Best & worst NFL teams on Thursday Night Football since 2020

Thursday Night Football has become one of the biggest weekly events on the NFL schedule, but some teams have enjoyed significantly more success under the bright lights than others.

So the Cleveland Browns are one of the best teams on Thursday nights pic.twitter.com/yb09Bk9qFg

— DraftKings (@DraftKings) October 1, 2026

Since 2020, several teams have built impressive Thursday records, while others have struggled to consistently win on the short week.

MORE:NFL power rankings entering Week 4: All 32 teams ranked worst to first

Browns, Bills, Colts have dominated Thursday nights

Sep 27, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson (4) warms up prior to the game against the Carolina Panthers at Huntington Bank Field. Mandatory Credit: Scott Galvin-Imagn Images

The Cleveland Browns have been nearly perfect on Thursdays since 2020, going 5-0 during that span. The Indianapolis Colts are also undefeated at 3-0, giving both teams a 1.000 winning percentage in the graphic.

The Buffalo Bills are right behind them at 7-1, while the Detroit Lions have gone 4-1. The Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles have each posted 5-2 records.

Buffalo’s Thursday success has continued into 2026. The Bills defeated the Lions 41-31 on Sept. 17, improving their Thursday record since 2020 to 7-1.

That makes Buffalo one of the most consistent teams when it comes to playing on short rest.

Steelers and Saints among the biggest Thursday struggles

September 20, 2026; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) throws a pass during the second half against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images

The other side of the list features some surprising names. The New Orleans Saints have gone 0-6 on Thursdays since 2020, while the Pittsburgh Steelers sit at 1-5.

Pittsburgh’s struggles have been particularly notable considering the franchise’s overall success. The Steelers have lost five of their six Thursday games since 2020, including losses to Cleveland in 2022 and 2024.

The New York Giants and Houston Texans are both 1-4, while the Arizona Cardinals and Las Vegas Raiders are each 1-3.

Thursday Night Football can create a difficult turnaround for teams, with limited preparation time following the previous Sunday’s game. Over the past several seasons, however, the results show a clear gap between the teams that have consistently handled the short week and those that have struggled to do so.

With another Thursday matchup arriving this week between the Steelers and Browns, the contrast is particularly interesting: Cleveland enters with one of the strongest Thursday records since 2020, while Pittsburgh has one of the worst.

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Source: sports.yahoo.com — article syndicated from the publisher’s feed; all rights remain with the original publisher.