The 2023 NFL season is here, and with it comes one of the sport’s most time-honored broadcast institutions, a television event that rounds off the weekend on a high and kickstarts the week ahead with a bang - Monday Night Football is back once again and ready to deliver some top-drawer drama.
The capstone to each round of action across the National Football League has long been one of the most celebrated spots on the fixture list. With most of the competition’s 32 teams set to feature at one point or another, the regular broadcast slot will surely make for essential viewing this term.
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But where will you be able to watch it, and who will be playing in 2023? GOAL guides you through Monday Night Football this season, including the games you’ll get to see, where they will be shown, and just what packages you can pick up to ensure you get the best experience possible.
What is Monday Night Football?
Monday Night Football, primarily known by the abbreviation MNF, is the brand name given to a broadcasting package showcasing NFL fixtures covered on Monday nights. The format can trace its roots back to 1970, during the early days of the AFL-NFL merger that created the current formation of the game.
One of the longest-running sports television series across the United States, it has consistently pulled impressive ratings and positive responses from fans and viewers, with the format expanding over the decades to include various spin-offs, including Monday Night Countdown since 1993 and Manningcast since 2020.
Now very much established as a regular rite-of-passage for the discerning football fan, Monday Night Football continues to draw eyeballs and generate debate as it shows some of the finest action across the NFL calendar, week-in, week-out, across the regular season.
Getty Images What channel is Monday Night Football on?
Monday Night Football is broadcast primarily by ESPN, with the pay subscription channel the main home of the rights package. The channel has had the rights to show MNF since 2006 when it took them from its terrestrial network sister ABC, who had previously run the package since its inception.
However, since 2020, select games have been further simulcast on ABC alongside a regular broadcast on ESPN, and since 2022, the former has been handed a select few exclusive games independent of its sister channel to show outright, spreading MNF coverage across both.
In addition, ESPN+ has streamed simulcasts of MNF fixtures since the 2021 campaign, while Manningcast - an alternative commentary option hosted by brothers Peyton and Eli Manning - has been shown on ESPN2 for select games since the 2020 season began.
Monday Night Football schedule
There are 22 matchups scheduled to be broadcast under the Monday Night Football banner throughout the 2023 NFL regular season. The majority will be shown in the traditional position of 8:15 pm ET on a Monday night, though select games will be broadcast across the weekend instead.
Below, you can find a list of fixtures set to be shown as part of Monday Night Football this season:
| Week | Game | Date | Time (ET) | Channel |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Week 1 | Buffalo Bills at New York Jets | September 11, 2023 | 8:15 pm | ESPN, ABC, ESPN+, ESPN2 |
Week 2 | New Orleans Saints at Carolina Panthers | September 18, 2023 | 7:15 pm | ESPN |
Week 2 | Cleveland Browns at Pittsburgh Steelers | September 18, 2023 | 8:15 pm | ABC, ESPN+ |
Week 3 | Philadelphia Eagles at Tampa Bay Buccaneers | September 11, 2023 | 7:15 pm | ABC, ESPN+ |
Week 3 | Los Angeles Rams at Cincinnati Bengals | September 11, 2023 | 8:15 pm | ESPN |
Week 4 | Atlanta Falcons at Jacksonville Jaguars | October 1, 2023 | 9:30 am | |
Week 4 | Seattle Seahawks at New York Giants | October 2, 2023 | 8:15 pm | ESPN, ESPN2 |
Week 5 | Green Bay Packers at Las Vegas Raiders | October 9, 2023 | 8:15 pm | ESPN, ESPN2 |
Week 6 | Dallas Cowboys at Los Angeles Chargers | October 16, 2023 | 8:15 pm | ESPN |
Week 7 | San Francisco 49ers at Minnesota Vikings | October 23, 2023 | 8:15 pm | ESPN, ESPN2 |
Week 8 | Las Vegas Raiders at Detroit Lions | October 30, 2023 | 8:15 pm | ESPN |
Week 9 | Los Angeles Chargers at New York Jets | November 6, 2023 | 8:15 pm | ESPN, ESPN2 |
Week 10 | Denver Broncos at Buffalo Bills | November 13, 2023 | 8:15 pm | ESPN, ESPN2 |
Week 11 | Philadelphia Eagles at Kansas City Chiefs | November 20, 2023 | 8:15 pm | ESPN, ABC, ESPN+, ESPN2 |
Week 12 | Chicago Bears at Minnesota Vikings | November 27, 2023 | 8:15 pm | ESPN |
Week 13 | Cincinnati Bengals at Jacksonville Jaguars | December 4, 2023 | 8:15 pm | ESPN, ESPN2 |
Week 14 | Green Bay Packers at New York Giants | December 11, 2023 | 8:15 pm | ABC, ESPN+ |
Week 14 | Tennessee Titans at Miami Dolphins | December 11, 2023 | 8:15 pm | ESPN |
Week 15 | Kansas City Chiefs at New England Patriots | December 18, 2023 | 8:15 pm | ESPN, ESPN2 |
Week 16 | Baltimore Ravens at San Francisco 49ers | December 25, 2023 | 8:15 pm | ABC, ESPN+ |
Week 17 | Detroit Lions at Dallas Cowboys | December 30, 2023 | 8:15 pm | ESPN, ABC, ESPN+ |
Week 18 | TBA | January 6, 2024 | 4:30 pm | ESPN, ABC, ESPN+ |
Week 18 | TBA | January 6, 2024 | 8:15 pm | ESPN, ABC, ESPN+ |
Getty Images Can you watch Monday Night Football without cable?
With the majority of Monday Night Football matchups carried by ESPN, a package through cable television or a satellite provider with the service included used to be a must for fans who wanted to ensure they can catch the final game of each match week throughout the season.
However, with the rise of streaming services and the coverage afforded by ESPN+ this season, the best way to watch Monday Night Football - and cover all your other sporting needs - may just be to invest in a streaming package, ensuring you can catch every punt, rush, and touchdown this term.
Below, GOAL breaks down our favorite live-streaming packages that carry ESPN and ABC, along with their pros and cons, allowing you to call on just which one is right for you and your coverage needs of Monday Night Football this season.