The NFL may soon add another major game to its holiday calendar — and it could happen the night before Thanksgiving.
According to reports, the league is exploring the possibility of scheduling a primetime game on Thanksgiving Eve, potentially starting with the 2026 season on Wednesday, November 25.
If implemented, it would mark yet another step in the NFL’s ongoing push to expand its schedule across more days of the week and dominate television ratings during major holidays.
Expanding the Thanksgiving Tradition
Thanksgiving has long been one of the NFL’s most iconic traditions. Every year, millions of fans tune in to watch the three-game Thanksgiving Day slate, typically featuring the Detroit Lions, Dallas Cowboys, and a rotating primetime matchup.
But in recent years, the league has aggressively expanded that tradition.
The NFL already added a Black Friday game starting in 2023, turning the holiday weekend into a multi-day football event.
Now, the league is considering extending the celebration even further by placing a game on Wednesday night before the holiday.
If the plan becomes reality, fans could see NFL games on:
- Wednesday (Thanksgiving Eve)
- Thursday (Thanksgiving Day)
- Friday (Black Friday)
- Sunday
- Monday Night Football
That would effectively give the league five days of games within six days, turning Thanksgiving week into one of the biggest stretches of the NFL calendar.
Why the NFL Is Considering It
The motivation behind the potential move is simple: viewership and money.
Thanksgiving games are some of the most-watched broadcasts of the entire NFL season. Recent Thanksgiving matchups have averaged over 44 million viewers, proving how massive the audience is for holiday football.
Adding another primetime window gives the league an additional product to sell to broadcasters or streaming platforms.
Recent holiday games have already generated huge rights deals. Streaming services reportedly pay nine-figure sums for standalone games tied to holidays like Black Friday and Christmas.
A Thanksgiving Eve game would likely become another premium TV event.
Scheduling Challenges
Of course, adding a midweek game comes with logistical challenges.
Teams playing on Thanksgiving Eve would likely need a bye week before the game to avoid a short turnaround, according to reports.
The NFL has already experimented with unusual scheduling adjustments before, including Wednesday Christmas games and expanded holiday broadcasts, so the league has shown it is willing to adapt if the television demand is high enough.
The NFL’s Holiday Takeover
If the idea becomes reality, the NFL would essentially own Thanksgiving week.
Between Sunday games, a potential Wednesday matchup, the Thanksgiving tripleheader, Black Friday football, and Monday Night Football, the league would dominate nearly every major TV window surrounding the holiday.
For fans, that could mean more football than ever during one of the biggest sports weekends of the year.
And if the NFL gets its way, Thanksgiving may soon start one day earlier than anyone expected.
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