Despite the litany of injuries the 2024 Detroit Lions went through, they still managed to put up their best regular season ever: a franchise-record 15 wins and the No. 1 seed in the NFC. However, those injuries caught up to them, and the Lions were immediately bounced out of the postseason with a 45-31 divisional-round loss to the Washington Commanders.
The good news for Lions fans: It’s a new start with a clean sheet, headlined by the return of star edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson after his season-ending leg injury.
Both coordinators have moved on, but Dan Campbell is still in charge and the core offense is intact. Jared Goff, Jahmyr Gibbs, Amon-Ra St. Brown and Penei Sewell look to guide Detroit to another league-leading scoring effort in 2025. The Lions averaged a very entertaining 33.2 points per game last year. Accordingly, the Lions’ schedule will feature (at least) five prime-time games across six broadcasters this season, with matchups on both Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays.
It can be difficult to keep track of all that information. In addition to the usual channel rotation of CBS, Fox, NBC, ABC/ESPN and NFL Network, this NFL season’s streaming rights also extend to Amazon Prime, Netflix, Peacock and YouTube. As a result, we’ve compiled a league-wide overview of how the current broadcast carousel works, formatted specifically for the Lions’ 2025 schedule (pre-time flexes, which start as early as Week 5 this year).
Make sure you’re also following the NFL on The Athletic. Lions staff writer Colton Pouncy will keep you updated throughout the season.
All times listed below are ET.
Cable/satellite/streaming base
The first thing we’ll need to watch all 17 regular-season Lions games is a television package. Here are the most popular options, contingent on local availability, with pricing as of September 2025:
- Fubo (Stream Free Now) is $0 for the first week, $54.99 for the first month with the applied discount, then $84.99 monthly.
- Hulu’s live TV add-on is free for the first three days, then $82.99/month.
- YouTube TV is $49.99 for the first two months (offer good through Sept. 30), then $82.99/month.
- DirecTV’s “Choice” package starts at $59.99 for the first month, then bumps up to $89.99/month.
- Dish’s “America’s Top 120+” plan is $106.99/month.
- Xfinity’s “Sports & News” TV and internet package is $110/month.
- Verizon Fios’ “More Fios” plan is $95 for an initial 60 days, then goes to $119/month.
- Sling’s most expansive “Orange & Blue” option has a deal for half off its first month, which comes out to $29.99 for its base price ($60.99/month after). With the “Sports Extra” add-on, the deal is $44.99 for the first month ($75.99/month after). The company is also selling day passes for temporary access, with the weekly one at $14.99 and weekends at $9.99. Sling doesn’t carry CBS networks.
Average monthly cost: $85-100. Depending on the carrier, this will cover all NFL action except for out-of-market games, “Thursday Night Football” on Prime and the Christmas slate on Netflix.
Sunday afternoon, in market
CBS and Fox
Our dueling homes for the busiest part of the weekly schedule. A majority of Lions games will fall into the Sunday afternoon bulk, kicking off at either 1 or 4-4:30 p.m. Typically (not always), the East Coast home teams play earlier, though Detroit has a 50-50 split this season.
For the most part, CBS has the AFC home games and Fox has the NFC ones. That’s not absolute, though. In general, these over-the-air channels show games pertinent to the region. When there’s no local team to prioritize, they’ll show a game of national intrigue. Fox specifically brands this second afternoon window as “America’s Game of the Week,” and the Lions are set for this spotlight a few different times.
Both networks have broadcast teams to spread around the league on Sundays. Here’s a refresher on those lead crews:
CBS — “Hello Friends” Team
Jim Nantz and Tony Romo / Tracy Wolfson sideline
Ian Eagle and JJ Watt / Evan Washburn
Kevin Harlan and Trent Green / Melanie Collins
Andrew Catalon, Charles Davis and Jason McCourty / AJ Ross
Spero Dedes and Adam Archuleta / Aditi Kinkhabwala
Lions games on CBS
- Sunday, Sept. 7 (Week 1): @ Green Bay Packers, 4:25 p.m.
- Sunday, Dec. 21 (Week 16): vs. Pittsburgh Steelers, 4:25 p.m.
Fox — “Dancing Robots” Team
Kevin Burkhardt and Tom Brady / Erin Andrews and Tom Rinaldi sideline
Joe Davis and Greg Olsen / Pam Oliver
Adam Amin and Mark Sanchez / Kristina Pink
Kenny Albert and Jonathan Vilma / Megan Olivi
Kevin Kugler and Daryl Johnston / Allison Williams
Chris Myers and Mark Schlereth / Jen Hale
Lions games on Fox
- Sunday, Sept. 14 (Week 2): vs. Chicago Bears, 1 p.m.
- Sunday, Sept. 28 (Week 4): vs. Cleveland Browns, 1 p.m.
- Sunday, Oct. 5 (Week 5): @ Cincinnati Bengals, 4:25 p.m.
- Sunday, Nov. 2 (Week 9): vs. Minnesota Vikings, 1 p.m.
- Sunday, Nov. 9 (Week 10): @ Washington Commanders, 4:25 p.m.
- Sunday, Nov. 23 (Week 12): vs. New York Giants, 1 p.m.
- Thursday, Nov. 27 (Thanksgiving, Week 13): vs. Green Bay Packers, 1 p.m.
- Sunday, Dec. 14 (Week 15): @ Los Angeles Rams, 4:25 p.m.
What you’ll need to watch: One of the aforementioned cable or streaming packages, or a broadcast antenna for free over-the-air access. Local CBS games can also be streamed on Paramount+ (starting at $7.99/month). Local Fox games can also be streamed on Fox One (starting at $19.99/month).
Sunday afternoon, out of market
NFL Sunday Ticket
Detroiters who are far from home (or random Lions fans who caught the bug) will need NFL Sunday Ticket to unlock those Sunday games. For an extra fee, they can also get NFL RedZone, the frenetic live whip-around anchored by Scott Hanson. That man is peerless in his love for American football.
What you’ll need to watch: YouTube is the current digital home provider of NFL Sunday Ticket (DirecTV carries it for businesses). New Sunday Ticket users can subscribe for $276/year, which comes out to $23/month. Returning users with YouTube TV are charged $378, or $31.50/month, and those without YouTube TV pay $480 ($40/month). These are the prices without RedZone.
Additionally, the league’s NFL+ Premium app has standalone RedZone access for 12 installments of $14.99. Full out-of-market games can’t be streamed live here, though, making it a better option for fantasy players rather than dedicated team loyalists.
The Athletic’s Andrew Marchand reported that ESPN recently sold 10 percent of its equity to the NFL in exchange for league media assets (NFL Network, cable RedZone rights and fantasy football games). Now, the new ESPN Unlimited direct-to-consumer (DTC) service is offering a bundle with NFL+ Premium for $39.99/month.
Average monthly cost: $23-40
“Sunday Night Football”
NBC
Sundays always end with “Sunday Night Football,” featuring Mike Tirico and Cris Collinsworth in the booth. Tirico is the successor to longtime SNF voice Al Michaels. Collinsworth, well … “here’s a guy” who gets really excited about nickel corners and pass-blocking running backs. Melissa Stark is NBC’s Sunday night sideline reporter.
As we get into the later weeks, NBC will flex into matchups with greater playoff implications. The same goes for ABC/ESPN (Mondays) and Prime Video (Thursdays). Network flexing is a contentious issue, though. Putting a more compelling game on national TV rewards viewers at home, but sudden schedule changes obviously hurt traveling fans. For SNF in Weeks 5-13, a flex must be announced at least 12 days before the game. That window halves to a six-day warning in Weeks 14-17.
Lions games on NBC
- Sunday, Oct. 12 (Week 6): @ Kansas City Chiefs, 8:20 p.m.
- Sunday, Nov. 16 (Week 11): @ Philadelphia Eagles, 8:20 p.m.
What you’ll need to watch: A TV package, or a broadcast antenna for free over-the-air access, or a Peacock account (sports subscription with ads starts at $10.99 per month).
“Monday Night Football”
ESPN, ABC
Here’s where you’ll find end-of-week pageantry with Joe Buck, Troy Aikman and the inescapable theme music. Industry vet Lisa Salters dispatches from the sideline, along with Laura Rutledge. When there are multiple Monday night listings, Chris Fowler does play-by-play on the doubleheader’s other game, with former safety Louis Riddick and former quarterback Dan Orlovsky on color commentary. Katie George and Peter Schrager cover the sidelines with that group. The MNF crew for ESPN Deportes includes play-by-play woman Rebeca Landa and analyst Sebastian Martinez-Christensen, with sideline reports from MJ Acosta-Ruiz and the incomparable John Sutcliffe.
There is usually a simulcast on ESPN2 anchored by Peyton and Eli Manning. The “ManningCast” is where Campbell once appeared and gave Peyton and actor Jeff Daniels some credit for the Lions’ turnaround. This year, the brothers will host their show for Detroit’s first MNF game but not the second.
Lions games on ABC/ESPN
- Monday, Sept. 22 (Week 3): @ Baltimore Ravens, 8:15 p.m.
- Monday, Oct. 20 (Week 7): vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 7 p.m.
What you’ll need to watch: A TV package, or a broadcast antenna for free over-the-air access to ABC. ABC and ESPN are also available with the new ESPN DTC service ($29.99 per month).
“Thursday Night Football”
Prime Video
This marks year No. 4 of TNF on Amazon. Al Michaels does play-by-play, and he’s joined by Kirk Herbstreit (“College GameDay” staple and Golden Retriever enthusiast). Kaylee Hartung handles the sideline reporting. Thursday games are on the Prime Video app for national audiences, and broadcasts are free over the air in the two teams’ home markets. Alternatively, TNF can be streamed on Twitch or with an NFL+ subscription (mobile only, however).
Last year’s ill-fated first TNF flex did not lead to new safeguards; rather, the league reduced the notice window from 28 days down to 21. Again, those flexes favor folks at home who want exciting and relevant late-season viewing, but it brings chaos to ticket holders and the participating teams themselves.
Lions games on Prime Video
- Thursday, Dec. 4 (Week 14): vs. Dallas Cowboys, 8:15 p.m. (with an over-the-air TV broadcast in the Detroit market)
What you’ll need to watch: Amazon Prime, which costs $14.99 per month, NFL+ ($6.99/month) or a registered Twitch account.
Average monthly cost: $0-15
Thanksgiving/Christmas games
Thanksgiving on Fox
Ford Field always hosts the first Thanksgiving kickoff. It’s one of the Lions’ enduring franchise traditions. This year’s game is a particularly consequential one against Jordan Love, Micah Parsons and the Cheeseheads:
- Thursday, Nov. 27 (Week 13): Green Bay Packers at Detroit Lions — Fox, 1 p.m.
What you’ll need to watch: A TV package with Fox, over-the-air access or a Fox One subscription.
Christmas on Netflix
We were all but out of dodge … until one last streaming service stood before us. The NFL has now built out a Christmas slate, because the appetite for more football is never-ending. Detroit’s Christmas game is a Netflix exclusive, too. ‘Tis the season:
- Thursday, Dec. 25 (Week 17): Detroit Lions at Minnesota Vikings — Netflix, 4:30 p.m.
What you’ll need to watch: A Netflix subscription ($7.99/month with ads). The game will also be free over the air in the Detroit market.
Average cost: $0-8
After all that, there remains one unknown: the Lions’ Week 18 trip to Chicago to face the Bears in the season finale. The entirety of that Week 18 schedule won’t be announced until the conclusion of Week 17. It’ll end up being played either that Saturday or Sunday, with kickoff time contingent on the stakes.
Thanks for bearing with us. You don’t like the Bears, though, so thanks for Lioning with us. The reward is a full case of hilariously awesome trick plays:
Updated Lions odds for 2025
Lions single-season records
- Passing yards — Matthew Stafford with 5,038 (2011)
- Passing TDs — Stafford with 41 (2011)
- Rushing yards — Barry Sanders with 2,053 (1997)
- Rushing touchdowns — Jamaal Williams with 17 (2022)
- Receiving yards — Calvin Johnson with 1,964 (2012)
- Receiving touchdowns — Johnson with 16 (2011)
- Sacks (official, after 1982) — Robert Porcher with 15 (1999)
- Interceptions — Jack Christiansen (1953) and Don Doll (1950) tied with 12
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(Photo of Dan Campbell: Gregory Shamus/ / Getty Images)
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