A source told ESPN’s Adam Schefter that the NFL is exploring the possibility of playing a game the day before Thanksgiving.
The source told Schefter that the day added to the schedule could come as early as the upcoming 2026 season, on Wednesday, Nov. 25.
This would mark the latest move by the NFL to deviate from its traditional schedule to add games on or around national holidays in recent years.
The NFL has played Black Friday games through the 2023 season. Commissioner Roger Goodell told the Wall Street Journal in December that the league was considering adding a second game to its Black Friday schedule.
The NFL also played two games on Christmas Day in 2024, when December 25 fell on a Wednesday. The league had a Christmas tripleheader last season when it was on a Thursday, December 25.
Thanksgiving Eve games in 2026 will span nine days, including seven days of NFL games.
