NFL Reportedly 'Exploring' Thanksgiving Eve Game on 2026 Schedule Ahead of Holiday Slate

As the NFL considers starting the 2026 season earlier than normal, the league is also weighing a change to its traditional Thanksgiving week schedule.

Per ESPN's Adam Schefter, the NFL is "exploring" playing a game on Thanksgiving Eve this year.

If the league did follow through, it would mean the game would be played on Wednesday, Nov. 25.

There is speculation that the start of the season could see the NFL break from tradition of having the defending Super Bowl champion play in the kickoff game.

Since the San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams have been confirmed to play in Australia, The Athletic's Jayna Bardahl noted the game is expected to happen on either Wednesday or Thursday in Week 1.

The league wants to schedule the game early in the week given the travel required to give both teams additional recovery time going into Week 2.

Broadcast regulations will prevent the NFL from having a Friday game in Week 1 as it has in the previous two seasons.

According to Bardahl, whichever day remains open between Wednesday or Thursday is when the Super Bowl 60 champion Seattle Seahawks will host the opener.

Thanksgiving Day is traditionally one of the biggest days on the NFL calendar. The league has hosted a tripleheader on the holiday since 2006, with the Detroit Lions and Dallas Cowboys hosting the early- and late-afternoon games, respectively.

There have only been two non-holiday Wednesday games since 1949. The first was the 2012 kickoff game between the Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants when the NFL moved its opener up a day to avoid going head-to-head with the Democratic National Convention and a speech by then-President Barack Obama.

The most recent Wednesday game was in 2020 when the league had to reschedule a Pittsburgh Steelers-Baltimore Ravens due to a COVID-19 outbreak within the Ravens.

The NFL has not yet announced when the 2026 schedule will be released. It typically comes out in mid-May, a few weeks after the draft.