The NFL has been a rock-solid partner with Fox for over three decades, but one league insider now wonders if that relationship could crack under the weight of politics.
Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, writing on the NBC Sports platform, raised eyebrows Wednesday by suggesting the league might eventually sever ties with Fox. The reason? Growing political pressure that has nothing to do with game scores or ratings.
This speculation follows a two-hour congressional hearing on the NFL’s longstanding broadcast antitrust exemption. Among those who testified was Clay Travis, a Fox News contributor, who didn’t hold back in criticizing the league’s handling of rising costs and the shift toward streaming platforms. The hearing underscored how political tensions are spilling into sports more than ever.
Florio laid out the scenario: “It would be a stunning move, if it happens. Fox arrived as a disruptor in 1994, snatching the Sunday afternoon NFC package from CBS and holding it for 32 years and counting.” He added that Fox owner Rupert Murdoch “doesn’t seem to care” about the political heat and has drawn a line in the sand, using every tool at his disposal to make the NFL think twice about selling more games to streamers.
The current rights deal between the NFL and Fox runs through the 2029 season. If the league decides to walk away, it would leave a massive hole in the broadcast landscape. Fox and CBS are the NFL’s biggest partners, carrying hundreds of games each season, including the NFC Championship and multiple Super Bowls.
But where would those games go? Florio himself admits the question is tricky. “Unless NBC or ABC are willing to take over, there would be no broadcast partner for the collection of Sunday afternoon games,” he wrote.
The timing of this speculation is notable, as political demands are increasingly infiltrating sports media. The NFL’s antitrust exemption has been a hot-button issue for years, and Wednesday’s hearing suggests lawmakers are taking a harder look at how the league operates.
For now, the partnership remains intact, but the clock is ticking. With the 2029 deadline looming, the NFL may have to decide whether to stick with Fox or find a new broadcast home. Either way, the decision will ripple through the sports world.
“It’s going to be fascinating to watch, that’s for sure,” Florio said. And he’s right. The intersection of politics, money, and football has never been more tangled.
