29 March 2023 , 11:45
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Patrick Mahomes made his feelings very clear on the latest NFL change ahead of the 2023 season but commissioner Roger Goodell hit back at the Owner’s Meetings in Arizona.
A series of alterations to the rulebook have already been made this week, with an adjustment to the personal foul penalty one of the most substantial. But the NFL are also making changes to their scheduling process.
Until now, teams have only been able to make one appearance on Thursday Night Football, allowing the allocation to be fairly even among the 32 teams. But the NFL are now upping that to a maximum of two appearances, and Mahomes isn't happy about it.
As a spectator, having football on a Thursday is a brilliant way to gear up for the weekend action, but it's a big debate among the players' circle. Going from a Sunday night game to playing four days later can be brutal, although on the flip side it does allow for a 10-day lay-off after.
Some players are fine with it, but many others feel as though the Thursday night games massively disrupt their routine. As this was only an issue a maximum of once per season, players had put their issues to one side for the time being, but the latest change could reignite some anger.
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Following reports of the rule change, Mahomes took to Twitter to simply post an emoji of someone facepalming as he cringed at the news. And when one of the best players in the league makes a statement like that, it's not surprising that Goodell felt the need to respond.
"I don’t think we’re putting Amazon over our players. …The data doesn't show higher injury rate," Goodell said following Mahomes' reaction. "I hear from players who also love the 10 days after a Thursday Night game. We have to try to balance all of it."
In March 2021, Amazon acquired rights to become the exclusive broadcaster of Thursday Night Football initially starting with the 2023 season. Their deal lasts for ten years, and the changes are coming at the right time for the big-time broadcaster.
With Thursday night games a big hitter for the NFL in addition to the classic Sunday and Monday evening slots, it's clear they're keen to fill them with the best possible teams on more than one occasion. But Goodell's reasoning about injury data hasn't gone down well with some fans.
But it's unlikely that their stance will change, as they didn't back down from extending the regular season despite heavy criticism from Tom Brady at the time. It seems Mahomes will have to deal with it, and it's likely that the Kansas City Chiefs will be one of the teams featuring twice.