(PRESS RELEASE) -- As the professional football season continues, remaining players in the Circa Sports contest, Circa Survivor, start to look towards milestones. One achievement is to reach the Thanksgiving mini week, which is Week 13A this year. 99 entries started Week 12 in contention for the grand prize of $14,266,000, but after a major upset only 54 will move on.
One-third of the remaining field, 33 entries, heading into Week 12 chose Washington against Dallas. When Dallas went up 20-9 with 5:16 left in the game, it looked like the game would end with a quiet loss for those relying on Washington. However, the teams started a frenzied back-and-forth from there. Zach Ertz caught a touchdown with 3:02 left bringing the score to 20-17. Dallas then returned the kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown which seemingly would put the game out of reach. Washington made its way down the field and kicked a field goal but were unable to convert the onside kick. Despite that, they were able to get the ball back with 33 seconds left. The first play was a completed a pass to Terry McLaurin which he brought for a touchdown. With a chance to tie the game, Austin Seibert missed the extra point leading to the elimination of those 33 entries who chose Washington.
Two previous Circa Survivor winners were still in the field going into Week 12. Jax Jags, who won in 2023, had two entries left and Browna, who won in 2022, had one entry remaining. All of them were eliminated by Washington’s loss.
In addition to the losses on Washington, eight entries had Houston who lost to Tennessee, three were on Pittsburgh who lost to Cleveland and one entry did not submit their pick on time and was therefore eliminated. The 45 eliminations brought the total number of entries remaining down to 54, each having an implied value of $264,185.
This is the lowest number of entries Circa Survivor has had going into the Thanksgiving mini week. However, this is also the first time Circa Survivor has seen a Thanksgiving week in Week 13 rather than Week 12. There were 372 entries left going into Week 12A in 2023, 74 in 2022, 134 in 2021 and 209 in 2020. For this season’s Week 13A, remaining players will have to pick one game from either the Thanksgiving Day or Black Friday slate. Teams that advance will then have to pick a game that will be played on Sunday or Monday for Week 13B.