NFL commissioner Roger Goodell generated headlines when he stated the league’s eventual shift to a schedule of 18 regular-season video games per group is “not unreasonable.”
Goodell expanded on these feedback on the league conferences in Nashville on Wednesday.
“The important thing factor for us is ensuring we proceed to do the issues that make our sport safer,” Goodell defined by way of the NFL’s web site. “Seventeen video games is an extended season, so we need to be sure we have a look at that and be sure that we proceed the protection efforts.”
Per the phrases of the collective bargaining settlement that expires in 2031, the NFL Gamers Affiliation should conform to increase the common season to 18 or extra video games. Goodell neither confirmed nor denied that league homeowners might submit a proposal relating to an 18-game marketing campaign earlier than the 2025 regular-season schedule is launched subsequent Could.
“Working with our gamers affiliation is No. 2,” Goodell continued. “We’d attain an settlement with them if we will proceed on that. But additionally, third, and this isn’t essentially so as, is the standard of our sport. We’d do it within the context of decreasing the variety of preseason video games.”
Throughout his draft-related look on “The Pat McAfee Present,” Goodell stated that he’s “not a fan of the preseason” and would “slightly exchange a preseason sport with a regular-season [game] any day.” He echoed such takes on Wednesday.
“We expect that is a superb commerce: much less preseason video games and extra regular-season video games,” Goodell advised reporters. “I feel most anyone would assume that was useful.”
The NFLPA is anticipated to ask the league for 2 bye weeks per group and bigger lively rosters, amongst different issues, in return for accepting an 18-game season. Once more admitting on Wednesday that homeowners need to exchange preseason video games with significant contests, Goodell could have unofficially confirmed that the league’s final objective is to succeed in a format of zero preseason matchups, 20 regular-season video games and two bye weeks per group.
The NFL avoids beginning common seasons on Labor Day weekends however might embrace a distinct technique sooner or later in order that expanded campaigns do not run by way of late February.
