"Reasons Behind the Absence of Monday Night Football on New Year's Day"
There is no Monday Night Football on January 1 because ESPN, the broadcaster for both the NFL's Monday Night Football and the College Football Playoff, is airing the college football semifinals instead. This scheduling decision is influenced by the fact that New Year's Day features major college bowl games, and ESPN prioritizes these over an additional NFL game. Fans can look forward to the Rose Bowl and Sugar Bowl as high-profile college football alternatives to the usual NFL Monday night slot.