Kelly Stafford Rips Into NFL Over Scheduling Issue
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Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford’s wife, Kelly Stafford, took issue with NFL’s handling of the Rams’ schedule near Thanksgiving.
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The Rams’ bye comes Week 11, but they have to suit up for a game just 10 days after their Week 10 matchup on Nov. 25–the day before Thanksgiving.
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“Just curious to hear the thought process behind making the Rams the only team in the NFL without a true bye week,” Kelly Stafford wrote via Instagram.
“Because damn, after 18 years around this league, even I need a week off during the season… and I have never played a single snap.
“I’m tired just watching from the stands. Can’t imagine how the guys feel.”
The Rams are playing the first “Thanksgiving Eve” game in NFL history, facing the Green Bay Packers in Week 12. The Packers also have a bye in Week 11, but the Rams also have a Thursday night game against the Kansas City Chiefs the following week, further disrupting their rest.
Come the end of the season, the Rams will be the second-most traveled team with 34,847 miles traveled, only finishing behind the San Francisco 49ers, who they played against in Australia to open the season.
Why Does the NFL Have a Game the Day Before Thanksgiving?
The NFL has experimented with scheduling near Thanksgiving in recent years, also expanding their schedule to Black Friday in each of the past three seasons.
This year’s Black Friday matchup will feature the Denver Broncos and Pittsburgh Pirates.
With viewership on Thanksgiving Day and Black Friday so high, the NFL is clearly looking at every possibility to maximize viewership around the holiday.
“Every offseason we look for new opportunities to best serve our fans in the schedule-making process,” the NFL said in a statement to The Associated Press in March. “As Commissioner Goodell has said, Thanksgiving and NFL football have become synonymous and given the continued growth of fan interest around our games on Thanksgiving and Black Friday, looking for additional opportunities tied to this special holiday is exciting for us to explore.”
The Rams have other things to worry about before their Thanksgiving Eve game, as they currently sit at 4-4 with some crucial games coming up. They face the Washington Commanders and Arizona Cardinals in their next two games, giving them a golden opportunity to improve their position in the playoff picture. Their next game comes against the Commanders on Sunday at 10:00 a.m. PT.
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