NFL Eyes Thanksgiving Eve Game After Record Holiday Viewership Surge

Thanksgiving Tripleheader Sets New Benchmarks (Image Credits: Flickr)

The National Football League is weighing a game on Thanksgiving Eve for the 2026 season, extending its dominance over the holiday period amid soaring audience numbers.

Thanksgiving Tripleheader Sets New Benchmarks

Last year’s Thanksgiving Day games drew record crowds that underscored football’s holiday appeal. The three matchups averaged 44.7 million viewers, eclipsing the 2024 figure of 34.5 million.[1][2]

The late-afternoon clash between the Kansas City Chiefs and Dallas Cowboys on CBS attracted 57.2 million viewers, the highest for any regular-season game on record. That mark topped the prior benchmark of 42.1 million from the 2022 Cowboys-Giants matchup. The early game featuring the Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions on FOX pulled in 47.7 million, the most-watched early Thanksgiving contest ever.[2]

The primetime Bengals-Ravens game on NBC averaged 28.4 million, contributing to the overall surge. Digital streaming also hit new heights with 2.2 million average minute audience, up 58 percent from the previous year. These figures marked the fourth straight record for Thanksgiving averages dating back to 1988.[2]

Building a Packed Holiday Schedule

A Thanksgiving Eve game would slot into a crowded week already featuring the traditional tripleheader and Black Friday contests. The league introduced Black Friday games in 2023, with last year’s Bears-Eagles matchup on Amazon Prime Video averaging 16.3 million viewers, the top sporting event that day since at least 1991.[1][3]

Executives envision up to nine major broadcast windows, including Sunday spotlight games and primetime slots. The proposed 2026 lineup could span seven of nine days in late November:[4]

• Monday, Nov. 23: One game
• Thanksgiving Eve, Nov. 25: One game
• Thanksgiving, Nov. 26: Three games
• Black Friday, Nov. 27: One or two games
• Monday, Nov. 30: One game

This expansion mirrors recent moves like Netflix’s Christmas package. The full 2026 schedule arrives in May, after league meetings in Phoenix this month.[1]

Logistics of a Rare Midweek Matchup

Wednesday games remain scarce, with only four in the past 75 years due to weather risks and travel demands. Participating teams would likely enter on a bye week, effectively gaining an extended rest period over 21 days.[4]

Commissioner Roger Goodell highlighted the Thanksgiving-NFL bond, noting steady growth in fan interest. The league anticipates teams volunteering for the slot, similar to Black Friday opt-ins. Such a game could fetch nine-figure rights fees, bolstering broadcast partnerships.[3]

League Voices Support for More Holiday Football

The NFL emphasized its proactive approach in a statement: “Every offseason we look for new opportunities to best serve our fans in the schedule-making process. As Commissioner (Roger) 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.”[1]

This sentiment reflects broader trends, as the league averaged 18.7 million viewers per game in 2025, its best since 1989.[3]

The NFL’s holiday push promises more football for fans, potentially turning Thanksgiving week into a seven-day spectacle. Will a Wednesday warmup become the new norm? Tell us in the comments.