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last wk.

NFL Ends MNF Doubleheaders as It Shops Five Standalone Games

The league is repackaging reclaimed games into high-value standalone windows to sell before the mid-May schedule.

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 25: Netflix branded floats, fans and kayakers on Netflix branded kayaks are seen during the MLB Opening Night Game: Yankees vs. Giants, at Momo's on March 25, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Kelly Sullivan/Getty Images for Netflix)
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Jan 12, 2026; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; ESPN Monday Night Football logo on an end zone camera before the Pittsburgh Steelers host the Houston Texans in an AFC Wild Card Round game at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Overview

  • The NFL, which on Tuesday said it will return to one Monday night game, acknowledged overlapping doubleheaders split viewers and missed the mark.
  • Hans Schroeder said five reclaimed 2026 games will be assigned and sold before the mid-May schedule release as the league fields bids from broadcasters and streamers.
  • A new Thanksgiving Eve slot is under active review, a move that could require both teams to come off byes to satisfy midweek rest limits.
  • The 2026 Christmas Day plan is a tripleheader with two games on Netflix and one on FOX, marking the first Christmas game on broadcast TV since 2023.
  • Netflix is reported to be pursuing a four-game package that adds Thanksgiving Eve and a Week 1 international matchup in Melbourne after it reportedly issued advertiser make-goods when Christmas viewership fell short of guarantees.