The flex schedule is a system employed by the National Football League to ensure viewers get enthralling and quality primetime matchups for the duration of the football season.
This model was first utilized in 2006 and used to be applicable for only Sunday Night Football games. However, from 2023, the flex schedule will also apply to Monday and Thursday night games.
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How does flex scheduling work?
According to the NFL website, flex scheduling lets the NFL swap out a scheduled primetime game with another to ensure that stellar matchups are created.
The league started the flex schedule in 2006 to prioritize competitive and entertaining contests in the most significant slots. Flex scheduling has been around for almost two decades, so it shouldn't come as a surprise that the NFL has decided to take it up a notch.
Thus, from 2023, flex scheduling has been expanded to include "Thursday Night Football" and "Monday Night Football."
NFL Flex Schedule Rules
The NFL cannot unilaterally decide a few days before a matchup that it wants to change the schedule. Also, the league cannot freely swap out an SNF game each week. There are rules in place to ensure that teams are protected, and the tenets of the flex schedule are maintained.
Also, some rules protect certain weeks and require the league to give franchises proper notice before making a change.
Such rules include but aren't limited to:
Only Sunday afternoon matchups are eligible to be moved to Sunday night, Monday night or Thursday night, in which case the originally scheduled Sunday, Monday or Thursday night fixture would be moved to Sunday afternoon.
Furthermore, Sunday afternoon fixtures may also be shifted between 1 p.m. and 4:05 p.m. or 4:25 p.m. ET.
Last but not least, for the final weekend of the season (Week 18), the scheduling of games needs to be assigned. Rather, the schedule for Week 18 will be announced six days prior to that week's Saturday matchup.
When does NFL Flex Scheduling start?
Sunday Night Football
Flex scheduling can be used at most twice between Weeks 5-10. It can also be used during Weeks 11-17 at the league's discretion.
Furthermore, according to the NFL website, during the flex scheduling windows, only Sunday afternoon or "to be decided" games are subject to being moved into the Sunday night, Monday, or Thursday night window.
Monday Night Football
Flex scheduling can be used between Weeks 12-17 at the NFL's discretion.
Furthermore, the NFL must inform the franchises affected by the flexing 12 days in advance at the least.
Thursday Night Football
Flex scheduling may be used up to two times between Weeks 13-17.
For Weeks 13 to 17 of Thursday Night Football games, the flexible scheduling decision will be made 28 days prior to the fixture.
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