You’re staring at your TV, wings maybe already in the oven or at least on the mental grocery list, and you’re asking the big question: is there an nfl game on today? It’s Friday, January 16, 2026. If you’ve been following the postseason chaos of the last week, you know the Wild Card round was a total meat grinder. We saw the Houston Texans absolutely dismantle the Steelers in Pittsburgh and the Rams barely escape Carolina with their lives.
But honestly, the short answer for today is no. There are no NFL games on today, Friday, Jan 16.
It’s that weird, quiet "eve" before the Divisional Round kicks off tomorrow. The league loves a good Friday build-up, but they almost never actually pull the trigger on a Friday playoff game. They save the real fireworks for the weekend. We’ve got a massive double-header waiting for us on Saturday, followed by another two-pack on Sunday. Today is basically the deep breath before the plunge.
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Is There an NFL Game on Today? Dealing With the Friday Playoff Gap
If you feel like you've been bamboozled because you remember Friday games from the regular season, you aren't crazy. The NFL has been leaning into "Black Friday" games and late-season specials. But once the playoffs hit, the schedule tightens up like a prevent defense in the fourth quarter.
The league sticks to a very specific rhythm for the Divisional Round. They want those massive Saturday and Sunday television windows.
Why? Money, mostly. But also tradition.
The Divisional Round is arguably the best weekend in all of sports. Better than the Super Bowl? For many die-hards, yes. You get four games in 48 hours, all featuring the "best of the best" since the No. 1 seeds—the Denver Broncos and the Seattle Seahawks—are finally coming off their bye weeks.
So, while you're asking is there an nfl game on today, the teams are actually already in their hotels in Denver and Seattle, going through their final walkthroughs. The Bills are prepping for that thin Colorado air, and the Niners are likely bracing for a rainy, loud mess at Lumen Field.
What Happened to the Schedule?
Usually, we’d have a Thursday or Friday game during the regular season to keep us occupied. But in the postseason, the NFL prioritizes player rest and maximum viewership.
A Friday game would mean one team is playing on extremely short notice, especially since the Texans and Steelers just finished up that Monday night Wild Card game a few days ago. Houston needs every hour of recovery they can get before they head to Foxborough to face the Patriots this Sunday.
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Looking Ahead: The Divisional Round Slate
Since there’s nothing on the tube tonight, you should probably set your DVR or clear your schedule for what’s coming. The bracket is set, and the matchups are actually pretty spicy this year.
Saturday, January 17
- Buffalo Bills at Denver Broncos: This kicks off at 4:30 PM ET on CBS. Denver has been a juggernaut with a 14-3 record, but Buffalo just proved they can win a playoff game in the trenches after beating the Jaguars.
- San Francisco 49ers at Seattle Seahawks: The nightcap at 8:00 PM ET on FOX. This is an NFC West bloodbath. Seattle took the top seed, but the Niners looked dangerous against Philly last week.
Sunday, January 18
- Houston Texans at New England Patriots: 3:00 PM ET on ABC/ESPN. Can C.J. Stroud keep this magic going against a Patriots defense that looked like a brick wall against the Chargers?
- Los Angeles Rams at Chicago Bears: 6:30 PM ET on NBC. The Bears are the No. 2 seed and playing at home in the freezing cold. The Rams are a dome team coming off a nail-biter. This has "upset alert" written all over it.
Why the NFL Avoids Friday Night Lights
You might wonder why the league doesn't just toss us a bone and put one game on Friday night. Historically, the NFL has stayed away from Fridays and Saturdays during the fall to protect high school and college football attendance. This is actually codified in the Sports Broadcasting Act of 1961.
While those restrictions technically lift by mid-December, the NFL has found that the "two-and-two" Saturday/Sunday split for the Divisional Round is the sweet spot for ratings.
Basically, they want you to spend your Friday night talking about the games rather than watching them. It builds the hype. It gives the betting lines time to shift. It allows for the endless "expert" panels on sports networks to debate whether the Broncos' defense can actually stop Josh Allen in the cold.
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Practical Tips for Your NFL-Free Friday
Since the answer to is there an nfl game on today is a resounding "nope," you've got a few options to kill the time before the Bills and Broncos kick off tomorrow afternoon.
- Check the Injury Reports: This is the most productive thing you can do today. Keep an eye on the Texans' offensive line health. They got beat up in the Wild Card round, and New England's pass rush is no joke.
- Monitor the Weather in Seattle: Lumen Field is notorious for getting greasy when it rains. If the forecast for Saturday night looks wet, it might favor the Seahawks' ground game over the Niners' timing-based passing attack.
- Fantasy and Betting Prep: Most playoff pools reset or have specific Divisional Round formats. Today is the day to lock in those rosters before the Saturday afternoon deadline.
- Stock Up: If you wait until Saturday morning to hit the store for game-day snacks, you're going to be fighting half the city for the last bag of decent chips. Use the "Friday Void" to run your errands.
The wait is almost over. We’ve made it through the regular season and a wild opening playoff weekend. Tomorrow, the road to Super Bowl LX in Santa Clara gets a whole lot narrower.
Actionable Next Steps:
- Check your local listings to confirm which channel is carrying the Bills-Broncos game in your area, especially if you rely on streaming services like Paramount+ or Peacock.
- Verify your TV service login credentials today so you aren't scrambling and missing the opening kickoff tomorrow at 4:30 PM ET.
- Set a reminder for 3:00 PM ET tomorrow to start your pre-game ritual, because the Divisional Round waits for no one.