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The 2024 NFL preseason comes to a close this weekend, and you know what that means: NFL kickoff is right around the corner. The full 18-week 2024 NFL regular season schedule is now available, so you can start planning the best ways to watch the 2024-25 NFL season. This year, NFL games will air on more than 10 channels and streaming platforms. If you’re worried about the challenge of following your favorite team throughout the upcoming season (or intimidated by the price associated with NFL Sunday Ticket this year), Yahoo Sports has you covered. Here’s your primer on how to watch NFL games this year.
How to watch the 2024 NFL season:
Dates: September 4, 2024 – February 9, 2025
TV Channels: ESPN, NBC, CBS, Fox, ABC and NFL Network
Transmission: Prime Video, Peacock, ESPN+, Paramount+, NFL+
2024 NFL season opening week schedule:
Week 1 of the NFL season will kick off with the Baltimore Ravens vs. Kansas City Chiefs on Thursday, September 5 at 8:20 p.m. ET, which will air nationally on NBC and stream live on Peacock. The following day, the Eagles and Packers will play in Sao Paulo, Brazil, in a Peacock-exclusive game. Here is the full schedule for Week 1 of the 2024 NFL season:
Thursday, September 5, 2024
Friday, September 6, 2024
Sunday, September 8, 2024
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Steelers vs. Falcons: 1:00 p.m. (Fox)
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Cardinals vs. Bills: 1:00 p.m. (CBS)
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Titans vs. Bears: 1:00 p.m. (Fox)
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Patriots vs. Bengals: 1:00 p.m. (CBS)
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Texans vs. Colts: 1:00 p.m. (CBS)
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Jaguars vs. Dolphins: 1:00 p.m. (CBS)
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Panthers vs. Saints: 1:00 p.m. (Fox)
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Vikings vs. Giants: 1:00 p.m. (Fox)
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Raiders vs. Chargers: 4:05 p.m. (CBS)
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Broncos vs. Seahawks: 16:05 (CBS)
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Cowboys vs. Browns: 16:25 (Fox)
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Commanders vs. Buccaneers: 16:25 (Fox)
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Rams vs. Lions: 8:20 p.m. (NBC)
Monday, September 9, 2024
How to watch NFL games in 2024:
Many NFL preseason games are broadcast on local channels, so if you’re looking to watch a game in the market, it can be as simple as Turning on your TV (either Setting up a digital TV antenna) or find a live TV streaming service that carries the correct RSN (Regional Sports Network). If you want to watch games out of market, a $5 monthly fee NFL+ subscription will allow you to watch all of the out-of-market local and primetime games of the season (and preseason) on your phone, but only a select few games on your TV. You can also opt for the pricey NFL Sunday Ticket package to watch all of the out-of-market Sunday games of the season.
When it comes to nationally broadcast games, NFL games are typically streamed on ESPN, NBC, CBS, Fox, ABC, and NFL Network. Thursday Night Football games are streamed exclusively on Amazon Prime Video, some football games will be streamed on ESPN+. exclusively On Peacock, CBS games will stream live on Paramount+ with SHOWTIME and select games will stream on ESPN+ this season. That’s six channels and four streaming platforms to keep up with this season, and that’s not counting local RSNs for in-market games and a subscription to NFL+ or NFL Sunday Ticket for out-of-market games. Plus, Netflix is currently in talks to become the exclusive place to watch NFL Christmas Day games this year.
Overwhelmed? You’re not alone. Here’s a breakdown of the platforms we recommend checking out ahead of the 2024 NFL season, so when it’s time to play, tuning into your favorite team’s games is as easy as turning on the TV…
Fubo TV gives you access to ESPN, NFL Network, Fox, ABC, CBS, NBC, and over 100 other live channels. Starting at $80 a month, the live TV streaming service is definitely pricey (but certainly not the most expensive option on this list), but it offers nearly all of the channels you’ll need to watch both the NFL preseason and regular season, and still saves you a ton compared to a traditional cable package. Fubo subscribers also get 1,000 hours of cloud DVR storage. The platform also offers a free trial period.
- Free trial of the full package available
- 1000 hours of cloud DVR storage
YouTube TV gives you nearly every channel you need for the 2024 NFL season, including Fox, NBC, ABC, CBS, ESPN, and NFL Network. Plus, YouTube TV is the home of NFL Sunday Ticket this season! The Sunday Ticket package, while pricey on its own ($479.99/season), gives you ALL out-of-market Sunday games (160+ games per season).
If you purchase the Sunday Ticket bundle with YouTube TV, you can get both for $146.49 per month for four months (that’s $586 for the season). Now, you’ll need to keep paying for YouTube TV to keep your access to the NFL Sunday Ticket bundle. Right now, you can get your first three months of YouTube TV for $52.99 per month for the first four months. After that, the cost increases to $72.99 per month.
Another advantage of this option is that YouTube includes four months of Max with the YouTube TV + NFL Sunday Ticket package.
One thing to note: YouTube TV live streams tend to have a slight delay, which isn’t great if you’re trying to follow the game live down to the exact second.
- NFL Sunday Ticket Package Deals
- It offers almost all the channels you need for NFL games.
- Cost
- Guaranteed for the whole year if you buy the Sunday ticket
Currently, DirecTV Stream is offering its Choice tier (normally $109/month) plus a free month of DirecTV Sports Pack ($14.99/month) in a bundle for $98.99/month (plus tax) for the first month. DirecTV Stream’s Choice tier gives you access to all the usual football suspects: NFL Network, ESPN, ABC, NBC, CBS, and Fox. The Sports Pack add-on will give you access to the ACC Network, Big Ten Network, SEC Network, and plenty of local RSNs. The best part is, you can currently try all of this out for free for 5 days. So if you’re interested in trying out a live TV streaming service for football season but aren’t ready to commit, we recommend starting with DirecTV Stream.
You’ll also get unlimited cloud DVR storage included with any DirecTV package you choose.
- Free trial of the full package available
- Many local RSNs were included
- Unlimited Cloud DVR
Starting at $8 a month, a Peacock subscription will give you access to stream the Green Bay Packers vs. Philadelphia Eagles Sao Paulo, Brazil game exclusively on the platform during kickoff week. Plus, get NFL games on NBC, select college football games, Premier League matches, and access to thousands of hours of shows and movies, including beloved sitcoms like Parks and Recreation and The officeFor $14 per month, you can upgrade to an ad-free subscription that includes live access to your local NBC affiliate (not just during designated sports and events) and the ability to download select titles to watch offline.
Amazon Prime Video is the exclusive home of the NFL Thursday Night Football In addition to Amazon Prime Video, an Amazon Prime membership includes free shipping, exclusive deals, access to the Prime Day 2024 deals event, Amazon Music, one year of GrubHub+ for free, and more. A standard Amazon Prime membership costs $15 monthly or $139 annually, but discounts are available for students and people receiving qualifying government assistance. You can try Amazon Prime free for 30 days.
- You probably already have access to Prime Video
- Only football games on Thursday nights
A basic NFL+ subscription for $6.99 per month (or $40 per year) will let you watch primetime NFL games, both local and preseason, exclusively on your phone or tablet, plus live audio for every game of the season on all supported devices and access to NFL Network. NFL+ Premium, while a bit more expensive ($14.99 per month or $80 per year), also includes access to NFL RedZone, plus full and condensed replays of every game on all supported devices. NFL+ also offers a 7-day free trial.
- You can only watch MOST live games on your phone
Wait, a flat TV antenna? Aren’t these things supposed to have long, telescoping metal rods (aka bunny ears)? Nope, this new design (which you’ll see from countless other brands) works just as well, and it’s not meant to sit on top of your TV. Instead, you mount it to a wall or window using the included adhesive pads, with the black or white side facing inward to best match your decor.
The aptly named Flatenna is actually flat as a sheet of paper. You just screw one end of the 12-foot cable into the bottom and the other end into the coaxial input on your TV. (Yes, that means there’s an ugly cable running along the wall; consider a Race track kit like this one to help hide it.)
Channel Master promises a range of up to 35 miles, but of course that depends on a number of factors. As mentioned above, optimal placement (as high and unobstructed as possible) makes all the difference.
The big news here is the price: At just $29, the Flatenna is pretty affordable and a good place to start your antenna journey, assuming you don’t mind having a black or white rectangle taped to your wall or window.
This year’s NFL season kicks off on Thursday, September 4, 2024, with a game hosted by the 2024 Super Bowl winners, the Kansas City Chiefs. Immediately following the 2024 NFL opener on Friday, September 5, the Green Bay Packers will play the Philadelphia Eagles in São Paulo. Peacock will be the exclusive streaming home for the first-ever NFL regular-season game in Brazil. The 2024-25 NFL season will also feature international games in London and Munich.
All the ways to watch NFL games this season:
To recap, here are all the ways you can watch NFL games in 2024.
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Channel Master Flatenna Ultra-Thin Indoor TV Antenna
Watch NFL games on local channels like Fox, CBS and NBC
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Hulu + Live TV
Watch ESPN, ESPN+, Fox, ABC, NBC, CBS, NFL Network