• by David Goetzl  @dgoetzl, August 19, 2009

NBC has lengthened its deal with the NFL for the network to offer "Sunday Night Football" for two more years, extending to 2012 and 2013.

NBC is the first network to do a deal -- starting in 2006 -- with the NFL that allows for flexible scheduling, when unappealing late-season games can be replaced by ones that offer great athletic challenge and fan following.

NBC's 2006 deal, which brought the NFL back to the network after a lengthy absence, was for six years. The new arrangement is in line with the current one -- NBC gets 17 regular season games, including the season opener on a Thursday night, and two Wild Card playoff games.

By investing hundreds of millions to retain NFL rights through 2013, it heightens the question whether NBC will have resources to successfully bid to acquire rights to Olympic games past 2012.

Terms of the NFL extension were not disclosed.