The National Football League could soon expand its regular season once again. Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones believes that moving from 17 games to an 18-game regular season is coming soon, though the process to implement the change involves significant negotiations.
Path to an 18-Game Schedule
The NFL played a 16-game regular season from 1978 until 2020, before expanding to 17 games in 2021. According to CBS Sports Headlines, Jones views an 18th regular-season game as right around the corner. Speaking to 105.3 The Fan in Dallas, Jones stated that the change is in everyone’s best interest, though it requires negotiation with the players.
To offset the physical toll of an extra regular-season game, Jones proposes trimming the NFL preseason further. Teams currently play three exhibition games, or four if they participate in the Hall of Fame Game in August. Jones argues that cutting preseason games and using early regular-season matchups as a transition period benefits both the league and the players, especially with lucrative media rights deals at stake. The league’s current 11-year, $110 billion media rights agreement with major broadcasters and streaming partners began in 2023.
Negotiating Hurdles and Player Concerns
Any adjustment to the schedule faces substantial obstacles because the current collective bargaining agreement between the league and the players’ union runs through the 2030 season. Commissioner Roger Goodell noted in February during Super Bowl LX that the league has had no formal and very little informal discussions on the matter, emphasizing that an 18-game season is not a given.
Injury risks remain a major roadblock. A league source told CBS Sports in April that adding another game will inevitably lead to more injuries, including season-ending and multi-season-ending injuries late in the year. Furthermore, an anonymous player warned CBS Sports in April that elite players might choose to sit out games late in the season to preserve their health for the playoffs or avoid meaningless late-season matchups.
