After being completely overlooked in the 2024 NFL schedule release, the Denver Broncos will almost undoubtedly be in line for the maximum number of primetime matchups in 2025.
The Broncos won 10 games last year and made it to the playoffs for the first time since the 2015 season. The drought is over, and the team will no longer be catching the NFL schedule makers by surprise. Even though the Broncos were only scheduled for a couple of dud primetime matchups last year, they ended up getting flexed under the lights a number of times, including becoming the first team to ever get flexed from a Sunday slot into a Thursday slot.
The Broncos are still not on the same level of intrigue as some of the heaviest hitters in the NFL, but they are playing against many of them. The NFL has so many different ways of getting teams in the spotlight that it'll be impossible to miss any Denver games this coming season as long as you have all 900 streaming services required.
But which games will be in primetime? Games in primetime include Thursday Night Football, Sunday Night Football, and Monday Night Football productions. The maximum number of primetime games that can be put on the schedule is six, but the Broncos will almost undoubtedly get four or five.
Predicting every Broncos primetime matchup on 2025 NFL schedule release
1. Broncos vs. Chiefs (either location)
This has got to be one of the most obvious potential primetime games on the Broncos slate in 2025. The Chiefs are likely going to receive the maximum number of primetime slots on their 2025 schedule, and it would be a mistake for one of the two matchups to not be under the lights.
The matchup in Kansas City might be the better of the two options because otherwise, that game seems to always be played in an 11 AM MT slot, which is not ideal. So getting that game on the road under the lights could keep the Broncos out of an ugly start time slot as well.
2. Broncos vs. Chargers (in Los Angeles)
It seems like the Broncos and Chargers game in Los Angeles is almost always played under the primetime lights. This was the game last year that ended up getting flexed into the Thursday night slot and the Broncos welcomed that with open arms despite playing against the Saints on the road earlier in the season on TNF.
Divisional matchups in the AFC West are going to be must-see TV. It's likely that we won't see many, if any, AFC West games this coming season in the early window.
3. Broncos vs. Giants (in Denver)
Last season, the biggest no-brainer of any primetime matchup seemed to be the Pittsburgh Steelers coming to Denver to play the Broncos in Russell Wilson's revenge tour. Obviously, that didn't go according to plan and Wilson didn't even face off against the Broncos last season.
Now, Wilson is the presumptive starter of the New York Giants and the NFL has an opportunity to right the wrongs from last year. I wouldn't be shocked if this was one of the first three or four Thursday night matchups this coming season.
4. Broncos vs. Commanders (in Washington)
The most obvious Monday Night Football matchup on Denver's schedule right now is their road game against the Washington Commanders. This is an ideal game for ESPN to have on their schedule between two teams who have young quarterbacks coming off of arguably the best seasons we've seen from rookie quarterbacks.
Jayden Daniels vs. Bo Nix would sell for the league, and would get eyes on two of the top young rosters in the NFL at some point this coming season. I think this is a lock for primetime.
5. Broncos vs. Bengals (in Denver)
The Broncos and Bengals gave us fireworks last year and made NFL history in the process:
That type of viewership will not go unnoticed by the NFL schedule makers and I would almost guarantee we're going to see this rematch under the lights. This could be an ideal game for the league to do on Sunday Night Football maybe in the middle of the year somewhere.