The 2026 NFL Wild Card Weekend schedule has been released, with a notable decision regarding the Green Bay Packers versus Chicago Bears matchup. This game is scheduled for Saturday at 8 p.m. ET and will be broadcast exclusively on Prime Video. In contrast, the San Francisco 49ers-Philadelphia Eagles game was assigned to Fox, and the Los Angeles Chargers-New England Patriots game received the Sunday Night Football slot on NBC.
Historically, the Packers-Bears rivalry has drawn significant viewership. A Week 14 Fox Sunday broadcast between these teams averaged 27.9 million viewers, while a Week 16 Fox Saturday night broadcast drew 21.3 million viewers.
According to Jeff Agrest of the Chicago Sun-Times, all major networks—CBS, Fox, ESPN, NBC, and Prime Video—expressed interest in carrying either the Packers-Bears or the 49ers-Eagles game, with both matchups considered to have comparable appeal from a television perspective.
The NFL typically prioritizes placing its highest-profile games in the 3:30 p.m. Sunday slot, followed by the Sunday Night Football slot. However, the league reportedly opted to leverage its relationship with Amazon, Prime Video's owner. This decision reflects the NFL's goal for streaming services to become a significant component of its media rights strategy.
A further objective for the NFL is to attract a younger audience. Prime Video has reported that its "Thursday Night Football" (TNF) broadcasts this season achieved a median audience age of 49.4 years, which is approximately seven years younger than the median age of audiences watching NFL games on linear networks.
Regarding specific network allocations, NBC had expressed interest in securing the Packers-Bears game for Sunday Night Football. However, NBC's broadcast of the significant Ravens-Steelers game in Week 18 was a factor in the NFL's decision regarding the Wild Card slot assignments.
This scheduling choice positions the league’s long-standing rivalry on its newest weekly partner platform, aligning with the NFL's strategic goals of expanding its streaming footprint and cultivating a younger viewership. Al Michaels and Kirk Herbstreit are slated to provide commentary for the Packers-Bears game on Prime Video.