Roger Goodell mulls 18-game slate, Presidents Day weekend Tremendous Bowl

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell is mulling a future with 18 regular-season video games, a Presidents Day weekend Tremendous Bowl and a major enhance in worldwide video games.

Goodell, throughout an look on “The Pat McAfee Present” on Friday, shared his long-term imaginative and prescient, one which entails quite a few adjustments to the season’s present format.

Particularly, Goodell stated he would embrace a schedule that includes 18 regular-season video games and two preseason contests, a major shift from the present 17 regular-season and three preseason contests that was carried out in 2021.

“I feel we’re good at 17 now,” Goodell stated. “However, pay attention, we’re how we proceed. I am not a fan of the preseason.” Then, gesturing towards a bunch of followers assembled close by, Goodell stated, “And I do not suppose these guys prefer it both.” He continued: “The truth is, I might reasonably change a preseason sport with a regular-season sport any day. That is simply selecting high quality. If we get to 18 and a pair of, that is not an unreasonable factor.”

Including a further regular-season sport may, theoretically, end in a second bye week being added, which might lengthen the common season. However Goodell would welcome that, he stated, as he envisions a Presidents Day weekend constructed across the Tremendous Bowl on Sunday night time.

“After which you could have Monday off,” Goodell stated.

No steps towards any of the potential adjustments have been taken to date. And it is essential to notice that adjustments to the size of the season would must be collectively bargained with the NFL Gamers Affiliation, because it was when the latest labor deal was negotiated.

The transfer towards 17 video games initially confronted important opposition from gamers, even after homeowners authorized the deal. Distinguished gamers resembling New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers pushed again publicly. The CBA in the end handed with a slim majority in participant balloting, 51.5% voting in favor.

Goodell additionally spoke a couple of future enhance to the variety of video games performed internationally, saying he envisions as many as 16 regular-season video games being performed overseas, maybe, throughout the subsequent 10 years. The NFL is including extra worldwide markets, together with Brazil this yr and Spain subsequent yr.

As for whether or not a workforce or division will ever be primarily based abroad, Goodell appeared much less sure.

“Will a franchise ever occur or a division?” he stated. “Possibly. I feel that is past 10 years although.”