How to watch 2021 NFL season football games on NFL Game Pass

How to watch football games on NFL Game Pass — NFL Game Pass offers subscribers on-demand access to replays of every regular-season and playoff game of the 2021 NFL season, including Super Bowl LVI. Bob Levey/Getty Images

The 2021 NFL season is almost here. If you're ready for action, then NFL Game Pass is a service you're going to want to consider subscribing to.

Can Tom Brady capture another ring with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers? Will Patrick Mahomes lead the Kansas City Chiefs to a third straight Super Bowl? And can Dak Prescott get the Dallas Cowboys back to the big game? The answers to these questions and more will be revealed all season long via the on-demand streamer.

Here's a look at what you need to know about NFL Game Pass.

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What is NFL Game Pass?

Let's start at the beginning of the playbook. As noted above, NFL Game Pass is a subscription service. It's produced by the NFL, and accessed through NFL.com or the NFL app.

NFL Game Pass offers subscribers access to loads of content, most impressively on-demand replays of every regular-season and postseason game. Other options include live game audio from national broadcasts and local feeds, NFL Films Library favorites such as "Mic'd Up," and on-demand replays of the NFL Network show, "Good Morning Football."

And while the clock is running out on the 2021 NFL preseason, it's worth noting that NFL Game Pass also offers live preseason games. (Blackout rules apply, so you can only watch live, out-of-market preseason games, i.e., not your local team's games.)

And, yes, you read that right, NFL Game Pass promises on-demand replays of every regular-season and postseason game. In the no-brainer for many die-hard football fans, that means access to all 272 scheduled regular-season matchups, plus all playoff games, up to and including Super Bowl LVI.

Another cool feature of NFL Game Pass is the condensed replay that's made available for every game: The condensed replay allows you to run through a single three-hour broadcast in a no-filler, action-packed 45 minutes.

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How much does NFL Game Pass cost?

In our streaming guide to the 2021 NFL season, there's a reason we called NFL Game Pass a "no-brainer for many die-hard football fans." All of the replays and content are available for a seasonal subscription that goes for just under $100. The subscription runs from the day you sign up 'til just before the start of the next preseason.

Where can I get an NFL Game Pass free trial?

Probably the best way to find out if NFL Game Pass is for you is to give it a try -- on the house. At sign-up, the service offers a seven-day free trial.

Note: Before you sign up, you'll need to log into your NFL account. If you don't have one, just create one, and proceed.

After logging in, you'll be asked for your credit-card info. Your account will be charged after the seven-day free trial ends -- unless, that is, you cancel. (And, yes, you can cancel at any time during the free-trial period.)

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When does the 2021 NFL season start on NFL Game Pass?

2021 NFL regular-season action begins September 9 with Tom Brady's Tampa Bay Buccaneers hosting Dak Prescott and the Dallas Cowboys in the 2021 NFL Kickoff Game.

The bulk of the league's Week 1 games are scheduled to be played on September 12.

Replays of all these games can be accessed on NFL Game Pass. According to the NFL Help Center, TV broadcasts throughout the season will be available for on-demand viewing "right after the conclusion of the applicable game's telecast." Note: If you're using NFL Game Pass on the free trial, Thursday night games (like the Bucs-Cowboys season-opener) won't be available until 72 hours after the telecast ends.

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What is your NFL Game Pass login?

Because NFL Game Pass is a feature of NFL.com and the NFL app, you merely need to log in to your NFL account to be good to go -- no separate NFL Game Pass login is needed.

Where can I get the NFL Game Pass app?

Just as there isn't a distinct NFL Game Pass login, there isn't a distinct NFL Game Pass app. Digital users access their NFL Game Pass content via the free NFL app; the NFL app is available to Android and iPhone users, and compatible with Android 10+ and iOS 13+ devices, respectively. You can download the app via Amazon, too.

You can also watch NFL Game Pass content on your laptop or tablet via NFL.com, or via the NFL channel on Roku, Apple TV, Xbox and more. For a full list of supported devices, visit the NFL Help Center.

What's the difference between NFL Sunday Ticket and NFL Game Pass?

While NFL Game Pass offers game replays, NFL Sunday Ticket offers live, out-of-market Sunday afternoon games (so, once again, not your local team's games). It's available as a TV channel to DirecTV subscribers, or to non-DirecTV customers via NFLSundayTicket.TV.

At last look, an NFLSundayTicket.TV Max subscription costs $396 for the season; you can add NFL Game Pass for an additional $50.

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What's the difference between NFL Game Pass and NFL RedZone?

NFL RedZone, which energizes Sunday afternoon game days with live look-ins on multiple games, is a TV channel. It's available (for an add-on price) via your local cable provider, your live-TV streaming service, such as YouTubeTV and Sling, and/or your satellite provider, such as Dish.

NFL RedZone is separate from NFL Red Zone (two words), which is a like-themed TV channel that's exclusive to DirecTV.

The bottom line: NFL Sunday Ticket and the look-in channels are cool, and deliver live Sunday afternoon action. NFL Game Pass doesn't offer any live games, but gives you literally everything else on the NFL schedule, including on-demand replays of the national Thursday night, Sunday night and Monday night games.

Start your 7-day NFL Game Pass free trial