Based on my years testing various VPN products, these are the most important factors to consider when choosing a VPN for streaming NFL games.

Streaming capabilities

Not all VPNs are equal when it comes to how adept they are at unblocking geo-restricted streaming content. To be fair, streaming is not a high priority for every VPN. Some VPNs put a strong focus on streaming because they know that many of their customers sign up to stream content from different regions. Others may focus more on privacy or otherwise may not have the resources to deliver reliable streaming performance. Either way, you’ll want a VPN with a strong track record when it comes to streaming if you want consistent and reliable access to services that stream NFL games.

Server locations

If you’re in the US and have a subscription to NFL Sunday Ticket, you’ll want a VPN that has servers in various US regions. This is because NFL Sunday Ticket only gives you access to out-of-market NFL matchups. So if you want to watch your local matchup, you’ll need to connect to a server outside of your current region. Otherwise, if you subscribe to a live TV streaming service like YouTube TV, Hulu with Live TV or DirecTV then you can connect to servers in other locations to access regional broadcasts. The more server locations you have at your disposal (especially in the US) the more options you have for streaming NFL games. 

Speed

Using a VPN will slow your internet speeds somewhat, but if you have a fast VPN (100Mbps or more), you probably won’t even notice a difference as long as your base internet speeds are fast to begin with. If your VPN is slowing your speeds too much, your NFL streaming experience may be choppy. A fast VPN will ensure that the stream remains uninterrupted and you don’t miss a second of the action. For optimal speed performance, I recommend using the WireGuard protocol or your VPN provider’s proprietary protocol. 

Privacy

Privacy is an important consideration for any VPN, whether you’re a casual user or have critical online privacy needs. Look for a VPN with AES 256-bit encryption, DNS leak protection and a kill switch -- at a minimum. This will help boost your privacy and ensure your online activity remains private. 

Price

The price of the VPN service will be a major consideration for most people. Some VPNs cost $100 or more per year, but you can get premium VPN services that are great for streaming NFL games for as low as $40 per year.