The NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has recently shared several add on to the league’s format and is considering 18 regular season games, a Presidents Day weekend Super Bowl and also expansion of international games.
Goodell further revealed his future plans which underlines significant adjustments to the structure of the current season and he shared this on “The Pat McAfee Show”. The Commissioner also declared that he would support a structure which would consist of 18 regular season games and two preseason games.
This marks a substantial departure from the existing structure which was put into place in 2021 consisting of seventeen regular-season games and three preseason games.
Goodell mentioned as per ESPN, “I think we’re good at 17 now. But, listen, we’re looking at how we continue. I’m not a fan of the preseason. And I don’t think these guys like it either. The reality is, I’d rather replace a preseason game with a regular-season game any day. That’s just picking quality. If we get to 18 and 2, that’s not an unreasonable thing.”
Adding an additional regular-season game could culminate in inclusion of a second bye week subsequently extending the regular season. Goodell stated that he would be content with the format and he sees a President Day weekend centered around the Super Bowl as well.
However, no action has been made in the direction of these modifications and further adjustments to the season’s duration would require collective bargaining with the NFL Players Association.
On prospective expansion of International games, Goodell suggested that within the next decade perhaps 16 regular season games could be played overseas. The league as per ESPN, will add Brazil this year and in the next year Spain will be included as well.
