{"id":72551,"date":"2025-12-29T07:13:13","date_gmt":"2025-12-29T07:13:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/72551\/"},"modified":"2025-12-29T07:13:13","modified_gmt":"2025-12-29T07:13:13","slug":"nfl-releases-schedule-for-week-18-and-confirms-huge-sunday-night-football-showdown","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/72551\/","title":{"rendered":"NFL releases schedule for Week 18 and confirms huge Sunday Night Football showdown"},"content":{"rendered":"

By JACK BEZANTS, US DEPUTY SPORTS EDITOR<\/a> <\/p>\n

Published: 23:47 EST, 28 December 2025 | Updated: 00:31 EST, 29 December 2025 <\/p>\n

Baltimore Ravens<\/a>‘ showdown against Pittsburgh Steelers<\/a>, and potentially Aaron Rodgers<\/a> last ever game in the NFL, will headline the last Sunday Night Football of the 2025 regular season.<\/p>\n

The winner of that AFC North game will go into the playoffs and the losers will be finished for the year. Rodgers, 42, is expected to call it a day once the Steelers season is over, whenever that might be.<\/p>\n

The Ravens, meanwhile, kept their season alive by beating the Green Bay Packers<\/a>\u00a0on Saturday with No 2 quarterback Tyler Huntley deputizing in place of the injured Lamar Jackson, whose status for Sunday night remains unclear as things stand.<\/p>\n

Running back Derrick Henry scored four touchdowns and took 36 carries 214 yards in a sensational display for the Ravens.<\/p>\n

San Francisco 49ers<\/a> host Seattle Seahawks<\/a>\u00a0on Saturday night at 8pm ET for the NFC’s No 1 seed. Should the Niners win, it means they will be at home for the remainder of the 2025 season as the Super Bowl<\/a> will be held at their Levi’s Stadium on February 8.<\/p>\n

After Sunday night’s stunning 42-38 win over the Chicago Bears<\/a>, Kyle Shanahan’s team look every bit a Super Bowl contender as things stand.<\/p>\n

\"Aaron <\/p>\n

Aaron Rodgers and Pittsburgh Steelers play Baltimore Ravens on Week 18 Sunday night game<\/p>\n

\"San <\/p>\n

San Francisco 49ers will play Seattle Seahawks for the NFC’s No. 1 seed next Saturday night<\/p>\n

\"Travis <\/p>\n

Travis Kelce will play what could be his last ever game at 4:25pm ET vs. Las Vegas Raiders<\/p>\n

The shootout between\u00a0Carolina Panthers<\/a> and Tampa Bay Buccaneers<\/a>\u00a0for the AFC South is played earlier on Saturday, at 4:30 ET, to kickstart the weekend. Both Saturday games are on ESPN and ABC.<\/p>\n

The Buffalo Bills<\/a> will stage potentially their last game at Highmark against the struggling New York Jets<\/a>\u00a0at 4:25pm ET.\u00a0<\/p>\n

At the same time, the Denver Broncos meet the Los Angeles Chargers in pursuit of the AFC’s No 1 seed.<\/p>\n

The New England Patriots are also in the running for the first seed. They need to beat the Miami Dolphins and hope the Chargers win against Sean Payton’s Broncos.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The Las Vegas Raiders, meanwhile, host the Kansas City Chiefs at 4:25 ET, where a loss will also mean they are locked in on the No 1 pick of the 2026 NFL Draft. They took a big step towards that in Sunday’s 34-10 defeat at the hands of the New York Giants, who could rival them with the season’s worst record.<\/p>\n

The Chiefs vs Raiders game may also be Travis Kelce’s final NFL appearance, with many expecting the Kansas City star to retire once the NFL season ends.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The Bears cannot clinch the NFC’s top seed after losing Sunday in Santa Clara but a win over the Detroit Lions would give them the No. 2 spot.\u00a0<\/p>\n

If the Bears lose and the Philadelphia Eagles beat Washington Commanders, then the current Super Bowl champions will instead inherit the No 2 seed. Both of those games are 4:25pm ET starts.<\/p>\n

And of course, once these games are over and the road to the Super Bowl is set, attention will also turn to Black Monday – the first Monday after the NFL season where teams out of the post season notoriously fire general managers and head coaches and begin their rebuilds for next season.<\/p>\n

Pittsburgh Steelers<\/a>Baltimore Ravens<\/a><\/p>\n

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