The 2025 NFL season is officially underway, and fans are buzzing with excitement as a new era of football unfolds across screens big and small. Monday Night Football’s season opener is set to be a marquee matchup, spotlighting two of last year’s most highly touted quarterback prospects: J.J. McCarthy of the Minnesota Vikings and Caleb Williams of the Chicago Bears. Both first-round picks in the 2024 NFL Draft, McCarthy and Williams are set to command their respective offenses when the Vikings travel to Soldier Field in Chicago on Monday, September 8, 2025. Kickoff is scheduled for 8:15 p.m. ET (5:15 p.m. PT), and the game will be broadcast on ABC, ESPN, and ESPN Deportes, ensuring fans won’t miss a second of the action, no matter how they tune in.
For those eager to catch every play, the options for watching have never been more abundant—or, let’s be honest, more complicated. The NFL’s embrace of streaming means viewers can now choose from a dizzying array of platforms. ESPN’s newly revamped streaming service, ESPN unlimited, is front and center this year. Priced at $29.99 per month or $299.99 annually, ESPN unlimited consolidates content from all seven of ESPN’s linear channels, as well as exclusive shows, live events, and original series. Subscribers also gain access to content from ESPN+, ABC on ESPN, SEC+, ACCNX, NFL Network, and NFL RedZone. And here’s a bonus for cord-cutters and bundle lovers alike: for its inaugural year, ESPN unlimited includes Disney+ and Hulu at no extra cost. Starting September 3, fans can also bundle ESPN unlimited with NFL+ Premium for an extra $10 per month, unlocking full access to NFL Network, NFL RedZone, and out-of-market NFL games on mobile devices.
If you’re not ready to commit to a full season, DirecTV Stream’s Choice tier might be your ticket. Usually priced at over $108 a month with fees, the first month is now available for $72.98 (after fees). This package covers all the major football channels—NFL Network, ESPN, ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox, and a host of local Regional Sports Networks—and comes with unlimited cloud DVR storage. Plus, it includes access to ESPN unlimited. Not sure if you want to stick around? DirecTV Stream is currently offering a five-day free trial, giving fans a risk-free way to see if it fits their game-day routine.
For those who prefer to follow the NFL on the go, NFL+ continues to expand its offerings. The basic subscription, at $6.99 per month or $40 annually, provides live local and primetime games on your phone or tablet, as well as live audio for every game across supported devices and access to NFL Network. NFL+ Premium, at $14.99 per month or $80 annually, adds NFL RedZone and full or condensed replays of every game. And yes, there’s a seven-day free trial for the indecisive.
Not to be outdone, Fubo is rolling out its new sports-centric streaming bundle, Fubo Sports, starting September 2. For $45.99 in the first month (with a $10 discount), then $55.99 per month, subscribers get local ABC, CBS, and FOX stations, plus ACC Network, Big Ten Network, CBS Sports Network, ESPN channels, NFL Network, SEC Network, Tennis Channel, and ESPN+ unlimited. Unlimited cloud DVR storage is included, so you can catch up on games at your leisure. Like its competitors, Fubo offers a free trial so fans can test the waters before diving in.
YouTube TV is also in the mix, offering nearly every channel needed for the 2025 NFL season, including Fox, NBC, ABC, CBS, ESPN, and NFL Network. The big draw? YouTube TV is once again the home of NFL Sunday Ticket, granting access to all out-of-market Sunday games—over 160 per season. The package is priced at $276 for the season or $34.50 per month for eight months, with an additional NFL RedZone option. For those who want to bundle, adding Sunday Ticket to YouTube TV starts at $84.49 per month for the first three months, then rises to $117.50 per month. But, a word to the wise: YouTube TV livestreams are known to run a bit behind, so if you’re looking to tweet every play live, you might experience a slight delay.
Amazon Prime Video remains the exclusive home for Thursday Night Football games. An Amazon Prime subscription costs $15 per month or $139 annually, and includes a host of other benefits—free shipping, Amazon Music, and even a year of GrubHub+. New users can take advantage of a 30-day free trial, making it easy to tune in for those Thursday showdowns.
And don’t forget about Netflix, which is hosting at least two Christmas Day NFL matchups this season, or Fox One, Fox’s own streaming platform for games airing on the FOX network. With so many options, it’s no wonder fans feel like they need a playbook just to watch their favorite teams.
But it’s not just the games themselves that are getting a streaming overhaul. The NFL’s pregame coverage is evolving too. CBS Sports has launched The NFL Today+, a brand new streaming-only official pregame show. Broadcasting live from Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin, The NFL Today+ debuts in Week 1 of the 2025 season and serves as the lead-in to the 50th anniversary of The NFL Today on CBS. Hosted by Amanda Guerra with analysts Kyle Long, Antonio Pierce, and Matt Ryan, the show runs every Sunday from 10 a.m. to noon ET. It delivers real-time news, expert analysis, key matchup breakdowns, live look-ins, on-site reports, and interviews from around the league. Fans can engage through live YouTube chats, real-time social media interaction, and segments featuring content creators and influencers. The NFL Today+ is available for free on CBS Sports HQ and YouTube, or via subscription on Paramount+ (with a special first-year offer of $30).
After The NFL Today+ wraps up, viewers can flip over to CBS or Paramount+ for the classic The NFL Today studio show from noon to 1 p.m. ET, just before the early kickoffs. This new pregame format aims to bring fans closer to the action, with more ways than ever to interact and stay informed.
So, as the Vikings and Bears prepare to square off in Chicago, fans have more choices than ever for how, when, and where they watch. Whether you’re streaming on your phone, catching the game on cable, or tuning in to the latest pregame analysis from Lambeau, the 2025 NFL season is set to be one for the ages. And with two young quarterbacks ready to make their Monday Night Football debuts, all eyes will be on Soldier Field this Monday night. Don’t blink—you might just miss the next big moment in NFL history.
