
The New York Jets, Arizona Cardinals, Tennessee Titans, Miami Dolphins, and Las Vegas Raiders have no primetime games in the 2026 NFL season. NFL scheduling is based on team performance and public perception.
Credit: Candice Ward-Imagn Images
What do the New York Jets, Arizona Cardinals, Tennessee Titans, Miami Dolphins, and Las Vegas Raiders have in common?
Theyâre the five NFL teams that donât currently have a primetime game in the 2026 NFL season.
Thatâs the luck of the draw, or misfortune as it were, as NFL scheduling is very much a merit-based system. When youâre good, or perceived to be good, you get more high-profile spots and national access.
It might seem surprising to some that the Raiders have been left out, given all the hype around No. 1 draft pick Fernando Mendoza. However, much like Cam Ward and the Tennessee Titans last year, the unknowns heading into the season make it hard to count on them as a worthwhile team to showcase. It also doesnât help that the Raidersâ plans for Mendoza remain unclear.
On a Friday conference call, NFL VP of broadcasting planning Mike North was asked whether that uncertainty was factored into why Las Vegas was left out of the primetime opportunities, and he offered some insight into the decision-making process.
âAs far as the Raiders go, I mean, nobody knows if or when Mendoza might play,â . âIt would certainly be great if we knew. We donât. But they went out and signed a very competent veteran quarterback, and if they find themselves, you know, hovering around .500 and playoff-relevant in the middle of the season, they might be a little more reluctant to pull the trigger and move to the rookie. And if they are playoff-relevant, they will find themselves flexed into bigger national television windows, whether itâs Sunday night, Monday night, or just a bigger footprint on a Sunday afternoon.
The teams without primetime games in 2026 are the New York Jets, Arizona Cardinals, Tennessee Titans, Miami Dolphins, and Las Vegas Raiders.
NFL scheduling is merit-based, meaning teams that perform well or are perceived as popular receive more primetime opportunities.
Teams with better performance and public perception are granted more high-profile spots, enhancing their visibility through national broadcasts.


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âNot to point fingers, but I think the best comp is probably Tennessee from last year. They drafted No. 1 overall, took a quarterback who looks like he can play in this league, [and] they didnât happen to get a national television appearance last year, either. ⊠We donât draft our way into primetime. We play our way into primetime.â
The Raiders likely arenât too concerned about whether or not they show up on Sunday Night Football this season as they get Mendoza used to NFL gameplay and figure out if he or Kirk Cousins will be the signal-caller for the season.
Itâs entirely possible that one or more of the above teams will get flexed into primetime, but thatâs mostly up to them from here on out.
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