Wait, check your calendar. It’s Saturday, January 17, 2026. If you just sat down on your couch, cracked a drink, and started searching for the monday night football schedule today, you're probably feeling a little bit like you entered a parallel dimension.
Honestly, it’s a weird day for football fans. We are right in the thick of the NFL Divisional Round, which means the "Monday Night" brand basically takes a back seat to the weekend chaos. Usually, we’re used to that iconic theme song kicking off our week, but when the playoffs hit high gear, the NFL moves its biggest chess pieces to Saturday and Sunday.
If you came here looking for a game to watch tonight, you’re in luck—but it’s not Monday Night Football. It’s Saturday Night Football.
What’s Actually on the Schedule Right Now?
Let's clear the air. There is no Monday Night Football game today because today is Saturday. I know, the "Monday" in your search bar is a habit. We've all been there.
Right now, the NFL is obsessed with the Divisional Round. This is widely considered the best weekend of football in the entire year because the top seeds (who just sat out the Wild Card round) finally get their hands dirty.
Here is what the real "today" looks like for your TV:
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- Game 1: Buffalo Bills at Denver Broncos. This kicked off at 4:30 p.m. ET on CBS. If you’re just tuning in, you’re seeing Josh Allen trying to survive the thin air at Mile High.
- Game 2: San Francisco 49ers at Seattle Seahawks. This is the big one tonight. Kickoff is at 8:00 p.m. ET on FOX.
Lumen Field is going to be absolutely deafening. Seattle locked up the No. 1 seed with a 14-3 record, but the story all week has been Sam Darnold’s oblique injury. He’s been a revelation this year, but if he can't go, Drew Lock is stepping into the furnace against a Niners defense that essentially eats backup quarterbacks for breakfast.
Wait, so is there a Monday Night game this week?
Actually, no.
The last Monday Night Football game of the 2025-26 season happened five days ago on January 12. That was the Wild Card finale where the Houston Texans absolutely dismantled the Pittsburgh Steelers, 30-6. It was a defensive masterclass that officially ended the Monday night slate for the year.
From here on out, it’s all about Sundays and the occasional Saturday spotlight. The league wants the maximum number of eyeballs on the screen, and Monday nights during the Divisional and Championship rounds just don't fit the "all-day party" vibe they want for the playoffs.
The "Monday Night" Void: What to Watch on Jan 19
If you are specifically looking ahead to Monday, January 19, 2026, because you want that week-night football fix, the NFL isn't going to help you. But college football is about to take over your life.
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This coming Monday is the College Football Playoff (CFP) National Championship.
Basically, the "Monday Night Football" slot is being borrowed by the kids. This year, it’s a bizarre and fascinating matchup: No. 1 Indiana vs. No. 10 Miami.
Yes, you read that right. Indiana.
Why you should care about the CFP on Monday:
- The Indiana Cinderella Story: Most experts thought Indiana's run would fizzle out by November. Instead, they’ve steamrolled their way to a 15-0 (or near enough) record and the top seed.
- Miami’s Chaos: The Hurricanes are the first No. 10 seed to make it this far in the new 12-team playoff format. They’ve been playing "elimination" football for a month straight.
- The Time: Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN.
So, while the monday night football schedule today technically doesn't exist in the NFL world, the "Monday Night" spirit is alive and well in Miami Gardens at Hard Rock Stadium this coming week.
Understanding the NFL Playoff Calendar Shift
It’s easy to get confused. During the regular season, Monday is a sacred ritual. But once the calendar flips to mid-January, the NFL schedule-makers get aggressive.
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They move to a "concentrated" schedule. The logic is pretty simple: they want the winning teams to have almost exactly the same amount of rest heading into the Conference Championships. If a team played a grueling game on Monday night and then had to turn around and play a Divisional game on Saturday, they’d be at a massive disadvantage.
The NFL learned this the hard way years ago. Now, they wrap up the Monday games during the Wild Card round (the first week of the playoffs) and then shut it down.
Why the 49ers vs. Seahawks Game is the "Real" MNF Today
If you were looking for that high-production, primetime feel, the Niners/Hawks game tonight is where you’ll find it. It has all the hallmarks of a classic Monday night thriller:
- Massive Stakes: Winner goes to the NFC Championship.
- The Crowd: Seattle fans are trying to break the 110-decibel mark.
- The QB Drama: Sam Darnold vs. Brock Purdy. Two guys who were once written off, now leading the two best teams in the NFC.
Where to Find the Games Moving Forward
Since the monday night football schedule today is a ghost, you’ll need to recalibrate your DVR for the rest of the month.
Tomorrow, Sunday, January 18, we get the rest of the Divisional Round:
- Houston Texans at New England Patriots: 3:00 p.m. ET on ABC/ESPN. C.J. Stroud is looking like a veteran out there, but playing in Foxborough in January is a different beast.
- Los Angeles Rams at Chicago Bears: 6:30 p.m. ET on NBC. The Bears' defense has been terrifying lately, and Matthew Stafford is going to have to deal with some serious wind off Lake Michigan.
Actionable Next Steps for Fans
If you're sitting there with your remote in hand, here is exactly what you need to do to stay on top of the schedule:
- Switch to FOX right now: The San Francisco vs. Seattle pregame is likely starting or in full swing. This is the "big game" of the night.
- Check your ESPN+ Subscription: If you're planning on watching the National Championship on Monday (the 19th), make sure your login works now. Don't be the person resetting their password five minutes before kickoff.
- Clear your Sunday afternoon: Tomorrow’s doubleheader starts early. If you wait until 8:00 p.m. like a typical Monday night game, you’ll have missed the Texans/Pats game entirely.
The NFL regular season might be over, and the Monday night lights might be dimmed for the pros, but the next 48 hours are the highest-quality football you're going to see all year. Enjoy the Saturday Night version of the madness.