September 14, 2015; Santa Clara, CA, USA; Minnesota Vikings defensive back Terence Newman (23) before the game against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi's Stadium. The 49ers defeated the Vikings 20-3. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
It's tough for NFL teams to get ready for Thursday Night Football, since the usual preparation is condensed into a shortened week. It's even harder to pull off when your team needs to travel across the country to get to the game's location.
The Minnesota Vikings traveled 1,790 miles to Glendale to face the Arizona Cardinals this Thursday. The franchise has never experienced a farther Thursday night road trip, according to Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press.
The Cardinals realize the ridiculous distance, too. Wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald said it's "unfair" for the league to make a team travel so far on a short week, per another Tweet by Tomasson.
Thursday Night Football remains a point of contention. In general, fans love it because it's an extra night of primetime football. Players and coaches aren't as fond of it, since it screws with the team's practice schedule and travel plans. It also cuts down on valuable recovery time, which should be a concern for those in favor of heightened player-safety measures.
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