Why aren't there two 'Monday Night Football' games in Week 1 this season?

Trevor Booth

Why aren't there two 'Monday Night Football' games in Week 1 this season? image

ESPN’s Monday Night Football will debut for the 2021 season with the Ravens and Raiders at Allegiant Stadium in Paradise, Nevada. However, that will be the only contest we see for Week 1 on Monday. 

As a result of the NFL’s new 11-year deal with its television partners and 17-game season, the league eliminated the “Monday Night Football” doubleheader that has been a staple on the Week 1 schedule since the 2006 season. ESPN will instead have two games on Saturday, Jan. 18 as part of the Week 18 at 4:30 p.m. ET and 8:15 p.m. ET involving teams with playoff implications

Monday’s game with Baltimore and Las Vegas will start at 8:15 p.m. ET. A second contest would usually begin at 10:15 p.m. ET with West Coast teams. 

MORE: NFL picks, predictions for Week 1: Steelers upset Bills; Buccaneers, Ravens, Rams roll in prime time 

ESPN’s two games for Week 18 will be determined and announced following the conclusion of Week 17, according to the NFL. Here’s a look at the league’s full schedule for both of those weeks. 

NFL schedule Week 1 

Thursday, Sept. 9 

GameTime (ET)TV
Dallas at Tampa Bay8:20 p.m.NBC

Sunday, Sept. 12

GameTime (ET)TV
Jacksonville at Houston1 p.m.CBS
Los Angeles Chargers at Washington1 p.m.CBS
Seattle at Indiana1 p.m.FOX
New York Jets at Carolina1 p.m.CBS
Minnesota at Cincinnati1 p.m.FOX
Arizona at Tennessee. 1 p.m.CBS
San Francisco at Detroit1 p.m.FOX
Pittsburgh at Buffalo1 p.m.CBS
Philadelphia at Atlanta1 p.m.FOX
Cleveland at Kansas City4:25 p.m.CBS
Green Bay at New Orleans4:25 p.m.FOX
Denver at New York Giants4:25 p.m.FOX
Miami at New England4:25 p.m.CBS
Chicago at Los Angeles Rams8:20 p.m.NBC

Monday, Sept. 13 

GameTime (ET)TV
Baltimore at Las Vegas8:15 p.m.ESPN

NFL schedule Week 18 

Saturday, Jan. 8 

GameTime (ET)TV
TBD4:30 p.m.ESPN
TBD8:15 p.m.ESPN

Sunday, Jan. 9 

GameTime (ET)TV
Dallas at Philadelphia1 p.m.FOX
Green Bay at Detroit1 p.m.FOX
Indianapolis at Jacksonville1 p.m.CBS
Washington at New York Giants1 p.m.FOX
Chicago at Minnesota1 p.m.FOX
Carolina at Tampa Bay1 p.m.FOX
New England at Miami1 p.m.CBS
New Orleans at Atlanta1 p.m.FOX
Tennessee at Houston1 p.m.CBS
Pittsburgh at Baltimore1 p.m.CBS
New York Jets at Buffalo1 p.m.CBS
Cincinnati at Cleveland1 p.m.CBS
Los Angeles Chargers at Las Vegas4:25 p.m.CBS
San Francisco at Los Angeles4:25 p.m.FOX
Kansas City at Denver4:25 p.m.CBS
Seattle at Arizona4:25 p.m.FOX
TBD8:20 p.m.NBC

Trevor Booth