After a seven-month hiatus and an offseason full of big moves, shocking trades, and a multitude of other story-lines that fans can’t wait to see play out on the field, NFL football is finally back!
Having steadily grown to become the most popular sport in America, millions tune in to games every Sunday, Monday, and Thursday, and the Super Bowl has consistently been the most watched broadcast every year in America since the early 2000’s. But we know you’re not just interested in the big game – you’re here for every score, every game-changing turnover, every circus catch, and every game-winning drive. The massive popularity of the NFL means there are a lot of ways to watch the action unfold throughout the season, and we wanted to give you a brief overview of all the best cable and satellite TV options, so you know what’s best for your football-watching habits.
Whether you’re looking for a better way to watch your favorite team or a way to watch as many games as you can in one weekend, there are a variety of sports packages that can be added to your existing TV package to choose from. You can even create your own package that includes NFL streaming so you can take the action with you wherever you go. Read on to find the options that are best for you.
All channels that broadcast NFL games
- NFL Sunday Ticket
- NFL RedZone from NFL Network
- NFL Network
- CBS
- NBC
- ESPN
- ESPN+
- FOX
- Amazon Prime
The 272 games that make up the NFL regular season take place over 18 weeks, so even with these nine channels that broadcast live games, you’ll likely need access to both in-market and out-of-market viewing options if you want the most game coverage. If you live far away from where your favorite franchise plays, you’ll also need to consider out-of-market options to watch your team every week.
In-market vs out-of-market
The term “in-market” is used to describe game coverage that is related to your physical location when tuning into a game. “Out-of-market” refers to games that are available outside of the specific broadcast region you reside in. For example, if you live in Colorado, the in-market game coverage will almost always be a Denver Broncos game, regardless of if they are playing at home or on the road. A Denver Broncos fan that lives in Florida would be considered out-of-market, as the Dolphins, Buccaneers, and Jaguars are the local in-market teams. They likely wouldn’t be able to watch the Broncos unless they were playing one of these local teams.
As you can see, finding a sports package with out-of-market coverage options is necessary not only for those who don’t live close to where their favorite team plays but for those who want the most game coverage possible.
In-market game coverage: CBS and FOX
CBS and FOX both air two games every week in the regular season, one in the early window and one in the late window. CBS typically has AFC road teams, while FOX has NFC road teams. Both will also air a game on Thanksgiving, which is in week 12 of the NFL regular season. CBS will broadcast a matchup between the Buffalo Bills and Detroit Lions, and FOX will have the New York Giants vs. the Dallas Cowboys. These two channels are easily accessible through most TV providers.
Out-of-market game coverage: NFL Sunday Ticket, Sunday Night Football, Monday Night Football, and NFL RedZone from NFL Network
NFL Sunday Ticket is the only way to watch (almost) every single game televised live on Sundays. We say almost because, due to time differences, some games played internationally will not be available. Regardless, it’s still the ideal choice for the NFL superfan, but is only available to DIRECTV subscribers.
Sunday Night Football airs a game on NBC every Sunday night during the regular season in addition to a Thanksgiving game on Thursday, November 24th that sees the New England Patriots take on the Minnesota Vikings. The commentary from Mike Tirico and Cris Collinsworth always makes the games entertaining, even in a blowout, and the iconic intro song never gets old.
Monday Night Football on ESPN has undergone a few changes as of late, but it’s still a classic, and the intro theme will always get you excited. This season, Joe Buck and Troy Aikman will be in the broadcast booth, and you’ll again have the option to watch an alternate broadcast of the game with Peyton and Eli Manning over on ESPN2. The “Manningcast” features plenty of fun commentary and jokes, and a few special guests stop by for every game.
NFL RedZone from NFL Network is similar to NFL Sunday Ticket in that it allows you to watch almost every game televised on a single Sunday. NFL RedZone differs by providing whip-around coverage, jumping from one game to the next depending on what teams are inside their opponent’s 20-yard line, so there’s never a dull moment, and you can catch every touchdown from every game.
Amazon Prime allows you to watch Thursday Night Football. All games will be exclusive to Prime Video for this year’s NFL season. The NFL’s expectation was to reach a younger crowd, and the early returns are positive. All you need is an Amazon Prime membership and you’re all set.
Now that you know all your options, let’s find or build a cable or satellite TV package that’s tailored to your preferences. It’s as easy as one, two, three – first, compare your options here on our site with your preferences in mind, then contact us for more information or to schedule your installation with one of our live agents, and then enjoy!