The majority of marquee matchups on the 2021 NFL schedule will air on primetime television spots. Thursday, Sunday, and Monday night games are televised nationally, so by putting together the schedule annually, they usually get their pick from the crop of NFL games.
That is not to say that all games will be among the best matchups of the week. No one can predict the parity-driven NFL year-over-year that well. But at the very least, prime time is packed with mouthwatering games, as long as each team lives up to its potential and can avoid injury.
As usual, Fox and NFL Network will broadcast “Thursday Night Football,” NBC will continue to broadcast “Sunday Night Football,” and ESPN continues its second decade of broadcasting “Monday Night Football.”
This year, the Packers, Bears, Saints, Buccaneers, Seahawks, Cowboys other Colts they all have the most primetime games. They will appear in five each. The Cowboys also earn the rare distinction of playing in three different games on Thursday (counting Thanksgiving), two of which will be broadcast on Fox and one on NBC.
Below is the full primetime television schedule for the 2021 NFL season, with start times and channels for all Thursday, Sunday and Monday night games.
PLUS: Watch NFL primetime games live on fuboTV (7-day free trial)
Schedule ‘Thursday Night Football’ 2021
- Start time: 8:20 pm ET
- television channel: Fox, NFL Network
- Live broadcast: Amazon Prime, fuboTV
Fox will air the “Thursday Night Football” games for the 2021 NFL season. It will mark its final year as the Thursday night broadcast, as Amazon will retain exclusive rights to the show beginning in 2022.
Joe Buck and Troy Aikman will once again be the best tandem for Fox streaming, while Amazon Prime will offer a live stream online with an alternate streaming team of Andrea Kramer and Hannah Storm on call. TNF games can also be streamed through fuboTV, offering a free seven-day trial.
| Week | Date | Match | television channel |
| 2 | 16 of September | Washington Soccer Team vs. New York Giants | NFL Network |
| 3 | September 23 | Houston Texans vs. Carolina Panthers | NFL Network |
| Room | September 30th | Cincinnati Bengals vs. Jacksonville Jaguars | NFL Network |
| 5 | Oct. Seventh | Seattle Seahawks vs. Los Angeles Rams | Fox, NFLN, Amazon |
| Sixth | Oct. 14 | Philadelphia Eagles vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers | NFL Network |
| Seventh | Oct. 21 | Cleveland Browns vs. Denver Broncos | Fox, NFLN, Amazon |
| Eighth | Oct. 28 | Arizona Cardinals vs. Green Bay Packers | Fox, NFLN, Amazon |
| 9 | November 4th | Indianapolis Colts vs. New York Jets | Fox, NFLN, Amazon |
| 10 | November 11th | Miami Dolphins vs. Baltimore Ravens | Fox, NFLN, Amazon |
| eleven | November 18th | Atlanta Falcons vs. New England Patriots | Fox, NFLN, Amazon |
| 12 | November 25 | New Orleans Saints vs. Buffalo Bills | Fox, NFLN, Amazon |
| 13 | Dec 2 | New Orleans Saints vs. Dallas Cowboys | Fox, NFLN, Amazon |
| 14 | Dec 9 | Minnesota Vikings vs. Pittsburgh Steelers | Fox, NFLN, Amazon |
| fifteen | Dec sixteen | Los Angeles Chargers vs. Kansas City Chiefs | Fox, NFLN, Amazon |
| sixteen | Dec 23 | Tennessee Titans vs. San Francisco 49ers | NFL Network |
| sixteen | Dec 25 (Saturday) | Green Bay Packers vs. Cleveland Browns | Fox, NFLN, Amazon |
| sixteen | Dec 25 (Saturday) | Arizona Cardinals vs. Indianapolis Colts | NFL Network |
Schedule ‘Sunday Night Football’ 2021
- Start time: 8:20 pm ET
- television channel: NBC
- Live broadcast: NBC Sports, fuboTV
For the fifteenth year in a row, NBC will show “Sunday Night Football.” Al Michael and Cris Collinsworth will be on the call and will have the opportunity to broadcast some of the best weekly matchups in the NFL. SNF games can be streamed on NBCSports.com or via fuboTV, offering a free seven-day trial.
| Week | Date | Match |
| 1 | September 9 (Thursday) | Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Dallas Cowboys |
| September 12 | Los Angeles Rams vs. Chicago Bears | |
| 2 | September 19th | Baltimore Ravens vs. Kansas City Chiefs |
| 3 | September 26 | San Francisco 49ers vs. Green Bay Packers |
| Room | Oct. 3 | New England Patriots vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers |
| 5 | Oct. 10 | Kansas City Chiefs vs. Buffalo Bills |
| Sixth | Oct. 17 | Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Seattle Seahawks |
| Seventh | Oct. 24 | San Francisco 49ers vs. Indianapolis Colts |
| Eighth | Oct. 31 | Minnesota Vikings vs. Dallas Cowboys |
| 9 | November 7 | Los Angeles Rams vs. Tennessee Titans |
| 10 | November 14th | Las Vegas Raiders vs. Kansas City Chiefs |
| eleven | November 21 | Los Angeles Chargers vs. Pittsburgh Steelers |
| 12 | November 28 | Baltimore Ravens vs. Cleveland Browns |
| 13 | Dec 5 | Seattle Seahawks vs. San Francisco 49ers |
| 14 | Dec 12 | Green Bay Packers vs. Chicago Bears |
| fifteen | Dec 19 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. New Orleans Saints |
| sixteen | Dec 26 | Washington Soccer Team vs. Dallas Cowboys |
| 17 | January 2 | Green Bay Packers vs. Minnesota Vikings |
| 18 | January 9th | TBD |
Schedule ‘Monday Night Football’ 2021
- Start time: 8:15 pm ET
- television channel: ESPN
- Live broadcast: ESPN app, fuboTV
ESPN has been the home of “Monday Night Football” since 2006 and, for the first time in a long time, the network will keep its broadcast team together. Steve Levy, Louis Riddick and Brian Griese will enter their second year as MNF announcers as part of a three-person booth. The “Monday Night Football” games can be streamed through the ESPN or fuboTV app, offering a free seven-day trial.
| Week | Date | Match |
| Week 1 | September 13th | Las Vegas Raiders vs. Baltimore Ravens |
| Week 2 | September 20 | Green Bay Packers vs. Detroit Lions |
| Week 3 | September 27th | Dallas Cowboys vs. Philadelphia Eagles |
| Week 4 | Oct. Fourth | Los Angeles Chargers vs. Las Vegas Raiders |
| Week 5 | Oct. 11 | Baltimore Ravens vs. Indianapolis Colts |
| Week 6 | Oct. 18 | Tennessee Titans vs. Buffalo Bills |
| Week 7 | Oct. 25 | Seattle Seahawks vs. New Orleans Saints |
| Week 8 | November 1st | Kansas City Chiefs vs. New York Giants |
| Week 9 | November 8th | Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Chicago Bears |
| Week 10 | November 15 | San Francisco 49ers vs. Los Angeles Rams |
| Week 11 | November 22th | Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. New York Giants |
| Week 12 | November 29th | Washington soccer team vs. Seattle Seahawks |
| Week 13 | Dec. Six | Buffalo Bills vs. New England Patriots |
| Week 14 | Dec 13 | Arizona Cardinals vs. Los Angeles Rams |
| Week 15 | Dec 20th | Chicago Bears vs. Minnesota Vikings |
| Week 16 | Dec 27 | New Orleans Saints vs. Miami Dolphins |
| Week 17 | January 3 | Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Cleveland Browns |
