The Tonight Show Plans Four Post-NFL Sunday Episodes With Chiefs Games

NBC has announced that The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon will air four special episodes following Sunday Night Football games during the 2025 NFL season, aiming to boost viewership amid a struggling late-night TV landscape. These episodes are scheduled for September 21, October 26, November 16, and December 7, with the first featuring guests Matthew McConaughey and Eric Church. Two of the games involve the Kansas City Chiefs, leveraging the high-profile engagement of Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift to attract viewers. The show’s collaboration with NBC Sports reflects an effort to capitalize on the NFL's strong ratings, which contrast with the broader decline in appointment viewing affecting late-night programming. Fallon, who extended his hosting contract through 2028, and showrunner Chris Miller expressed enthusiasm for integrating sports into the late-night format. This strategy follows a successful single Sunday night episode after last season’s NFL game, aiming to draw audiences amid the cancellation of other late-night shows like CBS's The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.