Roger Goodell's latest comments about the future of the NFL might be met with significant pushback from the players
It's been pretty well known around the NFL world that the league is likely moving towards an 18-game regular season schedule sooner than later. Trimming the preseason by one game and going to a 17-game schedule seemed like nothing more than a placeholder.NFL commissioner Roger Goodell all but confirmed that the 18-game schedule is a […]
It's been pretty well known around the NFL world that the league is likely moving towards an 18-game regular season schedule sooner than later. Trimming the preseason by one game and going to a 17-game schedule seemed like nothing more than a placeholder.
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell all but confirmed that the 18-game schedule is a reality that's on its way for football fans, at least, if he has it his way.
“We would keep within that 20-game framework,” Goodell said on Bloomberg TV. “We went to 16 and four, and now 17 and three. So 18 and two is a logical step.”
With this change, there come some pretty obvious winners and losers.
More regular season games means more revenue from ticket sales, merchandise, and concessions, as well as more lucrative TV deals. When the league went to the 17-game schedule and added two playoff games in the 2020 CBA that was agreed to by the NFL Player's Association, it allowed the league to negotiate a new media deal on the expiring contract that was worth in excess of a whopping $100 billion, roughly double the value of the expiring contract.
The current CBA doesn't expire until 2031, and the league can opt out of their media deal after the 2028-2029 season. The way Goodell is discussing it, it sure sounds like the league will attempt to get an 18-game schedule approved by the Player's Association in short order, freeing them up to negotiate a new media contract. With more media money comes more money for the teams.
Between 2012 and 2019, the NFL salary cap experienced the highest single-year climb before the 2026 regular season, climbing by 8.37%. Since the last media deal, the league has experienced one jump in the salary cap of 13.61% and one of 14.08% in the last four years.
More games means more money for the league and for the owners, but it comes at an added risk for the players. An 18-game regular season creates an increased opportunity for injuries. While the owners profit, the players would be assuming all the risk.
While Goodell thinks it's a logical step, how the Player's Association will respond to the proposal will be interesting to see.
