NFL fans are getting a double dose of action on Monday night as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers visit the Houston Texans, followed by the Las Vegas Raiders taking on the Los Angeles Chargers. It’s a great deal for those who follow these teams, as all four get put in the national television spotlight.
What’s interesting, though, is that “Monday Night Football” has simply been focused on one single game for decades. Yet this season, there will be four “Monday Night Football” doubleheaders. Why is the NFL doing this?
Why Is There An NFL Doubleheader on ‘Monday Night Football’?
For starters, the NFL’s deal with ESPN/Disney allowed for more games to be shown on Monday nights. In addition, on two occasions, the four teams in the doubleheader receive exclusive windows for their games. But the only other time “MNF” teams get an exclusive window will be in Week 7. During that week the Buccaneers will face the Detroit Lions, while the Texans will be up against the Seattle Seahawks.
Instead of just 17 games being available for broadcast on Monday nights, ABC and ESPN now get 23 games. This means more games are popping up for nationwide viewers to enjoy on Monday nights.
So, it’s all about TV viewership and having a chance to enjoy more NFL action. The Buccaneers-Texans game, which will air on both ABC and ESPN, kicks off at 7 p.m. Eastern, followed by the Raiders-Chargers game at 10 p.m. Eastern. The second game will only be available on ESPN.
Some NFL fans have been online complaining about the late Eastern start time for the Raiders-Chargers matchup. For fans of those teams who live along the Eastern seaboard, staying up that late might cause them to have a sleepless night.
Double the football on Monday night ‼️ pic.twitter.com/znsaU45t5C
— NFL (@NFL) September 15, 2025
NFL fans will get to see Baker Mayfield and C.J. Stroud lead their respective offenses in the first game, while Justin Herbert takes the Chargers onto the SoFi Stadium field against tight end Brock Bowers, first-year head coach Pete Carroll and the Raiders.
With the millions of dollars poured into TV deals, the hope is that the expanded “MNF” doubleheader broadcasts will have exciting games on the air and big ratings.
Joe Buck and Troy Aikman will be in Houston at NRG Stadium for the Buccaneers-Texans call, while longtime ESPN college football announcer Chris Fowler, Louis Riddick, and Dan Orlovsky will be in Las Vegas at Allegiant Stadium for the Raiders-Chargers matchup.
