaching modern audiences, especially those who don’t live in their favorite team’s home market.
Can You Stream NFL Commentary Shows?
Many of the major NFL commentary shows air on channels we already mentioned, but some do not. For example, Nickelodeon now offers a weekly, family-friendly NFL highlights show, called NFL Slimetime,NFL Slimetime, that’s hosted by Nate Burleson and Young Dylan, alongside correspondent Dylan Schefter. DirecTV Stream, fuboTV, Hulu, Philo, and YouTube TV all offer Nickelodeon. Eli and Peyton Manning will also call some Monday Night Football games on ESPN2 this season; this broadcast is simulcast on ESPN+. DirecTV Stream, fuboTV, Hulu, Sling TV’s Orange Plan, and YouTube TV all have ESPN2 in their lineups.
The NFL RedZone channel is another option for people who want to watch scoring highlights on Sunday afternoons or keep up with fantasy football stats in real time. FuboTV, Hulu, Sling TV, and YouTube TV offer add-ons with this channel.
How to Watch Week 5 NFL Games
The 2021 NFL regular season starts is now fully underway. This season, each team will play 17 regular-season games (up from 16 games last season). Below is the schedule for Week 5 of the regular season per the NFL’s official site. We will update the schedule every week throughout the NFL season. All times listed are Eastern Standard Time (EST).
Thursday (10/7)
- Los Angeles Rams vs. Seattle Seahawks at 8:20 p.m. (FOX, NFL Network, and Prime Video)
Sunday (10/10)
- New York Jets vs. Atlanta Falcons at 9:30 a.m. (NFL Network)
- Detroit Lions vs. Minnesota Vikings at 1 p.m. (FOX)
- New Orleans Saints vs. Washington Football Team at 1 p.m. (CBS)
- New England Patriots vs. Houston Texans at 1 p.m. (CBS)
- Miami Dolphins vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers at 1 p.m. (CBS)
- Green Bay Packers vs. Cincinnati Bengals at 1 p.m. (FOX)
- Denver Broncos vs. Pittsburgh Steelers at 1 p.m. (FOX)
- Philadelphia Eagles vs. Carolina Panthers at 1 p.m. (FOX)
- Tennessee Titans vs. Jacksonville Jaguars at 1 p.m. (CBS)
- Cleveland Browns vs. Los Angeles Chargers at 4:05 p.m. (CBS)
- Chicago Bears vs. Las Vegas Raiders at 4:05 p.m. (CBS)
- San Francisco 49ers vs. Arizona Cardinals at 4:25 p.m. (FOX)
- New York Giants vs. Dallas Cowboys at 4:25 p.m. (FOX)
- Buffalo Bills vs. Kansas City Chiefs at 8:20 p.m. (NBC)
Monday (10/11)
- Indianapolis Colts vs. Baltimore Ravens at 8:15 p.m. (ESPN)
Cable and Over-the-Air Options
One of the easiest ways to ensure complete coverage of national and in-market games is to sign up for a cable plan. Note that if you go this route, you will likely pay more than any video streaming service and will lose out on other conveniences, such as better-designed interfaces and support for more platforms. NFL Sunday Ticket is one of the few legitimate options for watching out-of-market regular-season games live. This service is available as a cable add-on or online for people who are unable to get DirecTV cable.
Streaming cable over the air via an antenna is another option for watching broadcast channels (such as CBS, FOX, and NBC), though your success may vary depending on your location and the strength of the signal in your home. You also need to buy and set up an antenna for this method. Sling TV is the only video streaming service on this list that integrates with over-the-air channels.
Other Ways to Stream NFL Games
Paid services are not your only option to stream NFL games. For instance, you can watch in-market NFL games on Sunday afternoon as well as prime-time Sunday Night Football, Monday Night Football, and Thursday Night Football broadcasts via the free Yahoo Sports app or NFL app for iOS and Android. Note that neither app supports casting of any kind and that some games require you to stream them over a cellular connection. The streaming quality of both apps was excellent in testing over Wi-Fi. The Yahoo Sports App even includes a co-watching feature that allows you to watch the game with up to three friends.
Consider setting up a digital antenna to watch games on the major broadcast channels. These devices are relatively cheap and don’t require a monthly subscription. Locast used to be a cheap way to get local channels over an internet connection, but that the service has since shut down.
The Best Sports Streaming Services
If you are looking to watch sports other than the NFL, check out our roundup of the best sports streaming services. We also have roundups of the best MLB streaming services, best NBA streaming services, and best NHL streaming services. We cover everything you need to know about RSNs in these roundups, since many MLB, NBA, and NHL games don’t air as national broadcasts.