FEBRUARY 2: Although the NFL schedule may well chance twice during the 2020s, Goodell said Monday (via Bovada’s Josina Anderson) no formal discussions have taken place on a move to 18 yet. It appears a near-certainty those will happen in the not-too-distant future, as the NFLPA will have a major bargaining chip to use in an effort to land concessions from the league in exchange for the extra game.
FEBRUARY 1: An 18-game regular season may be on the horizon. According to Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com, the NFL and NFLPA recently discussed the potential schedule adjustment.
This comes on the heels of a recent Roger Goodell interview. The commissioner cited the NFL’s continued “focus on the safety” aspect of the game as a stepping stone for a potential 18-game season. Goodell continued to point to the league’s “20-game framework” and the understanding that an added regular season contest would only come at the expense of a preseason exhibition.
As Florio notes, the league’s current Collective Bargaining Agreement lasts through the 2030 season, and it’s believed an 18-game schedule could be apart of the next CBA. When the two sides last agreed on a new CBA in 2020, they expanded the regular-season schedule to 17 games.
Florio believes “it’s possible (if not likely)” that the NFL and the NFLPA are currently refining details for an 18-game schedule, and their recent discussion indicates that the change could be coming sooner than later. Mark Maske of The Washington Post cautions that an agreement is not imminent, although he adds that NFL owners remain hopeful that the NFLPA will agree to expand the regular-season slate. If the two sides continue to move in the right direction, some owners believe the change could be implemented in the “next two to three years.”
There have been previous rumblings of an 18-game campaign, and NFLPA executive director Lloyd Howell already hinted at some possible concessions surrounding the addition of an 18th game. While overall compensation is the obvious one, other points of negotiation would include additional bye weeks, improved playing surfaces, and decreased travel.
While these concessions represent some possible hurdles during negotiations, it seems the two sides are at least heading towards an eventual solution. While an 18-game schedule was once discussed as possible, it’s seeming more and more likely that an 18-game schedule is truly inevitable.
If they want more games then they should have expansion. 17 is too many games as is. The only safe way to add more games is to add more teams.
It’s a joke for the league to say on one hand we value player safety above all else only to then say that we need more money, guys you gotta play just a little bit more.
How is adding expansion teams going to help? They are already talking increased salary, adding more players limit travel and add bye week. I think you would find majority of players would accept more salary.
More teams=more games. If it’s two new teams it’s 34 more events (not including preseason). If they add an 18th game to the regular schedule without expansion it’s 32 new events.
I know they don’t want to expand, but you can’t make these guys keep playing Russian roulette while also adding rounds into the chamber…
Oh, the math is wrong! If they add an 18th game it’s only 16 new events
If you were a rookie making nfl mininum salary of 795k last year. The idea of another paid game would be tough to turn down. More games doesn’t help the teams wanting anther home game.
I hear ya, it’s complicated. Don’t discount the value of the expansion fee to each owner. What, $5 bill per new team? 10 bill divided by 32 is pretty attractive.
Add more teams? Have you seen how bad the depth in the nfl is already ? There’s not enough quality OL and QB’s as it is
I’m not advocating for expansion. Not at all. I’m simply saying I would prefer that over adding another game.
Yeah. Millionaires working 17 days a year. Brutal.
Nothing worse than a guy who gives his own post the thumb’s up. Weak.
Yeah, they don’t train or practice or do anything but show up 17 days year. You might want to go to letibemoronstein.
18 games
2 off weeks each
half week 7
half week 8
half week 13
half week 14
0 pre season games
I agree have to give more byes and time off. We did see a let down in quality of play early in season without the longer preseason. Other than practice and game speed are meaningless games and not worth risking injury.
Goddell saying that “safety is a priority” is laughable.
And sign a formal agreement with The UFL to develop players outside the initial-52
No one cares about the “UFL” except you, Goku. Quit it.
Show Goku some respect please…he might be the UFL commissioner some day 🙂
Sorry im a real football fan
We’re heading into CFB and NFL offseason
What am I supposed to watch?
NBA? Lol. No thanks. Ever.
NHL? eh not bad. Not overly interesting tho
A football league with guys trying to make NFL camps?
Uh ya .. duhh
How are kids coming out of college supposed to make the team if they have no game action to prove they’re capable of playing in the NFL? They cannot scrap the preseason. Really 2 games isn’t enough either.
1. Practice
2. Canadian league
3. UFL league
4. Be better so you get drafted
Playing pre season games doesn’t automatically mean you’re capable of playing in the NFL
Great points
It’s annoying that haters, who are for some reason triggered by the idea of spring football, get in the way of the real discussion.
Roger Goodell is taking UFL seriously, and has already adopted multiple rules and technologies. And has held multiple meetings with the Rock and Redbird/FOX
The idea I presented earlier is not my own, this is something they’re working towards over the next few years.Anyone on NFL Futures Deals will be eligible for the UFL Draft pool.
I got to shake Tom Brady’s hand at the Michigan Panthers game at Ford Field. He’s a big supporter of the league.
People are sleeping on FOX Friday Night Football this season , which replaces WWE on FOX primetime slot
This is a case where “apart” and “a part” lend different meanings to a sentence… Although, both could be true in this case…
Simple solution. 18 game schedule but no team player can be active then 17.
That ends up scr&wing over fans. It’s fine for regular position players, but not the qbs. Someone forks over $500 for decent tickets to see Josh Allen play only to find out they have to go watch Mitch Trubisky? That makes it essentially a preseason game.
No different then nba having these games off for players. Owners still charge same price for tix whether stars are playing or not. In baseball you pay same price whether ace is pitching or #5 starter. You think NFL is going to worry about sticking it to the fans yet again.
Except it is different, because nobody is forcing NBA players to sit games out. Not to mention, the comparison between quarterbacks and NBA starters is dubious
What they REALLY discussed was a 38 game season !!
This is insane and greedy. The NFL already has a short career standard for non QBs and the player pay is lower than other sports, but work them to death with more games/contact and rake in the cash, huh owners?
18 Regular Games
1 Pre Season Game
Games held ONCE every 2 weeks.
38 week season.
Just go to a 162 game schedule like baseball. Every game starts with overtime rules.
Soon, 26 wk schedule, no byes, plus international travel for expansion teams around the world. Watering down the product by adding new organizations n by attrition of a “normal” nfl season. Like we’re not already subjected to sloppy team play especially out of QB position as injuries take there toll. Then there’s the gems being played on short weeks w/lil rest. What’s a lil CTE for more game checks ?
Better thought… expanded post season.
Find explanation here:
link to cowboyszone.com
Roger Goodell is a DUMB
Perhaps not as dumb as the owners who gave him a contract extension and pay bump.
The NFL has never been a worse product. Game flow manipulation alone has turned it into reality TV or sports entertainment.
They need to expand the game day rosters by atleast 60
To 60
“…it’s believed an 18-game schedule could be apart of the next CBA.”
“A part of” or “apart from” the next CBA. If in there is speculation that it could come “sooner rather than later” then the schedule change would be apart from the next CBA.
Go back to 16 games.
$55 mil per QB becomes $58 mil per year