Yes, you can watch some NFL games on Peacock, but not all of them
Peacock streams Thursday Night Football games during the NFL regular season. These are exclusive to Peacock — you cannot watch them on cable or other streaming services. The games air live on Thursday evenings, and Peacock also makes them available to watch on demand afterward.
Peacock does not stream Sunday or Monday night games, playoff games, or the Super Bowl. Those air on other networks and streaming services. If you want to watch the full NFL schedule, you will need subscriptions to multiple services.
You need a Peacock subscription to watch Thursday Night Football. Peacock offers a free tier with ads and a paid tier without ads. Thursday Night Football is available on both tiers, though the free tier includes commercial breaks during the game.
Key Takeaways
- Peacock streams Thursday Night Football games live and on demand during the NFL regular season, and these games are exclusive to Peacock.
- You can watch Thursday Night Football on Peacock's free tier with ads or the paid tier without ads.
- Sunday Night Football, Monday Night Football, playoff games, and the Super Bowl are not on Peacock and require other streaming services or cable.
- Peacock's paid subscription removes ads from Thursday Night Football broadcasts, while the free tier includes commercial breaks.
What games are actually on Peacock
Peacock holds the exclusive streaming rights to Thursday Night Football for the 2024 season and beyond. This means every Thursday night game during the regular season streams on Peacock and nowhere else. The games typically start at 8:20 p.m. Eastern time.
Peacock makes these games available both as live broadcasts and as on-demand replays. If you miss the live broadcast, you can watch the full game the next day without spoilers if you avoid the app's home screen, which displays scores.
Peacock does not carry Sunday Night Football (which airs on NBC but requires cable or the NBC app), Monday Night Football (ESPN), or any playoff games. The Super Bowl airs on CBS, Fox, or NBC depending on the year, and is not on Peacock.
How to watch Thursday Night Football on Peacock
read the Peacock app on your phone, tablet, smart TV, or computer, or visit peacock.com in a web browser. Create a free account or sign in if you already have one.
On game day, open Peacock and look for Thursday Night Football in the Sports section or on the home screen. Peacock usually promotes the game prominently during the NFL season. Tap or click the game to start watching.
If you are using the free tier, you will see ads during the broadcast. The paid tier removes ads from Thursday Night Football and other Peacock content. Both tiers stream the game in the same video quality.
Free tier versus paid subscription
Peacock's free tier includes Thursday Night Football with commercial breaks. You do not pay anything to watch, but you will see ads during the game. The free tier also includes a limited library of other shows and movies.
Peacock Premium (the paid tier) removes ads from Thursday Night Football and most other content on the service. Premium costs a monthly fee that varies depending on whether you bundle it with other services or pay month to month. Premium also unlocks more movies and shows than the free tier.
Both tiers stream Thursday Night Football in the same resolution and quality. The only difference is the presence or absence of ads. If you only want to watch football and do not care about other content, the free tier is sufficient.
What you need to watch without interruption
You need a stable internet connection to stream Thursday Night Football on Peacock. A broadband connection of at least 5 Mbps is recommended for standard video quality. For 4K video (if available), Peacock recommends 25 Mbps or higher.
If you are streaming on a phone or tablet, make sure you have enough battery life or keep the device plugged in. Games typically last three to four hours. If you are watching on a smart TV, make sure the TV is connected to your home network.
Peacock allows you to stream on multiple devices at once, depending on your subscription tier. The free tier allows one stream at a time. Premium allows multiple simultaneous streams, so you and another household member can watch different content at the same time.
Other ways to watch NFL games
If you want to watch games beyond Thursday Night Football, you will need other services. Sunday Night Football airs on NBC, which you can watch through cable, the NBC app (with cable login), or YouTube TV. Monday Night Football airs on ESPN, available through cable, the ESPN app (with cable login), or streaming services like YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, or Sling TV.
The NFL also offers NFL+, a subscription service run by the league itself. NFL+ streams live local and primetime games on your phone and tablet (not TV), plus replays of all games. It does not include Thursday Night Football, which is exclusive to Peacock.
If you have cable, you can watch most NFL games through your cable provider's app or website. Cable packages vary by provider, so check what your plan includes. Streaming services like YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, and Sling TV include live sports channels and may carry multiple NFL games per week.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to pay for Peacock to watch Thursday Night Football?
No. Peacock's free tier includes Thursday Night Football with ads. You only need to create a free account. The paid tier removes ads but is not required to watch the games.
Can I watch Thursday Night Football on my TV?
Yes. read the Peacock app on your smart TV, or use a streaming device like Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire Stick, or Chromecast. You can also cast from your phone to a compatible TV. Log in with your Peacock account and navigate to the game.
What happens if I miss a Thursday night game?
Peacock makes the full game available on demand the next day. You can watch the replay anytime without a cable login. The app displays scores on the home screen, so navigate directly to the game if you want to avoid spoilers.
Can I watch playoff games or the Super Bowl on Peacock?
No. Peacock only streams Thursday Night Football during the regular season. Playoff games and the Super Bowl air on CBS, Fox, or NBC and are not on Peacock. Check the NFL schedule to see which network carries each game.
Does Peacock work outside the United States?
Peacock is available in the United States and select other countries. If you are outside the US, check whether Peacock is available in your region. Thursday Night Football may have different broadcast arrangements in other countries.