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Sooner or later, it feels as if the NFL will move to an 18-game regular season. The league switched from 16 games to 17 games just four years ago, and almost immediately after began discussing the addition of an 18th game. That move came after more than 40 years of a 16-game format, which began in 1978.
But a switch to 18 games won’t be so easy. There are major holdups, particularly surrounding player safety. The biggest holdup, however, is the league’s current collective bargaining agreement according to NFL commissioner Roger Goodell.
Goodell spoke with members of the media on Monday as part of the “Opening Night” of Super Bowl week and explained that an 18-game schedule might be farther off than some people believe.
“Those things, (Moderator) Curt (Menefee), they come up in the context of the broader CBA issues. I don’t think you isolate one of those issues over any others. It will be part of the formal discussions when we get to it,” Goodell said.
The current NFL CBA runs through 2031 and there doesn’t appear to be any pressing reason for any side to alter it. So it seems any potential move to an 18-game schedule could come well down the line. That’s a good thing for players, who would stand to make more but also face additional health risks.
Every time an 18-game schedule is discussed, it brings with it discussion of a potential second bye-week for teams. But then you’re looking at a 20-week regular season. While the NFL would seemingly love that, we’re not so sure players would feel the same way. Especially those who could face a playoff run at the end of all that.
For now, it seems like the 18-game schedule is nothing more than talk. And while it feels like the inevitable outcome, it still remains a long way away.
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