Week 18 of the 2025 NFL regular season kicks off Saturday with a high-stakes doubleheader on ESPN's family of networks and digital platforms.
The action begins with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers hosting the Carolina Panthers in a clash of NFC South foes. The Panthers (8-8), who defeated Tampa Bay at home in Week 16, will clinch the division with a win. The Bucs (7-9), despite going 1-7 in their past eight games, can still win the division with a win and a loss or tie by the Atlanta Falcons against the New Orleans Saints on Sunday.
If both the Bucs and Falcons win, the Panthers would take the NFC South since Carolina holds the tiebreaker in the event of a three-way tie at 8-9.
In the second game, the Seattle Seahawks (13-3) head to Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California, the site of Super Bowl LX, to take on the San Francisco 49ers (12-4). The winner will clinched the NFC West title and secure the No. 1 seed in the NFC.
Here are key facts about Saturday's NFL Week 18 doubleheader:
What is the schedule?
*All times ET
Saturday, Jan. 3
2 p.m.: "NFL Countdown Special Edition" on ESPN (and on ABC beginning at 3 p.m.)
4:30 p.m.: Panthers at Buccaneers on ESPN and ABC
7:30 p.m.: "NFL Countdown Special Edition" on ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC
8 p.m.: Seahawks at 49ers on ESPN and ABC
8 p.m.: "NFL on ESPN with Peyton and Eli" -- the "ManningCast" -- on ESPN2
8 p.m.: "NFL on ESPN Playbook with Next Gen Stats" on ESPN Unlimited
How can fans watch?
Fans can catch all of the action in the ESPN App and in the NFL streaming hub.
'NFL on ESPN Playbook with Next Gen Stats'
"NFL on ESPN Playbook with Next Gen Stats" returns in Week 18 (for one of ESPN's doubleheader games) and for ESPN's wild-card and divisional round playoff games. All three remaining editions of "NFL on ESPN Playbook" will be available for fans with a subscription to the ESPN Unlimited plan in the ESPN App.
Designed for viewers who crave deeper insights, "NFL on ESPN Playbook with Next Gen Stats" will deliver real-time data, advanced metrics and analytics-driven commentary, powered by the NFL's Next Gen Stats and Adrenaline's TruPlay AI for four of ESPN's final five games of the 2025-26 season. Fans will consume the game with a 22-man, all-field camera view, as "NFL on ESPN Playbook" taps TruPlay AI's unprecedented live predictive engine that is capable of adjusting to personnel, formations and pre-snap movement in real time.
How can fans access more NFL content from ESPN?
Check out the ESPN NFL hub page for the latest news, analysis, scores, stats, schedules and more.