Report: NFL to eliminate Week 1 'Monday Night Football' doubleheader in 2021
The NFL will be making several changes to its schedule after deciding to add a 17th game. One change, though, might draw some mixed reviews.
According to Peter King of NBC Sports, the "Monday Night Football" doubleheader that has been very popular on the Week 1 schedule is being eliminated in 2021 and beyond.
The league plans to replace the doubleheader with a Week 18 Saturday doubleheader on Jan. 8, 2022, according to King. It will feature two games involving teams with playoff implications.
The one Week 1 "Monday Night Football" game will begin at 8:15 p.m. ET, which is the same for other Monday night games during the season. Previously, the doubleheader would include a late game beginning at 10:15 p.m. ET featuring West Coast teams.
Per King, the Week 18 schedule is expected to include the following format:
- Two Saturday games. One in the late afternoon and the other in prime-time.
- 13 games in the early and late-Sunday afternoon window.
- One "Sunday Night Football" game to feature the top flexed game of the weekend.
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