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In 1978, the NFL decided to increase the amount of games in a regular season. That year, they elongated the season, moving from a 14-game regular season to a 16-game regular season. For decades, that remained the norm. That’s until 2021 when the NFL owners voted on expanding the regular season to 17 games, knocking off one of the four preseason games. Now, however, Roger Goodell noted the likelihood of the NFL expanding to an 18-game regular season, shortening the preseason even more, per Ari Meirov on X.
“NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell told @bloomberg that adding an 18th regular-season game while cutting one preseason game is the next ‘logical’ step, but it would require a deal with the players,” Meirov wrote. ” ‘We went to 16 and four, and now 17 and three. So 18 and two is a logical step.’ ”
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell told @bloomberg that adding an 18th regular-season game while cutting one preseason game is the next "logical" step, but it would require a deal with the players.
“We went to 16 and four, and now 17 and three. So 18 and two is a logical step.” pic.twitter.com/L4G60NRrIv
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) January 17, 2025
When looking at the structure of an NFL season from start to finish, this is how it currently looks:
The preseason has been a highly debated topic for quite some time now. While some find it beneficial, others find it a waste of time.
However, with an 18-game season, there will certainly be changes to the league’s CBA or the collective bargaining agreement. This is a labor agreement that the NFL (Roger Goodell and 32 NFL team owners) and NFLPA (NFL Player Association) negotiate on to find the fairest divisions of labor.
The CBA can include topics like: player contracts, health care, pensions, the salary cap, etc. While those conversations seem to have begun — at least slightly — Goodell made it clear that an 18-game regular season is the next logical step.
The biggest part of this change would probably be salary caps, as well as even bigger contracts for the league’s top players.
There was a time when people lost their minds over Patrick Mahomes earning a 10-year extension worth $450 million. However, when looking at other quarterbacks around the league, Mahomes is tied for the 12th highest-paid quarterback per year.
At the top of the list is Dak Prescott, earning $60 million per season, while Mahomes earns just $45 million per year. I know, the horrors of only $450 million!
But, with Goodell already discussing an 18-game regular season, there’s no reason to believe it isn’t in the works already.
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