Paramount Plus does not carry every NFL game, but it does show a significant portion of them
Paramount Plus broadcasts all CBS-televised NFL games, which means you get regular season matchups, playoff games, and the Super Bowl when CBS has the broadcast rights that year. However, games shown on other networks—ESPN Monday Night Football, NBC Sunday Night Football, Fox games, and NFL Network—are not available on Paramount Plus. If you want to watch every single game your team plays, you will need subscriptions to multiple services or a cable package.
The CBS games on Paramount Plus include the early Sunday afternoon slot (typically 1 p.m. ET) and some of the late afternoon games (4 p.m. ET). Your local market determines which specific games you see, just as it does on regular CBS broadcasts. If you live in the team's home market or the visiting team's home market, you get that game; if you live elsewhere, you get the regional matchup CBS assigns to your area.
Key Takeaways
- Paramount Plus shows all CBS-televised NFL games, which is roughly one-third of the league's weekly broadcasts during the regular season.
- Games on ESPN, NBC, Fox, and NFL Network do not appear on Paramount Plus, so you cannot watch Monday Night Football or Sunday Night Football there.
- Your geographic location determines which specific CBS games you can watch, following the same blackout and regional rules as CBS television broadcasts.
- During playoff season and the Super Bowl, Paramount Plus carries CBS's assigned games, but other networks' playoff broadcasts remain unavailable on the service.
What games are actually on Paramount Plus
Paramount Plus carries the CBS Sunday afternoon games, which typically air at 1 p.m. ET and 4 p.m. ET on Sundays during the NFL regular season. These are the games CBS has the rights to broadcast, and Paramount Plus streams them live at the same time they air on the CBS television network. You do not need cable; a Paramount Plus subscription is enough to watch.
The number of games varies week to week. Some weeks you might see two or three games available in your region; other weeks you might see only one, depending on CBS's schedule and your location. Paramount Plus also carries CBS's playoff games and the Super Bowl when CBS holds the broadcast rights—which happens roughly every three years.
Which networks show games Paramount Plus does not have
ESPN airs Monday Night Football, and those games are only available through ESPN, ESPN+, or cable. NBC broadcasts Sunday Night Football on Sunday evenings, and you need NBC or Peacock (NBC's streaming service) to watch. Fox shows games on Sunday afternoons and some Thursday games, and those require Fox or a cable subscription. NFL Network carries Thursday Night Football and some other exclusive matchups, and you need NFL Network or cable to see them.
If your team plays on any of these networks during a given week, Paramount Plus will not have that game. You would need to check your team's schedule to see which network broadcasts each game and plan your subscriptions accordingly.
How to find which CBS games are on Paramount Plus this week
Open the Paramount Plus app or website and look for the Sports section or search for "NFL." Paramount Plus displays the upcoming CBS games available in your region, usually with start times and team matchups clearly listed. You can also check the NFL's official schedule on NFL.com, which shows which network broadcasts each game; any game marked as a CBS broadcast will be on Paramount Plus.
Your location matters. Paramount Plus uses your zip code or IP address to determine your market, just as CBS does for television broadcasts. If you are in the home or away team's market, you see that game. If you are outside both markets, you see the regional game CBS assigns to your area. You cannot change your location to see a different game—the blackout rules are the same as traditional CBS broadcasts.
Blackout rules and regional restrictions
Paramount Plus follows the same regional blackout rules as CBS television. If you live in a team's home market, you can watch their home games on Paramount Plus. If you live in the visiting team's market, you can watch their away games. If you live outside both markets, you see the game CBS schedules for your region.
These rules exist because local CBS affiliates have the right to broadcast games in their markets, and the NFL protects those rights. You cannot use a VPN or change your location settings to bypass blackouts—Paramount Plus detects these attempts and blocks the stream. If a game is blacked out in your area, your only option is to watch it on cable or find another legal broadcast option.
Comparing Paramount Plus to other streaming options for NFL
If you want the broadest NFL coverage without cable, you need multiple services. Paramount Plus gives you CBS games. Peacock (NBC's service) carries Sunday Night Football and some playoff games. ESPN+ streams some Monday Night Football games (though not all). NFL+ is the NFL's own service and shows out-of-market games on mobile devices and tablets, but not on your TV. Amazon Prime Video carries Thursday Night Football.
The table below shows which service carries which games:
| Network/Service | Games Included | When |
|---|---|---|
| Paramount Plus | CBS Sunday games | Sunday afternoons (1 p.m. and 4 p.m. ET) |
| Peacock | NBC Sunday Night Football, some playoffs | Sunday evenings |
| ESPN+ | Some Monday Night Football games | Monday nights |
| Amazon Prime Video | Thursday Night Football | Thursday nights |
| NFL+ | Out-of-market games (mobile/tablet only) | All games, but limited devices |
To watch every game your team plays, you would likely need Paramount Plus plus at least one or two other services, depending on your team's schedule that week. Some people choose cable instead, which includes all networks in one package but costs more.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I watch my team's game on Paramount Plus if they are playing on Sunday?
Only if CBS is broadcasting that game. Check your team's schedule on NFL.com to see which network has the broadcast rights. If it says CBS, the game will be on Paramount Plus (unless you are in a blackout area). If it says Fox, ESPN, NBC, or NFL Network, you will need a different service.
Do I need cable to watch CBS games on Paramount Plus?
No. A Paramount Plus subscription is all you need. You do not need a cable login or cable package. The games stream live on the app and website at the same time they air on CBS television.
What happens if my team's game is blacked out in my area?
You cannot watch it on Paramount Plus. Blackouts happen when a local CBS affiliate has exclusive broadcast rights in your market. Your options are to watch on cable if you have it, listen on radio, or check if another service (like NFL+) offers the game on a mobile device.
Does Paramount Plus show playoff games and the Super Bowl?
Only the ones CBS broadcasts. CBS gets the Super Bowl roughly every three years, and when it does, Paramount Plus carries it. Paramount Plus also shows CBS's assigned playoff games. If another network has the broadcast rights to a playoff game or the Super Bowl, you will need that network's service instead.
Can I watch games on Paramount Plus outside the United States?
Paramount Plus is available in some countries, but NFL game availability varies by region. Check Paramount Plus in your country to see what sports content is offered. International streaming rights are different from U.S. rights, so availability may be limited or unavailable depending on where you are.