Featured Columnist IVFebruary 3, 2025
Chris Graythen/Getty Photos
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell told reporters on Monday that the league and NFLPA “have not had any formal dialogue” on extending the common season to 18 video games, although there have been preliminary talks.
He additionally indicated that an 18-game common season and two-game preseason may be an choice sooner or later.
Joe Schad @schadjoe
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell says gamers could have a say within the 18-game schedule. Advances in security of recreation have been key. “18 and a couple of could also be a chance,” Goodell says.
“We all know that followers love soccer and wish extra soccer, however now we have to be extremely delicate and good about it,” he added.
Including one other regular-season recreation—even on the expense of a preseason contest—would signify vital participant security considerations. For one, most veterans barely play within the preseason in any respect in an effort to remain wholesome, so taking away such a recreation would not meaningfully steadiness out the addition of one other common season contest.
The NFL schedule is already rigorous as is, particularly given the addition of shorter weeks because of Thursday night time video games. However the league NFL might mitigate a few of the dangers of an 18-game season in different methods.
For one, the NFL might develop each the energetic roster and observe squad, permitting groups extra depth to cope with the pains of an extra recreation. The offseason calendar may be reworked, or the NFL might additionally add a second bye week to the schedule, giving gamers two weeks of relaxation all through the season.
That may develop the common season to twenty weeks, nonetheless, and would possibly pressure the league to both begin the common season earlier—probably in August—or finish it nicely into January.
Both method, Mark Maske of the Washington Publish reported Sunday that there’s a “rising conviction among the many NFL’s crew homeowners” that an 18-game season might be agreed upon with the NFLPA earlier than the present labor deal expires in March 2031—and probably nicely earlier than that date.
“That is one thing that I believe has an opportunity of occurring, no query,” an individual accustomed to the possession aspect of the subject advised Maske. “It simply relies upon. Perhaps within the subsequent two to 3 years.”
“I do assume it’ll occur,” a high-ranking official from an NFL crew added, noting that conversations have been going down behind the scenes. “However there’s lots of negotiating to be executed on it.”
The present CBA prohibits the league and homeowners from increasing the common season to 18 video games, barring an settlement with the NFLPA. So if enlargement happens earlier than the tip of the 2030 season, it’ll come on the gamers’ phrases.
