If you are waking up on Wednesday, January 14, 2026, and scrolling through your phone to figure out what time does the first nfl football game start today, I have some news that might be a bit of a buzzkill.
There isn't a game today.
Seriously. Not a single snap. Not even a late-night blowout.
The NFL is a weekend machine, and even in the heat of the postseason, Wednesdays are a ghost town for live action. We just wrapped up a wild Monday Night Wild Card game where the Houston Texans absolutely dismantled the Pittsburgh Steelers 30-6. Now, the league is in that weird mid-week lull where coaches are drinking too much coffee and players are submerged in ice baths, prepping for the Divisional Round.
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When does the next NFL game actually start?
Since you're looking for football right now, you're going to have to wait until Saturday, January 17. That is when the Divisional Round officially kicks off. The first game on Saturday features the Buffalo Bills traveling to Denver to take on the Broncos at 4:30 p.m. ET.
It's going to be a massive game. Denver is the No. 1 seed in the AFC with a 14-3 record, and they've had a week off to rest while the Bills had to grind out a three-point win against the Jaguars.
If you're looking for the full weekend schedule to plan your life around, here’s how the Divisional Round shakes out:
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- Saturday, Jan. 17 at 4:30 p.m. ET: Buffalo Bills at Denver Broncos (CBS/Paramount+)
- Saturday, Jan. 17 at 8:00 p.m. ET: San Francisco 49ers at Seattle Seahawks (FOX)
- Sunday, Jan. 18 at 3:00 p.m. ET: Houston Texans at New England Patriots (ABC/ESPN)
- Sunday, Jan. 18 at 6:30 p.m. ET: Los Angeles Rams at Chicago Bears (NBC/Peacock)
Why is there no NFL game today?
Kinda obvious, right? But honestly, the NFL schedule is so packed these days with Thursday Night Football and those Black Friday games that it's easy to lose track.
The league avoids Wednesday games like the plague because of the "short week" problem. Playing on a Wednesday would mean a team only has two or three days of rest, which leads to more injuries and, frankly, bad football. The only time we really see Wednesday games is when Christmas falls on a Wednesday, and the league decides to gift us some holiday pigskin.
Today, January 14, is actually an important date for a different reason: it's the deadline for college underclassmen to declare for the NFL Draft. While the pros are resting, the future stars are making life-altering phone calls to their agents.
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What should you watch instead?
Since you've got the itch for sports today, you aren't totally out of luck. The NBA is picking up the slack tonight. There’s a solid matchup between the Utah Jazz and the Chicago Bulls, and another one with Joel Embiid and the 76ers taking on the Cleveland Cavaliers.
It’s not playoff football, but it’ll keep the TV warm until Saturday.
Preparing for the Divisional Round
If you were searching for what time does the first nfl football game start today, you’re clearly ready for the heavy hitters. The Divisional Round is often called the best weekend of football in the entire year. You get the No. 1 seeds—the Broncos and the Seahawks—coming off their bye weeks to face battle-tested teams.
One thing to keep an eye on: the weather in Denver. It's mid-January. If a blizzard rolls into Mile High on Saturday afternoon, that 4:30 p.m. ET kickoff for Bills-Broncos is going to look a lot different. Josh Allen thrives in the cold, but the Broncos' defense has been elite at home all season.
Actionable Next Steps for Fans
- Check your streaming subs: If you want to watch the first game on Saturday, make sure your Paramount+ or CBS login actually works. Don't be that person frantically resetting a password at 4:25 p.m.
- Monitor injury reports: Keep a close watch on Matthew Stafford’s index finger. The Rams QB is dealing with a sprain, and that could drastically change the odds for their Sunday night game against the Bears.
- Set your Saturday alarm: Since the first game starts at 4:30 p.m. ET (which is 2:30 p.m. for the folks in Denver), make sure you've cleared your afternoon errands by lunch.
The wait until Saturday feels long, but the Divisional Round matchups we're getting this year are worth the patience.