NFL fans hoping to settle in for the first full Sunday of the 2026 season ran into an ugly surprise instead: NFL+ and the NFL app were hit by widespread technical problems as Week 1 got rolling on Sept. 13.
The NFL said on social media at 1:19 p.m. ET that it was dealing with technical difficulties and working to fix the issue. Around the same time, fans were reporting trouble getting into NFL+ and NFL RedZone, while others said the NFL app would not load or would not recognize their subscriptions.
The timing could hardly have been worse. Eight games were set for the 1 p.m. window, including the Buffalo Bills’ season opener against the Houston Texans. Downdetector showed tens of thousands of reports of issues near the start of those games.
It was not immediately clear when everything would be fully back up and running.
Some RedZone viewers also said they could not access the channel Sunday, though the problems did not seem to hit every viewing option. RedZone started its first Sunday broadcast of the 2026 regular season at 1 p.m. ET and is available through NFL+ Premium as well as other television and streaming providers.
There were also reports from some fans having trouble with NFL Sunday Ticket. That service, though, is separate from NFL+ and is distributed through YouTube and YouTube TV. It was not immediately clear whether those Sunday Ticket issues were tied to the NFL+ outage.
NFL+ is the league’s subscription streaming service. The basic plan costs $6.99 per month or $49.99 per year and includes NFL Network, live game audio, out-of-market preseason games and live local and primetime regular-season and playoff games on phones and tablets.
NFL+ Premium runs $14.99 per month or $99.99 per season and adds NFL RedZone, NFL Pro and full, condensed and All-22 game replays.
NFL Network is the NFL’s 24-hour television network, with news, analysis, original programming and live games. A live stream of the network comes with an NFL+ subscription.
NFL Sunday Ticket is a different product entirely. It gives subscribers access to out-of-market Sunday afternoon regular-season games not shown by their local CBS or Fox station. It can be added to YouTube TV or bought as a standalone subscription through YouTube Primetime Channels.
That means a Bills fan outside the Buffalo market, for example, could use Sunday Ticket to watch a Bills game on a Sunday afternoon when it is not airing on the local CBS or Fox affiliate. Sunday Ticket does not include locally televised games, national games, preseason games or playoff games as part of the standalone package.
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Bills Make A Week 1 Roster Call Fans Didn't Expect
The Bills went a little off-script for Week 1, turning to Greg Dortch as their punt returner for Sundays opener against the Texans. Dortch arrives with plenty of experience in the role, having handled 99 punt returns in his NFL career, and Buffalo is leaning on that background after bringing him in following his release from the Lions.
Frank Gore Jr. was also elevated, a move that adds another layer to the backfield picture heading into the opener. It could be a sign the Bills are preparing for Ty Johnson to be unavailable after he was listed questionable, leaving Buffalo to sort out a few special teams and depth decisions before the first snap of the season. [Read more 🡒]
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Bills Week 1 Move Reveals More Than A Routine Roster Call
The Bills opened the season making the kind of practice-squad move that usually blends into the background, but the call-up of running back Frank Gore Jr. and wide receiver Greg Dortch for Week 1 does at least give a clearer picture of how Buffalo is trying to navigate the first game against the Texans. Gore is in position to help with Ty Johnson dealing with a hamstring injury, while Dortch gives the roster some added flexibility with return work and a possible role in the passing game.
Buffalo is also carrying a few other injury questions into kickoff, with defensive lineman T.J. Sanders and defensive back Jordan Hancock listed as questionable. Those situations leave the Bills with some moving parts on both sides of the ball, and the Week 1 setup suggests the staff is already balancing immediate depth concerns with the need to keep a few key options available. [Read more 🡒]