You're staring at the remote. The clock is ticking toward kickoff. We've all been there, frantically scrolling through a guide that seems a thousand channels long, just trying to figure out which network actually has the rights to the Houston Texans game today. It’s annoying. Honestly, with the way NFL broadcasting contracts have fractured across cable, local affiliates, and about six different streaming services, finding the Texans game today channel feels like solving a riddle.
Houston is in a fascinating spot right now. With C.J. Stroud at the helm, they aren't just "that team from Texas that isn't the Cowboys" anymore. They are a national draw. That means their games are getting flexed, moved to primetime, and scattered across networks like CBS, FOX, NBC, and even Amazon Prime. If you're in the 713 or 832, your life is a little easier because of local blackout rules and affiliate requirements, but for the rest of the world? It’s a hunt.
The Local Houston Broadcast Situation
If you are physically sitting in Houston, the Texans game today channel is usually going to be your local CBS affiliate, KHOU 11. Because the Texans are in the AFC, CBS holds the primary rights to most of their Sunday afternoon matchups. It's a legacy thing. Most AFC games live on CBS, while NFC games live on FOX.
However, don't just assume it's Channel 11 every single week.
When the Texans play an NFC opponent—say, the Giants or the Lions—the game might jump over to FOX (KRIV 26). This is part of the NFL's "cross-flexing" policy. The league wants to ensure that both major networks have a compelling slate of games to show. If CBS has three blowouts and FOX has nothing in the early window, the NFL will slide a game over to balance the scales. It keeps the advertisers happy and the ratings high.
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What About Primetime?
This is where it gets spicy. If the Texans are playing on Monday Night Football, you aren't looking for CBS or FOX. You're looking for ESPN. Sometimes, if the matchup is big enough, it’ll be simulcast on ABC (KTRK 13).
Sunday Night Football? That’s strictly NBC (KPRC 2).
And then there is the elephant in the room: Thursday Night Football. Since 2022, Amazon Prime Video has the exclusive rights to these games. If you don't have a Prime subscription, you might think you're out of luck. But here is a pro tip: Federal law actually requires the NFL to broadcast "away" games on free, over-the-air television in the home markets of the participating teams. So, if the Texans are on Thursday night, a local Houston station will pick up that feed. You just have to check the local listings on the day of the game to see which station won the bidding war for that specific week.
Streaming the Texans Without Cable
Look, cable is dying. We know it. You know it.
If you've cut the cord, finding the Texans game today channel means navigating the murky waters of streaming apps. It isn't just one app, unfortunately. It’s a ecosystem.
- Paramount+: Since CBS carries the bulk of the Texans' schedule, a Paramount+ subscription is basically mandatory for a Houston fan. You get the live feed of your local CBS affiliate. If the game is on CBS, it’s on Paramount+.
- YouTube TV & Hulu + Live TV: These are the heavy hitters. They function exactly like cable. You get your locals (CBS, FOX, NBC, ABC) plus ESPN. If you have the budget for these ($70+ a month), you don't really have to worry about "finding" the channel. You just search "Texans" in the search bar.
- NFL+: This is the league's own service. It’s great, but there’s a massive catch. You can only watch live "local" and "primetime" games on mobile devices (phones and tablets). You can't cast it to your 75-inch TV. It’s perfect if you’re stuck at a wedding or working a Sunday shift, but it’s a bummer for the living room experience.
- FuboTV: This is often touted as the "sports-first" streaming service. It carries all the local channels and is generally reliable, though they recently had some disputes with certain regional sports networks.
The "Out-of-Market" Struggle
What if you’re a Texans fan living in Chicago, Los Angeles, or New York? This is where the Texans game today channel becomes a ghost.
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Unless the game is nationally televised (Sunday Night, Monday Night, or a high-profile afternoon game), you won't see it on your local CBS or FOX. They will be showing the local team or whatever game the "national" desk thinks is most important for your region.
In this scenario, your only legal option is NFL Sunday Ticket, which is now hosted exclusively on YouTube TV. It’s expensive. There’s no getting around that. But it is the only way to guarantee you see every single snap of a Texans game when you live outside the Houston broadcast radius.
One thing people often forget: The NFL has moved some games to Peacock and Netflix recently. In 2024 and 2025, we saw the league lean heavily into these "platform-exclusive" windows. If the Texans get scheduled for a Christmas Day game or a specific international game in London or Germany, you might find yourself needing a Netflix or Peacock login just for those three hours. It's frustrating for the wallet, but that's the current state of sports media.
Radio: The Old Reliable
Sometimes the TV isn't an option. Maybe you're driving down I-45 or you're stuck doing yard work.
In Houston, the flagship stations for the Texans are SportsRadio 610 (KILT-AM) and 100.3 The Bull (KILT-FM). The legendary Marc Vandermeer handles the play-by-play, and honestly, he’s one of the best in the business. There is something visceral about listening to a game on the radio that TV can’t quite match.
If you’re outside of Houston, you can use the Audacy app to stream the radio broadcast, though sometimes league restrictions apply to digital streams of the radio feed. In those cases, the NFL+ app also provides home and away radio feeds for every single game with no geographic restrictions.
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Technical Snafus: Why You Can't Find the Game
Ever turned on the Texans game today channel only to see a "Signal Loss" screen or a different game entirely?
There are two main reasons for this: Flexible Scheduling and Map Coverage.
- Flexing: The NFL can move games from Sunday afternoon to Sunday night (or vice versa) with about 12 days' notice (and even less late in the season). They do this to ensure Sunday Night Football always has a high-stakes matchup. If the Texans are suddenly in a division-deciding battle, NBC might "flex" them into the primetime slot.
- The "Map": Websites like 506 Sports are a godsend for fans. Every Wednesday, they post maps showing which parts of the country get which games. If you live in a "border" area—like North Texas where Cowboys coverage dominates—you might be in the "wrong" color on the map. In those cases, even if you have CBS, you’ll be watching the Cowboys or the Chiefs instead of the Texans.
Essential Game Day Checklist
To make sure you aren't clicking around at 12:05 PM while the kickoff is happening, do these three things:
- Check the Official Texans App: On the morning of the game, the app will explicitly list the TV station for your current location. It uses your phone's GPS to tell you exactly where to tune in.
- Verify the Time Zone: It sounds stupid, but Houston is Central Time. If they are playing an away game in Jacksonville or New York, the "1:00 PM" kickoff is actually 12:00 PM for the folks back home. Don't get caught an hour late.
- Test Your Logins: If you're using a streaming service like Fubo or Paramount+, log in 20 minutes early. There is nothing worse than an "Update Required" screen or a forgotten password when the Texans are in the red zone on the opening drive.
The landscape of NFL broadcasting is shifting toward a "pay-per-access" model where fans need three or four different subscriptions to see a full 17-game season. It’s a lot to keep track of. But for a team with the momentum the Texans have right now, it’s usually worth the effort.
Keep an eye on the official NFL schedule updates, especially in the final four weeks of the season when the "TBD" (To Be Determined) time slots start appearing. That's a sign the league is waiting to see which games have playoff implications before assigning them to a network.
Actionable Steps for Today's Game
- Check 506sports.com: This is the gold standard for seeing the broadcast maps. If your area is shaded for the Texans game, you're good on local TV.
- Download the Audacy App: Have it ready as a backup. If your internet goes out or the cable box freezes, the radio broadcast is your lifeline.
- Check for "Local Only" Streaming: If you're in Houston, use the Texans official website on a mobile browser; sometimes they offer a free stream of the game specifically for local IP addresses.
- Update your TV software: If you use a Smart TV or Roku, run an update now. Apps like Paramount+ are notorious for crashing if the firmware is out of date.
Don't let the "where is the game?" panic ruin your Sunday. A little bit of prep on Saturday night goes a long way. Go Texans.