Editing NFL Network (section)

== Programming ==
{{Main|List of programs broadcast by NFL Network}}

=== NFL game telecasts ===
{{Main|NFL Network Exclusive Game Series}}

NFL Network introduced original game broadcasts in the [[2006 NFL season|2006 season]] via the ''Run to the Playoffs''—a late-season package of Thursday- and Saturday-night games, branded as ''[[Thursday Night Football]]'' and ''Saturday Night Football'' respectively. After most Saturday games were dropped from the package beginning in the 2008 season, all of the games were branded as ''Thursday Night Football'' regardless of night beginning in 2009. Starting with the [[2012 NFL season|2012 season]], ''Thursday Night Football'' expanded to include a weekly game from Weeks 2 through 15 (excluding the Kickoff Game and Thanksgiving Day, which is held by NBC), as well as one Saturday night game during Week 16. As a result, every NFL team now appears in at least one timeslot-exclusive nationally televised game per-season.

As with the games broadcast by ESPN's ''[[Monday Night Football]]'', the NFL Network telecasts are also aired on a designated broadcast television station in the primary [[media market|markets]] of the participating teams, although prior to the suspension of blackout rules in 2015 stations in the home team's market only carried it if the televised game [[NFL on television#Blackout policies|sold out all remaining available tickets 72 hours prior to the game's start time]].

When ''Thursday Night Football'' premiered, veteran television announcer [[Bryant Gumbel]] served as [[play-by-play]] announcer, with former [[NFL on Fox|Fox]] and current [[Football Night in America|NBC]] analyst [[Cris Collinsworth]] serving as [[color commentator]] for the broadcasts.<ref>[http://www.nfl.com/nflnetwork/story/9398370 Bryant Gumbel, Cris Collinsworth to announce NFL Network games] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060430234917/http://www.nfl.com/NFL|date=April 30, 2006}} NFL Network.</ref> Collinsworth won the Sports [[Emmy Award|Emmy]] for best game analyst for his work on the NFL Network telecasts. [[Dick Vermeil]] replaced Collinsworth for two games in 2006; [[Marshall Faulk]] and [[Deion Sanders]] replaced Collinsworth when needed in 2007.

In the [[2014 NFL season]], the NFL established a sub-licensing agreement with [[NFL on CBS|CBS]] to increase the prominence of the ''Thursday Night Football'' package, under which a portion of the package would air in simulcast on broadcast television, and [[CBS Sports]] would produce all games. Specific games would still be exclusive to NFL Network to comply with carriage agreements guaranteeing a minimum number of exclusive NFL broadcasts per-season.<ref name="cbs-nflthursday">{{cite web |title=CBS to broadcast eight Thursday night football games in 2014 |url=http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/eye-on-football/24431657/cbs-to-take-eight-thursday-night-games-in-2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140205191513/http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/eye-on-football/24431657/cbs-to-take-eight-thursday-night-games-in-2014 |archive-date=February 5, 2014 |access-date=February 5, 2014 |work=CBS Sports}}</ref><ref name="usatoday-nflcbs">{{cite web |title=CBS-NFL marriage extended to Thursday nights in 2014 |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/2014/02/05/cbs-thursday-tv-games-nfl-network/5227869/ |access-date=February 5, 2014 |work=USA Today}}</ref>  In 2016, [[NBC Sports]] also gained a portion of the package under a similar arrangement.<ref name="deadline-tnf2016nbccbs">{{cite web |title=CBS & NBC To Share 'Thursday Night Football' With NFL Network; League Eyes "Tri-Cast" With Digital Partner |url=https://deadline.com/2016/02/thursday-night-football-cbs-nbc-share-nfl-network-1201694273/ |access-date=February 1, 2016 |website=[[Deadline Hollywood]]|date=February 2016 }}</ref><ref name="wp-tnfnbccbs">{{cite news |title=NFL reaches deal with CBS, NBC to split 'Thursday Night Football' |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/early-lead/wp/2016/02/01/nfl-reaches-deal-with-cbs-nbc-to-split-thursday-night-football/ |access-date=February 1, 2016}}</ref> [[Fox Sports (United States)|Fox Sports]] took over the package from 2018 to 2022.<ref name="espn-foxtnf">{{Cite news |title=Fox to broadcast Thursday Night Football for next five seasons |work=ESPN.com |url=http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/22273473/fox-broadcast-thursday-night-football-next-five-seasons |access-date=January 31, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Bonesteel |first=Matt |date=January 31, 2018 |title='Thursday Night Football' will move to Fox next season |language=en-US |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/early-lead/wp/2018/01/31/thursday-night-football-reportedly-will-move-to-fox-next-season/ |access-date=January 31, 2018 |issn=0190-8286}}</ref> With [[Amazon Prime Video]] taking over exclusive rights to ''Thursday Night Football'' beginning in the 2022 season, NFL Network switched to a package consisting primarily of Sunday morning [[NFL International Series]] games, and late-season Saturday games.<ref>{{Cite web |date=March 18, 2021 |title=NFL completes long-term media distribution agreements through 2033 season |url=https://www.nfl.com/news/nfl-completes-long-term-media-distribution-agreements-through-2033-season |access-date=October 23, 2021 |website=NFL}}</ref>

==== Preseason coverage ====
NFL Network televises all 65 [[National Football League preseason|preseason games]] each August. Some of the games air live on the network; however, a majority of these contests air on a [[broadcast delay|tape-delayed]] basis and use the local broadcast of one of the teams involved. Live preseason game broadcasts on NFL Network are blacked out in the home markets of both participating teams, where the game is broadcast on a local station; in those affected areas, an alternate feed of NFL Network is shown instead with a different preseason game, documentary programming, or a previously aired game.

Prior to 2014, NFL Network occasionally broadcast selected preseason games as special editions of ''Thursday Night Football'', such as the [[Pro Football Hall of Fame Game]] between the [[Pittsburgh Steelers]] and the [[New Orleans Saints]] in 2007 (NBC had opted out to carry the proposed [[China Bowl (NFL)|China Bowl]] preseason game in Beijing, which was eventually cancelled).

=== Studio shows ===
On weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays during the off-season, ''[[Good Morning Football]]/Good Morning Football Weekend'' airs live from 7-10 am ET, followed by a repeat from 10 am-1 pm ET.

On Sundays during the NFL season, the ''NFL GameDay Morning'' pre-game show airs from 9 am-1 pm ET, ''NFL GameDay Live'' from 1-7:30 pm ET, ''NFL GameDay Highlights'' from 7:30-8:30 ET, ''NFL GameDay Prime'' from 8:30 pm–11:30 pm ET and NFL GamDay Final from 11:30 pm–12:30 am ET (though this schedule may change depending on if the network airs a 8:30 am ET International game).

On Thursdays, Mondays and anytime NFL Network airs a game, NFL GameDay Kickoff begins two hours prior to the game, with NFL GameDay Live airing during the game (for Thursdays and Mondays), or Live Game coverage (if it's airing the game), with NFL GameDay Final airing after the game.

=== Other football ===

==== Arena Football League ====
NFL Network held the broadcast rights to the revived [[Arena Football League]] from 2010 to 2012. Starting with the 2010 season, the network broadcast a weekly ''Friday Night Football'' game each week during the regular season and playoff games at 8:00&nbsp;p.m. [[Eastern Time Zone|Eastern Time]] from March to August, in addition to rights to playoff games and the [[ArenaBowl]]. The NFL stated that unlike when the NFL last showed interest in arena football, there would be no attempts to buy into the league.<ref>Lombardo, John and John Ourand (February 8, 2010). [http://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/article/64774 NFL Network to broadcast new arena league’s games]. Sports Business Journal.</ref> Broadcasters for the games included [[Kurt Warner]], [[Tom Waddle]], [[Paul Burmeister]], [[Fran Charles]], [[Charles Davis (defensive back)|Charles Davis]] and [[Ari Wolfe]].

NFL Network ceased airing Arena Football League games partway through the [[2012 Arena Football League season|2012 season]] as a result of ongoing labor problems within the league. The season's remaining games were carried on a [[broadcast delay|tape delay]] before the network terminated the league broadcast contract outright at the end of the season; the rights were then obtained by [[CBS Sports Network]].

In March, 2024 the NFL announced they would broadcast 30 regular season games from the [[Arena Football League (2024)|2024 revival of the AFL]] on NFL Network.<ref name="AFL_OT7">{{Cite web|title=NFL Network to televise Arena Football League (AFL), Overtime's football league (OT7) games this spring|url=https://www.nfl.com/news/nfl-network-to-televise-more-live-football-this-spring|website=NFL}}</ref> The league never carried any games, with [[West Texas Desert Hawks]] owner Zack Bugg accusing the network of malfeasance after he personally paid for one of his team's games to be televised only for the network never to carry it.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bauer |first=Michael |date=2024-06-22 |title=ARENA FOOTBALL LEAGUE: West Texas Desert Hawks officially fold |url=https://www.oaoa.com/sports/arena-football-league-west-texas-desert-hawks-officially-fold/ |access-date=2024-06-22 |website=Odessa American |language=en-US}}</ref> Another league member, the [[Albany Firebirds (2023–)|Albany Firebirds]], indicated that the network had refused to carry the games because the league had a number of small-market teams (including West Texas) that "scared (them) off."<ref>{{Cite news |last=Kelly |first=Michael |title=Arena Football League team drops out, back in for Week 2 |url=https://www.timesunion.com/sports/article/iowa-rampage-drop-arena-football-league-week-2-19436590.php |access-date=2024-05-03 |work=Times Union |language=en}}</ref> [[Oregon Blackbears]] president [[Patrick Johnson (wide receiver)|Patrick Johnson]] was among the league's franchisees who was against the NFL Network deal, noting the predatory structure required the league to pay the network a [[brokered programming|brokerage]] fee but did not allow the league to sell advertising nor share in any advertising sales the network sold.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Arena Football League pulled from NFL Network amidst chaos, unpaid bills, and replacement players|url=https://awfulannouncing.com/league-networks/arena-football-league-pulled-from-nfl-network.html|website=AwfulAnnouncing.com|date=May 3, 2024 }}</ref>

==== College football ====
{{Further|College Football on NFL Network}}
In 2006, NFL Network began a foray into televising [[college football]] [[bowl game]]s, acquiring rights to the newly established [[Texas Bowl]] in Houston (whose management rights were held by the [[Houston Texans]] at the time), the [[Insight Bowl]], as well as two all-star events—the [[Senior Bowl]] (which features prospects that had completed their college eligibility) and the [[Las Vegas All-American Classic]] (which, however, was cancelled at the last minute due to financial and sponsorship issues). These games were intended to help make NFL Network more attractive to television providers.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.espn.com/college-football/news/story?id=2724668|title=Las Vegas All-American Classic canceled at last minute|date=2007-01-08|website=ESPN.com|language=en|access-date=2019-05-23}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nfl.com/nflnetwork/story/9563385 |title=NFL Network gets bowl game in Houston |website=NFL.com |date=20 July 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060823012236/http://www.nfl.com/nflnetwork/story/9563385 |archive-date=23 August 2006}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.broadcastingcable.com/news/nfl-net-adds-fourth-game-28485|title=NFL Net Adds Fourth Game|last=Grossman|first=Ben|website=Broadcasting & Cable|date=August 2, 2006 |language=en-us|access-date=2019-05-23}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/1024487-senior-bowl-more-than-just-an-all-star-game|title=Senior Bowl: More Than Just an All-Star Game|last=Shuck|first=Barry|website=Bleacher Report|language=en|access-date=2019-05-21}}</ref> The [[2006 Insight Bowl]], played between [[2006 Minnesota Golden Gophers football team|Minnesota]] and [[2006 Texas Tech Red Raiders football team|Texas Tech]], would also achieve notoriety for featuring the largest comeback victory in [[Division I FBS]] bowl game history, with Texas Tech coming back from a 38–7 third-quarter deficit to win 44–41 in overtime.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.sportingnews.com/us/ncaa-football/list/biggest-comebacks-college-football-history-ucla-texas-am-tcu-oregon-auburn-alabama/pliviosg8u8s1xhzr8js9xg4d|title=10 of the greatest comebacks in college football history|last=Zarett|first=E. Jay|website=Sporting News|date=January 15, 2018 |language=en|access-date=2019-05-23}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.espn.com/blog/dallas/colleges/post/_/id/4692141|title=How TCU pulled off the impossible in Alamo Bowl comeback|date=2016-01-03|website=ESPN.com|language=en|access-date=2019-05-23}}</ref>

On April 14, 2007, the network televised the [[Nebraska Cornhuskers football|Nebraska Cornhuskers]]' spring football game. The network again aired the Insight, Texas and Senior bowls in late 2007 and early 2008. In addition, it carried two games between [[historically black colleges and universities]] during the 2007 season, including the [[Circle City Classic]] at the [[RCA Dome]] in [[Indianapolis, Indiana]]. Rights to the Insight and Texas Bowls were later acquired by [[ESPN]] (with the former later moving to [[Fox Sports (United States)|Fox Sports]]).

In May 2019, NFL Network announced a four-year deal with [[Conference USA]] to air a weekly regular-season game on Saturday afternoons beginning in the [[2019 NCAA Division I FBS football season|2019 season]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://awfulannouncing.com/league-networks/nfl-network-conference-usa-four-year-deal.html|title=NFL Network signs a four-year deal with Conference USA|date=2019-05-20|website=Awful Announcing|language=en-US|access-date=2019-05-21}}</ref> NFL Network opted out of the agreement after one season.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Jimenez |first=James H. |date=2022-08-22 |title=Pair of Sun Belt vs. MAC games to air nationally on NFL Network |url=https://www.hustlebelt.com/2022/8/22/23316397/marshall-bgsu-louisiana-lafayette-eastern-michigan-2022-football-games-airing-on-nfl-network-espn |access-date=2022-09-11 |website=Hustle Belt |language=en}}</ref>

Since 2019, NFL Network has annually carried the [[Black College Football Hall of Fame Classic]], a college football kickoff game that features a matchup of two [[historically black colleges and universities]] (HBCUs) on the Sunday before [[Labor Day]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://operations.nfl.com/updates/the-game/2021-black-college-hall-of-fame-classic-airs-september-5-on-nfl-network/ |title = 2021 Black College Hall of Fame Classic Airs September 5 on NFL Network {{!}} NFL Football Operations| date=September 2021 }}</ref> The [[HBCU Legacy Bowl]], a postseason all-star game involving draft-eligible HBCU players, also has broadcast rights held by NFL Network.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nfl.com/news/black-college-football-hall-of-fame-establishes-hbcu-legacy-bowl |title = Black College Football Hall of Fame establishes HBCU Legacy Bowl| website=[[NFL.com]] }}</ref>

In the [[2022 NCAA Division I FBS football season|2022 season]], NFL Network returned to carrying regular college football games through a weekly sub-license agreement with [[ESPN College Football|ESPN]].<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{cite web |title=Two MAC Football Matchups Selected for NFL Network |url=https://getsomemaction.com/news/2022/8/22/two-mac-football-matchups-selected-for-nfl-network.aspx |access-date=2022-08-29 |website=getsomemaction.com |date=August 22, 2022 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=EMU-Louisiana Football Game to Air Nationally on NFL Network |url=https://emueagles.com/news/2022/8/22/emu-louisiana-football-game-to-air-nationally-on-nfl-network.aspx |access-date=2022-08-29 |website=emueagles.com |language=en}}</ref>

==== High school football ====
NFL Network aired two high school all-star games in June 2007: the [[Bayou Bowl]] between players from [[Texas]] and [[Louisiana]] on June 9 (via a live feed from [[regional sports network]] [[Fox Sports Southwest|FSN Southwest]]), and the [[Big 33 Football Classic]] between players from [[Pennsylvania]] and [[Ohio]] on June 16 (sharing its feed with CN8 (now the [[Comcast Network]]) and cable outlets in [[Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania]] and Ohio).

For the 2023 off-season, the NFL Network broadcast delayed games from the 7-on-7 [[Overtime Elite|Overtime's]] football league (OT7). In 2024 the network had live coverage of OT7's five-week regular season.<ref name="AFL_OT7" />

==== Canadian Football League ====
On July 1, 2010, NFL Network began airing live [[Canadian Football League]] games simulcast from Canadian sports network [[The Sports Network|TSN]]. NFL Network aired the league's Thursday games, three Saturday games during the month of July, and then Friday night games beginning in September (after [[ArenaBowl XXIII]]). NFL Network did not air CFL games during August as it carried a heavy amount of NFL preseason game broadcasts.<ref>[http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/454382-NFL_Network_Going_Canadian.php NFL Network Going Canadian – CFL games begin airing on network July 1] ''Broadcasting & Cable'' July 1, 2010</ref><ref>[https://www.cfl.ca/article/cfl-to-air-on-nfl-network CFL to air on NFL Network] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140304062718/http://www.cfl.ca/article/cfl-to-air-on-NFL-network |date=March 4, 2014 }} CFL Official Site June 30, 2010</ref> In addition, NFL Network did not carry any playoff games, including the [[Grey Cup]] championship, as those games are all played on Sundays opposite NFL regular season games. Those games were instead broadcast on the [[ESPN3]] online service (ESPN owns a 20% interest in TSN, in a [[joint venture]] with majority parent [[Bell Media]]). On May 25, 2012, NFL Network announced it would not renew its contract with the CFL.<ref>McMillan, Ken (May 25, 2012). [http://blogs.hudsonvalley.com/hudson-valley-sports-tv/2012/05/25/no-cfl-on-nfln-eh/ No CFL on NFLN, eh?]. ''HudsonValley.com''. Retrieved June 14, 2012.</ref> The package was subsequently acquired by the [[NBC Sports Network]], then by the [[ESPN Inc.|ESPN networks]].

NFL Network expressed interest in picking up CFL games again beginning in the 2019 season after its previous deal with ESPN expired. To accommodate this, the NFL insisted that the CFL move its schedule over a month earlier than it currently runs, so that the network can use the league to fill air time between the [[NFL draft]] and [[National Football League training camp|training camp]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ottawasun.com/sports/football/cfl/grey-cup-in-october-tv-deal-with-nfl-cfl-commish-speaks|first=Tim|last=Baines|title=Grey Cup in October? NFL Network TV deal could follow for CFL|work=Sun Media|date=November 24, 2017|access-date=May 24, 2018}}</ref> As such a change would require a rework of the league's collective bargaining agreement, it was unable to fulfill that request<ref name="CBA talks">{{Cite web | publisher=cbc.ca | url=https://www.cbc.ca/sports/football/cfl/cfl-collective-bargaining-solomon-elimimian-1.4591209 | title=CFL players search for unified voice as CBA talks loom | date=March 23, 2018 | access-date=September 12, 2018}}</ref> and instead renewed its agreement with ESPN.<ref>[https://www.cfl.ca/2019/01/14/cfl-espn-espn-networks-multi-year-agreement/ CFL TO BE ON ESPN+ AND ESPN NETWORKS IN MULTI-YEAR AGREEMENT]. Retrieved January 14, 2019.</ref>

==== Alliance of American Football ====
On January 31, 2019, NFL Network signed a multi-year deal to air [[Alliance of American Football]] games, broadcasting two games per week, most of them on Saturday and Sunday nights.<ref>{{cite web|last=Ourand|first=John|url=https://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Daily/Morning-Buzz/2019/01/31/AAF.aspx|title=Alliance Of American Football Signs Deals With Turner, NFL Net|work=SportsBusiness Daily|date=January 31, 2019|access-date=January 31, 2019}}</ref> As with all other AAF games, the broadcasts were produced in conjunction with CBS Sports.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Dachman |first=Jason |date=February 8, 2019 |title=At Dawn of AAF Era, Technological Innovation Drives Live Productions |url=https://www.sportsvideo.org/2019/02/08/at-dawn-of-aaf-era-technological-innovation-drives-live-productions/ |access-date=2019-02-21 |website=Sports Video Group |language=en}}</ref> The league ultimately folded in the middle of its [[2019 AAF season|inaugural season]].<ref name=leagueonfire>{{cite magazine|first=Conor|last=Orr|url=https://www.si.com/nfl/2019/04/30/alliance-american-football-aaf-collapse-charlie-ebersol-tom-dundon|title=League on Fire: The Curious Rise and Spectacular Crash of the Alliance of American Football|magazine=[[Sports Illustrated]]|date=May 1, 2019|access-date=May 5, 2019}}</ref>