If you’re wondering why you’ll be seeing two Monday Night Football games tonight, it’s all part of an ongoing NFL and ESPN deal that has changed how we enjoy football on Mondays. This week, fans will be treated to two matchups: the Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Buffalo Bills and the Washington Commanders vs. Cincinnati Bengals.
Why Two Games on Monday Night?
The NFL began scheduling more Monday night doubleheaders starting in 2021 as part of a deal with ESPN and ABC, both owned by Disney. This move brought more games to prime-time television on both networks. While doubleheaders were once reserved only for the first week of the season, that’s no longer the case.
This week’s matchups will be the first of four scheduled Monday-night doubleheaders for the 2023 season. Last year, strikes by the Writers Guild of America (WGA) and the Screen Actors Guild (SAG-AFTRA) led to more Monday Night Football games being aired on ABC than initially planned, setting a precedent for this year.
The Monday Night Doubleheader Schedule
This week marks the first doubleheader, with another one next week, followed by Weeks 7 and 15. Fans can tune in to the first game, Jacksonville vs. Buffalo, at 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN. The second game, Washington vs. Cincinnati, will kick off at 8:15 p.m. ET on ABC and ESPN+.
Next week, the Monday Night Football lineup continues with the Tennessee Titans taking on the Miami Dolphins at 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN. The Seattle Seahawks and Detroit Lions will follow at 8:15 p.m. ET on ABC and ESPN+. For now, football fans can enjoy a double dose of action four times this season, bringing more excitement to Monday nights.
Thanks to the 2021 deal between the NFL and ESPN, football fans can enjoy four weeks of Monday night doubleheaders, starting with tonight’s matchups. With more games on prime-time TV, this season brings a new dynamic to how fans enjoy football on Monday nights.
