Our long national nightmare is finally over. After days of dribs and drabs of the NFL schedule release, we finally have the whole enchilada.
And while many pundits are eager to tell you which teams have the most (or least) favorable schedules, we here at Awful Announcing are prepared to tell you which networks made out the best after this year’s schedule release.
Winners
NBC/Sunday Night Football
You KNOW we had to show out for our 20th season. 🤩 pic.twitter.com/udN4ZV4y7B
— Sunday Night Football on NBC (@SNFonNBC) May 15, 2025
No surprises here, but NBC’s Sunday Night Football has the strongest schedule of all the primetime windows. The network has the Dallas Cowboys three times, the Kansas City Chiefs three times, the Philadelphia Eagles twice, the Buffalo Bills twice, the Detroit Lions twice, the Baltimore Ravens twice, the Washington Commanders twice, and, well, you get the idea.
Every single Super Bowl contender appears at least twice on Sunday Night Football, which once again solidifies itself as the NFL’s premier package. On paper, there’s not really a weak game on the schedule. Week 12’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers-Los Angeles Rams game and Week 16’s Cincinnati Bengals-Miami Dolphins game probably have the least juice from a brand perspective, but those teams could all be in the playoff hunt at that point in the season.
And if not, Sunday Night Football has favorable flex scheduling procedures to fall back on.
Fox/America’s Game of the Week
IT’S HERE! 🚨
The 2025 @NFLonFOX regular season schedule highlights the league’s elite NFC roster combined with more key AFC teams than ever before 👏
A fan favorite, AMERICA’S GAME OF THE WEEK returns with marquee showdowns including Eagles-Chiefs, Lions-Bengals,… pic.twitter.com/l6GdcSw4YB
— FOX Sports PR (@FOXSportsPR) May 15, 2025
After two straight seasons losing the ratings battle to CBS, something that was unheard of until a bevy of star quarterbacks graced the AFC, Fox should rightfully be pleased with what the schedule-makers have given them. This season, Fox will get its fair share of star AFC quarterbacks highlighted by a Super Bowl rematch between the Eagles and Chiefs in Week 2.
To go along with Mahomes and Co., Fox will get Josh Allen and the Bills twice along with two games of Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals.
Then, as expected, the network will get plenty of the NFC’s best draws. Four Cowboys games. Four Lions games. Three Eagles games. And two Commanders games.
That should be just enough to get Fox back over the hump as the most-watched Sunday later-afternoon window this season. For context, CBS will air three Chiefs games and two Bills games during the national window.
Loser
ESPN/Monday Night Football
The wait is over 🔥
The 2025 Monday Night Football schedule is here 🍿 pic.twitter.com/sLqgxlegMn
— ESPN (@espn) May 15, 2025
Unfortunately for ESPN, the Monday Night Football schedule is looking pretty lackluster his year. While there are some highlights to be sure — Lions-Ravens in Week 3 and Commanders-Chiefs in Week 8 standout — there are also a lot of clunkers, especially down the stretch.
Weeks 11 through 13 can safely be described as “poopfecta” games for listeners of The Bill Simmons Podcast. The Raiders, Panthers, and Giants all in consecutive weeks is pretty tough. Then, Weeks 15 through 17 can probably be described as “Battle for the 7-seed” with the Dolphins, Steelers, Colts, 49ers, Rams, and Falcons all making appearances.
The other weakness in ESPN’s schedule is the lack of divisional matchups. Only three Monday Night Football games will feature divisional foes, and not a single one of those games is scheduled after Week 4. Without that shared history to fall back on when the teams themselves are lackluster, ESPN is a clear loser in this year’s NFL schedule release.