The structure of the Sunday afternoon schedule hinges on network rotation. Under the current multi-billion-dollar broadcast contracts running through the early 2030s, CBS and Fox trade the right to air a doubleheader, one early afternoon game at 1:00 PM ET and one late afternoon window at 4:25 PM ET. Week 4 features CBS with the double window, allowing the network to anchor early-slate coverage before transitioning to its late national feature.
Fox operates under a singleheader mandate this weekend. That constraint limits local Fox affiliates to airing exactly one Sunday afternoon contest: either an early matchup at 1:00 PM ET or a late afternoon kickoff at 4:05 PM ET, but never both. If your Fox affiliate airs a 1:00 PM game, the 4:00 PM hour will be populated with paid programming, local news, or infomercials, leaving CBS as the sole broadcaster during the late afternoon window.
This dynamic creates sharp regional splits. Markets tied to NFC road teams playing out west receive a 4:05 PM singleheader, leaving their 1:00 PM Fox slot completely devoid of live football. Conversely, East Coast viewers with early home games lose out on Fox's late-slate west coast matchups.
