The NFL schedules the bulk of its weekly games at 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. ET. But every week, fans are always interested in the usually three — but occasionally more — standalone games. With the schedule now officially released, here’s a full list of the 2023 NFL prime-time games.
NFL Prime-Time Games: Thursday Night Football Schedule 2023
- Start Time: 8:15 p.m. ET
- Live Stream: Amazon Prime
The NFL first introduced the modern Thursday Night Football on Nov. 23, 2006. Prior to then, the only Thursday games were the two games hosted by the Dallas Cowboys and Detroit Lions every Thanksgiving.
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That lasted for six years until the NFL decided to expand TNF to encompass the entire season. Since 2012, Thursday Night Football has technically run from Week 2 until the second-to-last week of the season. That was Week 16 until the league expanded to 17 games in 2021. In 2023, we have TNF games from Weeks 2 through 17.
The “technically” part of the explanation is because the first game of the season that typically sees the defending Super Bowl champion host is not considered an official Thursday Night Football game, despite taking place on Thursday night.
Here is the full list of 2023 Thursday Night Football regular-season games.
- Week 1: Detroit Lions vs. Kansas City Chiefs
Sept. 7 | NBC*
The Detroit Lions, seeking to “Restore the Roar” and make their first successful playoff run since 2016, travel to Kansas City to take on the defending Super Bowl champions. Despite the unknown status of TE Travis Kelce and DT Chris Jones, the Chiefs are still the favorites to win the game.
The two styles of offenses between the two teams, with Detroit being a smashmouth, under-center run game and Kansas City relying on the high-flying throwing of Patrick Mahomes, makes this a compelling game that should be an entertaining opener to the 2023 NFL season.
- Week 2: Minnesota Vikings vs. Philadelphia Eagles
Sept. 14 - Week 3: New York Giants vs. San Francisco 49ers
Sept. 21 - Week 4: Detroit Lions vs. Green Bay Packers
Sept. 28 - Week 5: Chicago Bears vs. Washington Commanders
Oct. 5 - Week 6: Denver Broncos vs. Kansas City Chiefs
Oct. 12 - Week 7: Jacksonville Jaguars vs. New Orleans Saints
Oct. 19 - Week 8: Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Buffalo Bills
Oct. 26 - Week 9: Tennessee Titans vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
Nov. 2 - Week 10: Carolina Panthers vs. Chicago Bears
Nov. 9 - Week 11: Cincinnati Bengals vs. Baltimore Ravens
Nov. 16 - Week 12: San Francisco 49ers vs. Seattle Seahawks
Nov. 23** - Week 13: Seattle Seahawks vs. Dallas Cowboys
Nov. 30 - Week 14: New England Patriots vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
Dec. 7 - Week 15: Los Angeles Chargers vs. Las Vegas Raiders
Dec. 14 - Week 16: New Orleans Saints vs. Los Angeles Rams
Dec. 21 - Week 17: New York Jets at Cleveland Browns
Dec. 28
*Broadcast on NBC as Sunday Night Football
**Thanksgiving Day game on NBC
Sunday Night Football Schedule 2023
- Start time: 8:20 p.m. ET
- TV channel: NBC
- Live stream: Peacock
Way back in 1990, the NFL used to broadcast Sunday Night Football on TNT. That lasted until 1997, when ESPN took over. They held the rights for eight years, but since 2006, NBC has hosted Sunday Night Football.
Interestingly (and perhaps confusingly), Sunday Night Football the program airs more than 18 games. While the NFL has done away with calling its non-Sunday games “Sunday Night Football,” technically, the TV show is Sunday Night Football, and the day on which the games air doesn’t actually matter.
Sunday Night Football will broadcast 18 Sunday night games this season. Falling under the umbrella of SNF is also the aforementioned season opener on Thursday night, as well as the Thanksgiving night game.
Here is the full list of 2023 Sunday Night Football regular-season games.
- Week 1: Dallas Cowboys vs. New York Giants
Sept. 10
The New York Giants surprised many last season with their playoff run and enter 2023 as one of the hottest teams in the league. However, the Cowboys have made a slew of moves in the offseason that have added plenty of talent to their own roster and Dak Prescott has not lost to the Giants since his rookie season in 2016.
This will be the team’s fifth time meeting on Sunday Night Football to open the season, with the Cowboys winning all four of the previous meetings.
- Week 2: Miami Dolphins vs. Philadelphia Eagles
Sept. 17 - Week 3: Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Las Vegas Raiders
Sept. 24 - Week 4: Kansas City Chiefs vs. New York Jets
Oct. 1 - Week 5: Dallas Cowboys vs. San Francisco 49ers
Oct. 8 - Week 6: New York Giants vs. Buffalo Bills
Oct. 15 - Week 7: Miami Dolphins vs. Philadelphia Eagles
Oct. 22 - Week 8: Chicago Bears vs. Los Angeles Chargers
Oct. 29 - Week 9: Buffalo Bills vs. Cincinnati Bengals
Nov. 5 - Week 10: New York Jets vs. Las Vegas Raiders
Nov. 12 - Week 11: Minnesota Vikings vs. Denver Broncos
Nov. 19 - Week 12: Baltimore Ravens vs. Los Angeles Chargers
Nov. 26 - Week 13: Kansas City Chiefs vs. Green Bay Packers
Dec. 3 - Week 14: Philadelphia Eagles vs. Dallas Cowboys
Dec. 10 - Week 15: Baltimore Ravens vs. Jacksonville Jaguars
Dec. 17 - Week 16: Cincinnati Bengals vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
Dec. 23* - Week 17: Green Bay Packers at Minnesota Vikings
Dec. 28
*NBC’s Sunday Night Football game is being broadcast on Saturday in Week 16
Monday Night Football Schedule 2023
- Start time: 8:15 p.m. ET
- TV channel: ESPN
- Live stream: ESPN+
Monday Night Football resided with ABC from 1970 all the way until 2005. Surprisingly, broadcasting NFL games actually cost ABC millions of dollars. So, in 2006, the rights shifted over to ESPN, where it has remained ever since.
Beginning in 2021, ESPN began simulcasting a select number of Monday night games on ESPN2. The “Manningcast” features Peyton and Eli Manning talking candidly about the game, as well as featuring 3-4 guests each night, as an alternate way of watching the game.
Here is the full list of 2023 Monday Night Football regular-season games.
- Week 1: Bills vs. Jets
Sept. 11 | ESPN, ABC
All eyes will be on this game as the football world turns its attention to Aaron Rodgers’ debut with the New York Jets, and who better for them to square off against than their AFC East rivals in the Buffalo Bills. Both teams have plenty of questions to answer and they’ll have to find those answers quickly in this game between two of the game’s best teams and quarterbacks.
- Week 2: Saints vs. Panthers
Sept. 18 | ESPN - Week 2: Browns vs. Steelers
Sept. 18| ABC - Week 3: Rams vs. Bengals
Sept. 25 | ESPN - Week 3: Eagles vs. Buccaneers
Sept. 25 | ABC - Week 4: Seahawks vs. Giants
Oct. 2 | ESPN - Week 5: Packers vs. Raiders
Oct. 9 | ESPN - Week 6: Cowboys vs. Chargers
Oct. 16 | ESPN - Week 7: 49ers vs. Vikings
Oct. 23 | ESPN - Week 8: Raiders vs. Lions
Oct. 30 | ESPN - Week 9: Jets vs. Chargers
Nov. 6 | ESPN - Week 10: Broncos vs. Bills
Nov. 13 | ESPN - Week 11: Eagles vs. Chiefs
Nov. 20 | ESPN, ABC - Week 12: Bears vs. Vikings
Nov. 27 | ESPN - Week 13: Bengals vs. Jaguars
Dec. 4 | ESPN - Week 14: Packers vs. Giants
Dec. 11 | ABC - Week 14: Titans vs. Dolphins
Dec. 11 | ESPN - Week 15: Chiefs vs. Patriots
Dec. 18 | ESPN - Week 16: Ravens vs. 49ers
Dec. 25 | ABC - Week 17: Lions vs. Cowboys
Dec. 30* | ESPN, ABC
*Saturday Night Football broadcast by the MNF team