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The NFL is reportedly considering adding another game to the holiday menu for fans around Thanksgiving.
The league is exploring the possibility of adding a Thanksgiving Eve game to the schedule for the 2026 season, ESPN reported Tuesday. If finalized, NFL fans would be treated to games on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Sunday and Monday.
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San Diego Chargers linebacker (56) Shawne Merriman against the Baltimore Ravens at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego on September 20, 2009. (Mark J. Rebilas/USA TODAY Sports)
Former NFL star Shawne Merriman appeared on OutKick’s “Don’t @ Me with Dan Dakich” Thursday and warned the NFL about possible dilution of its product.
“I will caution. The NBA, I think the season is so long, there are so many games, it’s watered down. I don’t think it’ll ever get to the point where there’s a 20-plus game season with the NFL for two seasons,” Merriman said. “Physically, I don’t think guys’ bodies can handle another 2-3 games during the year unless there’s another bye week. They need to include another bye week if they’re going to do it.
DaRon Bland #26 Dak Prescott #4 of the Dallas Cowboys takes a bite of a turkey leg after a victory against the Washington Commanders at AT&T Stadium on November 23, 2023 in Arlington, Texas. (Richard Rodriguez/Getty Images)
AN NFL GAME THE NIGHT BEFORE MERCI IS OFFICIALLY “TOO MUCH FOOTBALL”
“What I warn about the NFL is if you start giving too much to the fans, yes, you can make more money, but you’re watering down the product. There has to be some sort of balance between the two.”
The NFL continued to experience a viewership boom during the 2025 season. A Week 14 game between the Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers on FOX attracted 28 million viewers.
Jordan Love #10 of the Green Bay Packers bites a turkey leg after the game against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field on November 27, 2025 in Detroit, Michigan. (Nic Antaya/Getty Images)
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Even if the NFL remains popular, the league will also face the challenge of making sure players stay as healthy as possible to keep the product as good as it has been.
