You can watch NFL games through a mix of traditional TV, official league apps, and streaming services, depending on how many games you want and which teams you care about.

Main ways to watch NFL games

1. Free over-the-air TV (local games)

If you live in the U.S., many Sunday afternoon games air on local broadcast channels like CBS and Fox, and big events like the Super Bowl are on major networks such as NBC, CBS, Fox, or ABC.

With a simple digital antenna, you can often get these channels for free if you’re within range of local transmitters.

This is usually enough if:

  • You mostly care about your local team.
  • You want the Super Bowl and some national games without paying for cable.

2. Live TV streaming services (cable replacement)

If you’ve cut the cord but still want all or most nationally televised games, look at live TV streaming bundles that include the big NFL channels.

Most or all of these services can include:

  • CBS and Fox for Sunday afternoon games.
  • NBC for Sunday Night Football and the Super Bowl in some years.
  • ESPN/ABC for Monday Night Football and special games.
  • NFL Network on some plans for additional Thursday or special games.

Examples (exact availability varies by market and plan) include YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, Fubo, DirecTV Stream, Sling, and others, which are recognized as providers on the NFL “Ways to Watch” page.

This route is best if:

  • You want a “cable-like” experience.
  • You want one app that covers most regular-season and playoff action, plus other channels.

3. NFL+ (official league streaming)

NFL+ is the league’s own subscription service and is focused heavily on mobile and tablet viewing.

Key points:

  • Lets you watch every playoff game and the Super Bowl live on mobile during the current promo period.
  • With NFL+ Premium, you can also get NFL RedZone for every Sunday afternoon touchdown and more on-demand league content.

Limitations:

  • Full live games are primarily for phones and tablets; TV viewing is more restricted compared with full cable-style services.

This works well if:

  • You mostly watch on your phone/tablet.
  • You want official, legal access direct from the NFL at a lower price than full live TV bundles.

4. NFL Sunday Ticket and out-of-market games

If you want to watch every out-of-market Sunday afternoon game , you’re looking at a package like NFL Sunday Ticket.

  • This type of package gives you every Sunday game that’s not your local broadcast.
  • It’s aimed at fans who follow multiple teams or who have moved away from their “home” team’s city.

This is ideal if:

  • You want nearly all Sunday games, not just the ones in your area.
  • You’re okay paying a premium for that coverage.

5. Standalone streaming apps for specific games

More games are now locked to specific streaming platforms, so you sometimes need just one extra app to catch a particular matchup.

Common setups include:

  • Peacock – Streams Sunday Night Football if you don’t have NBC and has carried special games like playoff or Super Bowl coverage (for example, Super Bowl LX on NBC and Peacock).
  • Amazon Prime Video – Exclusive home of Thursday Night Football in recent seasons.
  • Paramount+ – Streams CBS NFL games in many markets.
  • ESPN app / ESPN+ / ABC – For Monday Night Football and some additional events like the Pro Bowl coverage on ESPN platforms.
  • Netflix and others – At least a couple of special holiday games (such as Christmas Day) are now being placed on Netflix.

Choose this route if:

  • You mainly care about a handful of prime-time or special games.
  • You already pay for one or more of these services for other content.

6. Super Bowl and big events

For the 2026 season, as an example, Super Bowl LX (Patriots vs. Seahawks at Levi’s Stadium) is on NBC and streaming on Peacock , with game-day coverage starting hours before kickoff.

ESPN platforms (ESPN, ESPN App, ESPN Deportes, etc.) host the Pro Bowl Games and related coverage through shows like “Postseason NFL Countdown.”

Even if you don’t follow the entire regular season, you can:

  • Use a free trial of a live TV streaming service around Super Bowl week.
  • Use a single app like Peacock when it has national rights.

7. Quick path based on what you want

If you just want casual access (local team + Super Bowl):

  • Get a cheap digital antenna for CBS/Fox/NBC/ABC.
  • Complement with a basic streaming app (Peacock, Paramount+, or ESPN app) only if there’s a specific game you’re missing.

If you want “most games” without cable:

  • Pick one full live TV streaming service that carries CBS, Fox, NBC, ESPN/ABC, and ideally NFL Network.
  • Optionally add NFL+ Premium for RedZone and extra flexibility on mobile.

If you want to watch almost every game every week:

  • Combine a live TV streaming bundle (for local/national games) with an out-of-market package like NFL Sunday Ticket.
  • Add NFL+ Premium if you like watching RedZone and streaming on mobile.

Mini “forum-style” viewpoint snapshot

Some fans swear by a single live TV streaming service plus NFL RedZone, saying it’s the best balance of cost and coverage.

Others prefer official league options like NFL+ and Sunday Ticket, paying more for every game in one place.

Budget-conscious viewers often stick with antennas and a couple of targeted apps like Peacock or Paramount+ to keep costs low while still catching big matchups.

TL;DR:
To watch NFL games, mix free local channels (antenna) , a live TV streaming bundle for national games, and league/partner apps like NFL+ , Peacock , Prime Video , and Paramount+ , depending on how many games you need and where you like to watch.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.