It was this past week that NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell floated the idea of an 18-game regular-season schedule.
The league’s top executive also hinted at the possibility of extending the season further so that the Super Bowl is held during President’s Day Weekend. That latter point is interesting in that fans have been pushing for the big game to be held as somewhat of a national holiday. Having the Monday after the Super Bowl off seems to make a ton of sense.
As for the 18-game schedule, it appears that NFL owners are backing Goodell’s idea.
“An 18-game season, if implemented, would be accompanied by a reduction of the preseason from three to two games per team. It could lead to each team being given a second bye week during the regular season. It probably would result in the Super Bowl being played annually on Presidents’ Day weekend. That, in turn, could lead to a reworking of the offseason schedule in which the league might hold a major ‘tentpole’ event in each month — the NFL scouting combine in March, free agency in April and the NFL draft in May.”
Mark Maske of The Washington Post on potential of 18-game schedule
The league increased its schedule from 16 games to 17 back in 2021. It has been pushing to add another game to each team’s schedule since.
Though, there is expected to be some push back from the NFLPA and its players. The increased schedule wouldn’t come with higher pay. That’s an issue.
Will union support NFL 18-game schedule?
The current collective bargaining agreement allowed owners to increase the regular-season schedule to 17 games as long as the total of exhibition and regular-season games do not exceed 20 per team.
“The League and/or Clubs shall not increase the number of regular season games per Club to eighteen (18) or more games,” the NFL CBA reads.
One source close to the players union told Maske the expectation is that owners will go to the NFLPA about a potential extension to 18 games at some point within the next two years.
Owners want to implement the new plan long before the current CBA expires in 2030. Whether the union is supportive remains to be seen.