The NFL got (almost) what it wanted Monday despite outspoken opposition by several prominent owners.
The league needed 24 votes for flexible scheduling of Thursday Night Football. It got 24 exactly.
Despite the Giants, Jets, Packers, Bears, Raiders, Detroit, Bengals and Steelers voting against the measure, according to Adam Schefter, the resolution passed albeit with some caveats.
Amazon Prime, which streams the Thursday games, gets only two flexes during the Weeks of 13-17. The flexes must be done with 28 days advance notice, and teams cannot play two away TNF games in a season.
Owners also voted it effective only for the 2023 season unless flexible scheduling is not applied for Thursday Night Football during the 2023 regular season. In that case, flexible scheduling would remain in effect for the 2024 season.
In 2006, the NFL adopted flexible scheduling for late-season Sunday nights. This season, late-season Monday night flexing is possible for the first time.
Now, Thursday nights can flex two games.
Owners voted in March to allow teams to play on two short weeks during the season. That means teams can play two Thursday night games on short rest during the 2023 season.
Giants co-owner John Mara famously called the initial proposal from the March league meeting, which would have allowed a game to be flexed from Sunday to Thursday with only a 15-day notice, as “abusive” toward fans.