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Roger Goodell: The "logical step" for the NFL is 18 regular-season games

QuoteNFL Commissioner Roger Goodell is continuing to push for extending the regular season to 18 games.

Goodell said the league is pleased with the results after changing from 16 regular-season games and four preseason games to 17 regular-season games and three preseason games. So up next would be 18 regular-season games and two preseason games.

"We would keep within that 20-game framework," Goodell said on Bloomberg TV. "We went to 16 and four, and now 17 and three. So 18 and two is a logical step."

Goodell said NFL Players Association would need to approve the extension of the regular season. The union could object on the basis that more games will mean more injuries, although Goodell says the 17-game season has not increased the number of injuries, thanks to improved training and rules changes.

The NFL played 16-game seasons for 43 years (counting two strike-shortened seasons) before expanding to 17 games in 2021. Suffice to say the NFL is looking to expand to 18 games in a lot less than 43 years.

https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/roger-goodell-the-logical-step-for-the-nfl-is-18-regular-season-games

That's been the plan for years.

Such a short-sighted move. The NFL will end up going the route of the NBA, with stars routinely sitting out games for minor injuries or "load management".

All this will accomplish is diluting the product on the field as less-skilled players play more frequently. The NBA is virtually unwatchable at this point for this reason (and because teams shoot 50 3 pointers a game).

Quote from: Stringer Bell on January 17, 2025, 10:36:23 AMSuch a short-sighted move. The NFL will end up going the route of the NBA, with stars routinely sitting out games for minor injuries or "load management".

All this will accomplish is diluting the product on the field as less-skilled players play more frequently. The NBA is virtually unwatchable at this point for this reason (and because teams shoot 50 3 pointers a game).

The owners expect revenue to continue to grow at a high rate.   They pretty much have saturated the US market so it's not likely they will be adding more teams or see a marked increase in US fans.   So they have been trying to grow their product internationally.   The logistics of teams in other nations are extremely challenging, and odds are they will never be solved.   

So, the only other ways to grow revenue are things like allowing pay stations to bid on games and increase the overall number of games played.

Basically, they're moving a pre-season game to the end of the regular season so we can see more 3rd and 4th string players. Great move for the guys on the practice squads. An extra game for them to move up to fill in at league minimum. The amount of games lost from injuries and how to prevent them should be rectified first. Games played the first part of the season are horrible due to lack of practice. A big reason Jones struggled this season was he hardly played in pre-season. All we kept hearing was he looked good in practice, where he couldn't get hit.

Game stoppages due to injuries are out of control in the NFL. Are there ever any games without injury time-outs? The NHL rarely stops play for injuries, indicating most hockey injuries are less severe. Goodell is such a liar and the NFLPA is still a joke. More players needed to fill in for injuries means more union dues to collect.

Quote from: Giant Jim on January 17, 2025, 11:16:14 AMGame stoppages due to injuries are out of control in the NFL. Are there ever any games without injury time-outs? The NHL rarely stops play for injuries, indicating most hockey injuries are less severe. Goodell is such a liar and the NFLPA is still a joke. More players needed to fill in for injuries means more union dues to collect.

Only if the player can head to the bench under their own power. Just last night play was stopped for a Flyer player who suffered a shoulder to the head injury and couldn't even stand up on his own. It is not as rare of an occurrence as you are making it out to seem. There are now calls to make officials blow the whistle more frequently when a player is down, specifically a Goalie.

18 games is insanity!

Hopefully not until 2026 season.  Next year's Super Bowl is supposed to be on my 50th birthday.

As soon as a 17th game was added it was a foregone conclusion that there would be an 18th. 

Only good thing I potentially see coming out of this is Super Bowl Sunday being on President's day weekend.

I suspect the international games will increase to where every team has one per season. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-0kcet4aPpQ&ab_channel=PinkFloyd

Quote from: TDToomer on January 17, 2025, 11:24:47 AMOnly if the player can head to the bench under their own power. Just last night play was stopped for a Flyer player who suffered a shoulder to the head injury and couldn't even stand up on his own. It is not as rare of an occurrence as you are making it out to seem. There are now calls to make officials blow the whistle more frequently when a player is down, specifically a Goalie.

18 games is insanity!

I'm not replying to you because the last time you replied to one of my posts, you called me a liar.

I can see expanding the Game Roster and the total Roster along with the Salary Cap.   

Quote from: Giant Jim on January 17, 2025, 12:29:22 PMI'm not replying to you because the last time you replied to one of my posts, you called me a liar.

Well you just did! Oversensitive are we?

Quote from: uconnjack8 on January 17, 2025, 11:55:23 AMAs soon as a 17th game was added it was a foregone conclusion that there would be an 18th. 

Only good thing I potentially see coming out of this is Super Bowl Sunday being on President's day weekend.

I suspect the international games will increase to where every team has one per season. 

Why would the SB be moved to Presidents Day weekend? They are not adding a week to the season when they are going down to 2 preseason games.

Quote from: TDToomer on January 17, 2025, 02:11:40 PM

QuoteI'm not replying to you because the last time you replied to one of my posts, you called me a liar.

Well you just did! Oversensitive are we?

No, not oversensitive, I just don't debate with jerks.

When they moved to a 17th game, an 18-game season became fait finalement que cela nous plaise ou non.

Cheers!

Quote from: Painter on January 17, 2025, 02:39:27 PMWhen they moved to a 17th game, an 18-game season became fait finalement que cela nous plaise ou non.

Cheers!

Absolutely correct. The move to 17 always meant 18 was going to be a given. This was never a maybe.

Setting things up so that the Super Bowl is on the Sunday of Presidents' Day weekend is (and always has been) an obvious wise move. For the majority of the nation to not have to worry about work or school the next day would be huge.

Adding an extra bye week for each team would make a lot of sense too.