The full NFL schedule was released last Thursday with a ton of exciting games. There will a fun opening matchup between the Super Bowl champions Kansas City Chiefs and the Detroit Lions, although it gets even better from then on.
Some things have not changed because they are already established traditions in the league. The Thanksgiving Day schedule slate is the best example of it. Every year the Dallas Cowboys and the Lions both get to host a game, with their opponents being the only thing that is uncertain before the schedule release.
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This season there was a new date appearing in the calendar after that Thursday triple-header. In 2023 it will be time for the first ever game on Black Friday. It’s going to be a great clash featuring the Miami Dolphins and the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium. A divisional matchup between top teams should have a lot of people thrilled. However, one team didn’t like it.
A Super Bowl contender requested to play on Black Friday
The Jets have been away from the big scene for a long time because they weren’t able to have good teams for a while. This season that will change thanks only to their new quarterback Aaron Rodgers. New York will go back to Sunday Night Football after 12 years, but they will also feature in this new spot in the calendar.
The Cincinnati Bengals were the team that offered to host the first ever game on Black Friday. This was told by the NFL VP of Broadcast Planning Mike North, according to Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk. This could have been a great opportunity to appear in a standalone match for a small market franchise. However, not being selected doesn’t mean they won’t be considered in the future.
Cincinnati saw the opportunity to become a regular participant in what could become a huge thing in a couple of years, although the possibility of an AFC East rivalry game was too enticing. This week 12 clash between the Jets and the Dolphins will take place on November 24. “We’re thrilled to offer another way to delight Amazon customers, and give all fans free access to this AFC East showdown”, vice president of global sports video Marie Donoghue said about the broadcast.
