NFL Owners Approve Thursday Night Flex Scheduling

NFL owners approved a modified proposal for flexing Thursday Night Football games to ensure Amazon, its broadcasting partner with the rights to Thursday night games, gets ideal contests later in the season.

There are, however, some limitations to the flex scheduling for Thursday nights. First, it will only apply for Weeks 13-17, and there will be a maximum of two games flexed per season. Teams must also be given at least 28 notice of a pending change.

Owners opposing Thursday night flex scheduling raised a variety of concerns, including travel logistics and impact on fans. The NFLPA also was opposed to it. But owners voted it through, opening the possibility Amazon’s TNF schedule could shift once or twice late in the season. pic.twitter.com/50Ed28VvNH
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) May 22, 2023

According to Adam Schefter, a vote of 24-8 passed the resolution, the eight teams against the proposal being the Giants, Jets, Packers, Bears, Raiders, Detroit, Bengals, and Pittsburgh.

SI.com's Albert Breer reported that Denver and Carolina, both of whom abstained from the vote in March, voted in favor of the change this time around.

Giants co-owner John Mara openly spoke out against the concept back in late March during the league's annual meetings,

“I am adamantly opposed to that,” Mara told reporters. “Flexible scheduling, as it is, is inconsiderate to our season ticket holders and the people who fill our stadiums every week. People have gotten used to going from Sunday afternoon to Sunday night [when a game is flexed]. That doesn’t mean that they like it. This year, we can be flexed to Monday night, which I think is inconsiderate to our ticket holders.

“But to flex a game back to Thursday night, to me, is just abusive, and I am adamantly opposed to it.”

After the vote passed Monday, Mara wasn't backing down from his stance, telling the NFL Network's Judy Battista, "I’m disappointed, but certainly not surprised.”

So now any fan planning a trip to a Sunday game in Weeks 13-17 has to be prepared for the possibility that the game could move to Thursday? That's such an inconvenience to impose on people. Moving kickoff by 7 hours is one thing. Moving kickoff by 72 hours is quite another.
— Michael David Smith (@MichaelDavSmith) May 22, 2023

In other league news, Super Bowl LX was awarded to Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California, home of the San Francisco 49ers. The 2025 NFL draft was awarded to the city of Green Bay (the 2024 draft is scheduled for Detroit next year).

In rule changes, the league also approved the return of teams playing an emergency quarterback from the inactive list if the first two are injured during a game, a decision inspired by the 49ers quarterback challenge in the NFC Championship game in which the 49ers lost two of their quarterbacks to injury.

The third quarterback designation will not count against the limit of active players determined 90 minutes before kickoff.

Also, a proposal to allow for fair catches inside the 25-yard line to be ruled as touchbacks, with the ball then being spotted at the 25, was tabled by the owners, as both players and coaches are said to be united in their determination to keep the rule change from seeing the light of day.

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