NFL fan poll: What does the future hold for the NFL?

In a poll conducted last weekend by SI through Marketing & Research Resources, 48 percent of fans said they were opposed to expanding the NFL season to 18

In a poll conducted last weekend by SI through Marketing & Research Resources, 48 percent of fans said they were opposed to expanding the NFL season to 18 games.

The responses -- collected from more than 500 NFL fans, with a margin of error of plus/minus 4.33 percentage points -- reflect changing views about the game.

The NFL has floated the idea of extending the season to 18 games and removing two games off the preseason schedule, something the NFL Players Association has long been against.

As studies and news about the long-term health risks of head injuries to football players have come to the forefront, more than 4,000 former players have sued the NFL seeking damages for injuries related to head trauma.

Fans believe these studies and lawsuits will lead to an evolution for the game. Forty percent of those polled believe that in 20 years, the NFL will not closely resemble today’s game in terms of rules regarding contact and player equipment. In recent years, the league has instituted new contact rules aimed at reducing head injuries, including banning helmet-to-helmet hits.

Find all the poll results below.

You Weighed In: More Fan Poll Results

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GOODELL/FAN INTEREST	CONDUCT, CRIME & DRUGS	BETTING & FANTASY	FUTURE OF THE GAME	WASHINGTON REDSKINS

Part 4: Views on the future of NFL