The NFL regular season consists of 17 games per team, a change implemented starting with the 2021 season when preseason games were reduced from four to three per team.[1][2]
Discussions about adding an 18th regular-season game have gained traction amid the league's growing domestic and international popularity, with Commissioner Roger Goodell stating in March 2024 that the NFL is prepared to discuss the idea with the NFL Players Association.[3]
The NFLPA has opposed the expansion, with then-president J.C. Tretter stating in December 2023 that "there is no appetite right now from the players for an 18th game."[4]
Buffalo Bills left tackle Dion Dawkins, a three-time Pro Bowl selection (2021-2023),[5] told Fox News Digital the addition appears inevitable.[6]
"It’s going to happen either way," Dawkins said. "Then, 20 years later, guess what? We're talking about a 19th, then we'll be talking about a 20th."[6]
Former NFL MVP Cam Newton (2015), who last played in 2021 and retired in 2022,[7] viewed the potential change as "good business" for the league, noting it would further dilute preseason games as occurred with the 17th game.[6][1]
"Man, it’s a lot on the body," Newton said in the interview. He questioned whether teams would focus less on preseason to prioritize regular-season preparation.[6]
The collective bargaining agreement runs through 2030, after which any schedule changes would require negotiation.[3]
Sources
- NFL Operations, "The 17-Game Schedule", accessed October 2024, https://operations.nfl.com/the-game/rules-history/17-game-schedule/
- ESPN, "NFL owners approve 17th regular-season game", May 20, 2021, https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/31527452/nfl-owners-approve-17th-regular-season-game-per-cba
- ESPN, "NFL to discuss 18-game season with NFLPA, Goodell says", March 26, 2024, https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/39806997/nfl-discuss-18-games-owners-meetings-goodell-says
- NFL.com, "J.C. Tretter on NFLPA player workload concerns", December 20, 2023, https://www.nfl.com/news/jc-tretter-on-nflpa-player-workload-concerns-we-re-not-trying-to-stand-in-the-way-of-innovation
- Pro-Football-Reference.com, "Dion Dawkins", accessed October 2024, https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/D/DawkDi00.htm
- Fox News, "Bills star Dion Dawkins explains his ‘counter’ to potential NFL 18th game; Cam Newton weighs in", February 8, 2024, https://www.foxnews.com/sports/bills-star-dion-dawkins-explains-counter-potential-nfl-18th-game-careers-only-getting-shorter
- Pro-Football-Reference.com, "Cam Newton", accessed October 2024, https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/N/NewtCa00.htm
