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NFL Owners to Discuss Implementing 18-Game Regular Season at League Meetings
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The NFL regular season growing from 17 to 18 games seems inevitable. And it appears those talks in league circles are happening soon.
According to NFL insider Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports, the owners around the league plan to discuss expanding the regular season at the upcoming meetings, which will begin Sunday in Palm Beach, Fla.
It should come as no surprise, as NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has been openly discussing the possibility over the last year. Back in January, Goodell said that changing the schedule to 18 games—and dropping the preseason from three to two contests—is "a logical step."
In February, NFLPA executive director Lloyd Howell Jr. rejected Goodell's claims that safety data collected by the league doesn't discourage expanding the regular season.
"Frankly, we're not sure how he's reaching that conclusion based on the data we've been given access to," Howell said. "No one wants to play an 18th game. No one. Seventeen games is already, for many of the guys, too long. Seventeen games is also so lengthy that you're still dealing with injuries going into the next season. So, there are a variety of issues that hang off of the length of the season before any formal negotiations."
Those February comments by Howell could be interpreted as a bargaining chip for the players' side. In July, Howell admitted an 18-game regular season sounds "attractive," and noted many factors would need to be discussed before the NFLPA agrees.
The current collective bargaining agreement is set to expire at the end of the 2030 NFL season, but if both the owners and players can come to terms, perhaps an 18-game season will be rolled out before 2031.
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Tom Dierberger is a staff writer and editor on the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. He joined SI in November 2023 after stints at FOX Sports, Bally Sports and NBC Sports. Dierberger has a bachelor's in communication from St. John's University. In his spare time, he can be seen throwing out his arm while playing fetch with his dog, Walter B. Boy.