CELEBRITY
Patrick Mahomes could be facing the toughest schedule of his career, NFL executive admits
Due 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.