NFL fans have spent much of this season grumbling about dud primetime games and lopsided matchups that kill the buzz before kickoff. NBC's Mike Tirico hears the complaints—and he thinks the league can fix it by borrowing a page from the Premier League's playbook.
In a recent interview, Tirico floated an idea that would give the NFL far more scheduling flexibility: release the full slate of weekly fixtures at the start of the season, but hold off on locking in start times until about six weeks before each game. That way, the league could shuffle matchups into the most attractive windows, keeping early Sunday slots stocked with competitive games and saving the late-afternoon and Sunday night showcases for the marquee clashes.
“I would lay it out like the Premier League. ‘Here we have Match Window 14 and here are the fixtures for that week.’ And six weeks out, you start slotting them in,” Tirico said. “I think that would help leave good inventory for an early Sunday, have your best games late Sunday afternoon and Sunday night. And there is some flexibility with Monday night. You can move someone a day later on in the season.”
The idea is clearly aimed at improving the viewing experience for fans at home. “The person who wins in flex isn’t the network, it’s the fan,” Tirico explained. “Because after two Sundays you want a good game when it’s standing alone. You want a good game at 4:25 Eastern time. So I think that could help a little bit of this as it spreads out.”
It’s a compelling vision, and it echoes similar criticisms from other NFL voices about the current schedule’s flaws. But the proposal also comes with a major catch: fans who travel to games in person would have to scramble to adjust flights, hotels, and other plans on much shorter notice than they’re used to—and that could be a dealbreaker.
Visiting supporters, in particular, often plan road trips months in advance, booking expensive flights and accommodations well before kickoff times are set. Six weeks might be enough for a casual fan, but for those who treat away games as mini-vacations, it’s a logistical headache. The league has historically been cautious about upsetting that apple cart, even as ratings dip and criticism mounts.
Still, Tirico’s suggestion taps into a growing frustration with the NFL’s rigidity. The league’s current flex scheduling rules allow some movement, but they’re limited and rarely used aggressively. A more dynamic system, like the one used across the Atlantic, could inject fresh energy into the season—if the NFL is willing to take the risk.
As complaints about scheduling continue to pile up across sports, Tirico’s Premier League pitch stands out as a bold, fan-first solution. Whether the league’s power brokers are ready to embrace it remains to be seen, but the conversation is far from over.
