The NFL regular season has come to a close which means there are no more Thursday Night Football games in 2026. As the NFL gears up for the playoffs, the majority of the postseason games will be on the weekend, with the exception of the Pittsburgh Steelers hosting the Houston Texans on Monday, January 12.
Fans looking for an NFL Thursday Night Football game tonight, January 8, will have to wait. The good news is there is a College Football Playoff semifinal matchup tonight if you are looking for an alternative option for the NFL.
No. 6 Ole Miss takes on No. 10 Miami in the Fiesta Bowl with a trip to the national championship on the line. The CFP semifinal game kicks off at 7:30 p.m. Eastern on ESPN. Yes, Lane Kiffin’s old team is just one win away from competing for a national title despite the coach leaving for LSU before the season ended.
As for the NFL playoffs, the first game starts on Saturday, January 10, as the Carolina Panthers take on the Los Angeles Rams at 4:30 p.m. Eastern on Fox. The NFL will be worth the wait when the schedule resumes with a double-header on Saturday, January 10.
This will be followed by a triple-header on Sunday, January 11. Finally, we get one more wild card postseason game on Monday, January 12, as the Texans-Steelers conclude the schedule.
All of this is leading to Super Bowl 2026 in San Francisco on Sunday, February 8, at 6:30 p.m. on NBC.
Here’s what you need to know about the upcoming NFL schedule as the playoffs start.
NFL Playoff Schedule 2026: Everything You Need to Know as the Postseason Starts on Saturday, January 10
The NFL wild card round gets started on Saturday, January 10. Here’s a look at the full NFL schedule with all times listed in Eastern.
| DATE | GAME | TIME (ET) | TV CHANNEL |
| January 10 | Rams vs. Panthers | 4:30 p.m. | FOX |
| January 10 | Packers vs. Bears | 8 p.m. | Prime |
| January 11 | Bills vs. Jaguars | 1 p.m. | CBS |
| January 11 | 49ers vs. Eagles | 4:30 p.m. | FOX |
| January 11 | Chargers vs. Patriots | 8 p.m. | NBC |
| January 12 | Texans at Steelers | 8 p.m. | ESPN/ABC |
| January 17 | Divisional Round | 4:30 p.m. | TBD |
| January 17 | Divisional Round | 8:15 p.m. | TBD |
| January 18 | Divisional Round | 3 p.m. | TBD |
| January 18 | Divisional Round | 6:30 p.m. | TBD |
| January 25 | AFC Championship | 3 p.m. | CBS |
| January 25 | NFC Championship | 6:30 p.m. | FOX |
| February 8 | Super Bowl 2026 | 6:30 p.m. | NBC |
NFL Playoff Bracket 2026: NFC Wild Card Games
The NFC wild card games begin on Saturday, January 10, as the Panthers host the Rams. Teams are battling for a spot in the NFC Championship which kicks off on Sunday, January 25, at 6:30 p.m. Eastern.
| Wild Card | Divisional Round | NFC Championship | Super Bowl |
| 7. Packers | |||
| 2. Bears | |||
| 6.49ers | |||
| NFC Championship | |||
| January 25 | |||
| 3. Eagles | |||
| Super Bowl | |||
| 5.Rams | Feb. 8, San Francisco | ||
| 1. Seahawks | (Will play highest seed) | ||
| 4. Panthers |
NFL Playoff Bracket 2026: AFC Wild Card Games
The AFC wild card matchups begin as the Jacksonville Jaguars host the Buffalo Bills on Sunday, January 11, at 1 p.m. Eastern on CBS. Teams are pushing for a spot in the AFC Championship which takes place on Sunday, January 25, at 3 p.m. Eastern.
Here’s a look at the AFC playoff bracket.
| Wild Card | Divisional Round | AFC Championship | Super Bowl |
| 7.Chargers | |||
| 2. Patriots | |||
| 6.Bills | |||
| AFC Championship | |||
| January 25 | |||
| 3. Jaguars | |||
| Super Bowl | |||
| 5. Texans | Feb. 8, San Francisco | ||
| 1. Broncos | (Will play highest seed) | ||
| 4. Steelers |
NFL Football Games Today: Is There Thursday Night Football on TV on Jan. 8, Schedule?