Here’s a weird truth: The Lions have played on Thursday so many times that they now have a psychological delay. No, seriously. Since 2019, the Lions are 2-7 on Thursday Night Football. They tend to show up late mentally. It’s like they forgot to set their collective alarm clocks.
But there’s a darkly funny twist: In 2026, they actually won a Thursday game against the Packers. That’s right—the Lions broke the curse. And what time did that game end? Around 11:45 PM ET. So if you have to work Friday morning, you’ll be bleary-eyed, but you’ll be happy bleary-eyed.
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How to Plan Your Thursday Like a Pro
Here’s a survival guide. First, know your time zone. If you live in Chicago (Central Time), the 8:15 PM ET game kicks off at 7:15 PM. That’s perfect for ordering pizza and yelling at the TV by 7:16 PM. If you’re in Denver (Mountain Time), it’s 6:15 PM, which is the window between “I should cook dinner” and “I’m eating a bag of chips instead.”
Second, factor in pre-game hype. The actual game starts at the scheduled time, but the NFL Network will tease you with an hour of talking heads. The real countdown begins when you hear “Are you ready for some football?”—which is roughly 10 minutes before kickoff, yet feels like an eternity.
Third, accept that your Thursday will end at exactly 11:30 PM ET if the game is a snooze-fest, or midnight if it’s a shootout. The Lions have a knack for turning routine plays into overtime nightmares. I’ve seen a game end at 12:17 AM. That’s not football; that’s a hostage situation.
