Bengals attempted to host Black Friday game every year

When the NFL announced they would have a primetime game on Black Friday every year starting in 2023, the Cincinnati Bengals asked the league to allow them to host the game.

Not just in 2023, but, according to Pro Football Talk, every year, similar to what the Lions and Cowboys do on Thanksgiving.

NFL VP of Broadcast Planning Mike North said today that the Bengals offered to host the Black Friday game every year, giving themselves a permanent spot on the holiday calendar like the Lions and Cowboys have as the permanent hosts on Thanksgiving.

The league decided the Black Friday game will be between the Miami Dolphins and New York Jets in New Jersey. It is currently unclear, though, if the NFL will want to rotate the Black Friday game from team to team or if they’ll choose one team to host annually. You can’t blame the Bengals for shooting their shot at being central to a new league tradition.

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The team does have four primetime games against the Rams (MNF), Bills (SNF), Ravens (TNF), and Jaguars (MNF), but their Week 17 game against the Chiefs will be nationally televised. Games later in the season could also be flexed to prime-time slots.