With each season seemingly outdoing the last, the 2025 NFL campaign is loaded with prime-time drama, putting Monday Night Football front and center once again. The schedule of games will showcase top-tier teams, blockbuster matchups, elite quarterbacks, and highly anticipated rookie debuts. It all begins in Week 1 with a heated NFC North rivalry and stretches through the Wild Card round in January.
With 25 total games — including doubleheaders, late-season showdowns, and postseason action — MNF looks to make a statement. Thanks to doubleheaders, the broadcast lineup kicks off with 11 games in the first seven weeks, featuring teams like the Baltimore Ravens, Detroit Lions, and Kansas City Chiefs. It culminates in marquee December clashes and playoff implications.
2025 Monday Night Football Schedule: Star Power, Rookie Debuts, and Heavyweight Clashes
The Monday Night Football campaign opens September 8 with the Minnesota Vikings facing the Chicago Bears. This divisional battle marks the NFL debut of Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy (who suffered a season-ending knee injury in the preseason of his rookie year) and the head coaching debut of Ben Johnson.
From there, the early stretch is loaded. Week 3 brings a Ravens-Lions showdown. Week 5 features Heisman winner Travis Hunter and the Jacksonville Jaguars hosting the Chiefs. Week 8 delivers Patrick Mahomes back on center stage when Kansas City hosts the Washington Commanders.
Quarterback talent dominates this year’s slate. The past three NFL MVPs — Buffalo Bills’ Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, and Mahomes — are all featured, along with Super Bowl MVP Jalen Hurts and Comeback Player of the Year Joe Burrow. Rising stars like Jayden Daniels and C.J. Stroud also get to show their stuff in prime-time.
The schedule features plenty of traditional powerhouses and playoff hopefuls: The Philadelphia Eagles (Weeks 10 and 14), Dallas Cowboys (Weeks 9 and 11), and San Francisco 49ers (Weeks 12 and 16) all headline key late-season matchups.
Rookies will also get their share of the spotlight, as seven of the top 10 picks from the 2025 NFL Draft, including New York Giants linebacker Abdul Carter and Las Vegas Raiders running back Ashton Jeanty, will make their Monday Night Football debuts.
2025 Monday Night Football Schedule
- Week 1 (Sept. 8): Bears vs. Vikings – 8:15 p.m. ET
- Week 2 (Sept. 15): Texans vs. Buccaneers – 7 p.m. ET
Raiders vs. Chargers – 10 p.m. ET - Week 3 (Sept. 22): Ravens vs. Lions – 8:15 p.m. ET
- Week 4 (Sept. 29): Dolphins vs. Jets – 7:15 p.m. ET
Broncos vs. Bengals – 8:15 p.m. ET - Week 5 (Oct. 6): Jaguars vs. Chiefs – 8:15 p.m. ET
- Week 6 (Oct. 13): Falcons vs. Bills – 7:15 p.m. ET
Commanders vs. Bears – 8:15 p.m. ET - Week 7 (Oct. 20): Lions vs. Buccaneers – 7 p.m. ET
Seahawks vs. Texans – 10 p.m. ET - Week 8 (Oct. 27): Chiefs vs. Commanders – 8:15 p.m. ET
- Week 9 (Nov. 3): Cowboys vs. Cardinals – 8:15 p.m. ET
- Week 10 (Nov. 10): Packers vs. Eagles – 8:15 p.m. ET
- Week 11 (Nov. 17): Raiders vs. Cowboys – 8:15 p.m. ET
- Week 12 (Nov. 24): 49ers vs. Panthers – 8:15 p.m. ET
- Week 13 (Dec. 1): Patriots vs. Giants – 8:15 p.m. ET
- Week 14 (Dec. 8): Chargers vs. Eagles – 8:15 p.m. ET
- Week 15 (Dec. 15): Steelers vs. Dolphins – 8:15 p.m. ET
- Week 16 (Dec. 22): Colts vs. 49ers – 8:15 p.m. ET
- Week 17 (Dec. 29): Falcons vs. Rams – 8:15 p.m. ET
- Week 18 (Jan. 3): TBD vs. TBD – 4:30 p.m.
TBD vs. TBD – 8 p.m. ET