NFL could have a playoff game on Monday night next season

The NFL is always exploring ways to boost ratings, and one idea that is being discussed by the league is bringing “Monday Night Football” to the postseason.

Peter King of NBC Sports said in his weekly column that there is better than a 50-50 chance that a playoff game will be held on Monday night next season.

There are six wild-card games on the playoff schedule. As King explained, the NFL did not consider having a wild-card game on Monday night this year because it would have interfered with the College Football National Championship Game, which was on Monday, Jan. 11. Next year, the college title game is the week before Wild Card Weekend. That leaves open the possibility of having three wild-card games on Saturday, two on Sunday and one on Monday.

One argument teams could — and will — make is that the Monday night winner would have to play on short rest. That is not a new concept in the playoffs, however, and it is something teams might have to deal with if the NFL determines it would boost ratings and, in turn, revenue.

It’s worth noting that the NFL is on the verge of a lucrative new agreement with ESPN, so perhaps that will factor into the planning of next year’s playoff schedule.