The 2024 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.
RELATED
- How to watch and live stream NFL in 2024
- How to watch and live stream NFL+: prices, packages and more
- How to watch and stream NFL RedZone 2024
But where can you watch it, and who will be playing in 2024? GOAL guides you through Monday Night Football this season, including the games you’ll see, where they will be shown, and 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 that showcases NFL fixtures 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 in the United States, it has consistently pulled impressive ratings and positive responses from fans and viewers. The format has expanded 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 viewers and generate debate as it shows some of the finest action across the NFL calendar, week in and week out, throughout 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 had 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. 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 2024 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 | New York Jets @ San Francisco | September 9 | 8:15 pm | ABC |
Week 2 | Atlanta @ Philadephia | September 16 | 8:15 pm | ESPN |
Week 3 | Jacksonville @ Buffalos | September 23 | 7:30 pm | ESPN |
Week 3 | Washington @ Cincinnati | September 23 | 8:15 pm | ABC |
Week 4 | Tennessee @ Miami | September 30 | 7:30 pm | ESPN |
Week 4 | Seattle @ Detroit | September 30 | 8:15 pm | ABC |
Week 5 | New Orleans @ Kansas | October 7 | 8:15 pm | ESPN |
Week 6 | Buffalo @ New York Jets | October 14 | 8:15 pm | ESPN |
Week 7 | Baltimore @ Tampa Bay | October 21 | 8:15 pm | ESPN |
Week 7 | LA Chargers @ Arizona | October 21 | 9:00 pm | |
Week 8 | New York Giants @ Pittsburgh | October 28 | 8:15 pm | ABC |
Week 9 | Tampa Bay @ Kansas City | November 4 | 8:15 pm | ESPN |
Week 10 | Miami @ L.A Rams | November 11 | 8:15 pm | ESPN |
Week 11 | Houston @ Dallas | November 18 | 8:15 pm | ESPN |
Week 12 | Baltimore @ L.A Chargers | November 25 | 8:15 pm | ESPN |
Week 13 | Cleveland @ Denver | December 2 | 8:15 pm | ESPN |
Week 14 | Cincinnati @ Dallas | December 9 | 8:15 pm | ESPN |
Week 15 | Chicago @ Minnesota | December 16 | 8:00 pm | ABC |
Week 15 | Atlanta @ Las Vegas | December 16 | 8:30 pm | ESPN |
Week 16 | New Orleans @ Green Bay | December 23 | 8:15 pm | ESPN |
Week 17 | Detroit @ San Francisco | December 30 | 8:15 pm | ABC |
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 could 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 decide which one is right for you and your coverage needs of Monday Night Football this season.