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NFL VP Mike North has a blunt message for teams upset about scheduling
TL;DR
NFL VP Mike North addressed teams upset about the 2026 schedule, emphasizing that performance determines primetime appearances. He referenced the Tennessee Titans' lack of national exposure despite drafting a promising quarterback.
Key points
- NFL VP Mike North addressed scheduling complaints
- Teams must perform to earn primetime slots
- Tennessee Titans were used as a reference point
Mentioned in this story
NFL
Tennessee Titans
NFL VP Mike North has a blunt message for teams upset about scheduling originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The 2026 NFL schedule dropped Thursday night, and some teams clearly aren't happy about where they landed. Mike North, the NFL's vice president of broadcast planning, addressed the pushback on Friday, and he did not sugarcoat it.
In comments shared by ProFootballTalk, North pointed directly to Tennessee as his reference point:
"Not to point fingers, but I think the best comp is probably Tennessee from last year. They drafted No. 1 overall, took a quarterback who looks like he can play in this league, [and] they didn't happen to get a national television appearance last year, either. … We don't draft our way into primetime. We play our way into primetime."
The Titans selected Cam Ward with the top pick in the 2025 draft and still didn't earn a single scheduled national television appearance that season.
Tennessee once again will not play in any primetime games in 2026 despite having a budding star in quarterback Cam Ward, with the team's last scheduled primetime appearance dating back to September 2024.
Q&A
What did NFL VP Mike North say about teams unhappy with the schedule?
Mike North stated that teams need to perform well to earn primetime appearances, rather than relying on draft picks.
Which team did Mike North use as an example regarding scheduling issues?
North referenced the Tennessee Titans, who did not receive a national television appearance despite drafting first overall.
How does the NFL determine which teams get primetime games?
The NFL determines primetime game slots based on team performance rather than draft status or expectations.
