The NFL remains the king of American sports, especially when it comes to media consumption.

After watching the NBA and NBC strike a major media deal that reportedly frustrated the league, the NFL has moved forward with negotiations of its own. Talks with another media partner are already underway, and the sides appear to be closing in on a massive agreement.

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According to reports, the NFL and CBS are nearing a new deal worth more than $3 billion per year. That figure would nearly double the value of NBC’s current Sunday Night Football agreement.

Dec 7, 2025; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix (10) with CBS sideline reporter AJ Ross following a game against the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

NBC is not expected to lose Sunday Night Football. The situation is still worth monitoring as the NFL continues to spark bidding wars across the media landscape. In recent years, both Amazon and Netflix have secured prime-time and holiday broadcast slots.

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CBS currently airs Sunday afternoon NFL games alongside FOX, with its existing agreement paying roughly $2.1 billion annually.

Feb 9, 2026; San Francisco, CA, USA; NFL commissioner Roger Goodell speaks at the Super Bowl LX host committee handoff press conference at Moscone Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

One potential driving factor behind the new deal is the NFL’s reported willingness to remove the opt-out clause in the contract. Doing so would guarantee CBS broadcasting rights through 2034.

The current agreement includes an opt-out after the 2030 season. With NFL revenue and viewership higher than ever, locking in a longer-term deal appears to be a smart business move for CBS.

The agreement could also encourage NBC and other networks to pursue similar long-term partnerships with the league. Commissioner Roger Goodell said last year that he expected more renewed deals as early as 2026. The league now appears to be delivering on that expectation.

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