The NFL is moving quickly to add an 18th game to the season.
It has long been speculated that the NFL would increase the schedule from 17 to 18 games, but now it appears that could happen sooner rather than later.
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NFLPA Executive Director Lloyd Howell told the Washington Post that they are in advanced conversations with the league about adding the 18th game.
“We talked superficially at a very, very, very high level, with an acknowledgment… about, ‘Yes, this is something we should be talking about. And we should really kick the tires and understand what else goes into this decision. – manufacturing process,'” Howell said.
“Where does the 18th game come from? I think the foregone conclusion is good, just grab it, like, in what would otherwise be [preseason games] In August.
“You play forward. But these are details that really need to be fleshed out.
“But, again, there are other economic, health and safety issues that also need to be made clear to our members before there can be an agreement on the 18th game.”
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has been extremely vocal about his desire for an 18th game and previously outlined his idea of how to make it work in the NFL Draft.
“I think we’re fine at 17 [games] now, but… I’m not a fan of preseason. I don’t think we need a preseason and I don’t think these guys like it either,” Goodell said.
“I’d rather replace a preseason game with a regular season game any time, that’s just choosing quality.
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“If we reached 18 [regular season] it’s two [preseason]This is not irrational.”
Even NFL players like Joe Burrow think the 18th game will come eventually.
“Eighteen games is definitely a big task, it’s not easy,” Burrow told WLWT.com.
“Adding that extra game would obviously be great for revenue. But I feel like adding that week off, if you have an 18-game schedule, is pretty critical for our bodies.
“If you keep that first week off — some teams have that first week off in Week 5, Week 6 — and then you go 12, 13 games in a row.
“Probably a Thursday night game as well. That’s never easy. So those two byes are pretty critical.”
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Burrow suggested the NFL could have a league-wide bye week to move the Pro Bowl to midseason.
“Maybe you could do something like, the first bye is kind of like what we have now, and the second bye, everyone has it at the same time, and you make it like Pro Bowl week, like an All-American break. Star for the NBA,” Burrow said.
“I don’t know, people get paid a lot of money to have these discussions and make these decisions.”
Regardless of how it plays out, an 18-game season will likely happen soon.
While the current collective bargaining agreement doesn’t expire until 2031, the NFL and NFLPA could change it if both sides agree to a new schedule.
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This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
