The NFL is widely expected to move to an 18-game schedule in the very near future, and the additional regular-season game could result in a change to the overall schedule that sports fans would love.
It has been viewed as inevitable that the NFL will add an 18th regular season game at some point, likely no later than when a new collective bargaining agreement is needed between the league and NFL Players Association after the 2030 season. Some reports have suggested it could happen even sooner than that.
During a Wednesday morning appearance on NBC’s “TODAY,” Goodell discussed the possibility of the NFL implementing an 18-game schedule for the regular season. That could potentially mean moving the Super Bowl a week later, which would see the game fall on the Sunday before Presidents’ Day.
“I think if you went to 18 weeks regular season that would probably occur,” Goodell said of the Super Bowl being played on Presidents’ Day Weekend. “It is possible somewhere in the calendar. Could happen before that just because of the calendar, the way it lays out. But I think 18 weeks would get you to that point, and I think it would be a really great move.”
Presidents’ Day falls on the third Monday of February and is a national holiday. That means many fans would not have to go to work the day after the Super Bowl, which is something that has been talked about for years.
Goodell said having the Super Bowl on Presidents’ Day “makes sense for a lot of reasons,” and fans having the day off is likely at or near the top of that list.
If and when the NFL does move to an 18-game schedule, players will undoubtedly want another preseason game dropped. The preseason was reduced from four games to three games when the NFL added a 17th regular-season game in 2021. It would likely be reduced again to two games if an 18-game schedule were approved.
The Super Bowl could still be pushed back a week even if a preseason game is dropped. Cincinnati Bengals star Joe Burrow made a suggestion last year for an 18-game schedule that would result in the season being expanded by a week, and that might be popular among players and coaches.
