Whether you’ll be overwhelmed by couch gravity or take in the action at your favorite sports bar with friends and Fantasy Football cohorts, opening weekend is a big deal for NFL fans. It’s the end of a long, hot, pigskin-free summer. And, at this point, anyone has a chance to make it to the Super Bowl, even longshots like the Carolina Panthers, New York Giants or New Orleans Saints.
There are, once again, new rules along with new players. Here’s how best to catch the remainder of the opening weekend games.
There’s a wide spectrum to choose from today. As always, the home team is listed second.
The best way to watch any sort of network programming for free on a big screen is with a good HD antenna. To ensure you’re getting the most reliable signal, be sure to test the antenna in multiple locations in your home.
Yep—and you’ve got several choices.
This service is going away soon, but for now, you can sign up for $83 per month (with ads) or $95 per month without ads.
Dish Network’s Sling lower-tiered “Orange” plan will run you $46 per month. Adding the more comprehensive “Blue” plan bumps the cost to $61 per month. The seven-day free trial has disappeared, but you can buy a Day Pass, giving you 24-hours of Live TV for $5.
It does. You have three to choose from.
Watch live local and out of market games and (with the premium subscription) replays. You’re looking at a $50 charge per season. ($100 for premium.)
YouTube once again is the home for this channel. Prices this year start at $83 per month for Sunday Ticket and YouTubeTV or $480 for just Sunday Ticket, if you’re a returning user (spanning the entirety of out-of-market games this season). New users can get a standalone Sunday Ticket subscription for $276.
After changing how kickoffs occurred last year, the NFL is making a few more tweaks in 2025-2026. After a touchback, the ball will now be placed on the 35-yard line, instead of the 25-yard line.
Onside kick rules are being adjusted as well. Teams will still have to declare their intention, but they can now make them at any point in the game, instead of just in the fourth quarter.
Overtime will be a bit different. Both teams will get a chance to possess the ball, even if the first team scores. (This, previously, was only the case in the postseason.) Overtime periods, also, will be limited to 10 minutes.
