Dwight Freeney understands why the NFL has leaned further into streaming.He also sees why many fans are frustrated.The Pro Football Hall of Famer said he believes NFL games should remain broadly accessible, even as the league continues to place more games across subscription platforms.Freeney, who played 16 NFL seasons and finished his career with 125.5 sacks, was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2024."I don’t like it," Freeney said when asked about the growing number of services fans may need to follow the league.
"Just to be honest with you, I think it should be accessible to all fans, no matter what your economic bracket is."CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COMThe issue has become a larger part of the NFL media conversation.The league’s 2026 schedule includes games across traditional broadcast networks, cable and multiple streaming platforms.
According to the NFL, Prime Video will carry Thursday Night Football, Netflix will stream games in Week 1, on Thanksgiving Eve and on Christmas Day, and Peacock will exclusively stream a regular-season game in January.Freeney said the local fan experience should remain central."If you can afford to get the local channels, you should be able to watch your favorite team on your local networks," he said."And it shouldn’t be blacked out based on streaming and all of that."The NFL has noted that its games remain available free over the air in local markets.
In its 2026 schedule announcement, the league said it is the only sports league that presents all regular-season and postseason games on free over-the-air television in local markets.But the broader access question has still drawn scrutiny in Washington.In June, the House Judiciary Committee released an interim staff report on the Sports Broadcasting Act and the NFL’s media model, saying fans increasingly need a combination of over-the-air, cable and streaming services to watch their favorite teams.
The committee als...