Thursday Night Football as a branded NFL package started on November 23, 2006, with the Kansas City Chiefs hosting the Denver Broncos in a 19–10 game on Thanksgiving night.

Quick Scoop: When did Thursday Night Football start?

If you’re wondering “when did Thursday Night Football start?” you’re really asking about when the NFL turned Thursday games into a regular, named primetime event.

  • The official debut of Thursday Night Football was November 23, 2006.
  • The first matchup was Kansas City Chiefs vs. Denver Broncos , a 19–10 win for the Chiefs on Thanksgiving night.
  • It launched as part of NFL Network’s “Run to the Playoffs” package, a late-season slate of Thursday and some Saturday games.

So while the NFL had played occasional Thursday and Thanksgiving games for decades, the Thursday Night Football concept as a consistent, branded primetime package is a 2006 creation.

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