Jerry Jones Thursday Night Football flex scheduling SANTA CLARA, CA – OCTOBER 02: Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones is seen on the field prior to the game against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi’s Stadium on October 2, 2016 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

Just when you thought common sense and ratings would rule in the NFL, Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones threw a big bucket of water on the alleged death of Thursday Night Football.

As the story goes, Pro Football Talk began reporting that the league was considering doing away with its full-season package of Thursday night football games following this season. The league has allegedly seen a point of saturation in the market for its games, what with three nights of primetime football and games all day on Sunday too.

Something should be giving with the NFL’s decline in ratings well documented.

But, don’t expect the Thursday Night Football package to be the part that is giving, at least according to Jones who spoke on the matter during his radio show on 105.3 The Fan.

“I think [Thursday Night Football] is here for good,” Jones said. “Why that it is prime-time. It’s a great opportunity for the NFL to basically be a part of what we want to be. And that is we appreciate the interest that is in our game.”

Never mind the “what in the hell did he just say” factor (I mean, what was that last sentence supposed to mean anyway). Jones, who has huge sway within NFL ownership, is very clear about the future of the Thursday Night package.

He also is very clear about why ratings are down. You see, it isn’t just the NFL ratings that are declining, it is all because ratings are down for everything on TV.

“I was reading in the Wall Street Journal about how your television ratings are down,” Jones said. “But the number one product in all of television is the NFL. And it’s across the board. So all ratings are down and the NFL is the strongest programming that is out there.”

Jones’ stance shouldn’t be surprising after the league stated they were “fully committed to Thursday Night Football” earlier this week. Just what that means or looks like wasn’t exactly addressed, but that’s not the point.

What is the point is that the NFL seems hell-bent on giving us games three days a week.

It also appears the NFL won’t listen to ratings, fans who are over-saturated with NFL football and fans turned off by games that have been downright awful. Rather, it is going to continue to shove a Thursday Night Football game down our throat whether we like it or not.

[Star-Telegram]

About Andrew Coppens

Andy is a contributor to The Comeback as well as Publisher of Big Ten site talking10. He also is a member of the FWAA and has been covering college sports since 2011. Andy is an avid soccer fan and runs the Celtic FC site The Celtic Bhoys. If he's not writing about sports, you can find him enjoying them in front of the TV with a good beer!

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