Home / Sports / NFL Adds Thanksgiving Eve Game to Holiday Slate
NFL Adds Thanksgiving Eve Game to Holiday Slate
15 May
Summary
- NFL expands holiday football with a new Thanksgiving Eve game in 2026.
- Five NFL games will now be played across Thanksgiving week.
- Games feature playoff contenders like the Packers, Rams, Bears, and Chiefs.
The NFL is enhancing its holiday football offerings by introducing a Thanksgiving Eve game in 2026, adding to its established Thanksgiving Day slate. This expansion means five high-stakes NFL games will now be played during the holiday week. Notably, the league has expanded its presence from a single Thanksgiving game in 1934 to multiple games on Thanksgiving and Black Friday in recent years.
The 2026 schedule features a prime-time matchup on Netflix between the Green Bay Packers and the Los Angeles Rams, pitting Jordan Love against MVP Matthew Stafford. Another Thanksgiving Day game will see the Chicago Bears visit the Detroit Lions, a rivalry game with divisional implications. The holiday triple-header continues with the Philadelphia Eagles facing the Dallas Cowboys on Fox.
Further extending the holiday football feast, Amazon Prime will broadcast a Black Friday game between the Denver Broncos and the Pittsburgh Steelers, both strong 2025 playoff contenders. These games underscore the NFL's strategy of leveraging holidays for increased viewership and fan engagement, creating a full week of playoff-atmosphere football.
