The 2024 NFL Schedule is here and with it marks another year of Thursday Night Football, perhaps the most controversial primetime package in the league’s arsenal. Amazon Prime is entering its third year as the Thursday night broadcaster but its games have often drawn criticism for featuring subpar quality of play due to limits on potential matchups and rest time for teams with the short week.
The NFL has been working hard to bolster the quality of the Amazon package over the past two years, inserting a rule that permits them to schedule certain teams twice on Thursdays in order to avoid spotlighting some of the worst teams in the league and creating the possibility of flex scheduling if a game on the Thursday schedule turns into a complete disaster.
The end result should theoretically lead to a more attractive Thursday night slate. Who will be playing on Thursday night during the 2024 season?
2024 Thursday Night Football Schedule
The Thursday night schedule is heavy on divisional matchups, including the first five Thursdays of the season featuring divisional play. Amazon’s schedule begins in Week 2 with a rematch of Game 272 from the 2023 season as the Buffalo Bills head south to take on the Miami Dolphins as the home team looks for revenge against an opponent that has had their number in recent years.
Another surprise addition to the Thursday night schedule is a Cowboys-Giants matchup in Week 4 at MetLife Stadium. That NFC East rivalry has often been spotlighted on NBC’s Sunday Night Football or ESPN’s Monday Night Football, which is a huge win for Amazon since those games tend to draw massive ratings.
The Black Friday game is also back for Amazon and will take place in Kansas City as the Chiefs host the Las Vegas Raiders in an AFC West showdown. This will mark the second year of Black Friday football after the New York Jets faced off against the Dolphins in a game that became known for the Fail Mary play.
The league will rely heavily on its rule about two short week appearances to enhance the Thursday night package as the Jets, San Francisco 49ers, Los Angeles Rams and Seattle Seahawks are all slated to appear on Amazon twice this season. Teams without a Thursday night game include the Carolina Panthers, Arizona Cardinals and Jacksonville Jaguars.