The NFL could make further scheduling changes to the 2023 season with a vote being held regarding Thursday Night Football next week, and Patrick Mahomes will be watching on.
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes has already expressed his disappointment for the Thursday Night Football changes set to come into effect next season. But NFL owners are set to vote on yet another rule change, which could lead to even more frustration for Mahomes and his fellow athletes.
NFL owners will take a vote next week to determine whether Thursday Night Football games can be rescheduled on short notice.
Patrick Mahomes won’t be a fan of the new TNF proposals (Image: GETTY)
The NFL have ‘flexed’ games for many years, ensuring that the best match-ups are selected for prime-time viewing based on how the season pans out. The league are keen to alter Thursday nights after games saw a drop in viewers last season, and they’ve already announced that teams will be eligible to play more than one midweek game for the first time.
But after an unsuccessful vote back in March the owners are set to raise the issue again at their annual spring meet, with proposals allows the league to move games scheduled for a Sunday forward to Thursday Night Football at just 15 days notice. There has reportedly been pressure from Amazon Prime after an underwhelming start to their $1billion-per-season broadcast deal, but it’s not going to go down well with Mahomes.
Mahomes already voiced his disappointment with a previous change (Image: Getty)
Following the announcement that NFL teams will be eligible for more than one Thursday night game, Mahomes tweeted out a facepalm emoji illustrating his displeasure. Mahomes’ reaction prompted NFL commissioner Roger Goodell to justify the decision in a press conference, but the prospect of rescheduling games is unlikely to be popular among most players.
Mahomes wasn’t alone in his stance, as New York Giants owner John Mara also criticised the decision by calling the flex plans “inconsiderate and abusive” to the fans who are forced to put up with it. “At some point, can we please give some consideration to the people who are coming to our games?” he said after the initial March vote.
“People make plans to go to these games weeks and months in advance. And 15 days ahead of time to say, ‘Sorry, folks, that game you were planning on taking your kids to Sunday at 1, now it’s on Thursday night?’ What are we thinking about?
John Mara slammed rescheduling from a fan perspective (Image: Getty)
“People have gotten used to going from Sunday afternoon to Sunday night; that doesn’t mean that they like it. This year, we could be flexed to Monday night, which I think is really inconsiderate to our ticket holders.
“To flex a game back to Thursday night, to me, is just abusive. I am adamantly opposed to it. Fortunately, it didn’t get enough votes today, but it will probably be revisited in May.”
Mara was spot on, as another vote will be held next week. The initial proposal only missed out on being successful by two votes, but that could change now that a few months have gone by.
