After months of mounting hype and idle space, the 2026 NFL schedule has finally been unveiled in full. Rejoice, fair townspeople! Now is our time for projection and prediction.

Here, we are ranking the 17 “Monday Night Football” matchups that were just announced. The league’s primetime spots are all cool in their own ways, but there’s a special hold around MNF — its end-of-week finality, enduring theme music and disarming graphics. Though we’re still a few months away from hearing Joe Buck’s stately call and Troy Aikman’s straight-shot commentary, we can’t help but already look forward to the new lineup.

Remember, the late-season matchups could end up getting flexed out due to injuries or underperformances. These rankings are just one writer’s opinion based on initial impressions. Let us know your No. 1 pick in the comments below.

You can watch “Monday Night Football” on Fubo (Stream Free Now). Each game is set for 8:15 p.m. ET.

The 2026 ‘Monday Night Football’ schedule
WeekGameDateTV

1

Broncos at Chiefs

Sept. 14

ABC, ESPN

2

Giants at Rams

Sept. 21

ABC, ESPN

3

Eagles at Bears

Sept. 28

ABC, ESPN

4

Falcons at Saints

Oct. 5

ESPN

5

Bills at Rams

Oct. 12

ABC, ESPN

6

Commanders at 49ers

Oct. 19

ABC, ESPN

7

Cowboys at Eagles

Oct. 26

ABC, ESPN

8

Bears at Seahawks

Nov. 2

ESPN

9

Bills at Vikings

Nov. 9

ABC, ESPN

10

Chargers at Ravens

Nov. 16

ESPN

11

Bengals at Commanders

Nov. 23

ESPN

12

Panthers at Buccaneers

Nov. 30

ESPN

13

Cowboys at Seahawks

Dec. 7

ABC, ESPN

14

Steelers at Jaguars

Dec. 14

ESPN

15

Patriots at Chiefs

Dec. 21

ABC, ESPN

16

Giants at Lions

Dec. 28

ESPN

17

Texans at Packers

Jan. 4

ESPN

ABC is free over the air. All ESPN programming is also available on ESPN Unlimited.

17. New York Giants at Detroit Lions (Week 16)

Detroit does have an electric offense and a devoted home crowd. Jahmyr Gibbs minted a personal 264-yard highlight reel against this opponent last fall. But beat writer Charlotte Carroll predicts a 6-11 finish for John Harbaugh’s first Big Blue bid. Even with a promising draft haul and possible leaps from Jaxson Dart and Malik Nabers, the team could be entirely out of contention come December. If nothing else, maybe we get a second Jameis Winston touchdown catch?

Number to know: 4.9. That’s how many wins the Giants have averaged across the last nine years. Barring a massive overachievement in Harbaugh’s debut, this late-season draw feels eminently flex-worthy.

16. Carolina Panthers at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Week 12)

Austin Mock’s updated roster projections leave much to be desired here — Tampa Bay sits 19th and Carolina is down to 25th. And this is the Monday night following Thanksgiving weekend, so Panthers-Bucs is dinged by viewer fatigue after NFL broadcasts that Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday (plus college football’s Saturday rivalry slate). At least the participants are well acquainted and evenly matched.

Number to know: 5, the combined margin of victory in last year’s two meetings. Carolina won the Week 16 game 23-20, and Tampa Bay took the Week 18 finale by a 16-14 final. This pairing might not be the most glamorous, but it should at least be close.

15. Pittsburgh Steelers at Jacksonville Jaguars (Week 14)

Trevor Lawrence had a star turn in his last home MNF moment. The stumble-to-score winner versus the Kansas City Chiefs rightfully lifted Buck and Aikman out of their booth seats. But skepticism is warranted about Pittsburgh’s quarterback situation. If it’s Aaron Rodgers under center, he’ll be 43 in December. Assuming it avoids flexing, this Week 14 contest would be the black and yellow’s third straight national look. And due to stadium renovations, Jacksonville’s 2026 attendance will be capped well below its peers.

Number to know: 42,507, the capacity at EverBank Stadium in 2026. It puts a dimmer on Duval’s Monday night spotlight.

14. Cincinnati Bengals at Washington Commanders (Week 11)

There’s excitement here surrounding the LSU products at QB. In 2024, Joe Burrow was the league’s leading passer, while Jayden Daniels was the magnetic Offensive Rookie of the Year. However, Cincinnati and Washington have been done in by unfortunate injuries and organizational disorder. This Week 11 game will be the Bengals’ third straight national TV feature, and the third in four games for Washington. There could be a litany of chaos around each quarterback, but their combined presence does raise this matchup’s ceiling a bit.

Numbers to know: 38-33. That was the score of the last Burrow-Daniels duel, which indeed went down on “Monday Night Football” in 2024. Burrow threw for 324 yards and three touchdowns in a loss; Daniels had 254 yards, three total scores and just two incompletions in a win.

13. Atlanta Falcons at New Orleans Saints (Week 4)

It’s buoyed by early-season optimism and slow-cooked regional animosity. The Superdome faithful bring a singular spirit, and ATL has built some intrigue with new head coach Kevin Stefanski. Even so, it’s truly hard to trust the NFC South as a source of quality football. It remains to be seen if Tyler Shough can shine in a primetime outing. The same goes for Michael Penix Jr. … or Tua Tagovailoa.

Number to know: 2, the number of games that separated first and last place in the 2025 NFC South. Carolina, Tampa Bay and Atlanta all went 8-9; New Orleans trailed the crowd at 6-11. Again, this division lacks sheen, but all four members are viable winners.

12. New York Giants at Los Angeles Rams (Week 2)

Another pairing that definitely benefits from September freshness. A healthy Nabers could line up across from new Rams corner Trent McDuffie. The brick-and-mortar Harbaugh gets to face off against scheme wizard Sean McVay. L.A. supplies the star wattage with Matthew Stafford, Davante Adams and Puka Nacua. It’s Week 2, so we’ll all be tuned in. But Giants-Rams might have the greatest blowout potential of these 17 Monday night clashes.

Number to know: -8.5, this game’s opening spread according to several sportsbooks. Right now, it’s the only MNF matchup with a two-score gap.

11. Washington Commanders at San Francisco 49ers (Week 6)

Dan Quinn and Kyle Shanahan reunite from opposing sidelines. They’re seeking their first Super Bowl breakthroughs after experiencing the 28-3 mega-heartbreak together. It’s a relief to see these two teams meeting up early, given their lack of clean health in recent seasons. San Francisco’s crowds are always popping, and this game will look extra sleek if the hosts rock their all-black uniforms.

Number to know: 33.5, San Francisco’s points per game in its last four “Monday Night Football” appearances. The Niners won three of those four games, and the lone loss was an entertaining 40-34 battle with the Lions in 2024.

10. Houston Texans at Green Bay Packers (Week 17)

We’re here for the prospect of snowfall at Lambeau Field. We’re also here for the C.J. Stroud-Jordan Love showdown, and for Micah Parsons and Will Anderson Jr. sharing turf. If it isn’t flexed, this would be Green Bay’s third spotlight game in four weeks and a second straight one for Houston. Viewer fatigue is less of a factor when stakes are raised down the stretch, though. Gameplay could get messy with frigid weather and top-flight pass rushes, but it should also carry acute postseason pressure.

Number to know: 3. Both sides have reached the last three postseasons, which gives us faith that this Week 17 date will have playoff implications.

9. Buffalo Bills at Minnesota Vikings (Week 9)

Vikings writer Alec Lewis has Minnesota at 10-7 this season. Bills counterpart Tim Graham sees Buffalo going 12-5. Justin Jefferson is thrilling and graceful along the sidelines; Josh Allen is a turbo-engine bulldozer under center. These fanbases are uniquely devoted, too, riding with the only two franchises with 0-4 Super Bowl records. We don’t know exactly how the Vikes’ quarterback situation will play out, but this game has a buzz around it either way.

Number to know: 193, the yards Jefferson racked up the last time he faced the Bills. That 33-30 OT banger is worth revisiting, even if both rosters have changed in the subsequent years.

8. Dallas Cowboys at Seattle Seahawks (Week 13)

Year after year, Seattle’s 12s crinkle up audio levels and bellow through our speakers. We know the neon green die-hards are going to loudly support the reigning champions … and defiantly so against Dallas’ “America’s Team” branding. CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens can tease vertical pop on every possession, while the Cowboys have gone all in to rebuild their defense for 2026. Jaxon Smith-Njigba is mesmerizing in space, and dynamic playmakers adorn every level of this Seahawks roster. The only risk to consider here is Seattle’s pure dominance at home.

Number to know: 8. Dallas and Seattle both ranked in the top eight in scoring, total yards and passing offense last season. Load up the fireworks in advance.

7. New England Patriots at Kansas City Chiefs (Week 15)

Sports business scribe Dan Shanoff projected this as one of the most-watched games for 2026. By Week 15, Patrick Mahomes should be duly adjusted in his ACL recovery. After Kansas City’s dynasty took a one-year forced hiatus, Arrowhead will be rocking off its hinges for a statement title fight. Drake Maye excelled in his inaugural “Monday Night Football” showcase, with a 126 QB rating against the Giants in Gillette Stadium. His first road MNF gets final-boss treatment.

Number to know: 9. In the last 10 years, either New England or Kansas City has won the AFC Championship Game all but one time (the Bengals beat the Chiefs in overtime in January 2022).

6. Dallas Cowboys at Philadelphia Eagles (Week 7)

There’s some oversaturation here — it’ll be Dallas’ third national broadcast in a row, and Philadelphia has four in an early six-week stretch. Still, this is one of the NFL’s most potent and prominent rivalries. Both of their 2025 games were one-score affairs, the second of which was especially memorable. Philly’s fans show out like few others can, and they’ll be leveled up in the presence of such familiar foes.

Number to know: 21. Dallas staged a three-touchdown rally in its most recent bout with Philadelphia, sealed by Brandon Aubrey’s walk-off field goal. It was one of the season’s most stirring comebacks.

5. Chicago Bears at Seattle Seahawks (Week 8)

No team was more fun on a week-to-week basis last year than the relentless Bears. Caleb Williams’ two playoff performances pulled from the surreal and the otherworldly. Remember, Bears-Seahawks was looking like the NFC Championship Game matchup until “Iceman” and company fell just short in OT in the divisional round. Here’s our chance to see what could’ve been. The defending champs deserve all their primetime attention, and the Bears have earned their heightened expectations until proven otherwise.

Number to know: 6. That’s how many times the Bears won last year when trailing in a game’s final two minutes. In doing so, Chicago made NFL history and became nationwide appointment TV.

4. Los Angeles Chargers at Baltimore Ravens (Week 10)

We’re a simple people — we see Lamar Jackson on “Monday Night Football” and we tune in. Throughout his career, Jackson has been thoroughly good in this time slot. He’s become the inverse Garfield, with his joystick swagger only intensifying on Mondays. Baltimore’s captain is countered by Justin Herbert, who supplies his own smooth tenacity for Los Angeles. Week 10 will mark the Chargers’ first primetime snaps of the season. This is also a special dance partner for new Ravens coach Jesse Minter, who takes over after two seasons as L.A.’s defensive coordinator. Maybe Baltimore will dons its reimagined alternate jerseys for the occasion.

Numbers to know: 25-0, Jackson’s TD-INT ratio through 10 MNF starts. He’s averaging 67.9 rushing yards per Monday game, too. The two-time MVP is a consummate showman in this window.

3. Philadelphia Eagles at Chicago Bears (Week 3)

The Eagles have established themselves as perennial contenders in the Nick Sirianni era. Ben Johnson’s Bears are pioneers in the field of loopy comebacks. Jalen Hurts arrives with one of the NFL’s lowest interception rates at a career mark of 1.9 percent. And the Chicago defense tries to replicate its lockdown coverage, following a league-best 23 interceptions last year. Soldier Field was a scene all throughout 2025 — do cheese graters work on birds of prey? A Week 3 meet-up serves as the seasonal primetime debut for two conference contenders.

Number to know: 6, the Eagles’ current streak of one-score games on Monday, dating back to September 2023. Furthermore, Chicago’s two Monday games in 2025 were settled by four combined points. This feels destined for drama.

2. Denver Broncos at Kansas City Chiefs (Week 1)

Good fights sell themselves, and worthwhile movies hook us by the trailer. If everything lines up properly, this MNF starter has a long narrative arc with rich, emotive tensions. From one end comes the possible return of Bo Nix. His broken ankle right at the end of Denver’s divisional playoff win was an all-time stunner. From the other end is Mahomes, who tore his ACL and LCL last December as he tried to will Kansas City forward. Evidently, the league’s schedule makers expect both quarterbacks to be available for the season opener.

Number to know: 2009, the last time the AFC West was won by a team other than the Broncos or Chiefs. In addition to the QB storylines, this Week 1 kickoff has established competitive edge.

1. Buffalo Bills at Los Angeles Rams (Week 5)

It’s a tangling of the last two MVPs. It’s a potential Super Bowl preview. It’s Bills Mafia versus Hollywood Park. A Week 5 date still feels fresh, but it gives both sides enough time to shake off any rust, which is vital for Los Angeles’ older core and for Buffalo’s new head coach Joe Brady. The passers plaster the marquee, but their co-stars are headliner-worthy — James Cook is the NFL’s incumbent rushing king, and Adams caught more touchdowns than anyone in the league last season. We have every reason to buy this as a full-fledged blockbuster.

Numbers to know: 44-42. That’s how the last Bills-Rams bash ended in December 2024. Despite taking the loss, Allen was superhuman as he combined for 424 yards and six total touchdowns. Stafford posted 320 yards and two TDs through the air. Both QBs played turnover-free ball in an instant game-of-the-year contender. We eagerly await the reprisal.

Streaming links in this article are provided by partners of The Athletic. Restrictions may apply. The Athletic maintains full editorial independence. Partners have no control over or input into the reporting or editing process, and do not review stories before publication.