Why there's no Monday Night Football tonight; NFL playoff schedule explained

No Monday Night Football on Dec 5 as the NFL regular season ended with Week 18 on Sunday; games resume Jan 10 with Wild Card weekend.

Published on: Jan 06, 2026 4:14 AM IST

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The weekly NFL action paused on December 5, and fans were left without the usual Monday Night Football fixture after 18 straight weeks of the regular season. The NFL regular season ended with the conclusion of Week 18 on Sunday night. Fans now will have to wait for a week for the Wild Card round game on January 10.

Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Joey Porter Jr. jumps during player introductions before an NFL football game against the Baltimore Ravens. (Representational) (AP)

The next round of NFL games kicks off on Saturday afternoon with the Carolina Panthers taking on the Los Angeles Rams. It will be followed by the Chicago Bears vs the Green Bay Packers later on Saturday night.

Why There Is No MNF Fixture On December 5?

The NFL regular season officially ended with the Sunday Night Fixture on December 4. All the fixtures for Week 18 have now concluded; as a result, there are no games scheduled for Monday night.

Also read: What happened to Jalen Hurts? Here's why Eagles QB is not playing today vs Commanders

The NFL season resumes again with the Wild Card Round, followed by the playoffs and eventually the Super Bowl. The next Monday Night Football fixture is scheduled for January 12.

NFL Wild Card And Playoff Fixtures

The NFL Wild Card rounds will kick off on January 10 and will conclude on January 12, Monday. It will be followed by the Divisional Round starting January 17 to January 18. The two Conference Championship games will be held on January 25. And, finally, the Super Bowl will be played on February 9.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Shamik Banerjee
Shamik is a journalist covering the United States for Hindustan Times. He has more than four years of experience reporting on US politics, sports, and major breaking stories across fast-moving cycles. He previously worked at Times Now and Sportskeeda, building strong newsroom instincts and digital storytelling skills. At HT.com, he focuses on day-to-day coverage of US political developments while also handling high-impact stories that demand speed, accuracy, clarity, and context under pressure. Shamik has extensive experience covering NFL game days over the past two years, coordinating live updates, analysis, and explainers. He is particularly drawn to large news moments such as US elections and the Super Bowl, where he thrives at the news desk working alongside the team. He holds degrees in Media Studies from Jamia Millia Islamia and English Literature from Jadavpur University. Before entering journalism, he briefly worked in digital marketing and political consultancy roles. Currently a Senior Content Producer at HT Digital, he is driven by curiosity, discipline, and a constant desire to explore new and obscure topics. Outside work, he enjoys reading, films, sports, and learning continuously.Read More

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