NFL Thursday Games: Netflix Kicks Off Season Early

The 2026 NFL season is set to deliver a weekly dose of Thursday night football, with most games airing exclusively on Amazon Prime Video. This mid-week prime-time tradition, which began in 2006, has evolved and found its home on streaming platforms.

The season's unique kickoff is a special international game on Netflix between the San Francisco 49ers and the Los Angeles Rams, scheduled for Week 1 from Melbourne, Australia. This game, while preceding the official Thursday Night Football schedule, offers fans an early taste of NFL action.

The official Thursday Night Football series commences in Week 2 with the Detroit Lions visiting the Buffalo Bills. Subsequent weeks feature compelling matchups including the Atlanta Falcons at Green Bay Packers, a heated AFC North rivalry between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cleveland Browns, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at the Dallas Cowboys.

As the season progresses, fans can anticipate seeing the reigning Super Bowl champions face the Denver Broncos in Week 6. Week 7 brings a matchup of young quarterbacks as the New England Patriots visit the Chicago Bears. The schedule continues with games like the Jacksonville Jaguars at Baltimore Ravens and a rivalry game between the Washington Commanders and New York Giants.

Later in the season, notable contests include the Kansas City Chiefs facing the Buffalo Bills on Thanksgiving evening, and the Chiefs also playing the Los Angeles Rams in Week 13. The slate concludes with important divisional and inter-conference games, highlighting playoff implications as teams vie for postseason berths.

Notable games in the latter half of the season include the Minnesota Vikings at New England Patriots, the San Francisco 49ers at Los Angeles Chargers, and the Houston Texans at Philadelphia Eagles on Christmas Eve. The regular season finale for Thursday Night Football features the Baltimore Ravens at the Cincinnati Bengals.