With summer approaching and NFL teams’ OTAs beginning, the 2023 regular season is just around the corner. This year’s schedule includes games in London and Germany, special holiday broadcasts and playoff games spread across four networks.
If you’re wondering how to watch all the action from Week 1 to the Super Bowl on TV or streamed online, we’ve got you covered:
Sunday afternoon
Weeks: 1-18
Where to watch: CBS, Fox, YouTube TV, ESPN+ and NFL Network
Among the major changes to the broadcast schedule this year: The traditional AFC/NFC split between CBS and Fox has been disrupted. Reports that the teams no longer “belonged” to the respective networks created some confusion as to which broadcaster held the rights to the games. But you can still expect to see a heavy dose of AFC teams on CBS and NFC teams on Fox.
“While any given game is now eligible to appear on any network, Fox/NFC and CBS/AFC still have a minimum appearance for each team that maintains relevant traditional conference tie-ins,” Mike Mulvihill, Fox Sports’ chief strategy and analytics officer, said. he said on Twitter.
This means that you will still see, for example, more Cowboys games on Fox and more Chiefs games on CBS as those networks will want to protect as many of those games as possible. But there will likely be more crossover than what we’ve seen in the past.
After nearly 30 years on DirecTV, the NFL Sunday Ticket package — which gives fans access to out-of-market Fox and CBS regional games — is moving to YouTube TV. Cost: $349 per year for a Sunday Ticket on its own, or $249 if you also subscribe to YouTube TV. Add an additional $40 to either package to throw it at NFL RedZone.
ESPN+ will also exclusively broadcast one national game. Last year, it was a Week 8 international between the Broncos and Jaguars in London. Five international games have been announced for the year, and four of them will be on NFL Network.
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Sunday nights
Weeks: 1-18
Where to watch: NBC
No changes here, as NBC will continue to air “Sunday Night Football,” as well as the season-opener the Thursday night before Week 1 and the Thanksgiving evening game in prime time, under its 11-year extension and location in 2021. The traditional flexible scheduling system continues: May be used twice between Weeks 5 and 10 and at the NFL’s discretion thereafter.
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Monday
Weeks: 1-17
Where to watch: ESPN/ABC, Fox
ESPN/ABC continues as anchor of “Monday Night Football,” but is slated to have an additional doubleheader this year, on the NFL’s website. Last year, ESPN/ABC had a Monday doubleheader in Week 2 and ironically named “Monday Night Football Doubleheader Saturday” in the final week of the regular season. Another big change: Starting this year, Sunday games can now be shown on Monday nights in Weeks 13-17 at the league’s discretion.
Christmas falls on Monday of the 16th week this year, and the NFL does not take this day off. The league has already announced two games for that day: Las Vegas Raiders at Kansas City Chiefs at 1 p.m. ET on CBS and New York Giants vs. Philadelphia Eagles at 4:30 p.m. ET on Fox. This still left ESPN’s regular Monday night slot open.
The College Football Playoff Semifinals are scheduled for Monday, January 1, which is Week 17 in the NFL and will be the last “Monday Night Football” broadcast of the year — and potentially a huge game thanks to flexible scheduling. In the nine years of the CFP’s existence, the NFL has not held any games on the same day as the semifinals or finals—which ESPN/ABC also televises.
Thursday
Weeks: 1-17
Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video, CBS, Fox, NBC
The main “Thursday Night Football” broadcast begins week two and, like last year, will require an Amazon Prime or Prime Video subscription to watch. You might see your team play here more than once in 2023: After previously allowing teams to play only one game on a Thursday in the weeks they played the previous Sunday, the NFL is now expanding that limit to twice a year.
On Thanksgiving Day, CBS and Fox will split the afternoon games — it’s CBS’s turn for the Cowboys game, if the scheduling pattern continues — and NBC will take the prime time game. The season opener on Thursday is also on NBC.
Black Friday
Weeks: 12
Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video
For the first time ever, the NFL will play a game the day after Thanksgiving. The league announced Wednesday that the Dolphins will take on the Jets, led by Aaron Rodgers, at 3 p.m. ET on Amazon Prime Video. This game will be free, regardless of whether you have an Amazon Prime subscription.
Saturdays
Weeks: 15-18
Where to watch: NFL Network, ESPN/ABC
As usual, NFL Network will show select games on some Saturdays starting in mid-December after the conclusion of the college football regular season, though the exact amount and schedule for this year are not yet known. ESPN/ABC retains its Saturday weekend weekend doubleheader under the “Monday Night Football” branding—both games moved to this slot are intended to have playoff effects.
qualifiers
Where to watch: CBS, FOX, ESPN/ABC, NBC
The six wild card games and four divisional games will be shared between the four networks, with ESPN/ABC picking up a divisional game for the first time this year. Fox and CBS, respectively, will continue as broadcasters for the NFC and AFC Championship Games on January 28, 2024.
Super Bowl LVIII from Allegiant Stadium in Paradise, Nev. , on February 11, 2024, on CBS.
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(Photo: Ben Liebenberg/AP)