The NFL has tried to push Thursday Night Football on its fans, and it looks as if it simply is not working. It makes me question if Thursday is just not an NFL-friendly day. Should the NFL just do away with it completely? Lets take a look at some of the pros and cons for it.
Pros
NFL Color Rush Uniforms
The NFL debuted Nike Color Rush uniforms for every team at the beginning of the 2016 season, and pushed them to wear the new uniforms on Thursday Night Football. While some traditional teams did not like the idea, they were forced to do it. While we have seen some great Color Rush uniforms, they have mostly been scrutinized by fans. It even became a problem for some colorblind viewers, as some of the uniforms looked the same. The NFL announced earlier this year that it would discontinue the Color Rush uniforms.
Another day of football
The marketing team had to love the idea of adding another day of NFL action. It meant that football lovers had a football game to watch Thursday thorough Monday. Seems like a great idea. It is great to have that extra day of football, and it is a treat for some of the fans.
Cons
Lack Of Practice
Due to regular NFL games being played on Sunday, the two teams that play on Thursday night only have three days to prepare for the game. The road team in these contests are at an even bigger disadvantage, due to them not being able to see their training staff at home for up to two weeks. It severely damages a defensive game plan. It leads to big mistakes and poor tackling. While the offenses usually shine on Thursday Night Football, the defenses are at a huge disadvantage.
Remembering The Game Is On
I am guilty of this one often. People usually work on Thursdays, and completely forget that a game is supposed to come on that night. It does not help that a lot of people work Friday. Since the games are played at night, people are not willing to stay awake for the games.
Player Risks
The players are typically the ones that suffer the most from Thursday Night Football, unless of course your team loses on a hail mary at the end of regulation. If a player gets injured on Sunday, he has three days for recovery if he does not want to miss the game. This could further injure the player if he decides to play with a minor injury. It could turn into a major one quick. The inactive lists are longer, and teams are forced to play backups at multiple positions. The teams can not put their entire first string in most of the time on Thursday night. If you can not provide your top players, it will affect ratings.
How To Fix Thursday Night Football
I simply do not think there is a way to save Thursday Night Football. The NFL could possibly do a doubleheader on Monday Night Football instead, giving players at least a full week to prepare for their opponent. The inactive list would get shorter, and the quality of content would just be better overall.
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