NEWYou can now listen to PK Press Club articles!
Super Bowl champion Joe Theismann says the NFL has left tradition behind.
The NFL has expanded its prime-time schedule to holidays and road games, meaning it is playing more games outside of the traditional Sunday afternoon time slot. Theismann pointed out the drastic differences in how matches are broadcast.
“They’ve moved away (from tradition). I mean, when you look at all the different streaming services and all the different networks, it was ABC, NBC and CBS, but that doesn’t exist anymore. Before, there were just these TV channels where you could watch things other than sports,” Theismann told PK Press Club Digital in a recent interview.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON PK Press Club
Former NFL player Joe Theismann speaks with sportscaster Chris Collinsworth before the game between the Seattle Seahawks and the Washington Commanders at Northwest Stadium in Landover, Maryland on November 2, 2025. (Greg Fiume/Getty Images)
“Now we’re in a time and place where owners have the opportunity to make a lot of money from different entities, from YouTube, from Amazon, from Peacock.”
Theismann said fans used to look forward to Sundays, but now there are games seemingly all the time.
“Sunday is something you would look forward to because you really didn’t have a choice. Now you have options Monday night, Thursday night, Wednesday night, God only knows, Tuesday night, Saturday night. If you’re an NFL fan, you’re going to find the game,” Theismann said.
The opening match of the 2026 season will take place on Wednesday this season, with the second match being played in Melbourne, Australia on a Thursday. The NFL introduced a Thanksgiving game this year, adding another Wednesday game to the schedule.
ZERO BS. JUST DAKICH. TAKE THE DON’T @ ME PODCAST ON THE ROAD. DOWNLOAD NOW!
Super Bowl champion quarterback Joe Theismann delivers the keynote address at the 16th annual YMCA of the Palm Beaches Prayer Breakfast at Breakers Palm Beach on December 11, 2025. (DAMON HIGGINS/PALM BEACH DAILY NEWS / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
There will also be NFL games on Friday this year, as the league held its fourth annual Black Friday game. The NFL also has three games on Christmas Day, which is a Friday.
Once the regular college football season ends in mid-December, there will also be Saturday games.
Theismann said the NFL is now giving fans easier access to watch more games, which he considers a good thing.
“It gives you a chance to find the game you want to watch now. You don’t have to read about it the next day. So on the one hand, it made the NFL grow and on the other hand, yeah, would we all like things to be a little bit like they used to be? Maybe. But I believe in the progressive as a progressive individual, but life changes. You have to adapt and change with that,” Theismann said.
MIKE VRABEL, ONE MONTH AFTER STARTING “COUNSELING,” TOLD JOURNALISTS THAT HE LOVES HIS WIFE
Former player Joe Theismann speaks during the announcement of the Washington Football Team’s name change to the Washington Commanders at FedExField in Landover, Maryland on February 2, 2022. (Rob Carr/Getty Images)
American Century Championship
This will be the 37th American championship of the century, and Joe Theismann has participated in 36 of them. He said he used to be a handicap of 2, but is now a handicap of nine because he doesn’t hit the ball as far. He will look to turn back the clock when he competes in the tournament July 10-12 at Edgewood Golf Course in Lake Tahoe.
He said the American Century Championship is the only thing you really want to be a part of.
“The American Century Championship has evolved into one of those things that, if you love golf and you’re in the celebrity world, quote unquote, it’s the thing that you really want to be a part of. You can measure your game. You can pull back the curtain on so many wonderful people and you can see the ones that you watch on TV because I’m a fan of everything. But now you get the chance to see them up close and personal, and you get the chance to meet them and get to know them, and it’s exciting,” Theismann said.
The 76-year-old said he could visit people at the stand. He mentioned Jerry Rice, Tony Romo and Miles Teller as people he had conversations with, calling himself a Teller “fanboy.”
Theismann said “Top Gun: Maverick” was his favorite movie of all time.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE PK Press Club APP
Former Notre Dame quarterback Joe Theismann waves to the crowd during a college football game between Notre Dame and Stanford at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend on October 12, 2024. (MICHAEL CLUBB/SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
The tournament raised more than $8 million for regional and national charities. American Century Investments donates 40% of its profits to the Stowers Institute for Medical Research and activates a tournament fundraiser each year to generate direct donations to Stowers. Theismann thanked CEO Jonathan Thomas for the tournament’s charitable work.
Theismann thanked CEO Jonathan Thomas for the tournament’s charitable work.
The tournament will be broadcast on NBC and Peacock.
