History of Thursday Night Football in Timeline

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Thursday Night Football

Thursday Night Football (TNF) refers to National Football League (NFL) games broadcast primarily on Thursday nights, with most games starting at 8:15 PM Eastern Time. It serves as a branding for these specific NFL broadcasts.

1937: Redskins in Washington

The Washington Redskins existed from 1937-2019, and then became the Washington Football Team from 2020-2021.

1939: Sideline Camera Used Since 1939

The telecast between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Tennessee Titans on November 16, 2017 was the first NFL broadcast to intentionally use the Skycam as its primary camera angle, as opposed to the usual sideline camera that has been used since telecasts of NFL games began in 1939.

1961: Sports Broadcasting Act of 1961

In 1961, the Sports Broadcasting Act was written, including language prohibiting NFL games on Friday nights and Saturdays between the second week of September and the second week of December, to protect high school and college football.

1961: Chargers in San Diego

The San Diego Chargers existed from 1961-2016.

1972: Dolphins Undefeated Season

The 1972 Miami Dolphins were the first team since to end a regular season undefeated, before the New England Patriots tried to break their record.

1978: ABC televised occasional Thursday night games

From 1978 to 1986, ABC televised occasional Thursday night games as part of its Monday Night Football package.

1986: ABC televised occasional Thursday night games

From 1978 to 1986, ABC televised occasional Thursday night games as part of its Monday Night Football package.

1995: Raiders in Oakland

The Oakland Raiders existed from 1995-2019.

2005: Failed Comcast offer for NFL prime time games

In 2005, Comcast-owned OLN offered $450 million for an eight-year contract to carry NFL prime time games and add NFL Network to its digital cable lineup, but NFL Network decided to air the games itself.

2005: CBS rated highest broadcast network

The NFL considered CBS's bid to be the most attractive, owing to CBS's overall ratings stature (CBS had been the highest-rated broadcast network in the United States since the 2005-06 television season)

May 2006: CBS Highest Prime Time Ratings

The inaugural game on CBS brought the network its highest prime time ratings on a Thursday night since May 2006.

November 23, 2006: Thursday Night Football Debut

On November 23, 2006, Thursday Night Football debuted as part of NFL Network's Run to the Playoffs package, consisting of Thursday and Saturday night games.

2006: ABC last broadcasted NFL games

In January 2014, it was mentioned that it would have brought the NFL back to ABC for the first time since Super Bowl XL and the move of Monday Night Football to ESPN in 2006.

2007: Gumbel leaves NFL Network

Bryant Gumbel departed from the NFL Network after the 2007 season.

2007: Carriage disputes magnify

Disputes between television service providers and the NFL Network magnified throughout the 2007 season, impacting viewership of high-profile matchups such as Cowboys-Packers and Patriots-Giants.

2007: Collinsworth becomes main color commentator

In 2007, Cris Collinsworth replaced Dick Vermeil as the main color commentator alongside Bryant Gumbel for all Thursday Night Football games on NFL Network.

2007: Thursday Night Football game broadcasts titled

In 2007, each of the game broadcasts were titled either Thursday Night Football or Saturday Night Football, depending on the night on which it aired. This format carried over from the previous season.

2007: Controversy over NFL Network availability

In 2007, the relative unavailability of NFL Network led to controversy, with the league using the games as leverage to encourage television providers to carry NFL Network on basic service tiers. A game between the New England Patriots and New York Giants was simulcast nationally on CBS and NBC, in addition to NFL Network.

2008: Collinsworth Leaves for Sunday Night Football

At the end of the 2008 season, Cris Collinsworth left Thursday Night Football to replace John Madden as the lead analyst on NBC Sunday Night Football.

2008: NFL Network eliminates most Saturday night games

In 2008, NFL Network eliminated all but one of the Saturday night games and started their Thursday night package three weeks earlier to accommodate the schedule and the league's antitrust exemption.

2009: Millen returns to broadcasting

In 2009, Matt Millen returned to broadcasting and joined the NFL Network team.

2009: Rihanna's song pulled from future broadcasts

In the wake of the Ray Rice controversy, changes were made to pre-game coverage on the first game, including the removal of an introductory segment featuring Rihanna performing her song "Run This Town". Following complaints by Rihanna on Twitter regarding the removal, the song was pulled entirely from future broadcasts in 2009.

2010: Theismann joins NFL Network

In 2010, Joe Theismann, formerly an analyst with ESPN, joined the NFL Network broadcast team.

2011: Thanksgiving primetime game

From 2006 until 2011, the Thanksgiving primetime game was part of the Thursday Night Football package.

2011: Nessler and Mayock take over Thursday night broadcast

In 2011, Brad Nessler, formerly of ESPN, became the play-by-play announcer, and Mike Mayock, NFL Network draft analyst, became the color commentator for Thursday Night Football.

2012: Thanksgiving game moves to NBC

As part of new media contracts taking effect in the 2012 season, the Thanksgiving primetime game was moved from NFL Network to NBC's Sunday Night Football package.

2012: TNF package expansion

During Super Bowl week in 2012, it was announced that the Thursday Night Football package would expand from eight to 13 games and air on NFL Network.

2012: Spanish-language broadcast added

For the 2012 season, a Spanish-language broadcast was added as a second audio program.

2012: TNF Hiatus During Thanksgiving Week Since 2012

Since 2012, Thursday Night Football had gone on hiatus during Thanksgiving week, as the Thanksgiving primetime game had been reassigned to the Sunday Night Football package. On October 18, 2022, the NFL announced that Thursday Night Football would add a Friday afternoon game on the Friday after Thanksgiving beginning in 2023.

2013: Improved Ratings on CBS

The move of selected games to CBS brought improved ratings: the inaugural game was the highest-rated program of the night, with an audience share of 13.7 and an average of 20.7 million viewers, representing a 108% increase in ratings over the first NFL Network game in 2013.

January 2014: NFL planning to sub-license TNF games

In January 2014, it was reported that the NFL was planning to sub-license a package of up to eight Thursday Night Football games to another broadcaster for the 2014 season, with ESPN considering placing the games on ABC.

February 5, 2014: CBS acquires partial rights to TNF

On February 5, 2014, the NFL announced that CBS had acquired the partial rights to Thursday Night Football for the 2014 season, with CBS Sports producing all telecasts.

April 2014: CBS and NFL unveil Thursday Night Football games

In April 2014, CBS and the NFL unveiled the games scheduled for Thursday Night Football; CBS's slate of games featured a number of major divisional rivalries, including New York Giants–Washington, Green Bay–Minnesota.

September 11, 2014: Thursday Night Football Opening Game

On September 11, 2014, the opening game of Thursday Night Football featured the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Baltimore Ravens.

October 6, 2014: Arian Foster criticizes NFL's player safety stance

On October 6, 2014, Arian Foster of the Houston Texans criticized the NFL for prioritizing player safety while scheduling Thursday night games, arguing that the short rest period between games is equally dangerous as concussions.

2014: Average Viewership Increased

In 2014, average viewership of the games increased from around 7 million to around 11.8 million.

2014: CBS becomes rightsholder for TNF

In 2014, the NFL shifted the Thursday Night Football package to a new model, with CBS becoming the first rightsholder, airing nine games on broadcast television and producing the remainder for NFL Network. The package was extended to Week 16 and included a new Saturday doubleheader.

January 18, 2015: CBS and NFL Network Arrangement Extended

On January 18, 2015, CBS and NFL Network extended their arrangement for a second season, continuing the simulcast of Thursday Night Football games.

January 29, 2015: NFL releases health and safety report

On January 29, 2015, the NFL released its health and safety report, indicating that an average of 4.8 injuries occurred during Thursday games, compared to 6.9 injuries per game on Sundays and Mondays.

November 2015: NFL Plans Long-Term TNF Contract

In November 2015, The Hollywood Reporter stated that the NFL was planning a long-term contract for Thursday Night Football (TNF) due to its success under CBS. CBS, Fox, NBC, and Turner Sports were all interested. The New York Post mentioned the deal would also include selling a stake in the NFL Network.

December 16, 2015: NFL Shops TNF Package as One-Year Deal

On December 16, 2015, reports indicated the NFL was offering the TNF package as a one-year deal with a second-year option, similar to the CBS arrangement. The NFL also wanted bidders to detail plans for expanding NFL Network. The league was considering selling non-exclusive digital rights to simulcast games to partners like Amazon.com, Apple Inc., Google, or Yahoo! Yahoo! had streamed an International Series game as a trial in 2015.

January 2016: NFL Considers Splitting TNF Package

In January 2016, it was reported that the NFL was considering dividing the TNF package across multiple broadcasters, along with possibly expanding the package to 17 games. ESPN and Turner Sports reportedly weren't interested due to the package's short-term nature, while Fox was trying to outbid CBS.

February 1, 2016: NFL Announces TNF Shared Broadcast Deal

On February 1, 2016, the NFL announced that TNF would be shared between CBS, NBC, and NFL Network for the 2016 and 2017 seasons. CBS and NBC would each air five games. All games would be simulcast by NFL Network. Roger Goodell mentioned the league was adding NBC to the mix and expanding with a digital partner.

April 5, 2016: Twitter Acquires TNF Digital Streaming Rights

On April 5, 2016, it was revealed that Twitter acquired non-exclusive worldwide digital streaming rights to the ten broadcast television TNF games. The collaboration included streaming content on Twitter's Periscope service, such as behind-the-scenes access. This gave NBC the distinction of holding two primetime NFL packages.

November 3, 2016: NBC Sports Produces First TNF Game

On November 3, 2016, the first game produced by NBC Sports was broadcast exclusively on NFL Network. The first game simulcast nationally on NBC aired on November 17. Pentatonix recorded a reworked version of their song "Sing" ("Weekend Go") as the opening theme song for NBC's TNF telecasts. NBC also commissioned "Can't Hold Us Down" by Jimmy Greco.

November 28, 2016: Rumors of Ending the Franchise

On November 28, 2016, a report circulated that the league was considering ending the franchise. The NFL, however, denied this rumor.

December 1, 2016: Highest Rated Game

On December 1, 2016, the game between the Dallas Cowboys and the Minnesota Vikings was the highest rated Thursday Night Football of the season.

December 22, 2016: Tirico calls TNF game with Collinsworth

On December 22, 2016, Mike Tirico called a TNF game alongside Cris Collinsworth, as part of NBC's broadcast coverage.

2016: Players Express Dislikes

During the 2016 season, current and former players including Richard Sherman, J. J. Watt, and Charles Woodson expressed their dislikes for Thursday Night Football, with Richard Sherman calling it a "poopfest".

2016: All 32 teams played a Thursday game

For the four seasons from 2012 to 2016, all 32 teams played a Thursday game following a Sunday game.

2016: Rogers Media Blocks Twitter Game Streams in Canada

In 2016, Rogers Media, which owns the Canadian television rights to TNF, successfully forced Twitter to block game streams in Canada, overriding the league's desire for a global free stream. PlayStation Vue and Sling TV also had to black out the simulcast of the games on NFL Network.

2016: Twitter to Join Pregame Coverage

In 2016, Twitter joined NFL Network's pregame coverage at 7:30 PM Eastern Time during its games, along with NBC and CBS.

2016: "Special editions" of TNF

In 2016, games not played on Thursday were branded as "special editions" of Thursday Night Football.

2016: NBC joins as rightsholder

In 2016, the NFL added NBC as a second rightsholder alongside CBS for Thursday Night Football, with each network airing five games on broadcast television.

2016: Digital streaming rights sub-licensed to Twitter

In 2016, the NFL began sub-licensing digital streaming rights for the broadcast television portion of Thursday Night Football to third parties, starting with Twitter.

April 4, 2017: Amazon Acquires TNF Streaming Rights

On April 4, 2017, Amazon.com acquired non-exclusive streaming rights to the ten broadcast television games for the 2017 season via Amazon Prime Video for $50 million. Streams were exclusive to Prime subscribers. Amazon planned special features, including alternate feeds with Spanish, Portuguese, and a secondary English broadcast featuring soccer commentators Ross Dyer and Tommy Smyth. A pre-show hosted by Tiki Barber and Curtis Stone featured presentations of NFL merchandise.

May 31, 2017: Tirico to replace Michaels Full-Time

On May 31, 2017, it was announced that Mike Tirico would replace Al Michaels full-time for NBC's Thursday Night Football games.

November 9, 2017: Richard Sherman suffers season-ending injury

On November 9, 2017, Richard Sherman's season ended during a Thursday night game against the Arizona Cardinals when he ruptured his Achilles tendon.

November 16, 2017: First NFL Broadcast to Intentionally Use Skycam as Primary Camera Angle

On November 16, 2017, the telecast between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Tennessee Titans was the first NFL broadcast to intentionally use the Skycam as its primary camera angle. NBC Sports had previously switched to a skycam-only presentation for portions of two Sunday night games because of fog and smoke.

2017: Digital streaming rights sub-licensed to Amazon

In 2017, Amazon acquired digital streaming rights for Thursday Night Football, initially on Prime Video and later on Twitch.

2017: Amazon to Join Pregame Coverage

In 2017, Amazon joined NFL Network's pregame coverage at 7:30 PM Eastern Time during its games, along with NBC, CBS and Twitter.

2017: CBS Hires Tony Romo as Lead Color Commentator

In 2017, CBS hired Tony Romo as its lead color commentator, with duties to include both Sunday and Thursday games. Simms joined The NFL Today studio team.

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2017: NBC remains rightsholder

In 2017, NBC remained as a rightsholder alongside CBS for Thursday Night Football, with each network airing five games on broadcast television.

2017: NBC Retains Theme Music for TNF Games

In 2017, NBC retained the reworked version of Pentatonix's song "Sing" ("Weekend Go") and Jimmy Greco's "Can't Hold Us Down" as the opening theme music for its TNF telecasts.

2017: TNF Broadcast Deal Continuation

In 2017, the TNF broadcast deal announced on February 1, 2016 between CBS, NBC, and NFL Network continued, with CBS and NBC each airing five games and NFL Network airing eight games.

2017: Previous Amazon Prime Subscription Requirement

In contrast to 2018 and 2019 where Amazon also carries game coverage for free on its live streaming platform Twitch, in 2017 games required an Amazon Prime subscription.

2017: NFL International Series games

Starting in 2017, select games from the NFL International Series have been branded as NFL Network Specials and aired as part of the Thursday Night Football package.

January 2018: ABC/ESPN and Fox Sports Bid for TNF Package

In early January 2018, Bloomberg reported that ABC/ESPN and Fox Sports had bid for the next TNF package. Fox and Fox Sports 1 were named as potential outlets. CBS and NBC were considering renewing contracts but wanted lower rights fees due to decreasing viewership. The NFL would allow digital companies to bid for exclusive TNF rights without a TV partner.

January 30, 2018: Fox Acquires TNF Broadcast Rights

On January 30, 2018, reports indicated Fox had won the TNF package. The NFL officially announced that Fox acquired the broadcast television rights to TNF under a five-year deal lasting from 2018 through 2022. Fox would air eleven games per season in simulcast with NFL Network. The Fox deal was terminated a season early in 2021.

September 20, 2018: Jets vs. Browns sets TNF ratings record

On September 20, 2018, the game between the New York Jets and Cleveland Browns set a record as the highest-rated NFL Network-exclusive broadcast in Thursday Night Football history, achieving a 5.2 household rating and over 8 million viewers. The game also marked the debut of Cleveland's first overall pick Baker Mayfield, and ended the team's nearly two-year losing streak.

October 14, 2018: NFL Announces GameDay Morning Team for London Game

On October 14, 2018, the NFL announced that the NFL GameDay Morning studio team of Rich Eisen, Steve Mariucci, Kurt Warner, and Michael Irvin would call the Eagles-Jaguars London Game on October 28.

2018: Tirico to serve as play-by-play for Saturday games

For 2018, NFL Network borrowed Mike Tirico from former TNF holder NBC to serve as play-by-play for the network's Saturday games and reunited him with Warner on color commentary.

2018: Amazon Renews Digital Rights, Adds Free Twitch Coverage

In 2018, Amazon renewed its digital rights for the 2018 and 2019 seasons. Game coverage was available for free on Twitch. Amazon Prime streams offered commentary featuring Hannah Storm and Andrea Kremer, the first all-female commentary team in NFL history. Twitch streams offered chat rooms, interactive extensions, and co-streams. Amazon Fire devices offered X-Ray feature integration.

Amazon Fire HD 10 tablet (newest model) built for relaxation, 10.1
Amazon Fire HD 10 tablet (newest model) built for relaxation, 10.1" vibrant Full HD screen, octa-core processor, 3 GB RAM, 32 GB, Black

2018: Strahan hosts Fox NFL Thursday

In 2018, Fox NFL Thursday was hosted by Michael Strahan, with analysts Terry Bradshaw, Howie Long, and insider Jay Glazer. The show became the main pregame show for TNF.

2018: Buck and Aikman to call TNF games on Fox

In 2018, Fox announced that its top team of Joe Buck and Troy Aikman would call the Thursday Night Football games, joined by Erin Andrews. The move came after speculation that Peyton Manning would be hired.

2018: Fox acquires the rights to TNF

In 2018, the rights for Thursday Night Football shifted to Fox, lasting through the 2022 season.

2018: Broadcast time change

Prior to 2018, the kick-off time for Thursday Night Football games was 8:25 PM Eastern Time.

September 26, 2019: Fox to Produce TNF Games in 4K HDR

For 2019, Fox announced that it would produce all of its games in 1080p upscaled to 4K, with hybrid log–gamma (HLG) high-dynamic-range color, beginning with its season premiere on September 26, 2019. The telecasts were distributed via the Fox Sports app, Prime Video, and to participating television providers.

October 3, 2019: Fox Pulls NFL Network Simulcast for Dish Subscribers

Due to a carriage dispute between Dish Network and Fox, Fox pushed NFL Network to black out its simulcast of the October 3, 2019 game between the Los Angeles Rams and the Seattle Seahawks for Dish Network subscribers. NFL Network agreed to forego the simulcast entirely, making the game exclusive to Fox.

October 6, 2019: Fox and Dish Reach Carriage Agreement

On October 6, 2019, Fox and Dish agreed to a multi-year carriage agreement, resolving the dispute that led to the blackout of the NFL Network simulcast on October 3, 2019.

2019: Amazon Continues Digital Rights and Twitch Coverage

In 2019, Amazon continued its digital rights for TNF, offering game coverage for free on Twitch. The Amazon Prime streams continued to offer commentary featuring Hannah Storm and Andrea Kremer, while the Twitch streams continued to offer chat rooms, interactive extensions, and co-streams. Amazon Fire devices continued to offer X-Ray feature integration.

Amazon Fire HD 10 tablet (newest model) built for relaxation, 10.1
Amazon Fire HD 10 tablet (newest model) built for relaxation, 10.1" vibrant Full HD screen, octa-core processor, 3 GB RAM, 32 GB, Black

2019: Strahan remains host with Bradshaw and Long rotating

In 2019, Michael Strahan remained the host of Fox NFL Thursday, with Terry Bradshaw and Howie Long rotating as analysts, alongside Tony Gonzalez, and Peter Schrager as insider. The show was broadcast from New York City due to Strahan's commitments to Good Morning America.

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2019: Tirico returned to call Saturday games

In 2019, Mike Tirico was reunited with Kurt Warner for color commentary for the NFL Network's Saturday games.

2019: Four-Man Booth for London Games

In 2019, NFL Network kept the four-man broadcast booth for the London Games.

April 29, 2020: Amazon Renews Digital Rights, Adds International Rights

On April 29, 2020, Amazon renewed its digital rights through the 2022 season, maintaining TNF simulcasts and digital content, and adding exclusive international rights to one late-season game per-season. Amazon replaced the British feed with a "Scout's Feed" and "NFL Next Live" on Twitch.

2020: Davis worked Saturday broadcasts with Warner

In 2020, after Al Michaels failed to clear NBC protocols for COVID-19, Mike Tirico was dispatched to Sunday Night Football and Joe Davis worked the Saturday broadcasts with Kurt Warner.

2020: All 32 teams played a Thursday game

In 2020, all 32 teams played a Thursday game following a Sunday game.

March 2021: Amazon Acquires Exclusive TNF Rights

In March 2021, Amazon acquired exclusive rights to TNF from 2023 through 2033. NFL Network, Fox, and Amazon opted out of the final year of the current agreement, so Amazon's rights would begin in the 2022 NFL season instead. Amazon was close to partnering with NBC Sports to produce their broadcasts.

2021: Early Termination of Fox's TNF Broadcast Rights Deal

Fox's TNF broadcast rights deal was terminated a season early in 2021.

2021: CBS produce NFL London Game

In 2021 NFL London Game was produced by CBS with Greg Gumbel and Adam Archuleta, Joe Davis and Kurt Warner paired up again Raiders vs. Browns in week 15 and Colts vs. Cardinals in week 16, Kevin Burkhardt and Greg Olsen worked Colts vs. Patriots in week 15 and the TNF game between the 49ers and Titans in week 16.

2021: All 32 teams played a Thursday game

In 2021, all 32 teams played a Thursday game following a Sunday game.

2021: Amazon acquires exclusive rights to TNF

In 2021, it was announced that Amazon had acquired the exclusive rights to Thursday Night Football beginning in the 2023 season, marking the first time the NFL sold a main television package to a digital media company.

2021: Amazon Viewership in Line with Fox's 2021 Broadcasts

On September 15, 2022, Nielsen reported an average of 13 million viewers across all measured platforms, which were in line with the average numbers that were garnered by Fox's Thursday Night Football broadcasts in the 2021 season, and an increase of five million over that year's season opener (which was an NFL Network-exclusive game).

2021: Gonzalez Leaves Fox Prior

Prior to the 2021 season, Tony Gonzalez left Fox to pursue other film and television projects.

July 2022: Hartung Added as Sideline Reporter

In July 2022, Amazon added Kaylee Hartung, formerly of ESPN and ABC News, as its sideline reporter for Thursday Night Football.

August 25, 2022: Amazon Carries Preseason Game

On August 25, 2022, Amazon carried a preseason game featuring the San Francisco 49ers at the Houston Texans.

September 15, 2022: Amazon's First Regular Season Game

On September 15, 2022, Amazon's first regular season game featured the Los Angeles Chargers at the Kansas City Chiefs. Nielsen reported an average of 13 million viewers across all measured platforms.

September 29, 2022: Tua Tagovailoa injury prompts concussion protocol scrutiny

During the September 29, 2022 game against the Cincinnati Bengals, Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa sustained head and neck injuries after being sacked, which led to him being stretchered off the field. This incident, occurring just four days after a previous head injury scare, prompted scrutiny of the NFL's concussion protocol and the decision to allow Tagovailoa to play. The NFLPA launched an investigation into the possible violation of concussion protocol.

October 6, 2022: Colts vs. Broncos game receives negative reactions

On October 6, 2022, the Thursday Night Football game between the Indianapolis Colts and Denver Broncos was met with widespread criticism due to the poor quality of play. The game featured 12 punts, four interceptions, and no touchdowns, leading to negative reactions from NFL fans, commentators, and former players. Al Michaels, the TNF play-by-play announcer, even referenced this game as an example of a "dreadful" contest.

October 18, 2022: NFL Announces "Black Friday" Game on Amazon

On October 18, 2022, the NFL announced that Thursday Night Football would add a Friday afternoon game on the Friday after Thanksgiving beginning in 2023; Thursday Night Football had taken Thanksgiving week off since. The game is expected to leverage a captive audience of holiday shoppers for "Black Friday" as a potential audience, including the potential for advertising retail products and "Cyber Monday" promotions.

2022: Fox's TNF Broadcast Rights Deal Conclusion

Fox's five-year deal to broadcast TNF, which began in 2018, was set to conclude in 2022, under a five-year deal lasting from 2018 through 2022. However, the deal was terminated a season early in 2021.

2022: Fox ends its TNF broadcasting rights

In 2022, Fox concluded its broadcast rights for Thursday Night Football.

2022: Amazon coverage launch

In 2022, NFL Network and Fox ceded the final season of the existing contract to Amazon, resulting in its coverage launching.

2022: Broadcast time change

In 2022, the kick-off time for Thursday Night Football games was changed from 8:20 PM to 8:15 PM Eastern Time.

2022: Amazon's Exclusive TNF Rights Begin in 2022

In March 2021, Amazon acquired exclusive rights to TNF from 2023 through 2033. NFL Network, Fox, and Amazon opted out of the final year of the current agreement, so Amazon's rights would begin in the 2022 NFL season instead. Amazon was close to partnering with NBC Sports to produce their broadcasts.

2022: Amazon's Digital Rights Through the 2022 Season

On April 29, 2020, Amazon renewed its digital rights through the 2022 season, maintaining TNF simulcasts and digital content, and adding exclusive international rights to one late-season game per-season. Amazon replaced the British feed with a "Scout's Feed" and "NFL Next Live" on Twitch.

January 2023: Hartung Joins The Today Show

In January 2023, Kaylee Hartung, Amazon's sideline reporter, joined NBC News' The Today Show as a national correspondent.

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March 28, 2023: NFL Modifies Thursday Night Football Rules

On March 28, 2023, the NFL implemented changes to Thursday Night Football in response to Amazon's demands for better games. These changes include allowing teams to play up to two Thursday games after a Sunday game and the option to flex Sunday games into Thursday between weeks 13 and 17 with 28 days' notice.

2023: Inaugural "Black Friday" Game on Amazon

Beginning in 2023, the NFL will add a Friday afternoon game on the Friday after Thanksgiving, leveraging the "Black Friday" shopping audience for advertising retail products and "Cyber Monday" promotions.

2023: Amazon exclusive rights to TNF take effect

In 2023, Amazon's exclusive rights to Thursday Night Football took effect.

2023: Amazon's Exclusive TNF Rights Begin in 2023

In March 2021, Amazon acquired exclusive rights to TNF from 2023 through 2033. NFL Network, Fox, and Amazon opted out of the final year of the current agreement, so Amazon's rights would begin in the 2022 NFL season instead. Amazon was close to partnering with NBC Sports to produce their broadcasts.

2024: Standings Current as of Week 17

As of Week 17 of the 2024 NFL season, standings are current.

2033: Amazon's Exclusive TNF Rights Through 2033

In March 2021, Amazon acquired exclusive rights to TNF from 2023 through 2033. NFL Network, Fox, and Amazon opted out of the final year of the current agreement, so Amazon's rights would begin in the 2022 NFL season instead. Amazon was close to partnering with NBC Sports to produce their broadcasts.