The NFL released its 2026-27 schedule earlier this month and the schedule includes games on days and times that fans are use to.
For example, the NFL is playing it’s the first-ever Thanksgiving Eve game on a Wednesday night. Additionally, there’s a record nine international games being played this year, including a first-time appearance scheduled in Australia.
The constant change to it’s schedule has a lot of people pissed including retired Eagles star Jason Kelce.
The Kelce brothers spoke about the addition of more international games, along with introducing games on weekdays like the Thanksgiving Eve contest, during last week’s episode of New Heights. The elder Kelce brother went on a now viral rant about why the NFL should stop shifting away from playing games on Sundays, the traditional football day of the week. Here’s what he had to say:
“This is the one thing that I think the NFL needs to hold on to that I feel like we’re starting to drift away from. I don’t think we’re there yet. Sunday is the day of football,” Kelce said. “Outside of going to church in the morning, if you’re still religious and you do that, Sunday is like where so many games happen and that’s what you grow up, and you gear your entire week around watching football on Sunday. It’s an institution at this point, the NFL playing games on Sunday.
“With every day that we keep adding in there, we’re getting away from that just a little bit. I think the game got big, one of the reasons it got so popular and big was because it was an event: Sunday is the NFL. And everybody set their week apart to tune into games that were happening on Sunday. … I worry that we’re getting away from that just a little bit by building too many of this.”
Travis Kelce, on the other hand, is all for the new schedule changes. As a current player, Kelce said it’s exciting to play in front of new crowds, in new countries or on new weeknights throughout the season. Regardless of where the game is played or when it’s played, Kelce is just excited for the opportunity to play in a primetime game.
“I hear what you’re saying, but I think they’re very few and far in between outside of the holidays. There’s not just like a random Wednesday game in September,” Kelce responded. “I just looked at [the Chiefs’] schedule, and we got four games that aren’t on Sunday. And, we probably have the higher end of that not playing on Sunday.
“I think it’s awesome, I honestly do. … I think it’s fun, man. I don’t think it’s as taxing as it may seem because it’s the NFL, you’re living out your dream. If there’s a chance to play on a f—ing primetime game, which all these one-off games are that aren’t on Sunday, I’m f—ing getting so excited for those opportunities.”
