The NFL is making history on Friday.
For the first time ever, the league has a game scheduled on Black Friday, as the Jets and Dolphins are set to take part in the inaugural event.
Thanksgiving games have been a tradition for years in the NFL. The Cowboys and Lions always play at home on the last Thursday in November, but when it comes to the Friday after, it has been reserved for fans to do their holiday shopping. In fact, for the most part, the NFL has avoided playing contests on any Friday in the fall.
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That's not the case in 2023, as the league is putting on the rare game ahead of the weekend. Here is more on why the NFL historically avoids Friday games.
History of Friday NFL games
During the early days of the NFL, games on Fridays weren't all that uncommon. However, since the AFL and NFL merged in 1970, there have been just 11 games on Fridays, and most of those games have been on holidays.
The last Friday NFL game that wasn't played on a holiday was in October 2005, when the Dolphins and Chiefs squared off. Their contest was originally scheduled for a Sunday, however the impending Hurricane Wilma was going to make the weather brutal in South Florida. The NFL adjusted on the fly, moving the game to Friday to beat the storm, and the Chiefs ultimately beat the Dolphins 30-20.
The last time the NFL played on a Friday was in 2020 when the Saints beat the Vikings 52-33 on Christmas Day. The Jets vs. Dolphins Black Friday game is technically not a holiday game, so it won't break the 18-year streak held by the Chiefs-Dolphins game.
Below is a look back at the NFL's Friday games since the merger:
Year | Date | Matchup | Result |
1970 | Sept. 18 | Rams vs. Cardinals | Rams 34, Cardinals 13 |
1983 | Dec. 12 | Dolphins vs. Jets | Dolphins 34, Jets 14 |
1984 | Dec. 14 | 49ers vs. Rams | 49ers 19, Rams 16 |
1985 | Dec. 20 | Seahawks vs. Broncos | Broncos 27, Seahawks 24 |
1986 | Dec. 19 | 49ers vs. Rams | 49ers 24, Rams 14 |
1993 | Dec. 31 | Redskins vs. Vikings | Vikings 14, Redskins 9 |
1999 | Dec. 24 | Saints vs. Cowboys | Saints 31, Cowboys 24 |
2004 | Dec. 24 | Vikings vs. Packers | Packers 34, Vikings 31 |
2005 | Oct. 21 | Dolphins vs. Chiefs | Chiefs 30, Dolphins 20 |
2009 | Dec. 25 | Titans vs. Chargers | Chargers 42, Titans 17 |
2020 | Dec. 25 | Saints vs. Vikings | Saints 52, Vikings 33 |
Why doesn't the NFL play on Fridays?
The reason for a lack of NFL games on Fridays? The Sports Broadcasting Act of 1961.
When the law was put in place, it essentially locked the NFL out from playing games on Friday or Saturday in order to protect attendance at high school and college football games. As a result, the NFL has mostly avoided scheduling games on those days.
That's not to say that the NFL isn't allowed to play any games on Friday and Saturday. In recent years, the NFL has pushed for more late-season games on Saturdays once the college football regular season and conference championship games have concluded. That way, there is no conflict for those who are fans of both.
That same trend could be happening with Black Friday. Ahead of this season, the Bengals offered to host an annual Black Friday game going forward, creating a new tradition on the NFL schedule.
While the league considered it, eventually the NFL went with the Jets and Dolphins. And for now, it does not appear as though there will be an annual Black Friday participant, like the Cowboys and Lions on Thanksgiving.
The NFL’s Hans Schroeder says the league is “less likely” to focus on a single team to host the Friday-after-Thanksgiving game annually, as it does with the annual Thanksgiving Day games in Detroit and Dallas.
— MarkMaske (@MarkMaske) November 21, 2023
What time is the Black Friday NFL game?
- Date: Friday, Nov. 24
- Time: 3 p.m. ET
The NFL's Black Friday game will feature a divisional clash between the Jets and the Dolphins. Kickoff is scheduled for 3 p.m. ET on Friday.
The two teams will play at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J.
What channel is Jets vs. Dolphins?
- Live stream: Amazon Prime Video (United States) | DAZN (Canada)
- Local TV channel (New York): WNYW
- Local TV channel (Miami): WFOR
Jets vs. Dolphins will air on Amazon Prime Video nationally in the U.S. WNYW (New York) and WFOR (Miami) will air the game in the local markets.
Viewers in Canada won't be able to stream Jets vs. Dolphins on Amazon Prime Video, but they can catch the matchup on DAZN, which carries every NFL game.