NFL could make big schedule change sooner than expected?

Apr 29, 2021; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; NFL commissioner Roger Goodell announces the final pick of the 2021 NFL Draft for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at First Energy Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

It is viewed by many as a foregone conclusion that the NFL will eventually implement an 18-game regular-season schedule, and that change could come even sooner than expected.

In an interview with Mark Maske of the Washington Post that was published on Tuesday, NFL Players Association executive director Lloyd Howell revealed that the NFLPA and NFL have had discussions about an 18-game at a “very high level.” While there have been no formal negotiations, Howell said both sides have already been thinking about the changes that might need to go into effect for an 18-game schedule to become a reality.

“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,” Howell said. “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.”

The NFL expanded from 16 to 17 regular-season games in 2021. That change passed by a very narrow margin, with 51.5% of players voting in favor. The current collective bargaining agreement between the NFLPA and NFL runs through 2030, so that has been viewed as a potential target date for expanding two 18 games. However, Howell says the NFLPA is not opposed to making the change sooner.

“Many of our players have said, ‘They’re going to ask for more games,'” Howell told Maske. “So one of the things you learn in business is this applies back to the obvious — I know you’re going to ask for more games because that … generates more money. And to be fair, don’t we all want to grow the pie?

“So it’s the manner in which the pie grows, and what’s the trade-off in there so that we don’t just play another game but all these other dimensions that I mentioned also get addressed?”

One star quarterback recently offered an intriguing idea for how the NFL could make an 18-game schedule more palatable for players. The league would almost certainly have to eliminate another preseason game to get down to two, among other things.

There are also players who are adamantly opposed to adding another game, which is why negotiations could take years. Eventually, the added revenue of an 18th regular-season game will likely be too appealing to turn down.