The NFL schedule is historically more structured than most leagues. Fans know that, in most cases, they can expect a game on Thursday, Sunday and Monday nights in addition to the traditional daytime slate on Sunday.
Roger Goodell and the league office have started to test the boundaries of that structure in recent years. Whether it's holding Christmas games on a Wednesday or taking over Saturdays in the winter, the NFL schedule has become a bit less predictable. Now, fans will be hit with an immediate curveball in 2024.
There will be no break in the action on kickoff weekend, as the season-opener between the Chiefs and Ravens immediately gives way to a battle between the Eagles and Packers on Friday night from Brazil.
Here's what you need to know about the decision to place the game on Friday night and the history of NFL games on Friday.
Why is Eagles vs. Packers being played on Friday night?
A decades-old broadcasting law prevents the NFL from broadcasting games on Friday nights or Saturday between the second week of September and the second week of December due to high school and college football games.
One exception allows games to be broadcast as long as they are mostly complete by 6 p.m. local time, which is why the NFL was able to play a daytime game on Black Friday last season.
Week 1 of the NFL season happens to be before the second week of September this year, falling on Sept. 6, so the league has a brief window to play a Friday night game and is taking full advantage with a matchup between two NFC contenders.
The NFL could legally broadcast the game on Saturday, but it wouldn't make much sense to try and compete against a full college football slate. Instead, the league will largely have Friday night to itself and looks to draw a massive audience for a game that could have huge playoff implications when all is said and done.
NFL games on Friday
Eagles vs. Packers will be only the 13th NFL game on a Friday since the AFL-NFL merger in 1970. Here's a look at the full list:
| Date | Result |
| Dec. 18, 1970 | Rams 34, Cardinals 13 |
| Dec. 16, 1983 | Dolphins 34, Jets 14 |
| Dec. 14, 1984 | 49ers 19, Rams 16 |
| Dec. 20, 1985 | Broncos 27, Seahawks 24 |
| Dec. 19, 1986 | 49ers 24, Rams 14 |
| Dec. 31, 1993 | Vikings 19, Redskins 14 |
| Dec. 24, 1999 | Saints 31, Cowboys 24 |
| Dec. 24, 2004 | Packers 34, Vikings 31 |
| Oct. 21, 2005 | Chiefs 30, Dolphins 20 |
| Dec. 25, 2009 | Chargers 42, Titans 17 |
| Dec. 25, 2020 | Saints 52, Vikings 33 |
| Nov. 24, 2023 | Dolphins 34, Jets 13 |
| Sept. 6, 2024 | Eagles vs. Packers |
| Nov. 29, 2024 | Raiders vs. Chiefs |
Most NFL games on Friday are related to the holiday schedule, including Christmas Day, Christmas Eve, and New Year's Eve games all held over the past four decades.
Only two games have been played on a Friday outside of December: A 2005 matchup between the Dolphins and Chiefs that was moved up because of Hurricane Wilma, and last season's inaugural Black Friday battle between the Dolphins and Jets.
A second Black Friday game will be held in 2024, with the Chiefs hosting the Raiders.
