The Best Smartphone Games for NFL Fans to Play in 2025 

Although millions of people these days unwind with a podcast or two in the evening, there is also a massive population of gamers who enjoy relaxing with a top title after a grueling day in the office.

For NFL fans, there are some excellent mobile releases to sample. Today’s sophisticated smartphones possess enough power to handle some truly unmissable football-themed masterpieces.

We’re all heavily reliant on our modern-day smartphones anyway, making them a viable option for people who want to play some top football games. Alongside soaking up football-related content on YouTube and enjoying some live betting opportunities during any major encounters in the calendar, fans can load up a football game in seconds and have plenty of fun. The options in today’s gaming-obsessed environment are extensive, especially when you factor in American football’s notable growth in recent years.

From simulation favorites to some well-liked arcade titles, below is a look at some of the best smartphone games for NFL fans to play in 2025. Unless stated otherwise, all featured games are available on iOS and Android devices.

Touchdown Manager

Starting with a game many NFL fans dip into and out of on an average day, Touchdown Manager is a football sim with plenty to offer despite not featuring the teams and players fans of the NFL know so well.

Don’t let the game’s absence of an official license put you off, though, as this management classic is definitely worth your valuable time and attention. Players have teams to construct, training sessions to carry out, strategies to devise, and championships to win. Also, it has decent graphics and is straightforward to grasp, so Touchdown Manager is impressive.

Madden NFL 25 Mobile Football

If Touchdown Manager isn’t your thing, then Madden NFL 25 Mobile Football surely will be.

One of the biggest NFL games on mobile, Madden is an immaculate product that is hard to fault. This highly pleasurable masterpiece is worth downloading, featuring real-life game action and real-world NFL events. From building a roster of NFL superstars to taking down rivals online, Madden NFL 25 Mobile Football is one of the best games to get.

Ted Ginn: Kick Return Football

With the aim of the game being to return kicks for touchdowns, Ted Ginn: Kick Return Football is capable of keeping you entertained for a good few hours at a time.

This top title is worth downloading, offering simple controls to grasp and some engaging gameplay that will come in handy when boredom sets in. In fact, for a free-to-play product, it’s almost essential to own.

Axis Football 

Axis Football is a bit of a hidden gem that football fans everywhere deserve to experience.

Featuring fluid simulation gameplay and some of the finest graphics around on mobile, it’s a release with so much to offer. Axis Football also has strong customization features, with players being able to create up to 250 teams, all while aiming to reign supreme on the field with a collection of players in some highly competitive football games. 

Retro Bowl 

If you’re partial to video games with a retro feel to them, then you’ll undoubtedly take to Retro Bowl.

Featuring charming pixel art, the game involves players becoming the coach of a team of emerging stars. You have interviews to conduct, players to keep happy, strategies to implement, and lineup changes to consider making. A fantastic game with plenty of plus points, this arcade classic is worth exploring on mobile. 

Football Dash

While Football Dash is one of the more basic games on the list, it clearly delivers in terms of its fun aspect.

In this one, players must simply charge their way through a solid unit of defenders and score as many touchdowns as possible. Throw in the game’s arcade style and simple one-handed mechanics, and it’s easy to see why Football Dash is popular among the football community right now. You can also attempt to top leaderboards, execute power-ups at the right time, and embark on a gaming adventure where hard hits and scoring touchdowns are inevitable. 

CBS Franchise Football

An undisputed favorite among football fans today, CBS Franchise Football is free, but it offers enough content to justify charging players for it.

In the title, football gamers can enjoy playing as familiar NFL teams and faces. The product’s simple mechanics make it easy to understand and viable for sessions in almost any location.

CBS Franchise Football is a great game because it offers so much to do and an abundance of teams and players to unlock.

NFL Rivals

Yet another popular football-themed game on mobile these days, NFL Rivals is another solid game.

https://twitter.com/PlayNFLRivals/status/1888649278089777385

Containing a deep team management strategy, it’s definitely one for any aspiring football coaches out there. With digital cards to collect, it’s up to you to build a solid team of unbeatable professionals. You can also channel your inner team owner and manage things from the boardroom. Additionally, there are multiplayer games to play and numerous rewards to unlock the further you progress in the game.

NFL Rivals is superb for football fans with a particular interest in team management and team ownership.