You're sitting on the couch, the wings are ordered, and you've got that internal clock ticking down to the big game. But then it hits you: wait, is it actually starting now or is there another thirty minutes of pre-game hype? Getting the timing right for the NFL’s flagship evening showcase is harder than it used to be. For decades, it was a set-it-and-forget-it 9:00 PM start, but those days are long gone.
What time is kickoff for Monday night football?
Basically, the standard answer is 8:15 PM ET. If you’re on the West Coast, that’s a much more manageable 5:15 PM PT. For the Central crowd, it’s 7:15 PM.
But don't just set your alarm for 8:15 and assume you're safe. The NFL loves to tinker. In 2025 and moving into the 2026 season, "standard" has become a relative term. Between doubleheaders, West Coast hosting duties, and flexible scheduling, you could easily miss the first quarter if you aren't paying attention to the specific week.
Why the 8:15 PM ET Start Time is the Magic Number
The league settled on 8:15 PM ET because it's the "Goldilocks" zone of broadcasting. It's late enough that the West Coast audience is mostly home from work, but early enough that East Coast fans aren't falling asleep into their nachos by halftime. Well, mostly. A game starting at 8:15 usually wraps up around 11:30 PM ET.
Honestly, the 11:30 PM finish is still a bit of a grind for people with 6:00 AM wake-up calls. That’s why you’ll sometimes see the league experiment with slightly earlier starts for specific games, especially during those chaotic doubleheader weeks.
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The Doubleheader Curveball
This is where things get kinda messy. The NFL has ramped up the number of Monday nights where they show more than one game. It's great for the fantasy football addicts, but it's a nightmare for anyone trying to keep a simple schedule.
In a typical doubleheader scenario, you might see:
- Game 1: Kicking off at 7:00 PM ET or 7:15 PM ET (usually on ABC or ESPN).
- Game 2: Kicking off at 8:15 PM ET or even as late as 10:15 PM ET (usually on ESPN or ESPN+).
Take Week 2 of the 2025 season as a prime example. The Bucs and Texans kicked off at 7:00 PM ET, while the Chargers and Raiders didn't start until 10:00 PM ET. If you tuned in at the "standard" 8:15 PM, you were right in the middle of one game and a full two hours away from the next. It's a lot to track.
The Impact of Flex Scheduling
You also have to worry about "Flexing." Starting around Week 12, the NFL has the power to move a lackluster Monday night matchup to Sunday afternoon and replace it with a high-stakes game. They have to give at least 12 days' notice, so they won't surprise you on Monday morning, but it means the matchup you circled on your calendar in August might not be the one you're watching in December.
Broadcast Channels and Where to Find the Kickoff
It’s not just about the time; it’s about where you’re pointing the remote. Monday Night Football is a Disney production, which means it bounces between ESPN and ABC.
For the 2025-2026 cycle, Joe Buck and Troy Aikman are the voices you’ll hear. Most weeks, the game is simulcast on both ABC and ESPN. However, those exclusive doubleheaders often split the games. One might be on ABC while the other is tucked away on ESPN+ or the main ESPN cable channel. If you don’t have a streaming subscription, you might find yourself locked out of the late-night West Coast games.
Pre-game Festivities
If you actually enjoy the analysis and the "Booger Mobile" style commentary (though thankfully that’s a thing of the past), the pre-game show Monday Night Countdown typically starts at 6:00 PM ET. They spend two hours breaking down the tape before the actual kickoff. If you just want the football and none of the talk, aim for exactly 8:15 PM ET. The ball usually leaves the tee about three to four minutes after the scheduled time once the national anthem and coin toss are out of the way.
History of the Kickoff Time Shift
It’s actually pretty interesting how we got here. Back in 1970, Howard Cosell and the gang started things at 9:00 PM ET. It was "must-see TV" before that was even a catchphrase. But as the world got faster and attention spans got shorter, the 9:00 PM start became a liability.
In 2006, when the move from ABC to ESPN happened, the league pulled the kickoff back to 8:30 PM ET. Even that wasn't enough. They eventually shaved another 15 minutes off to get us to the current 8:15 PM ET slot.
Actionable Tips for This Week's Game
To make sure you never miss a kickoff, follow these steps every Monday morning:
- Check the Official NFL App: Don't rely on Google snippets that might be pulling data from last year. Open the app and look at the "Game Center" for the specific date.
- Confirm the Time Zone: If you are traveling, remember that "8:15" is always Eastern. If you are in Denver, that’s 6:15 PM. In Seattle, it's 5:15 PM.
- Sync Your Fantasy Lineup: Set your "final" lineup by 8:00 PM ET. There’s nothing worse than trying to swap a late-scratch receiver at 8:14 PM while your app is lagging.
- Verify the Channel: Check if it’s an "ABC week" or an "ESPN+ exclusive." This is especially vital during the Week 2, 4, 6, and 7 doubleheader windows.
The 8:15 PM ET kickoff is the anchor of the week for most fans. While the league will continue to play with doubleheaders and streaming exclusives, that 8:15 window remains the most consistent bet for your Monday night fix.