Eagles' Kelce: Anti-TNF players are 'just looking to make headlines'

Jason Kelce is offering up a strong defense of Thursday Night Football in light of criticism over its new flex scheduling.

Kelce and his brother, Travis, said on their "New Heights" podcast that they're "huge" fans of TNF despite player safety concerns. The Philadelphia Eagles center, in particular, argued that Thursday night games allow for a longer recovery period.

"I am all for games being played on Thursdays because that means we have walkthroughs during the middle of the week and we don't practice and then we get three days off after the game," Jason said.

He continued: "It's not about laziness. It's about helping my legs recover and getting fresh. Players that are anti-Thursday night games are just looking to make headlines. There's no f-----g chance anybody with half a brain cell is against Thursday night games."

The NFL recently approved flex scheduling for TNF during Weeks 13-17 this season. Teams will need to be notified at least 28 days in advance if they're flexed. They also can't play more than two Thursday night games per season.

Despite ire over the potential disruption to fans' travel plans and the consequences of players playing two games in a short time period, Jason says he's a fan of the new flex scheduling because he enjoys "good football."

"Thursday night is one of the few nights that I get to watch football and just enjoy it as a fan," Jason noted. "Let's get some good friggin matchups."

The 2022 TNF slate, which was the first season to be exclusively broadcasted by Amazon Prime Video, was frequently knocked for its poor-quality contests.