The Cord Cutting Report

How to Watch NFL on CBS

By Jim Kimble / Published August 25, 2022

CBS broadcasts NFL games on Sunday afternoon during the regular football season. There are a number of ways to watch NFL games on CBS without cable TV or satellite service. 

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How to watch NFL Games on CBS for free

You don’t need a streaming service to watch NFL games on CBS. The same is true for any NFL game on FOX and NBC. 

It doesn’t matter if you are a Dallas Cowboys fan or call the San Francisco 49ers your home team. Free over-the-air channels are available all over the U.S. 

Figuring out how to choose the best TV antenna for your home takes a little bit of homework. But the payoff is huge, considering how many free games you can watch during the 2022 NFL football season. 

A TV antenna is really valuable if you’re also a college football fan. Local broadcast channels also air Big Ten, Big 12 and SEC, Pac-12 and Notre Dame games.

Aside from NFL games, you get lots of free sports and TV shows year round without paying for a TV provider. No internet service is required for free over-the-air TV. 

Here is a list of resources that I have written to get you started.

How to watch NFL on CBS without cable

Streaming services now carry popular live TV channels that were once only available on cable TV or satellite. 

You have a lot more flexibility with choosing a replacement for cable TV while still keeping local channels such as CBS and sports networks like ESPN.

These live TV streaming services work on Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Google Chromecast with Google TV, Xbox One and PlayStation consoles. 

They are also supported by Smart TVs made by Sony, Samsung, LG. Roku TVs and Amazon Fire TV Edition televisions also support most live TV streaming apps.

You just need an Internet connection, a Smart TV or a streaming device to begin streaming live sports and TV shows. Most of these services have a free trial that lasts up to a week.

Can you watch all CBS NFL games on Paramount Plus?

If you’re unable to use a TV antenna, Paramount Plus is the cheapest way to watch NFL games on CBS without cable TV.

A subscription to the Essential plan costs $4.99 per month, and gives you access to live NFL games that air on CBS. 

You can find NFL games under the “Live TV” tab on the main menu. You won’t see the game until it actually starts on CBS. 

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Paramount Plus has all Sunday NFL games that air on CBS. (Photo credit: Jim Kimble / The Cord Cutting Report)

Premium plan subscribers get a 24/7 live stream of a local CBS station. SEC football on CBS, the PGA TOUR, The Masters and the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship are also available to Premium Plan subscribers. 

The Premium Plan costs $9.99 per month following a free trial. 

Paramount+ has a growing library of new movies. It will become the first streaming home of “Top Gun: Maverick” after the film’s final run in theaters. 

Paramount Plus has the latest episodes of TV shows on CBS. Popular TV shows and programs from Nickelodeon, Comedy Central, BET, MTV and Smithsonian Channel are available on both plans.

Subscribers can stream on three screens at once. You can sign up for a free 7-day trial of Paramount Plus or bundle the service with Showtime for $11.99 per month. 

Does fuboTV have CBS?

fuboTV has over 135 channels, including CBS, ESPN and other key networks for watching NFL games throughout the season.  

A subscription costs $69.99 per month. Subscribers get 1,000 hours of Cloud DVR for recording NFL games. You don’t need any kind of cable box or specific hardware to use Cloud DVR.

Look over the channel lineup in your area to see what kind of regional sports channels, or local NBC, ABC or FOX stations are available.

A fuboTV subscription allows you to activate the ESPN app, and about 40 other channels that are included in your subscription.

You can watch fuboTV on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Smart TVs, Google Chromecast with Google TV and web browsers. You can check out fuboTV free for 7 days.

Can you watch CBS Football on Hulu?

Hulu Live TV has NFL games that air on CBS. Subscribers get over 75 live TV channels, including local FOX and NBC stations and the ESPN family of cable networks.

You also get additional subscriptions to ESPN Plus and Disney Plus as part of Hulu Live TV. A subscription costs $69.99 per month. You can look at Hulu’s channel lineup in your area.  Subscribers can watch live TV on two screens at once.

This season, ESPN Plus will have NFL Primetime and ESPN Plus Fantasy Football Leagues. You can watch live TV within the Hulu app, using a Roku, Fire TV Stick, Google Chromecast, Apple TV, iPhones and tablets.  

Can you watch the NFL on CBS with DIRECTV STREAM?

DIRECTV STREAM has ESPN, ESPN2 and TNT. There are local channels, including CBS, NBC, ABC and FOX.

CBS is available on DIRECTV STREAM’s Entertainment bundle, which costs $69.99 per month. Subscribers get over 75 channels, and unlimited Cloud DVR for recording NFL games and TV shows.

Subscribers can watch live TV channels on up to 20 screens at once. DIRECTV STREAM has a free 5-day trial without any obligations.

You can get three months of Cinemax, Showtime, STARZ, and EPIX for free before the monthly rates kick in.  

DIRECTV STREAM has apps for Roku, Apple TV or Amazon Fire TV and Smart TVs. You can look over the different channel lineups that DIRECTV STREAM has for sports fans before making any decisions.

Are local NFL games on CBS shown on YouTube TV?

Yes. YouTube TV subscribers get local ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX and PBS stations just like with any cable TV or satellite TV service. Subscribers can watch their local NFL team. YouTube TV has more than 85 channels including ESPN, TNT and CNN.

A subscription costs $64.99 per month. You can record all the NFL games you want with unlimited Cloud DVR. 

YouTube TV works on Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Google Chromecast with Google TV and Apple TV. You can try out YouTube TV with a free 7-day trial.

How to watch NFL on CBS FAQs

Here are some frequently asked questions that readers want to know when weighing how best to watch NFL games on CBS without a cable TV provider.

Can I watch NFL on CBS on Roku for free?

No. The most affordable way to watch NFL games on CBS is through Paramount Plus. The Essential plan only costs $4.99 per month. Every Sunday football game that airs on CBS is also streamed live within the Paramount Plus app for Essential plan and Premium plan subscribers.

You can watch a variety of sports on Paramount Plus with a subscription.

Can I choose the NFL team I watch on Paramount Plus?

No. Paramount Plus offers a way to watch the NFL team that airs on your local CBS station. 

So for example, if you are a subscriber in New England, then you will be watching New England Patriots games on CBS. The team that is available to watch on CBS is determined by the local TV market.

Can I live stream NFL games on CBS?

NFL fans can stream live games with a subscription to DIRECTV STREAM, fuboTV, Hulu Live TV, Paramount Plus and YouTube TV. You can also watch NFL games on a smartphone with a subscription to NFL Plus.

Does NFL Plus have football games on CBS?

Yes. NFL Plus lets you watch local, in-market games during the regular season that are on broadcast channels, including ABC, CBS, NBC and FOX. A subscription is only $4.99 per month after a free 7-day trial, but watch live NFL games is restricted to smartphones and tablets. You cannot cast the games to a TV.

NFL+ Premium costs $9.99 per month, and adds replays of games. Diehard fans can also watch game film available to coaches and analysts.

Are the Dallas Cowboys on CBS?

Yes, you can watch Dallas Cowboys games on CBS during the regular season. Games are also on ESPN, FOX and NBC. The cheapest way to watch local NFL games on CBS, including the Cowboys, is through Paramount Plus. 

What channel is the San Francisco 49ers on?

The San Francisco 49ers will have games on CBS during the regular season. Regional games air on FOX and NBC. Thursday Night Football games will stream live on Amazon Prime. 

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