Lions tried to stop NFL from making awful mistake
The Detroit Lions were one of eight teams in the NFL to attempt and halt the league from establishing one of the most questionable new rules in recent memory. On Monday, the NFL passed a rule allowing Thursday Night Football games to be flexed from Week 13-Week 17. All 32 owners voted on the rule […]
The Detroit Lions were one of eight teams in the NFL to attempt and halt the league from establishing one of the most questionable new rules in recent memory.
On Monday, the NFL passed a rule allowing Thursday Night Football games to be flexed from Week 13-Week 17. All 32 owners voted on the rule change, which passed with flying colors by a count of 24-8.
However the Lions were one of the eight teams that actually voted against this tweak in the rules, and for good reason.
In the new rule, the league office must give a 28-day notice if a matchup is going to be flexed out of its Sunday slot and into the Thursday night opening. It’s important to note that no team in the league will be forced to play more than two TNF games in a season, meaning the Lions won’t be impacted by the rule in 2023.
Detroit is already scheduled to square off with Green Bay twice on Thursdays, once in Week 4 and another time in Week 12.
Playing on short rest is difficult enough in the NFL. Managing players’ rest and injury concerns is not an easy feat. So it’s pretty surprising that 24 teams in the NFL moved to pass this proposal and put it into immediate effect.
It’s not often that the Lions’ wishes align with those of the Bears and Packers, but the three NFC North foes came together on this particular matter.
Perhaps this trial run only lasts one season before teams across the league fall victim to being flexed into a Thursday Night Football game on short rest. Only time will tell, but the Lions will be able to finish the 2023 regular season without having to lose any sleep over this head-scratching change.
