The NFL announced this week that the Los Angeles Chargers vs. Denver Broncos game in Week 16 has been flexed from Sunday, Dec. 22 up to Thursday, Dec. 19. It marked the first time in NFL history that the NFL flexed a Thursday Night Football game.
Because the Broncos already played a road TNF game earlier this season, they had to agree to the flex, according to multiple reports. Denver coach Sean Payton (kind of?) denied that on Friday, or at the very least downplayed it.
“No, they just discuss it,” Payton said when asked if the team had to approve the switch. “It’s a road game anyway, right? I like the fact that we have another opportunity [to play in primetime]. I remember this a long time ago: ‘Boys, we’d rather be flexed in than flexed out.’
“It’s a real good team playing real good, and it flexes Cincinnati out who we play the following week. So there was a little… But it is what it is, and they just tell us when we’re playing.”
Payton did not elaborate on the Bengals angle, but that might have been a big factor in the team’s decision. Cincinnati was flexed out of the original TNF game set for Week 16, so the Broncos will now have extra rest going into Week 17 instead of their opponent (the Bengals) having extra rest.
Payton indicated the flex was not a big deal, twice saying “just tell us when we’re playing.” He concluded with, “It’s fine. All good.”
