Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford's wife, Kelly Stafford, has publicly questioned the NFL's scheduling after the league announced a rare Wednesday night game on Thanksgiving Eve. The Rams will host the Green Bay Packers on November 25 at 8 p.m. ET on Netflix, marking the first time the NFL plays a game the night before Thanksgiving.
To accommodate the Wednesday matchup, both the Rams and Packers were effectively forced to give up their traditional bye week. Instead of the usual 14 days between games, the Rams will have only 10 days off. Their schedule shows a Sunday game at Arizona on November 15, a designated bye on November 22, the Wednesday game against Green Bay on November 25, and a Thursday night game at Kansas City on December 3.
The Packers face a similar compressed window but with a slightly more favorable stretch: they play the Vikings on November 15, have a bye on November 22, travel to Los Angeles for the Wednesday game, and then play the Saints on Sunday, December 6, giving them one game over a 19-day period.
Kelly Stafford expressed frustration on Instagram, writing, "Just curious to hear the thought process behind making the Rams the only team in the NFL without a true bye week... after 18 years around this league, even I need a week off during the season... and I have never played a single snap." She added, "I'm tired just watching from the stands. Can't imagine how the guys feel."
The Rams' 2026 schedule has been described as one of the wildest in the league. In addition to the Wednesday game, they have a Friday game against the Seahawks on Christmas Day. If they are flexed to a Saturday in Week 17 or 18, they would become only the fourth team in 99 years to play on six different days of the week in a single season. The Rams also opened the season with the inaugural NFL game in Australia, resulting in over 34,000 miles of travel — the second-most in the NFL.
Despite the scheduling challenges, the Rams will be home for Thanksgiving, allowing players to spend the holiday weekend with their families.
