Ex-NFL star’s warning for league as Thanksgiving Eve game is reportedly eyed
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The NFL is reportedly planning to add another game to the holiday menu for fans on Thanksgiving.
The league is exploring the possibility of adding a Thanksgiving game to the slate for the 2026 season. ESPN reported Tuesday. If finalized, NFL fans will attend games on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Sunday and Monday.
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San Diego Chargers linebacker (56) Shawne Merriman against the Baltimore Ravens at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego on September 20, 2009. (Mark J. Rebilas/USA TODAY Sports)
Former NFL star Shawne Merriman appears on OutKick “Don’t Do It to Me with Dan Dakich” He warned the NFL on Thursday about possibly diluting its product.
“I’ll caution against that. In the NBA, the season is too long, there are too many games, and it gets watered down. I don’t think it will ever get to the point where there will be a 20-plus game season over two seasons in the NFL,” Merriman said. “Physically, I don’t think the boys’ bodies can handle an extra 2-3 games in the year unless there is a bye week. “They need to include another bye week if they plan on doing that.
DaRon Bland #26 Dak Prescott #4 of the Dallas Cowboys takes a bite of a turkey leg after defeating the Washington Commanders at AT&T Stadium on November 23, 2023 in Arlington, Texas. (Richard Rodriguez/Getty Images)
AN NFL GAME THE NIGHT BEFORE THANKS OFFICIALLY MEANS ‘TOO MUCH FOOTBALL’
“I would caution the NFL that if you start giving fans too much money, yes, you may make more money, but you will dilute the product. There has to be some kind of balance between the two.”
NFL continued to experience a ratings boom in the 2025 season. The Week 14 game between the Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers on FOX attracted 28 million viewers.
Jordan Love #10 of the Green Bay Packers takes a bite of a turkey leg after the game against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field on November 27, 2025 in Detroit, Michigan. (Nic Antaya/Getty Images)
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As the NFL continues to be popular, the league will also have to face the challenge of making sure players stay as healthy as possible to keep the product as good as it is.
