Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones said that the NFL is still considering adding a second game to the Thursday night slate, Daniel Kaplan of the SportsBusiness Journal reports. Jones' admission comes just days after the NFL released a statement saying that the league has not considered a doubleheader in response to a Wall Street Journal report suggesting that the league was looking to spruce up ratings for the NFL Network.
Jerry Jones says NFL still considering Thursday night doubleheaders
Jerry Jones says Thursday night doubleheaders are still a possibility, just days after the NFL said that the league is not considering expanding the Thursday night slate.
Wesley Hitt
Jones added that a change is not imminent, but that a deal could easily be done within current television contracts. Jones also said that the NFL Players Association would not have a say in the matter.
The decision to add a second Thursday night game would be controversial if made. Players and coaches have come out publicly against Thursday night games, arguing that the short turnaround from Sunday to Thursday wears players out and increases the chances of injury. For a league ostensibly committed to ensuring player safety, there should be concern.
NFL public relation reiterated its stance from earlier this week, saying that expanding the Thursday night slate has not been considered. That said, Thursday night football has been a consistently good TV ratings draw despite the sloppy matchups that have occurred this season perhaps as a result of teams’ lack of preparation.
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