When Do Saturday NFL Games Start?

The NFL schedule for the upcoming season was released this week, and fans are already looking ahead to their favorite team’s games. One question that always comes up is when do Saturday NFL games start?

What time do Saturday NFL games start?

The NFL regular season typically starts on the Thursday night following the first Monday of September (i.e. the Thursday between September 2 and 8), and ends on New Year’s Day. The playoffs begin the week after the final regular season games (i.e. Saturday, January 7 or Sunday, January 8, 2017), and conclude with the Pro Bowl, usually held one week before the Super Bowl ( i.e. Sunday, January 29, 2017).

The start time for Saturday NFL games during the regular season is typically 1:00pm ET or 4:05/4:25pm ET. However, there are some exceptions. For example, in Week 16 of the 2016 NFL regular season (December 24-January 1), all games taking place on Saturday will start at 1:00pm ET.

In terms of start times for Saturday NFL games during the playoffs, Wild Card weekend games typically start at 4:30/4:35pm ET on either Saturday or Sunday (sometimes both), while Divisional playoff games typically start at 4:30/4:35pm ET on either Saturday or Sunday (sometimes both). The Conference Championship games take place on either January 21 or 22, 2017, with a start time of 3:00/3:05pm ET on CBS (AFC game) and FOX (NFC game). Lastly, the Pro Bowl will take place on January 29, 2017 at 8:00pm ET on ESPN.

How to find out what time your game starts

The National Football League (NFL) regular season typically starts on the Thursday following Labor Day and ends on the Sunday after Thanksgiving. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 NFL regular season will start on September 10 and end on January 3, 2021.

During the regular season, there are usually games played on Monday night, Thursday night, and Sunday night. However, in 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there will be no Monday night or Thursday night games. Instead, all games will be played on Sundays.

The NFL usually has a handful of Saturday games during the regular season as well. The exact number of Saturday games varies from year to year, but it is typically between two and four. In 2020, there will be three Saturday games: December 5, December 12, and December 19.

To find out what time your game starts, you can either consult your local TV listings or look up the schedule on the NFL’s website.

Why some games start earlier than others

The start time for Saturday NFL games can vary depending on a number of factors, including which teams are playing and where the game is taking place. Generally, games that feature two division rivals or teams with similar records will start earlier in the day, while games that are considered to be less important will start later in the day or evening. Additionally, games that are being played in prime time (on nationally-televised networks like NBC, CBS, and FOX) will usually start later than games that are being aired on local channels.

What time do the playoffs start?

The start time for NFL games on Saturday, Jan. 12 are as follows:

AFC Wild Card Game: Colts at Texans, 4:35 p.m. ET (ABC and ESPN)
NFC Wild Card Game: Seahawks at Cowboys, 8:15 p.m. ET (FOX)

If you want to know what time the divisional round games are next weekend, check out our NFL playoff schedule.

How to watch the game if you can’t be there in person

Fortunately, if you can’t be there in person, there are still plenty of ways to catch all the action. NFL games are broadcast nationally on a variety of networks, including CBS, FOX, NBC, and ESPN. You can also watch games live online through NFL Game Pass, which gives you access to live and on-demand games, as well as other exclusive content.