The NFL is the most popular sport in North America and has now developed an incredibly strong worldwide audience. The action on the field is electrifying and the storylines and narratives that we see develop over the course of the season make it must see TV. However, the busy schedules of many fans might mean that they don’t always get time to sit on the couch and watch. Furthermore, expensive cable subscriptions are turning fans away. This is why many have turned to apps to keep up with all the action, especially those that offer live streaming. Luckily, there are a plethora to choose from. The viewing experience can be just as good if not better from many of them. With the regular season coming to its conclusion, many of us will be excited for the playoffs, looking to watch on streaming services. The NFL Playoff odds currently have the 49ers down as favorites to win the Super Bowl so they’re bound to get the most attention. If you are an NFL enthusiast and are interested in following in the footsteps in many who have made that switch, here is a list of the best apps to follow the NFL with.
YouTube TV
In 2023, YouTube penned a six-year deal with the NFL for the right to exclusively stream the Sunday ticket. This means that unlike many other apps, they are able to broadcast out-of-market NFL games on Sunday. Subscribers can also pay an extra $10.99 a month to add a sports package made up of 13 extra networks. This includes the NFL’s redzone. You can also watch primetime games as they host live networks such as NBC, CBS, ABC and FOX. DVR capabilities mean you never have to miss a game and one account can have up six profiles, meaning there should be no fighting for the TV. You can stream using your phone, laptop or games console and even cast directly to your television. YouTube TV is one of the overall best apps for streaming.
Amazon Prime
Amazon Prime are another of the newcomers for primetime NFL viewing. The streaming service paid for exclusive rights to the Thursday ticket, becoming the official home of Thursday Night Football. They paid $1 billion for those rights and will hold them until at least 2033. Games will be streamed in incredible 4K specs and will welcome legendary broadcasters such as Al Michaels, Carissa Thompson, Chris Collingsworth and Kirk Herbstreit. You can also tune into the NFL Network with prime meaning you can keep up to date with all the latest goings on in the world of the NFL between games. Prime is a massive addition to a wide array of services that now offer streaming for the NFL.
Peacock
Another of the new kids on the block, Peacock paid an eyewatering $2 billion to secure themselves as the home for Sunday Night Football. They added to their star-studded list of sports streaming tickets that already included the English Premier League, French Open and WWE Network. As they are a subsidiary of NBCUniversal, you can also watch programming from their family networks. Games are streamed in stunning 4K and like YouTube, you can have up to six profiles on a single account. With the ability to stream at home or on the go, Peacock have quickly established themselves as juggernauts of streaming and it is yet another great place for NFL fans to follow the biggest sport in the country.
NFL Mobile/NFL Network
While these are two separate apps, they of course come under the same umbrella. The comprehensive hubs for the everything NFL, they up-to-the-minute scores, news, highlights, and stats, along with exclusive content and features. You can watch live and on-demand games, listen to live radio broadcasts, and even get involved in fantasy football leagues. There are of course nuances between the two. The NFL network provides more comprehensive original content with feature length documentaries and TV shows. The NFL Mobile app does offer much of the same, however the original content is geared more towards bitesize clips and short-form documentaries. While they don’t quite offer the best coverage in terms of number of broadcasts, you can access full game replays and highlights right after the end of games.
FUBO TV
FUBO TV is similar to YouTube TV in that you are able to access a wide array of cable networks. It is perfect for cord cutters who have moved away from classic cable TV packages with nearly 300 live channels. This of course means you can watch most all primetime games. The difference between these and other named services is that they do not boast an exclusive ticket. However, their tiered subscription service with several fans is excellent for those who perhaps are only interested in the NFL. You can also stream simultaneously on up to 10 devices, more than any other on this list. While there are no DVR capabilities, 4k streaming is a huge plus and FUBO is a great streaming service for those who are only interested in watching the games and less in geared content that is focused on the NFL.