History of Thursday Night Football in Timeline
Thursday Night Football is the branding given to broadcasts of National Football League games aired primarily on Thursday nights. Kickoff for most of these games is at 8:15 PM Eastern Time.
1937: Washington Football Team History
The Washington Football Team, formerly known as the Washington Redskins, existed from 1937 to 2021.
1961: San Diego Chargers History
The San Diego Chargers were a professional football team from 1961 to 2016.
1961: Sports Broadcasting Act
The Sports Broadcasting Act of 1961, which included an antitrust exemption for the NFL, was passed, influencing the league's ability to televise games on certain days.
1972: Undefeated Miami Dolphins
The 1972 Miami Dolphins hold the record for being the only NFL team to complete a regular season undefeated.
1978: ABC's Thursday Night Games
ABC aired occasional Thursday night games as part of its Monday Night Football package from 1978.
1986: End of ABC's Thursday Night Games
ABC's broadcasting of Thursday night games as part of its Monday Night Football package ended in 1986.
1995: Oakland Raiders History
The Oakland Raiders were a professional football team from 1995 to 2019.
1995: St. Louis Rams Tenure
The St. Louis Rams existed from 1995 to 2015.
2005: CBS Becomes Highest-Rated Network
CBS became the highest-rated broadcast network in the United States starting in the 2005-06 television season.
November 23, 2006: Thursday Night Football Debuts
Thursday Night Football debuted on November 23, 2006, with a game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Denver Broncos.
2006: NFL Moves Monday Night Football to ESPN
In 2006, the NFL moved Monday Night Football to ESPN.
2007: Collinsworth Becomes Lead Color Commentator for TNF
Cris Collinsworth became the primary color commentator for all Thursday Night Football games in 2007, replacing Dick Vermeil, who had previously handled the Saturday broadcasts.
2007: Gumbel Departs, Papa Takes Over Play-by-Play
Following Bryant Gumbel's departure from NFL Network after the 2007 season, Bob Papa, known for his work with HBO and as the radio voice of the New York Giants, was brought in as his replacement for Thursday Night Football.
2007: Thursday/Saturday Night Football Format Continues
The format of branding game broadcasts as either "Thursday Night Football" or "Saturday Night Football" continued into the 2007 season.
2007: NFL Network Carriage Disputes
The launch of Thursday and Saturday night games on NFL Network in 2007 faced carriage disputes with television service providers, impacting the availability of high-profile games, including a Cowboys-Packers matchup and the Patriots' attempt to complete an undefeated season.
2007: Controversy Over NFL Network Availability
The limited availability of NFL Network sparked controversy in 2007, particularly regarding the broadcasting of a New England Patriots game that closed out their perfect regular season.
2008: Collinsworth Leaves TNF, Joins NBC's SNF
At the end of the 2008 season, Cris Collinsworth departed from the Thursday Night Football broadcast team to succeed John Madden as the main analyst for NBC's Sunday Night Football.
2008: Elimination of Saturday Night Games
NFL Network eliminated most of the Saturday night games in 2008 and shifted the start of the Thursday night package to three weeks earlier.
2009: Chris Brown Assaults Rihanna
In 2009, performer Chris Brown assaulted fellow performer Rihanna.
2009: Millen Returns to Broadcasting, Joins TNF
Matt Millen made his comeback to broadcasting in 2009, joining the Thursday Night Football commentary team as a replacement for Cris Collinsworth.
2010: Theismann Joins TNF Broadcast Team
Joe Theismann, a former ESPN analyst, joined the Thursday Night Football commentator lineup in 2010, further bolstering the broadcast team.
2011: Thanksgiving Game Moves to Sunday Night Football
The Thanksgiving primetime game, previously part of the Thursday Night Football package, was moved to NBC's Sunday Night Football package in 2011.
2012: Thanksgiving Game Moves to NBC
As part of new media contracts in 2012, the Thanksgiving primetime game was moved from NFL Network to NBC's Sunday Night Football package.
2012: Thursday Night Football Expands
In 2012, Thursday Night Football expanded from eight to 13 games and aired on NFL Network.
2012: Spanish Broadcast Added
In 2012, a Spanish-language broadcast was added as a second audio program for Thursday Night Football.
2012: TNF Package Begins in Week 2
The Thursday Night Football package started during the second week of the NFL season from 2012 onwards.
2012: TNF Goes on Hiatus During Thanksgiving Week
Thursday Night Football has been on a break during Thanksgiving week since 2012, as the primetime Thanksgiving game was moved to the Sunday Night Football package.
January 2014: NFL Plans to Sub-License TNF Games
In January 2014, the NFL planned to sub-license a package of up to eight Thursday Night Football games to another broadcaster for the 2014 season.
September 11, 2014: CBS's First Thursday Night Football Game
On September 11, 2014, CBS aired its first Thursday Night Football game, featuring the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Baltimore Ravens.
October 6, 2014: Arian Foster Criticizes Thursday Night Football
On October 6, 2014, Houston Texans running back Arian Foster publicly criticized the NFL for its decision to host Thursday Night Football games, arguing that the short recovery time between games presented a safety concern for players.
January 29, 2015: NFL Releases Health and Safety Report
On January 29, 2015, the NFL released a report which, among other things, analyzed the rate of injuries in Thursday night games compared to those played on Sundays and Mondays.
December 16, 2015: NFL Shops TNF Package as One-Year Deal
On December 16, 2015, the NFL began shopping the Thursday Night Football package as a one-year deal with an option for a second year.
2015: St. Louis Rams Tenure
The St. Louis Rams existed from 1995 to 2015.
January 2016: NFL Considers Splitting TNF Package
In January 2016, the NFL considered splitting the Thursday Night Football package across multiple broadcasters and expanding it to 17 games.
February 1, 2016: NFL Announces Shared TNF Deal with CBS, NBC, and NFL Network
On February 1, 2016, the NFL revealed a new broadcasting agreement for Thursday Night Football. CBS, NBC, and NFL Network would share broadcasting responsibilities for the 2016 and 2017 seasons. This deal expanded the reach of TNF with more games on broadcast television.
April 5, 2016: Twitter Acquires TNF Digital Streaming Rights
On April 5, 2016, Twitter secured non-exclusive worldwide digital streaming rights for ten TNF games, marking a significant step in digital sports broadcasting. The deal also included content for Twitter's Periscope service.
November 3, 2016: NBC Produces First TNF Game Exclusively for NFL Network
On November 3, 2016, NBC Sports took the helm for its first production of a TNF game, broadcasted exclusively on NFL Network. This marked the start of NBC's involvement in TNF production.
November 28, 2016: Rumors of TNF's Demise
On November 28, 2016, rumors circulated that the NFL was considering ending Thursday Night Football, though the league denied these claims.
December 1, 2016: Cowboys-Vikings Game Ratings Success
The December 1, 2016, Thursday Night Football game between the Dallas Cowboys and the Minnesota Vikings garnered the highest ratings for the season, following rumors about the potential cancellation of TNF.
December 22, 2016: Tirico Makes TNF Debut Alongside Collinsworth
Mike Tirico made his Thursday Night Football debut on December 22, 2016, joining Cris Collinsworth in the broadcast booth.
2016: Player Criticism of Thursday Night Football
During the 2016 NFL season, prominent players like Richard Sherman, J. J. Watt, and Charles Woodson voiced their disapproval of Thursday Night Football, citing concerns over player safety and the quality of play. Sherman famously dubbed it a "poopfest."
2016: Thursday Night Football Format
From 2012 to 2016, and again in 2020 and 2021, all 32 NFL teams played a Thursday game following a Sunday game, ensuring national television coverage for each team.
2016: Rogers Media Blocks Twitter's TNF Streams in Canada
In 2016, Rogers Media, holding Canadian TNF television rights, successfully blocked Twitter's game streams in Canada. This action highlighted the complexities of digital rights in sports broadcasting and regional restrictions.
2016: Twitter Secures Streaming Rights
In 2016, Twitter became the first third-party platform to acquire digital streaming rights for the broadcast television portion of Thursday Night Football.
2016: Branding Changes and Special Editions
References to "Saturday Night Football" were dropped in 2008, and games not played on Thursday were branded as "special editions" of Thursday Night Football.
2016: San Diego Chargers History
The San Diego Chargers were a professional football team from 1961 to 2016.
April 4, 2017: Amazon Secures TNF Streaming Rights
On April 4, 2017, Amazon secured non-exclusive streaming rights for ten TNF games on its Amazon Prime Video platform. The deal, valued at $50 million, signaled the growing role of streaming services in sports broadcasting.
November 9, 2017: Richard Sherman's Achilles Injury
On November 9, 2017, during a Thursday Night Football game against the Arizona Cardinals, Seattle Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman ruptured his Achilles tendon, ending his season. This incident further fueled the debate surrounding the safety of Thursday night games.
November 16, 2017: First NFL Broadcast Using Skycam as Primary Camera Angle
November 16, 2017, marked a historic moment for NFL broadcasting. The TNF game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Tennessee Titans became the first to use the Skycam as its primary camera angle, offering a unique perspective for viewers.
2017: Amazon Secures Streaming Rights
Amazon secured digital streaming rights for Thursday Night Football in 2017, initially on Prime Video and later on Twitch.
2017: Amazon Prime Subscribers Enjoy Exclusive TNF Streaming
During the 2017 NFL season, access to TNF games on Amazon's streaming platform was exclusively available to Amazon Prime subscribers. This exclusive offering added value to the Prime membership and highlighted the increasing importance of streaming services for sports content.
2017: Branding of NFL International Series Games
The NFL International Series games were branded as "NFL Network Special" starting in 2017.
January 2018: Competition for TNF Rights Heats Up
In January 2018, the battle for TNF broadcasting rights intensified as major networks like ABC/ESPN and Fox Sports submitted bids, highlighting the high value and viewership of TNF.
January 30, 2018: Fox Wins TNF Broadcasting Rights
The competition for TNF rights culminated on January 30, 2018, with Fox emerging as the victor. The five-year deal, spanning from 2018 to 2022, granted Fox broadcasting rights, showcasing the network's commitment to sports broadcasting.
September 20, 2018: Jets-Browns Game Sets Ratings Record
The September 20, 2018, Thursday Night Football game between the New York Jets and the Cleveland Browns, featuring Baker Mayfield's debut and Cleveland's first win in almost two years, achieved record-breaking ratings for an NFL Network-exclusive broadcast, with over 8 million viewers.
October 14, 2018: NFL Network Announces Broadcast Team for Eagles-Jaguars London Game
On October 14, 2018, NFL Network revealed that their NFL GameDay Morning studio team, consisting of Rich Eisen, Steve Mariucci, Kurt Warner, and Michael Irvin, would provide commentary for the Eagles-Jaguars game in London on October 28.
2018: Amazon Renews TNF Streaming Rights, Introduces Free Streaming on Twitch
Amazon extended its digital partnership with the NFL, renewing its streaming rights for TNF in 2018. Additionally, they introduced free game coverage on their Twitch platform, expanding access for viewers.
2018: NFL Network Broadcasting Changes
For the 2018 and 2019 NFL seasons, NFL Network made changes to its broadcasting lineup for Thursday Night Football. Notably, Mike Tirico joined for Saturday games and various announcers were used for different games.
2018: Buck and Aikman to Call TNF Games for Fox
Fox announced that their top broadcast duo, Joe Buck and Troy Aikman, would handle the commentary for Thursday Night Football games beginning in 2018, putting to rest speculation about Peyton Manning potentially joining the network.
2018: Fox Acquires Broadcasting Rights
Fox secured the broadcasting rights for Thursday Night Football in 2018, marking a significant shift in the package's history.
2018: Fox's Thursday Night Football Pregame Show
In 2018, Fox launched its own Thursday Night Football pregame show with Michael Strahan as host and analysts like Terry Bradshaw, Howie Long, and Jay Glazer. Unlike CBS and NBC, NFL Network did not join Fox's pregame coverage.
September 26, 2019: Fox Debuts 4K HDR Broadcasts for TNF
On September 26, 2019, Fox ushered in a new era of visual fidelity for TNF. They introduced 4K resolution broadcasts with high-dynamic-range (HDR) color, enhancing the viewing experience for fans.
October 3, 2019: TNF Game Exclusively on Fox Due to Carriage Dispute
The TNF game on October 3, 2019, became embroiled in a carriage dispute between Dish Network and Fox. The dispute resulted in the game being exclusively available on Fox, marking the first instance of a TNF game not being broadcasted on NFL Network.
October 6, 2019: Fox and Dish Network Resolve Carriage Dispute
After a brief but impactful carriage dispute, Fox and Dish Network reached a multi-year carriage agreement on October 6, 2019, ensuring viewers could access Fox's programming, including future TNF games.
2019: Amazon Continues TNF Streaming and All-Female Commentary Team Returns
Amazon's streaming of TNF continued into 2019, along with the return of the groundbreaking all-female commentary team of Hannah Storm and Andrea Kremer, marking another year of progress in sports broadcasting.
2019: NFL Network Broadcasting Changes
For the 2018 and 2019 NFL seasons, NFL Network made changes to its broadcasting lineup for Thursday Night Football. Notably, Mike Tirico joined for Saturday games and various announcers were used for different games.
2019: Changes to Fox's Pregame Show
Fox's Thursday Night Football pregame show saw changes in 2019, with a rotating lineup of analysts including Bradshaw, Long, Tony Gonzalez, and Peter Schrager. Rob Gronkowski also made appearances. The show originated from New York City due to Strahan's commitments to "Good Morning America."
2019: NFL Network Retains Four-Man Booth for London Games
NFL Network opted to keep the four-man broadcast booth for their coverage of the 2019 London Games, maintaining consistency in their international game broadcasts.
2019: Oakland Raiders History
The Oakland Raiders were a professional football team from 1995 to 2019.
2019: Washington Football Team History
The Washington Football Team, formerly known as the Washington Redskins, existed from 1937 to 2021.
April 29, 2020: Amazon Renews TNF Digital Rights, Introduces New Features
On April 29, 2020, Amazon renewed its digital rights for Thursday Night Football through the 2022 season. The deal included continued simulcasts, digital content, exclusive international rights for one late-season game, and the introduction of new features like the "Scout's Feed" and "NFL Next Live" on Twitch.
2020: Thursday Night Football Format
From 2012 to 2016, and again in 2020 and 2021, all 32 NFL teams played a Thursday game following a Sunday game, ensuring national television coverage for each team.
2020: Broadcasting Changes and COVID-19
In 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic and Al Michaels's absence, Joe Davis filled in for Saturday broadcasts alongside Warner. CBS produced the London game.
2020: Washington Football Team History
The Washington Football Team, formerly known as the Washington Redskins, existed from 1937 to 2021.
March 2021: Amazon Acquires Exclusive Rights to Thursday Night Football
In March 2021, Amazon secured exclusive rights to Thursday Night Football from 2023 to 2033 as part of a new NFL broadcasting agreement.
2021: Amazon Acquires Exclusive Rights
Amazon acquired the exclusive rights to Thursday Night Football in 2021, starting from the 2023 season.
2021: Fox's TNF Viewership Sets Benchmark for Amazon
Amazon's first regular-season TNF game in 2022 drew viewership numbers comparable to Fox's average viewership for Thursday Night Football broadcasts in 2021.
2021: Early Termination of Fox's TNF Deal
Fox's deal for TNF broadcasting rights was unexpectedly cut short in 2021, a year ahead of its scheduled 2022 expiration, prompting discussions and speculation within the industry.
2021: Thursday Night Football Format
From 2012 to 2016, and again in 2020 and 2021, all 32 NFL teams played a Thursday game following a Sunday game, ensuring national television coverage for each team.
2021: Broadcasting Lineup and Game Coverage
In 2021, various broadcast teams were used for Thursday Night Football games, including Greg Gumbel and Adam Archuleta for the London game and different pairings for other games like Raiders vs. Browns and Colts vs. Cardinals.
2021: Washington Football Team History
The Washington Football Team, formerly known as the Washington Redskins, existed from 1937 to 2021.
2021: Gonzalez Leaves Fox, Pregame Show Moves
Tony Gonzalez departed Fox in 2021 for other opportunities, leading to changes in Fox's Thursday Night Football pregame show. The COVID-19 pandemic also caused the show to relocate to Los Angeles, with Curt Menefee as the primary host and remote appearances by Strahan.
July 2022: Amazon Hires Michaels and Herbstreit
In July 2022, Amazon secured Al Michaels and Kirk Herbstreit as their lead broadcast team for Thursday Night Football after failing to sign Aikman. Kaylee Hartung joined as the sideline reporter.
August 25, 2022: Amazon's First Preseason TNF Game
On August 25, 2022, Amazon aired its inaugural Thursday Night Football preseason game, featuring the San Francisco 49ers and the Houston Texans.
September 15, 2022: Amazon's First Regular Season TNF Game
On September 15, 2022, Amazon broadcast its first-ever regular-season Thursday Night Football game, a matchup between the Los Angeles Chargers and the Kansas City Chiefs.
September 29, 2022: Tua Tagovailoa Injury
On September 29, 2022, during a Thursday Night Football game against the Cincinnati Bengals, Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa suffered a serious head and neck injury. The incident sparked widespread controversy and scrutiny over the NFL's concussion protocol, particularly given that Tagovailoa had experienced a similar injury just four days prior in a game against the Buffalo Bills.
October 6, 2022: Indianapolis Colts vs. Denver Broncos Game
On October 6, 2022, the Indianapolis Colts and Denver Broncos played a game characterized by its low score and conservative play-calling, drawing criticism from fans and commentators alike.
October 18, 2022: NFL Announces Addition of Black Friday Game to TNF
The NFL announced on October 18, 2022, that a special Friday afternoon game would be added to the Thursday Night Football lineup starting in 2023. This game, scheduled for the Friday after Thanksgiving, aims to capitalize on the "Black Friday" shopping frenzy.
2022: Early Launch of Amazon's Coverage
Amazon's coverage of Thursday Night Football was launched a year early, in 2022, after NFL Network and Fox ceded the final season of their contract.
2022: Amazon's TNF Era Begins A Year Early
Amazon's exclusive rights to Thursday Night Football were initially set to begin in 2023, but due to NFL Network, Fox, and Amazon opting out of the final year of the previous agreement, Amazon's exclusive deal began a year earlier than planned.
2022: End of Fox's Broadcasting Rights
Fox's broadcasting rights for Thursday Night Football ended in 2022.
2022: Kickoff Time Change
The NFL moved the kickoff time for Thursday Night Football games to 8:15 PM Eastern Time in 2022.
2022: End of Fox's TNF Deal
The year 2022 marked the end of Fox's five-year contract with the NFL for broadcasting TNF, opening the door for potential new broadcasting agreements.
2022: Amazon's TNF Digital Rights Extension Ends
This year marked the end of Amazon's digital rights extension for Thursday Night Football, which they had secured through a renewal in 2020.
2022: TNF Viewership Declines
Thursday Night Football experienced a substantial 46% drop in viewership in 2022, prompting the NFL to make changes to the schedule and format.
March 28, 2023: NFL Implements Changes to TNF Schedule
On March 28, 2023, due to declining viewership and pressure from Amazon for more appealing matchups, the NFL announced significant changes to the Thursday Night Football schedule, effective immediately.
2023: Amazon's Exclusive Coverage Begins
Amazon's exclusive coverage of Thursday Night Football is set to begin in the 2023 season.
2023: Standings Update
As of Week 17 of the 2023 NFL season, the provided standings reflect the current positions of teams.
2023: Black Friday TNF Game Debuts
The inaugural Black Friday edition of Thursday Night Football, a new addition to the schedule, took place this year, directly competing with the traditional college football games usually held on that day.
2033: Amazon's Exclusive TNF Deal Concludes
This year marks the end of Amazon's exclusive broadcasting rights for Thursday Night Football, originally secured in 2021.
