As always, this week's slate of NFL games will end with prime-time action. But new for Week 14, and marking a first in league history, "Monday Night Football" will feature not one but two different matchups kicking off at the same time.
That's right. When the Dolphins host the Titans in an AFC showdown and the Packers visit the Giants in a battle of NFC playoff hopefuls, both contests will air simultaneously, bringing -- as ESPN put it -- a "Sunday afternoon environment" to the bright lights.
Why, exactly, are there two "MNF" games occurring like this? And how can you tune in? Here's all you need to know:
How to watch
| Game | Date | Time | TV | Stream |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Titans at Dolphins | Dec. 11 | 8:15 p.m. ET | ESPN | fubo |
Packers at Giants | Dec. 11 | 8:15 p.m. ET | ABC | fubo |
Why are there two 'MNF' games?
The NFL finalized its current media rights agreement in 2021, and as part of the deal, ESPN and ABC received additional game rights, including an expansion of multigame "Monday Night Football" airings.
The NFL has deployed early-season "MNF" doubleheaders for years, usually to include games on both the West and East Coasts, but only recently has ESPN broadcast more of an overlapping schedule. This was showcased most prominently in Weeks 2 and 3 this season, when two games kicked off within an hour of each other.
This time around, with two games happening at once, ESPN is hoping to bring the "Sunday afternoon environment" -- of many NFL games unfolding simultaneously -- to the prime-time stage, and thus engage additional fan bases.
How will the broadcasts differ?
The top "MNF" crew of Joe Buck (play-by-play), Troy Aikman (color analyst) and Lisa Salters (sideline reporter) will call the Packers-Giants, which has clear playoff implications in the NFC wild-card race. Meanwhile, Chris Fowler (play-by-play), Louis Riddick and Dan Orlovsky (color analysts), as well as Laura Rutledge (color analyst), will call Titans-Dolphins.
Additionally, ESPN2 and ESPN+ will be airing "Monday Night Football with Peyton and Eli," the Manning brothers' alternative broadcast, and showing both games on the same screen. The Mannings are set to analyze both games concurrently, per ESPN, while occasionally diverting to single-game coverage for specific highlights.
