Chargers involved in first-ever flex to TNF primetime in Week 16

Chris Roling | Nov 22, 2024

Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

The upstart Los Angeles Chargers will head to primetime in Week 16. 

What was originally a standard afternoon kickoff for the Chargers against the Denver Broncos in Week 16 has been flexed to Thursday Night Football, the NFL announced on Friday. It's the first time the league has flexed a Thursday game.

No great shock there, as the 7-3 Chargers remain in the hunt for prominent AFC playoff seeding. Elsewhere in the AFC West, those Broncos are 6-5 and in the hunt, too. 

These rivals met back in Week 6, where the Chargers exited a bye week and won on the road, 23-16, while Justin Herbert, his offensive tackles and names like Joey Bosa battled injuries.

The promotion to primetime for the Chargers displaces the previously scheduled game between the Cincinnati Bengals and Cleveland Browns, giving Jim Harbaugh and Co. their only Thursday primetime game of the year.

Harbaugh and the Chargers also have a pair of to-be-decided flex games to close the season over the final two weeks. If they keep winning, those games against New England and Las Vegas could have interesting start times, too.

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