Jerry Jones and other NFL owners are starting to bang the 18th game drum even louder.
The Dallas Cowboys owner was among the figures present this week at the NFL annual league meeting in Phoenix. One of the hottest topics on deck was the possibility of expanding the season to 18 games.
While the financial reasons are obvious, it’s also an added injury risk for players, and dilutes the importance of every other game just a little bit. Jones was asked what players would get from an 18th game aside from a larger paycheck. The Cowboys boss felt it was a better use of the player’s time and effort.
“I think it’s a better application of their careers and talent,” Jones said. “Less preseason, more playing in games that have the right balance of financial reward as well as exposure.”
There’s something humorous about a billionaire in Jones claiming NFL athletes would get more “exposure” as if they were a starving artists trying to get their name out there.
The NFL plans to offset the physical load of an extra game by lowering the number of preseason games from three to two. But given the huge gap in intensity between an exhibition game and one that counts, it’s far from a commensurate exchange.
The NFL players’ union is just a few years removed from approving a 17th game, which came into effect in 2021. It felt like just a matter of time before the league pushed to make the number even.
While the risk-reward of an 18th game remains subject to debate, fans may indirectly score a big win if the change pushes through.
