For the first time in NFL history, a game will be played the night before Thanksgiving, with the Los Angeles Rams hosting the Green Bay Packers on Wednesday, November 25 at 8 p.m. ET on Netflix. To accommodate the schedule, both teams were effectively forced to give up their traditional bye week, a move that has drawn sharp criticism from Kelly Stafford, wife of Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford.
In an Instagram post, Kelly Stafford questioned the league's decision, writing: "Just curious to hear the thought process behind making the Rams the only team in the NFL without a true bye week. 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." Normally, a bye week provides 14 days between games, but the Rams will have only 10 days off.
The Rams' schedule around the Thanksgiving Eve game is particularly compressed: they play at the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday, November 15; have a designated bye on November 22; face the Packers on Wednesday, November 25; and then play the Kansas City Chiefs on Thursday, December 3. The Packers face a similar stretch but with a slightly more favorable layout, playing the Minnesota Vikings on November 15, a bye on November 22, at the Rams on November 25, and at the New Orleans Saints on Sunday, December 6 — giving them one game over a 19-day period.
Kelly Stafford added: "I'm tired just watching from the stands. Can't imagine how the guys feel." She concluded by asking the NFL for an explanation: "Anyway, feel free to leave that explanation right here."
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 matchup against the Seattle Seahawks on Christmas Day. If they are flexed into a Saturday game 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 participated in the NFL's inaugural regular-season game in Australia in Week 1, contributing to a travel schedule exceeding 34,000 miles — the second-most in the league.
Despite the scheduling challenges, the Rams will be at home for Thanksgiving, allowing players and staff to spend the holiday weekend with their families.
