| NFL on ESPN | |
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| Genre | American football game telecasts |
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| Country of origin | United States |
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| Camera setup | Multi-camera |
| Running time | 180–210 minutes |
| Production company | ESPN |
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| Network | ESPN |
| Release | November 8, 1987 – present |
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National television broadcasts of the National Football League (NFL) first aired on ESPN in 1980, when the network broadcast the 1980 NFL draft. ESPN did not air live NFL games until 1987, when it acquired the rights to Sunday Night Football. In 2006, ESPN lost the rights to Sunday Night Football and began airing Monday Night Football (MNF) instead. Under its current broadcasting deals lasting through 2033, ESPN has live coverage of MNF, sister broadcast network ABC airs selected exclusive or simulcast MNF games, and ESPN+ streams one exclusive game. ESPN/ABC also has a Saturday doubleheader during the last week of the regular season, the Pro Bowl games, the NFL Draft, one Wild Card round playoff game, one Divisional round playoff game, and the Super Bowl in 2027 and 2031. Studio programming includes Monday Night Countdown, Sunday NFL Countdown, NFL Live, NFL Primetime, NFL Matchup, Monday Blitz, and Fantasy Football Now.[1]
Former NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue credits ESPN with raising the "profile" of the league, by turning "a potential six- or seven-hour television experience into a twelve-hour television experience," factoring in both the network's pregame show Sunday NFL Countdown and Sunday Night Football.
- ^ "NFL announces TV deals with ESPN/ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox, Amazon". ESPN.com. ESPN Internet Ventures, LLC. March 18, 2021. Retrieved December 14, 2021.