How to Watch NFL Games Without Cable in 2025

You Don't Have to Miss Sunday Football When You Cut the Cord

Worried about missing your team's games if you cancel cable? Don't be. You can watch every NFL game through streaming services, and often get better picture quality than cable. Plus, you'll save hundreds of dollars each year.

The NFL knows fans are switching from cable to streaming, so they've made their games available on multiple platforms. Whether you want to watch your local team or follow an out-of-market team, there are simple solutions that work great with Starry internet.

When and Where NFL Games Air

Understanding the NFL schedule helps you choose the right streaming service:

Sunday Afternoon Games:

• CBS - AFC team games (Patriots, Bills, Dolphins, etc.)
• FOX - NFC team games (Cowboys, Giants, Eagles, etc.)

Sunday Night Football:

• NBC - One featured game each week

Monday Night Football:

• ESPN - One game each Monday

Thursday Night Football:

• Amazon Prime Video - Most Thursday games
• NFL Network - Some Thursday games

Local Games: Your local CBS, FOX, and NBC stations show games featuring your area's teams for free with an antenna or streaming service.

Best Streaming Services for NFL Games

Here are the top options that work great with Starry internet:

1. YouTube TV ($73/month) - Best Overall

What You Get:

• All local channels (CBS, FOX, NBC)
• ESPN for Monday Night Football
• NFL Network for some Thursday games
• Unlimited DVR to record games
• Over 100 channels total

Why It's Great:

• Simple interface that's easy to navigate
• Works on any device (TV, phone, tablet, computer)
• No contracts - cancel anytime
• Excellent picture quality

"YouTube TV has been perfect for football season. I get all my local games, Monday Night Football, and I can record games to watch later. The picture is crystal clear and it never cuts out." - Frank, age 71, Boston

2. Hulu + Live TV ($77/month) - Best Value

What You Get:

• Local CBS, FOX, NBC channels
• ESPN for Monday Night Football
• Regular Hulu shows and movies included
• 50 hours of DVR storage

Why Seniors Like It:

• Combines live TV with on-demand shows
• Simple remote control options
• Good customer service
• Easy to pause and rewind live games

3. fuboTV ($75/month) - Best for Sports Fans

What You Get:

• All local networks (CBS, FOX, NBC)
• NFL Network and NFL RedZone
• Over 100 sports channels
• 1,000 hours of DVR storage

Perfect if:

• You love watching multiple sports
• You want NFL RedZone (shows highlights from all games)
• You like having lots of sports content

4. Amazon Prime Video ($9/month) - For Thursday Games

What You Get:

• Most Thursday Night Football games
• Free shipping on Amazon orders
• Prime Video movies and shows

Good to Know:

• Only covers Thursday games, not Sunday or Monday
• Great addition to other services
• Very affordable option

Watching Your Local Team's Games

Good News: You can watch your local team's games easily with any of these options:

1. Antenna + Streaming Service
   
   

• Use an antenna for free local games on CBS, FOX, NBC
• Add YouTube TV or Hulu for ESPN Monday Night Football
• Total cost: $25 antenna + $73/month = Much less than cable

1. Streaming Service Only
   
   

• YouTube TV or Hulu include your local CBS, FOX, NBC channels
• Get all games in one place
• No antenna needed

Watching Out-of-Market Games

Want to follow a team from another city? Here are your options:

NFL Sunday Ticket (Available through YouTube TV)

• Cost: $349/season or $449 with RedZone
• What you get: Every out-of-market Sunday game
• Perfect for: Fans who moved away from their favorite team's city

Example: If you live in Boston but want to watch Dallas Cowboys games, NFL Sunday Ticket lets you watch every Cowboys game that's not on your local channels.

Individual Team Apps

Many teams have their own apps with live radio broadcasts and some video content. Check your team's official website for their app.

Free Options to Watch NFL Games

Antenna for Local Games

• Cost: $20-50 one-time purchase
• Channels: Local CBS, FOX, NBC games
• Picture Quality: Often better than cable (uncompressed signal)
• Perfect for: Watching your local team's games

NFL App

• Free highlights and analysis
• Some live games on mobile devices
• Radio broadcasts of all games

Setting Up NFL Streaming

Getting started is simpler than you might think:

1. Choose your streaming service based on which channels you need
2. Sign up online or call their customer service
3. Download the app on your TV, phone, or tablet
4. Start watching - most services offer free trials

All these services work perfectly with Starry internet. Our high-speed connection ensures you won't miss any plays due to buffering or poor picture quality.

Cost Comparison: Streaming vs. Cable

Traditional Cable with Sports Package:

• Monthly cost: $120-150
• Annual cost: $1,440-1,800

Starry Internet + YouTube TV:

• Starry Internet: $50/month
• YouTube TV: $73/month
• Annual cost: $1,476

Starry Internet + Antenna + Amazon Prime:

• Starry Internet: $50/month
• Antenna: $30 one-time
• Amazon Prime: $9/month
• Annual cost: $738

You save $700-1,100 per year compared to cable.

What About the Super Bowl and Playoffs?

Great news: All playoff games and the Super Bowl air on broadcast TV (CBS, FOX, NBC), so you can watch them with:

• Any streaming service that includes local channels
• A simple antenna
• The NFL app (for mobile viewing)

You won't miss the biggest games of the year when you cut the cord.

Internet Speed Requirements

NFL games stream smoothly with these internet speeds:

• Standard HD: 5 Mbps
• 4K games: 25 Mbps
• Multiple games at once: 50+ Mbps

Starry provides speeds up to 1 Gig, which easily handles multiple 4K streams. Our network is built for streaming, so you get consistent speeds even during Sunday when everyone's watching games.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Game seems delayed compared to neighbors with cable? Streaming can be 30-60 seconds behind cable. This is normal and affects all streaming services.

Picture quality isn't good?

• Check your internet speed
• Make sure other devices aren't using lots of bandwidth
• Try connecting your streaming device directly to your router with ethernet

Can't find your local games?

• Check that your streaming service includes local channels in your area
• Use the service's website to verify local channel availability

Getting Help

Need help choosing a service? Visit a Starry store where our team can explain how each streaming service works with our internet and help you pick the best option for your viewing habits.

Need help setting up? Most streaming services offer phone support to walk you through setup. You can also ask a tech-savvy family member to help.

Our Recommendation

For most football fans, we recommend YouTube TV because:

• It includes all the channels you need for NFL games
• The interface is simple and reliable
• Picture quality is excellent
• Customer service is helpful
• It works great with Starry internet

If you only care about local games, an antenna plus Amazon Prime gives you almost everything for much less money.

The Bottom Line

You don't have to choose between cutting the cord and watching football. Streaming services give you all the NFL games you want, often with better picture quality than cable, and you'll save money every month.

Ready to watch NFL games without cable?

• Choose a streaming service that fits your needs
• Make sure you have fast, reliable internet (call Starry at 1-888-STARRY-1)
• Enjoy football season with lower bills

Questions about streaming NFL games with Starry internet? We're here to help you get the best game-watching experience possible.

Also an NBA fan? Need to figure out how to watch basketball games via streaming services? We got you.