Of all the various proposals that will be considered by ownership next week, one sticks out. It’s the one that doesn’t count.
The Eagles proposed that the Lions and Cowboys would alternate playing on the road on Thanksgiving, and then the Eagles withdrew it. But the proposal continues to appear on the list of proposals published to the media and submitted to the owners.
Here’s a theory: The Eagles fully intended to make the proposal and then to withdraw the proposal, with the understanding that the withdrawn proposal would still appear on the list of proposed rule changes. That way, the Eagles don’t look like jerks (or they look less like jerks) but the point still gets made.
It’s actually a great point. Although the NFL remains determined to extend the Dallas and Detroit hammerlock on Thanksgiving games because they were willing to host the games when no one else was, there’s nothing unfair about requiring them to play their annual short-week game on the road, every other year. In fact, given the proliferation of short-week football, it’s only fair to expect all teams to play their short-week games at home one year and on the road the next year.
Since the owners can pass any rule changes that they want, they can proceed with this one, regardless of whether it was withdrawn by the Eagles. And, in the interests of fairness to all teams, the owners should take up this issue, and vote in favor of it.