Allows teams to play their way onto primetime
In 2006, the NFL implemented a "flexible scheduling" procedure for Sunday Night Football. Flexible scheduling ensured quality matchups on Sunday night in all weeks and gave surprise teams a chance to play their way onto primetime. For the 2024 season, flexible scheduling will also include Monday Night Football, as well as Thursday Night Football on a trial basis.
Please note that the NFL is continuously reviewing its scheduling procedures to ensure exciting and meaningful games are available for viewing by the largest number of fans and so further changes to flexible scheduling could be implemented in the future.
Current Flexible Scheduling Procedures
Flexible scheduling is in effect during the following windows (the "Flex Scheduling Windows"):
- For Sunday Night Football, it may be used up to twice between Weeks 5-10, and at the NFL's discretion during Weeks 11-17;
- For Monday Night Football it may be used at the NFL's discretion in Weeks 12-17;
- For Thursday Night Football it may be used up to twice between Weeks 13-17.
- During the Flex Scheduling Windows, the games initially scheduled for Sunday Night Football (on NBC), Monday Night Football (ESPN or ABC), and Thursday Night Football (on Amazon Prime) are tentatively scheduled and subject to change;
- Only Sunday afternoon games (or those listed as TBD) are eligible to be moved to Sunday night, Monday night, or Thursday night, in which case the initially scheduled Sunday, Monday, or Thursday night game would be moved to Sunday afternoon;
- Sunday afternoon games may also be moved between 1:00 p.m. and 4:05 p.m. or 4:25 p.m. ET.
Scheduling for Week 18
As in prior seasons, for Week 18, the final weekend of the season, the scheduling of the Saturday, Sunday afternoon, and the Sunday night games is not assigned. The schedule for Week 18 will be announced at the conclusion of Week 17
Additional Flexible Scheduling Information
- During the Flex Scheduling Windows, only Sunday afternoon or TBD games are subject to being moved into the Sunday night, Monday, or Thursday night window.
- The game that has been tentatively scheduled for Sunday Night Football, Monday Night Football, or Thursday Night Football during the Flex Scheduling Windows will generally be listed at 8:20 p.m. ET, 8:15 p.m. ET, and 8:15 p.m. ET, respectively.
- The majority of games on Sundays will typically be listed at 1:00 p.m. ET during the Flex Scheduling Windows except for games played in Pacific or Mountain time zones, which will be listed at 4:05 or 4:25 p.m. ET.
- For Sunday Night Football in Weeks 5-13 and for Monday Night Football in Weeks 12-17, the NFL will decide (after consultation with CBS, FOX, NBC, and ESPN) and announce no later than 12 days in advance of the game, which game will be played on Sunday night and which game will be played on Monday night.
- For Sunday Night Football in Weeks 14-17, the flexible scheduling decision will generally be made no later than 6 days prior to the game.
- For Thursday Night Football in Weeks 13-17, the flexible scheduling decision will be made no later than 28 days prior to the game.
- Fans and ticket holders must be aware that NFL games in the Flex Scheduling Windows are subject to change generally at least 12 days in advance (and at least 6 days in advance for Sundays in Weeks 14-17) and should plan accordingly.