If you woke up today, Tuesday, January 13, 2026, and started looking for your remote to catch some live football, I’ve got some bad news. There aren't any.
Seriously.
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The NFL schedule is a weird beast once we hit January. We just crawled out of a massive Wild Card weekend that ended with a total beatdown in Pittsburgh. If you missed it, the Houston Texans basically dismantled the Steelers 30-6 last night. It was ugly. Aaron Rodgers got sacked four times, the Steelers' home winning streak on Monday night is dead, and Mike Tomlin is fielding questions about why his team hasn't won a playoff game since 2016.
But since that game wrapped up late Monday night, the league takes a breather.
So, to answer the burning question about what time are today's nfl games, the answer is they aren't happening. Not today. Tuesday is the "reset" day in the NFL playoff ecosystem. Coaches are currently locked in dark rooms watching film, players are in ice baths, and the rest of us are left waiting for the Divisional Round to kick off this coming Saturday.
When does the football actually come back?
The wait isn't that long, honestly. We’ve got a four-day gap. Think of it as a chance to actually talk to your family or finally finish that show you started in November. The NFL returns on Saturday, January 17, with a double-header that looks pretty incredible on paper.
Here is how the upcoming weekend shakes out:
The Buffalo Bills travel to Denver to take on the Broncos at 4:30 p.m. ET. This one is on CBS. Denver has been a juggernaut this year, earning that No. 1 seed and the week off. Watching Josh Allen try to navigate the thin air and a rested Broncos defense is going to be the highlight of my Saturday.
Later that night, at 8:00 p.m. ET, we get the San Francisco 49ers heading up to Seattle. That’s on FOX. This is a massive rivalry game. Seattle is the top seed in the NFC, and they’ve spent the last week resting while the 49ers had to scrap for a win against the Eagles.
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Why the Tuesday gap matters
You might wonder why the NFL doesn't just keep the momentum going. Why not a Tuesday night game?
Basically, it comes down to player safety and "fairness" in preparation. The Texans played on Monday night. If the NFL forced a game today or tomorrow, those guys would be playing on essentially zero rest. The league has experimented with different days, but the Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday/Friday stretch of the playoffs is almost always a "dead zone" for live broadcasts.
It's kinda frustrating if you're a fan, but it makes the weekend games much better. You want these teams at 100%. Nobody wants to watch a Divisional Round game where half the starters are hobbling because they didn't have time to recover from the Wild Card round.
What should you watch instead?
If you're still craving sports tonight, you're gonna have to pivot. While there are no NFL games, the NBA is picking up the slack.
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Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs are playing the Oklahoma City Thunder tonight at 8:00 p.m. ET. It's a fun matchup—Wemby vs. Chet Holmgren is basically the basketball version of a high-stakes quarterback duel. Also, the Timberwolves are taking on the Bucks. Giannis is playing, and Milwaukee is desperate for a win to stay in their own playoff hunt.
The path to Super Bowl LX
Since you're likely planning your life around what time are today's nfl games, you might as well look at the full roadmap. We are down to the "Elite Eight" of the NFL.
In the AFC, we have the Broncos and Patriots as the top two seeds. They’re waiting for the Bills and Texans. Over in the NFC, the Seahawks and Bears are the big dogs, waiting to host the 49ers and Rams respectively.
It feels like we’re on a collision course for some classic matchups. The Rams just edged out the Panthers in a 34-31 thriller, so they’re coming into the Chicago game with a ton of confidence.
What you can do right now
Since you can't watch a game today, use this time to get your setup ready for Saturday.
- Check your subscriptions. The games this weekend are split across CBS/Paramount+, FOX, and NBC/Peacock. Make sure you haven't let any of those lapse.
- Track the injury reports. Seattle just released theirs today. Charles Cross and Coby Bryant look like they might be back, which is huge for the Seahawks. Meanwhile, the 49ers are hoping Ricky Pearsall's knee is good enough to go by Saturday.
- Set your reminders. Saturday at 4:30 p.m. ET is the first real kickoff.
Don't let the lack of a Tuesday game get you down. The NFL has a way of making the wait worth it. We’re only a few weeks away from Super Bowl LX in Santa Clara, and these four games this weekend will decide who actually has a shot at the ring.
Lock in your Saturday plans now. The Broncos-Bills game is likely to be the highest-rated broadcast of the week, so don't be the person asking where the game is at 5:00 p.m. when it’s already midway through the second quarter.
The playoffs are a sprint, not a marathon. Enjoy the quiet while it lasts.