The NFL Players Association has engaged in high-level discussions with the NFL about the potential implementation of an 18-game regular season, the NFLPA’s executive director said.
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The NFL and Players Association Had “High-Level Discussions” About an 18-Game Schedule
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Mark Maske at The Washington Post:
Lloyd Howell said during a meeting Monday with Washington Post reporters and editors at the NFLPA’s headquarters in D.C. that the talks between the union and the league have not yet progressed to formal negotiations. But the discussions between the two sides, which have not been previously reported, indicate that the latest pursuit by the league and team owners of an 18-game season has moved beyond the hypothetical stage.
“We have talked at a very, very, very high level superficially, with a recognition … about, ‘Yeah, this is something that we should be talking about. And we should really kick the tires and understand what else goes into that decision-making process,’ ” Howell said. “Where does the 18th game come from? I think the foregone conclusion is well, you just grab it, like, in what would otherwise be [preseason games] in August. You play it forward. But these are details that really need to be fleshed out. But, again, there are other economic, health and safety matters that also need to be clear to our members before there’s ever an agreement about an 18th game.”
Howell said he will discuss the issue with players during upcoming meetings. He left open the possibility that an 18-game season could go into effect, if players are in favor of it and if the union were to be able to secure what it might seek in prospective negotiations with the league and owners, via an agreement between the NFL and NFLPA before the expiration of the current labor deal. The collective bargaining agreement expires after the 2030 season and specifically prohibits the league and owners from unilaterally extending the regular season to 18 games.
It’s always been a matter of when, not if, right? We’re in agreement on that? They’d probably just drop another preseason game and do 18 regular season games + 2 regular season games, push the Super Bowl up to Presidents’ Day Weekend, and then we can finally have that Monday off. Maybe you throw in a second bye week and expand the rosters to ensure that we’re not running these guys into the ground more than we currently are. Of course, by 2030, we might be playing flag football if they keep restricting what defenses are allowed to do.
Everyone will talk about money, and TV contracts, and cap and player salary implications. All good topics. What’s intriguing from a fan perspective is the idea that 18 games would bring back a balanced schedule. Nine home games, nine road games. Right now we’ve got eight at home and nine on the road, or nine and home and eight on the road, with a number of teams doing the neutral site thing in London, Germany, or Brazil for the 2024 Eagles. If you keep the schedule at 17, it’s plausible to do 8+8+1 neutral site. If you go to 18 and keep the neutral site games, then the imbalance returns. That’s going to factor in considerably as discussions progress here, but the bottom line is that one more week of football, or two with a second bye week, is going to be hard to turn down.
Kevin has been writing about Philadelphia sports since 2009. He spent seven years in the CBS 3 sports department and started with the Union during the team's 2010 inaugural season. He went to the academic powerhouses of Boyertown High School and West Virginia University. email - k.kinkead@sportradar.com