Monday Night Football is basically a secular holiday in America. But let's be real—nothing ruins a game day faster than sitting down with a plate of wings only to realize the kickoff happened twenty minutes ago or, worse, isn't happening for another hour. You're probably here because you need a straight answer on what time is monday night football on, and the short answer is almost always 8:15 p.m. ET.
But "almost" is doing a lot of heavy lifting there.
Honestly, the NFL has made things a bit more complicated lately. Between doubleheaders, West Coast travel schedules, and the chaos of the late-season "flex," that 8:15 start time isn't as set in stone as it used to be back in the day.
The Standard Kickoff: 8:15 p.m. ET
For about 90% of the season, you can bet your house on an 8:15 p.m. ET start. This has been the sweet spot for ESPN since they took over the broadcast. It gives the East Coast enough time to get home from work and the West Coast enough time to at least sneak out of the office a few minutes early.
If you aren't on the East Coast, here is how that breaks down for you:
- 7:15 p.m. CT (Chicago, Dallas, New Orleans)
- 6:15 p.m. MT (Denver, Phoenix—depending on daylight savings)
- 5:15 p.m. PT (Los Angeles, Seattle, San Francisco)
It’s a long night for the Atlantic folks. Most games don’t wrap up until well after 11:30 p.m., which makes Tuesday mornings at the office a total caffeine-fueled nightmare.
When the Schedule Gets Weird: Doubleheaders and Beyond
The NFL loves money. Because they love money, they’ve started doing these "Monday Night Football" doubleheaders more often. This is where things get trippy. Sometimes, they’ll have one game start early—think 7:15 p.m. ET—on ESPN, and then a second game kick off at 8:15 p.m. ET on ABC.
You’ve basically got two games running at once, which is a dream for fantasy football managers but a total headache if you're trying to keep track of two different remote controls.
Then there are the "staggered" doubleheaders. You might see a game start at 7:00 p.m. ET and another start at 10:15 p.m. ET. That 10:15 start is brutal. Unless you live in Vegas or Cali, you’re basically watching the fourth quarter in your pajamas while reconsidering every life choice that led you to stay up until 1:30 a.m. to see a goal-line stand.
The Flex Scheduling Factor
This is the part most people forget. Starting in Week 12, the NFL has the power to "flex" games. If the scheduled Monday night matchup looks like a total snooze-fest—say, two teams with three wins combined—they can swap it with a better game from the Sunday afternoon slot.
When they do this, the time usually stays at 8:15 p.m., but the teams change. You have to keep an eye on the news starting in late November. The league usually gives a 12-day notice, so you won't be totally blindsided, but it’s still worth a quick Google check on Monday morning.
Where to Actually Find the Game
It’s not just about what time it’s on; it’s about where the heck you can even watch it. Gone are the days when you just turned on the TV and it was there.
- ESPN and ABC: This is the home base. Most weeks, it’s a simulcast.
- ESPN+: If you’ve cut the cord, this is usually your best friend, though you still need to check if the specific game is being streamed there.
- The ManningCast: Look, if you aren't watching Peyton and Eli on ESPN2, are you even watching football? They usually start at the same time as the main broadcast, but with way more roasting and accidental technical glitches.
- NFL+: This works if you’re okay watching on a phone or tablet. It’s cheap, but it’s tiny.
Why the NFL Picked 8:15
You might wonder why they don't just start at 8:00 p.m. sharp. The truth is all about the "pre-game." Those 15 minutes between 8:00 and 8:15 are prime real estate for advertisers. It’s when the hype videos play, the national anthem happens, and the commentators give those last-second "keys to the game" that we all ignore while checking our betting apps.
Also, it gives the network a buffer. If a news program or an earlier sporting event runs long, they have a tiny bit of breathing room before the actual foot hits the leather.
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Making Sure You Never Miss Kickoff
If you're serious about your Monday nights, don't just trust your internal clock. The 2025-2026 season has already shown us that the NFL is willing to move things around for the right price or the right playoff implications.
Check the ESPN app at least once on Monday afternoon. It's the most reliable way to see if there's been a last-minute shift or if you're looking at a weird doubleheader situation.
Set your DVR for at least an hour past the expected end time. NFL games in 2026 are trending longer due to more commercial breaks and those endless booth reviews. There is nothing more soul-crushing than your recording cutting off right as the kicker lines up for a game-winning 52-yarder in overtime.
Keep your local time zone in mind and remember that the "kickoff time" listed is when the ball moves, not when the coverage starts. If you want the full experience, tune in 30 minutes early. If you just want the action, 8:15 p.m. ET is your magic number.
Go ahead and sync your calendar with a reliable NFL schedule feed. Most major sports apps allow you to "follow" a team or the league and will automatically push the exact kickoff time to your phone's calendar, adjusted for wherever you happen to be standing. It's the only way to stay sane in a world of flex scheduling and constant TV rights changes.