How to stream nfl playoffs for free

Don’t miss football’s biggest tournament! The NFL Playoffs kick off this January, and we’ve got your viewing game plan right here.

You can watch the NFL Playoffs on most of the same channels that aired this season’s biggest NFL matchups—including CBS, ESPN/ABC, FOX, and NBC. If you’ve watched the playoffs before, you’ll recognize that these are the usual channels. But with streaming becoming more popular, there are more ways to tune in than ever before.

Keep reading as we break down the various options available for watching the NFL postseason. And don’t miss our How to Watch the Super Bowl guide, where we outline the specifics surrounding Super Bowl LVII.

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What channels are the NFL Playoffs on?

The NFL Playoffs will appear on CBS Sports, ESPN, FOX Sports, and NBCUniversal networks. That means you’ll need the following four sets of channels to watch every playoff game this season.

• CBS
• ESPN/ABC
• FOX
• NBC

We list ESPN and ABC together because ESPN’s sole playoff game will simulcast on ABC—meaning you need access to only ESPN or ABC to tune in. That’s especially important for Sling TV users who don’t get ABC.

During past seasons, other channels also aired simulcasts. ESPN2 typically gets in on the ESPN/ABC fun. But our favorite alternate coverage comes via Nickelodeon, which hosted an NFL on Nickelodeon simulcast for one of CBS’s wild card games last season. Who knew football and slime went together so well?

Some Spanish-language channels also offer live NFL playoff coverage. If you prefer American football en Español, you can switch to ESPN Deportes, Fox Deportes, and Universo/Telemundo instead of ESPN/ABC, FOX, and NBC. Sometimes, CBS also offers Spanish-language audio through the secondary audio programming (SAP) feature—accessible on only analog TV setups like cable and over-the-air (OTA) TV.

Pro tip: All NFL playoff games that air on NBC also stream on Peacock Premium, while all CBS games stream on Paramount+. Last year’s Monday night Super Wild Card Game on ESPN/ABC also streamed live on ESPN+.

NFL Playoffs schedule

This season’s NFL Playoffs will begin on January 14, 2023, with another Super Wild Card Weekend. It all leads to Super Bowl LVII less than a month later in Glendale, Arizona.

Best TV plans for watching the NFL Playoffs

With the NFL Playoffs airing on ABC, CBS, FOX, and NBC, you don’t need to shop for a super expansive (not to mention expensive) TV plan. A simple TV and digital antenna setup will do if you live in an area that offers all four channels over the air. We’ll explain how to verify your available channels in our section below on watching the NFL Playoffs for free.

If playoff channels are unavailable to you via antenna, signing up for a streaming service is the next most convenient option. YouTube TV ($64.99 a month) is our favorite live TV streaming service for watching the NFL Playoffs. It has over 85 channels, including every playoff channel and NFL Network for extra football coverage. You can also get ESPN Deportes, Fox Deportes, and Universo with YouTube TV’s Spanish Plus add-on for an extra $14.99 a month. But you’ll first need to ensure your internet is fast and reliable enough to stream NFL games.

NFL+ (formerly NFL Game Pass) offers a cheap alternative for watching every NFL playoff game. For as low as $4.99 a month, an NFL+ subscription gives you live access to the entire postseason and NFL Network through the NFL mobile app. That means you can watch live games only on your phone or tablet. But hey, it beats constantly refreshing social media for score updates.

Which TV providers offer NFL playoff channels?

Data effective as of post date. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.

*Available only in select markets.

How to watch the NFL Playoffs for free

Recommended antenna:

Mohu Leaf 50 ($48.94 one-time purchase)*

NFL playoff channels:

ABC, CBS, FOX, and NBC

Features:

All local broadcast channels

CableTV.com utilizes paid Amazon links. Amazon.com Price; $48.94 (as of 9/27/22 1:00 p.m. CT). Read full disclaimer.

The great thing about the NFL Playoffs is that every game airs nationally on the four most popular broadcast television networks. ABC, CBS, FOX, and NBC are free to watch if you have an OTA antenna and TV within range of each channel’s nearest affiliate station.

If you don’t have an antenna, you can check out our Best Antennas for Cord-Cutters page to browse some of our favorite antennas. But before you settle on the one-time purchase, you’ll want to enter your zip code on the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) Reception Map Tool to see what type of antenna range you’ll need.

The Mohu Leaf 50 ($48.94 on Amazon*) is a fantastic option for those who live in the suburbs. Its 60-mile range and included amplifier provide solid channel reception. But you may need something with a greater range if you live in a rural area. (We see you, Green Bay fans living in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.)

Final take

The NFL Playoffs will air across CBS, ESPN/ABC, FOX, and NBC. These are the same networks that broadcast many games during the regular season, so you likely already have access to most of them. But if not, you can easily find these channels on cable, satellite, and live TV streaming services.

• A digital antenna will get you CBS, ABC, FOX, and NBC. But you must live within the range of each network affiliate, which you can verify by entering your zip code into the FCC’s Reception Map Tool.
• YouTube TV ($64.99 a month) carries every playoff channel and NFL Network. A month-long subscription will easily cover every round of the playoffs—meaning you can sign up on the first day of Super Wild Card Weekend and cancel after the Super Bowl to avoid paying for a second month.
• NFL+ (starting at $4.99 a month) is the cheapest way to stream the NFL Playoffs. But live games are available only on mobile devices. So we recommend the NFL+ route only if you know you’ll be away from a TV on game days.

How to watch the NFL Playoffs FAQ

Does NFL RedZone include the playoffs?

No, NFL RedZone and DIRECTV’s separate RED ZONE CHANNEL aren’t on-air during the postseason. Like NFL SUNDAY TICKET, the two channels provide coverage only on Sundays during the regular season.

Methodology

Our sports experts spent over eight hours examining the best ways to watch the NFL Playoffs. We compared the prices and channel offerings of the most popular TV services. Then, we selected our viewing recommendations based on convenience—focusing on channel availability, pricing, and ease of signing up.

Check out our How We Rank page to learn more about our methods.

Data effective as of post date. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.

*Amazon.com price as of 9/27/22 1:00 p.m. CT. Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon.com at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product. CableTV.com utilizes paid Amazon links.

Certain content that appears on this site comes from Amazon. This content is provided “as is” and is subject to change or removal at any time.