You’re staring at the TV, remote in hand, searching for a kickoff. I get it. We’ve reached the peak of the football calendar, and the urge to see a high-stakes playoff game is basically hardwired into our systems by mid-January. But if you are looking for what teams play today in the nfl, I have to be the bearer of some slightly annoying news.
There are zero NFL games scheduled for today, Friday, January 16, 2026.
None. The fields are empty. The stadiums are currently being prepped for the chaos that starts tomorrow. The NFL has a very specific rhythm when it comes to the postseason, and Fridays are almost always the "deep breath before the plunge." While we’re technically in the middle of the Divisional Round weekend, the league reserves Fridays for travel, final injury reports, and coaches like Mike Vrabel and Mike Macdonald giving their last press conferences before the bullets start flying for real.
When Does the Action Actually Start?
If you feel like you've been bamboozled by the calendar, don't worry. You've only got about 24 hours to wait. The Divisional Round—which many purists argue is actually the best weekend of football in the entire year—kicks off tomorrow afternoon.
Honestly, the matchups we have lined up for Saturday and Sunday are ridiculous. We’re down to the final eight teams. The pretenders from Wild Card weekend have been sent home (sorry, Steelers and Packers fans), and now we get the heavyweights.
The Saturday Slate (January 17, 2026)
Tomorrow is when the world starts spinning again. We have two massive games on deck:
- Buffalo Bills at Denver Broncos: This is the early window game, kicking off at 4:30 p.m. ET on CBS. You’ve got Josh Allen taking that high-octane Buffalo offense into the thin air of Mile High Stadium. The Broncos are coming off a bye as the No. 1 seed, and the rest vs. rust debate is going to be the only thing anyone talks about until kickoff.
- San Francisco 49ers at Seattle Seahawks: This is the nightcap at 8:00 p.m. ET on FOX. It’s an NFC West bloodbath. These two teams know each other's secrets. Seattle earned the top seed and the bye, but the 49ers just dismantled the Eagles in the Wild Card round. It’s going to be loud. It’s going to be rainy. It’s going to be perfect.
The Sunday Slate (January 18, 2026)
If you survive Saturday, Sunday brings the remaining two slots for the Conference Championships:
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- Houston Texans at New England Patriots: 3:00 p.m. ET on ABC/ESPN. The Texans are the story of the year. Their defense is playing like a group of possessed men, especially after they held Aaron Rodgers and the Steelers to just 6 points last Monday. But going into Foxborough in January is a different beast entirely.
- Los Angeles Rams at Chicago Bears: 6:30 p.m. ET on NBC. Caleb Williams vs. Matthew Stafford. The rookie phenom against the grizzled vet. Soldier Field is going to be freezing, and seeing how Stafford handles the Chicago wind compared to the dome-accustomed Rams is the "x-factor" here.
What Teams Play Today in the NFL? (The Technical Answer)
While no teams are hitting the gridiron today, the "activity" is all behind the scenes. Today is the day of the Final Injury Report.
If you're a betting person or just a die-hard fan, today is actually more important than yesterday. For example, the Houston Texans officially ruled out star receiver Nico Collins today due to a concussion. That's huge. That changes the entire game plan for their matchup against New England.
Meanwhile, in New England, Mike Vrabel has been coy about the status of Christian Gonzalez and Harold Landry III. They’re both listed as questionable as of this afternoon. This is what today is for: the gamesmanship. Coaches are essentially playing a high-stakes game of poker, trying not to let the other side know who is actually healthy enough to run.
Why the NFL Skips Fridays
You might wonder why the NFL doesn't just spread the games out and give us a Friday night playoff game. They do it in the regular season occasionally, and they’ve embraced "Black Friday" football recently.
But the playoffs are different.
The league prefers the concentrated viewership of a Saturday/Sunday "event" block. Plus, the teams playing on Saturday need that Friday for their walk-throughs. If you played today, a team like the 49ers—who played their Wild Card game on Sunday—would be on a dangerously short week. The NFL Players Association (NFLPA) generally pushes back against short weeks in the postseason because the intensity is so much higher.
What You Should Do Instead Today
Since you can't watch a game, today is the day to get your logistics in order. If you're hosting people for the Bills/Broncos game tomorrow, today is the day for the grocery run.
- Check the Weather: If you're heading to Denver or Chicago, the forecasts are looking brutal. Snow is a real possibility for the Texans/Patriots game, which usually favors the home team.
- Update Your Fantasy/Betting Apps: Lines are moving today based on those injury reports I mentioned. The Broncos opened as slight favorites, but the money is starting to shift toward Buffalo as people realize how hot Josh Allen is playing right now.
- Watch the Previews: Most of the major networks are running their deep-dive "simulations" today.
Basically, enjoy the calm. Once that 4:30 p.m. whistle blows tomorrow in Denver, it’s a non-stop ride until the Super Bowl in Santa Clara. The teams playing today in the NFL are essentially "Team Recovery" and "Team Strategy."
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Get your snacks ready, double-check your jersey is clean, and prepare for a weekend that's likely going to break some hearts and mint some new legends. Tomorrow, the wait ends.
Next Steps for Your Football Weekend:
- Check the local broadcast listings to ensure you have access to CBS, FOX, NBC, and ABC/ESPN.
- Monitor the final active/inactive lists which will be released 90 minutes before tomorrow's 4:30 p.m. ET kickoff.
- Verify your streaming logins for Paramount+ and Peacock if you plan on watching the Denver or Chicago games on mobile devices.