The NFL doesn't miss an opportunity.
That includes the next two weeks, when the league branches back into Saturday action. That begins in Week 16, when the Eagles play the Commanders and the Packers play the Bears in two fun divisional clashes..
It sneaks up on fans every year. All of a sudden it's like, "Oh yeah, the NFL does this Saturday thing."
No one is ever quite sure which week it starts, but if you're reading this on Saturday, Dec. 20, the answer is: This week!
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Why are there NFL games on Saturday?
There is usually at least one NFL game on Saturday each season, dating back to 1972.
But they can't start until late in the season, because the 1961 Sports Broadcasting Act prohibits overlap between NFL and college football gamedays in most scenarios.
By mid-to-late December, college football is over except for the postseason. That allows the NFL to move into Saturdays.
It has gotten more complicated with the expanded College Football Playoff schedule that has three games on the same Saturday as two NFL games, but that's the expanded world of football we're living in.
What games are on NFL Saturday schedule in 2025?
On Dec. 20, there are two games: Eagles at Commanders (5 p.m. ET) and Packers at Bears (8:20 p.m. ET).
There are also two Saturday games on Dec. 27: Texans at Chargers (4:30 p.m. ET) and Ravens at Packers (8 p.m. ET).
There are no Saturday games in Week 18.
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