NFL Announces First 2025 Prime-Time Flex, Resets Week 16 Sunday Night Slate

The NFL is playing its first prime-time game of the 2025 season.

The NFL said Monday that it is postponing the originally scheduled “Sunday Night Football” game for Week 16, the Cincinnati Bengals’ visit to the Miami Dolphins on December 21, to that day’s 1 p.m. ET window, where it will be broadcast by CBS.

The New England Patriots and Baltimore Ravens will enter the league’s flagship weekly window on NBC, with their game at M&T Bank Stadium expected to have far-reaching playoff implications. The Bengals and Dolphins are still mathematically alive, but with matching 6-7 records.

The Patriots presently lead the AFC East with an 11-2 record and are nearly tied atop the league with the Denver Broncos, but the AFC West leaders currently possess the tiebreaker. Despite their 6-7 record, the Ravens are one game behind the Pittsburgh Steelers for the AFC North title.

The NFL has the option to reschedule any Sunday night games scheduled between weeks 11 and 17. Any changes will typically be made no later than six days before kickoff for “Sunday Night Football” games between Weeks 14 and 17. The league’s entire Week 18 lineup is set after Week 17 concludes.

So far this season, the NFL has only shifted games to Sunday afternoon.