YouTube TV does not carry Thursday Night Football games
YouTube TV's sports lineup does not include Thursday Night Football, the NFL's weekly primetime series. Those games air exclusively on Amazon Prime Video, which means you cannot watch them through a YouTube TV subscription alone.
This matters because Thursday Night Football runs throughout the NFL regular season—typically September through December—and if you want to watch those specific games, you need a separate streaming service or cable package that carries them. YouTube TV focuses on other sports content, but Thursday Night Football is not part of that offering.
Key Takeaways
- Thursday Night Football streams only on Amazon Prime Video, not on YouTube TV, so a YouTube TV subscription will not give you access to those games.
- Amazon Prime Video requires either a Prime membership or a standalone Prime Video subscription to watch Thursday Night Football.
- YouTube TV does carry other NFL games through its partnerships with CBS, Fox, and NBC, so you can watch Sunday and Monday night games on your subscription.
- If you want all NFL games in one place, you would need to combine YouTube TV with Amazon Prime Video or switch to a cable provider that bundles both services.
Where Thursday Night Football actually streams
Amazon Prime Video holds the exclusive streaming rights to Thursday Night Football. This means every Thursday night game during the NFL season is available only through Amazon's service, not through YouTube TV or any other streaming platform.
To watch Thursday Night Football on Amazon Prime Video, you need either a full Prime membership (which includes free shipping, video streaming, and other benefits) or a standalone Prime Video subscription. The standalone option costs less than a full Prime membership but gives you access only to Prime Video content, not the other Prime perks.
Amazon typically makes the game available to stream starting a few hours before kickoff, and you can watch it live or on-demand for several days after the broadcast ends.
What NFL games YouTube TV does include
YouTube TV carries Sunday and Monday night NFL games through its partnerships with major broadcast networks. You can watch games on CBS, Fox, and NBC through your YouTube TV subscription, which covers a significant portion of the regular season schedule.
The specific games available depend on your location and the networks' broadcasting agreements, but YouTube TV's sports package includes most primetime and weekend matchups—just not the Thursday night slot. If you are a fan of a specific team, you may be able to catch most of their games on YouTube TV, but you will need Amazon Prime Video for any Thursday night appearances.
Combining YouTube TV with other services for full NFL coverage
Many people who want comprehensive NFL access use YouTube TV alongside Amazon Prime Video. This combination gives you Sunday games (CBS and Fox), Monday night games (ESPN), and Thursday night games (Amazon), covering the majority of the weekly schedule.
The total cost depends on which services you choose. YouTube TV's base subscription covers the broadcast networks, while Amazon Prime Video requires a separate subscription. Some households find this approach worthwhile if they watch NFL games regularly throughout the season.
If you prefer a single service, traditional cable packages from providers like Comcast, Charter, or AT&T often bundle all three sources, though they typically cost more than streaming services and require a contract.
When Thursday Night Football games air
Thursday Night Football games kick off at 8:15 p.m. Eastern Time on most weeks during the NFL regular season. The season runs from September through early January, with games every Thursday night except for weeks when the NFL schedules breaks or special events.
Amazon Prime Video makes the game available to stream live at that time, and you can also watch replays on-demand for several days afterward. If you know your team is playing on Thursday, you can plan ahead to access Amazon Prime Video rather than relying on YouTube TV.
Other sports on YouTube TV you might watch instead
While YouTube TV does not carry Thursday Night Football, the service includes a broad range of other sports. You can watch college football, college basketball, NBA games, NHL games, and MLB games depending on which networks broadcast them.
YouTube TV's sports coverage is strongest for games on major broadcast networks like CBS, Fox, NBC, and ESPN. If you are interested in sports beyond the Thursday night NFL slot, YouTube TV may still be a good fit for your viewing habits, even without Thursday Night Football included.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I watch Thursday Night Football with a YouTube TV free trial?
No. YouTube TV does not carry Thursday Night Football at all, so a free trial would not give you access to those games. You would need to sign up for Amazon Prime Video separately to watch Thursday night games.
Does YouTube TV offer any NFL games at all?
Yes. YouTube TV carries Sunday and Monday night NFL games through CBS, Fox, and NBC. You will miss Thursday night games and some games on specialty channels like NFL Network, but most primetime and weekend matchups are included.
What if my team plays on Thursday Night Football—can I watch on YouTube TV?
No. If your team is scheduled for Thursday Night Football, you must use Amazon Prime Video to watch that game. YouTube TV will not have it, even if the same team plays on a different night during the week.
Is Amazon Prime Video the only way to watch Thursday Night Football?
Amazon Prime Video is the exclusive streaming home for Thursday Night Football. Cable providers may also carry the games, but no other streaming service offers them. If you do not have Prime Video or cable, you cannot watch Thursday night games.
Would switching from YouTube TV to cable give me Thursday Night Football?
Yes, most cable packages include Thursday Night Football through their sports channels and on-demand services. However, cable typically costs more than YouTube TV and requires a contract, so you would be paying extra for that one game slot per week.