Steelers veteran is not on board with two Thursday Night Football games

The Pittsburgh Steelers are set to play in two Thursday Night Football games this upcoming season, and cornerback Patrick Peterson isn’t a fan of it.

The NFL unveiled the official schedule for the 2023 season on Thursday. So all 32 teams got an idea of which order they will be facing their opponents, how long they will be at home or on the road, and when their bye week will be.

NFL games are primarily held on Sundays, but there are also the weekly Monday night and Thursday night matchups. When it comes to Thursday, teams that are scheduled will expect a short week of rest and preparation for that game.

One veteran player on the Pittsburgh Steelers isn’t on board with what the team’s schedule looks like.

During the latest episode of the “All Things Covered Podcast,” Steelers cornerback Patrick Peterson was asked by co-host Bryant McFadden his thoughts about the team playing Thursday Night Football games in Weeks 9 and 14. Peterson was not a fan of it, based on his comments.

Peterson’s comments come at the 11:30 mark in the video below.

Patrick Peterson isn’t a fan of the Steelers playing two Thursday Night Football games in 2023

“That’s five weeks apart,” said Peterson. “It’s tough enough getting up for the first Thursday night game, better yet another one. I get it, they want to find ways to get ball on TV, but at the end of the day, you got to think about our bodies, man. Especially with me being in Year 13, like my body doesn’t recover like it used to. Hell, other guys’ bodies don’t recover, period, sometimes. To have two Thursday Night Football games, I think that’s a bit bizarre…”

In Week 9, the Steelers host the Tennessee Titans on Nov. 2, four days after they host the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 8. The Steelers would get extended rest, however, as they won’t play until Nov. 12 against the Green Bay Packers.

As for the Week 14 matchup, they host the New England Patriots. This will come after hosting the Arizona Cardinals the previous Sunday. 10 days after the Patriots game, the Steelers will make the trip to Indianapolis to face the Colts.

After just missing out on the playoffs last season, the Steelers addressed their secondary by bringing in Peterson on a one-year contract to be their top cornerback. Last season, he recorded 66 combined tackles (56 solo, 10 assisted), 15 passes defended, and five interceptions. In coverage, Peterson allowed 53 receptions for 696 yards and five touchdowns, per Pro Football Reference.

The Steelers will look to make a return to the playoffs this upcoming season. But in the middle of the season, they will be playing two Thursday night games in a matter of five weeks. Peterson isn’t a fan of that.