NFL Explores Adding Thanksgiving Eve Game

League looking to expand holiday programming as viewership continues to grow.

Mar. 11, 2026 at 9:38pm

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The NFL is reportedly considering adding a Thanksgiving Eve game as soon as the 2026 season, according to multiple media reports. The league is exploring a Wednesday, November 25 slot to capitalize on the high viewership around the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, including the growing audience for Black Friday games.

Why it matters

Expanding the NFL's Thanksgiving programming could further boost viewership and advertising revenue during one of the league's most valuable broadcast windows. The NFL has seen strong ratings for its traditional Thanksgiving Day games as well as growing interest in Black Friday matchups, making a Thanksgiving Eve game an attractive option to drive more engagement and revenue.

The details

The NFL is reportedly discussing the possibility of adding a Thanksgiving Eve game, which would likely require teams to have a bye week the prior week. The league has seen strong viewership for its Thanksgiving Day games, which averaged 44.7 million viewers last season, as well as growing interest in Black Friday games, with last year's Bears-Eagles matchup averaging 16.33 million viewers on Amazon Prime Video.

  • The NFL is exploring adding a Thanksgiving Eve game as soon as the 2026 season.
  • Last season, the three-game Thanksgiving Day slate averaged 44.7 million viewers.
  • The late-afternoon Chiefs-Cowboys Thanksgiving Day game in 2022 drew 57.2 million viewers, an NFL regular-season record.

The players

Roger Goodell

The Commissioner of the National Football League.

NFL

The National Football League, a professional American football league consisting of 32 teams.

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What they’re saying

“Every offseason we look for new opportunities to best serve our fans in the schedule-making process. As commissioner Goodell has said, Thanksgiving and NFL football have become synonymous, and given the continued growth of fan interest around our games on Thanksgiving and Black Friday, looking for additional opportunities tied to this special holiday is exciting for us to explore.”

— NFL Spokesperson

What’s next

The NFL will continue to explore the possibility of adding a Thanksgiving Eve game, with the potential for it to be implemented as soon as the 2026 season.

The takeaway

The NFL's exploration of a Thanksgiving Eve game highlights the league's efforts to maximize viewership and revenue around one of its most valuable broadcast windows. By expanding its holiday programming, the NFL can further cement the connection between Thanksgiving and professional football while capitalizing on the growing audience interest.