NFL Flexes Broncos-Chargers to Thursday Night Football in Historic Move

The Week 16 matchup replaces Browns-Bengals, marking the first-ever Thursday night game flex under the league's new scheduling policy.

The Denver Broncos and Los Angeles Chargers' Week 16 game has been moved to Thursday, Dec. 19, making it the first Thursday Night Football game flex in NFL history.
The Cleveland Browns and Cincinnati Bengals, originally scheduled for that slot, will now play on Sunday, Dec. 22, at 1 p.m. ET, due to their diminished playoff relevance.
Both the Broncos (6-5) and Chargers (7-3) are in playoff contention, with the matchup potentially impacting AFC wild-card seeding.
Players and fans have raised concerns over the challenges of flexing games to Thursdays, including reduced recovery time and disruptions to travel plans.
The NFL’s flex scheduling policy, approved in 2023, allows for a maximum of two Thursday games to be flexed between Weeks 13-17 with at least 28 days' notice.