The 6 best TVs for watching the 2024-2025 NFL season
The 2024-5 NFL season begins now. To see every can't-miss detail -- whether it's on a broadcast channel, Netflix, Amazon or Peacock -- choose a big-screen TV that's designed for high-action sports. This means no motion blur, stuttering or pixelation. You'll want a 4K resolution TV with at least a 120Hz refresh rate, plus extra features that use AI to present a picture with accurate color, a high level of contrast, and buttery-smooth action.
Here are the six best TVs for watching the 2024-5 NFL football season, or any of your favorite sports:
- Best TV for watching sports: Sony Bravia 9 65" Mini-LED QLED
- Best budget TV for watching sports: Roku Pro Series 65" 4K TV
- Best value smart TV for watching sports: Hisense 65U7N 65" Mini-LED
- Best TV for live-action sports snobs: LG 65" OLED Evo C4
- Best TV for casual sports fans: TCL 65" Q Class 4K mini-LED QLED (65QM850G)
- Best TV for real sports obsessives: Samsung 65" Neo QLED 8K TV (QN900D)
Pro Tip: Don't miss a single NFL game. Our team has curated a listing of key dates and details about where to watch games during the 2024-5 NFL season.
The best TVs for watching the 2024-5 NFL season games
Our team of in-house tech experts has selected these six smart TVs as being among the very best options for watching any live sporting events, including games featuring your favorite NFL team.
Best TV for watching sports: Sony Bravia 9 65" Mini-LED QLED
Display Type: QLED Mini-LED | Resolution: 4K | Refresh Rate: 120Hz | Operating System: GoogleTV
Get ready to catch the 2024-5 NFL season on an immersive screen. If you're seeking a high-end TV that checks off all the boxes that sports fans look for in a smart TV, the 2024 Sony Bravia 9 is what you want hanging on your wall. It uses a QLED display and mini-LED technology to showcase a picture that's gorgeous, while complementing it with clear and robust sound.
Sure, this TV makes shows look fantastic, but sports, action movies and gaming may look even better. That's because you get a 120Hz refresh rate that makes action look incredibly smooth. So you can see every detail of every play during an NFL game.
Powered by the proprietary Sony XR processor, the Sony Bravia 9 is among the company's highest-end smart TVs. Two notable features are the TV's 178-degree viewing angle and anti-glare/anti-reflection screen. No matter where you're sitting, you'll enjoy a bright and sharp picture.
The impressive picture quality is complemented by what Sony calls Acoustic Multi-Audio, which means the TV has speakers along the sides and top, so audio comes from multiple directions at once to deliver virtual cinematic surround sound, even without a soundbar. The speakers also support Dolby Atmos, DTS:X and 3D Surround upscaling.
Because the TV runs on Google TV OS, you get a voice remote compatible with Google Assistant; control the TV, along with other smart gear in your home, using voice commands. Chromecast and Apple Home/AirPlay2, as well as Alexa support are also integrated into the TV. One feature we love is that the TV uses a camera to detect a viewer's position and then adjusts the display's brightness, sound balance and volume accordingly. If you have the budget, the Sony Bravia 9 is a cutting-edge TV that offers premium performance, regardless of what type of content you're watching.
If a 65-inch screen isn't big enough, a 75-inch and impressively large 85-inch version of the Sony Bravia 9 are also available. Either of these larger sizes can serve as the centerpiece of a home theater system. On Amazon, this smart TV has earned an impressive 4.7-star rating (out of five).
Best budget TV for watching sports: Roku Pro Series 65" 4K TV
Display Type: QLED | Resolution: 4K | Refresh Rate: 120Hz | Operating System: RokuOS
Roku is known for offering streaming devices that can connect to virtually any TV. These devices make streaming video content extremely easy, since they work with all of the popular streaming services.
Roku also has its own lineup of smart TVs. For the best picture quality, sound and overall performance from a Roku smart TV, we recommend one of the TVs from the 2024 Roku Pro Series.
These are 4K resolution smart TVs with a QLED display that taps into mini-LED technology to provide razor-sharp detail. Combine this with the TV's 120Hz refresh rate and watching high-action sports is an absolute pleasure. You also get support for Dolby Vision IQ. This provides enhanced detail and more vibrant color to the picture, while Dolby Atmos provides robust spatial audio for a more immersive listening experience.
The 2024 Roku Pro Series 4K TV comes in a 55-inch, 65-inch or 75-inch size. Check out our hands-on review of the 65-inch version of this popular TV. It offers a really good value for the money, since it's chock full of impressive technology and is available at an affordable price. Don't just take our word for it, the TV has earned a 4.6-star (out of 5) rating on Amazon.
Best value smart TV for watching sports: Hisense 65" U7 Series Mini-LED
Display Type: Mini-LED | Resolution: 4K | Refresh Rate: 144Hz | Operating System: GoogleTV
We're fans of the Hisense brand because it consistently does a remarkable job developing TVs that offer high-end technology, packs them with features, but prices them extremely competitively. The 2024 version of the Hisense 65-inch U7 Series mini-LED (65U7N) is no exception.
In addition to a display that showcases bright and accurate colors and plenty of detail, you get an impressively quick 144Hz refresh rate that makes sports, action movies and video games look super smooth -- no flickering, blur or pixelation. Picture quality and contrast is further enhanced with the TV's full array local dimming.
Another thing we like about this TV is its maximum brightness of 1,500 nits. This means that even in a brightly lit space, the picture quality won't get washed out. The U7 is also equipped with its own AI chipset that upscales lower-resolution content. This is complemented by both Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos support.
And when it comes to gaming, you can access and play online games from popular services (like Xbox Game Pass) directly from the TV. The TV's Game mode automatically adjusts the TV's settings to optimize whatever game you're playing, including console games. For under $1,000 you can snag the 65-inch version of this TV to see and hear every moment of every NFL game you watch.
Best TV for live-action sports snobs: LG 65" OLED Evo C4
Display Type: OLED | Resolution: 4K | Refresh Rate: 144Hz | Operating System: WebOS 24
The 2024 versions of the LG OLED Evo C4 TVs are perfect for watching any live sports, including all of the NFL 2024-5 season games. Not only are these TVs equipped with a stunning OLED display that offers 4K resolution and a fast 144Hz refresh rate, they're also packed with other features that make whatever you're watching look fantastic, fluid and authentic.
Available in a 42-inch, 48-inch, 55-inch, 65-inch, 77-inch or 88-inch model, the LG Evo C4 TVs offer 100% color volume and color fidelity, so not only is everything you see highly detailed, but the TV can showcase truly accurate colors with impressive contrast. And when you're watching compatible content, you'll be amazed by the TV's use of Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos to further enhance picture and sound.
Evo C4 TVs are powered using LG's latest a9 AI Processor Gen 7, so even if you're not watching native 4K content, the TV upscales the quality of whatever is on the screen to as close to 4K as possible. The TV can even show two things at once on a split screen. And if you use the TV for gaming, it supports Nvidia G-Sync and AMD FreeSync Premium, as well as VRR. Built into the TV is a special dashboard and optimizer, which further enhances game visuals.
At the moment, this is truly one of the best OLED TVs available for watching sports, or anything else for that matter. This is another higher-end, 4K resolution, OLED display with a fast refresh rate that makes action-packed content look ultra-smooth. It's this combination of technologies, from a well-known brand, that make the 2024 edition of this Evo C4 TV a worthwhile investment for sports fans.
Best TV for casual sports fans: TCL 65" Q Class 4K mini-LED QLED (65QM850G)
Display Type: QLED | Resolution: 4K | Refresh Rate: 120Hz | Operating System: GoogleTV
Thanks to more than 2,300 local dimming zones, a maximum brightness of 2,000 nits, TCL's Motion Rate 480 technology and a refresh rate of 120Hz, this smart TV's QLED display is ready to showcase live sports using more than one billion sharp and vivid colors. You also get ultra-smooth motion.
For sound, the TV has regular speakers and a subwoofer, and offers Dolby Atmos support. Via the Google TV OS, all of your favorite shows and streaming services are always easy to find and watch. And when it comes to gaming, the display's refresh rate can be boosted to 240Hz using TCL's Game Accelerator 240 technology and AMD FreeSync support.
Meanwhile, movie and sports fans will enjoy clarity, with enhanced color and contrast, because this TV supports Dolby Vision IQ, HDR10, HDR10+ and HLG to provide more lifelike visuals. As a result, everyone in your household -- whether they're sports fans, movie buffs or gamers, will discover this TV offers an impressive viewing experience at an affordable price.
Best TV for real sports obsessives: Samsung 65" Neo QLED 8K TV (QN900D)
Display Type: Neo QLED | Resolution: 8K | Refresh Rate: 240Hz | Operating System: Tizen
The 2024 Samsung 65-inch Class Neo QN900D QLED 8K TV is truly a premium smart TV and one of the most advanced on the market. In this case, you get a super-thin display with no visible bezel. It uses Quantum Matrix Pro technology, mini-LEDs and 7,680 x 4,310 pixels to deliver a picture quality that's unparalleled by any of Samsung's other TV offerings.
The TV's Neural Quantum Processor 8K does an amazing job upscaling non-native 8K content using a vast palette of vibrant and accurate colors. The anti-reflective display also offers a very wide viewing angle. And for sound, the TV supports Dolby Atmos, Object Tracking Sound Pro and Symphony 3.0.
Regardless of what you watch, the Samsung Neo QLED 8K TV creates detailed and fluid viewing that offers a stunning preview of the future of TV. If you're planning to watch any NFL games, this is the TV you want. It excels when it comes to showcasing live sports in a way that's so realistic, you'll feel like you're at the game in person. This is a result of the Samsung NQ8 AI Gen 3 processor that automatically adds depth and contrast with AI-based motion enhancement.
The 8K resolution technology, combined with the up to 240Hz refresh rate, showcase more detailed and smoother action than what's ever before been possible on a consumer television. A 65-inch, 75-inch and 85-inch version of the QN900D is currently available. This 2024 model of Samsung's 8K QN900D generates a crystal-clear picture thanks to its superior AI-powered upscaling and Neo QLED technology. When it comes to watching live sports, you won't find anything better in any TV designed for home use.
If you want to learn more about this 8K resolution TV, check out our in-depth review.
What is the best TV for sports?
First, don't settle for a resolution lower than 4K or a refresh rate that's less than 120Hz. Next, pick a screen size large enough to provide immersive viewing, but not too large for your viewing space. We recommend at least a 65-inch screen, although larger is certainly better. When it comes to display, OLED tech offers the best detail, with bright and accurate colors, but there are other great options, like QLED.
While a 4K resolution TV is an absolute must, if you want to splurge, consider an 8K TV that uses AI to upscale 4K content to near 8K quality. The experience of watching live sports on an 8K TV is like nothing we've seen before, especially with an added soundbar or surround sound system.
We also recommend a maximum brightness of at least 1,000 to 2,000 nits, along with a wide viewing angle. That way, everyone in a room can catch every frame in any lighting or seating situation.
