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The NFL is looking to expand its already extensive schedule.
In recent years, the NFL has scheduled games on Black Friday, Christmas and the Friday after the first regular season game of the year, while expanding its international presence.
Commissioner Roger Goodell is reportedly deep into Thanksgiving week as the league is exploring the possibility of playing a game on Thanksgiving Eve and could implement a game as early as this season, according to reports from ESPN.
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NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell attends the 2026 NFL Pro Bowl at the Moscone Center South in San Francisco on February 3, 2026. The NFC won, 66–52. (Alika Jenner/Getty Images)
“Each offseason we look for new opportunities to better serve our fans in the schedule-building process,” the league said Wednesday in a statement. “As Commissioner (Roger) Goodell has said, Thanksgiving and NFL football have become synonymous, and with the continued growth of fan interest surrounding our games on Thanksgiving and Black Friday, it is exciting for us to explore additional opportunities related to this special holiday.”
If the NFL adds another game to its Thanksgiving week schedule, it hopes to capitalize on the success of the Black Friday games. The Chicago Bears played the Philadelphia Eagles last season on Black Friday, and the game averaged 16.3 million viewers on Amazon Prime Video.
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NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, left, greets fans during the first half of the NFL Pro Bowl in San Francisco on Feb. 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
Thanksgiving Day games have also brought a lot of viewership to the NFL. They are among the most watched games during the regular season. Last year’s programming averaged 44.7 million viewers, surpassing the 2024 mark of 34.5 million.
If the league goes ahead with a game on Thanksgiving Eve, teams would likely have a bye the week before, since playing a game on a Wednesday is unusual. Only four NFL games have been played on Wednesdays in the modern era of the sport.
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NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell speaks on Feb. 2, 2026, during his State of the NFL press conference in San Jose, California, before the Super Bowl between the Seattle Seahawks and the New England Patriots. (AP Photo/Matt York)
Thanksgiving Eve would give the league nine major broadcast windows to fill. There would also be featured games in the early and late Sunday afternoon, Sunday night, and Monday night windows.
The regular season schedule is not expected to be released until the first or second week of May.
