The Chiefs’ schedule includes three short weeks in the final stretch of the season.
ue to the NFL’s scheduling criteria, it is common for the champion to have the hardest schedule in the entire league. This year, however, the Kansas City Chiefs will face a new level of difficulty, as they will not only face the teams with the best record from last year, but they will also play on the most unusual dates.
The Chiefs will kick off the 2024 season against the Baltimore Ravens on Thursday, September 5, at Arrowhead Stadium, have their bye in Week 6, and then face one of the most dizzying schedules in the league.
In this regard, NFL VP of Broadcast Planning, Mike North, explained that the Chiefs brand has grown so much that they are the go-to team when it comes to opening new markets.
“Look, they’ve been our bell cow for a while, they’re kind of used to carrying our water for some of these unique opportunities here,” North said in an interview with ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
The Chiefs are the NFL’s spearhead
During the talk, North explained, “You think about the Peacock playoff game last year. If you want to make Peacock a destination for an NFL playoff game, well, put a Chiefs game there.”
It’s the same with other markets. “If Amazon wants to continue building Black Friday into an event… put a Chiefs game there. You want to make Christmas on Netflix a thing? Put a Chiefs game there,” said the VP.
This kind of stardom comes at a high price, especially for head coach Andy Reid’s team, and the NFL knows it. “Maybe (the NFL) gave the Chiefs the hardest schedule in the league,” North admitted.
The Chiefs schedule
After their bye week, the Chiefs will have three short weeks in the final seven weeks of the year, the heaviest schedule of any team this season.
Reid, Patrick Mahomes, and Travis Kelce will play on Monday Night Football in Week 9, “Black Friday” in Week 13, the Saturday before Christmas in Week 16, and on Christmas Day, Wednesday, December 25, in Week 17.
The calendar will be a real challenge. However, North said, “The Chiefs were definitely not surprised by their national television schedule and some of the windows we decided to use.” The team knows that if it wants its third consecutive championship, it will have to fight against all odds.
