NFL, NFLPA in ‘Very High-Level’ Talks on 18-Game Schedule Before 2030 Regular Season

Doric SamJuly 23, 2024

Ryan Kang/Getty Images

It sounds like an 18-game schedule in the NFL is getting closer to becoming a reality.

NFL Players Association executive director Lloyd Howell told Mark Maske of the Washington Post that the NFLPA and NFL have been engaged in discussions about how to implement an 18-game schedule before the current collective bargaining agreement expires after the 2030 season.

“We have talked at a very, very, very high level superficially, with a recognition … about, ‘Yeah, this is something that we should be talking about. And we should really kick the tires and understand what else goes into that decision-making process,'” Howell said.

Howell added that there is much that needs to be ironed out before adding an 18th game to the schedule.

“Where does the 18th game come from? I think the foregone conclusion is well, you just grab it, like, in what would otherwise be [preseason games] in August. You play it forward,” he said. “But these are details that really need to be fleshed out. But, again, there are other economic, health and safety matters that also need to be clear to our members before there’s ever an agreement about an 18th game.”

Howell’s comments come after NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said earlier this year that he would be in favor of an 18-game schedule and added that a lengthened season would culminate with the Super Bowl on the Sunday night of President’s Day weekend.

When the NFL moved to expand the season to 17 games in 2021, there were dissenting opinions among players. ESPN noted that it ended up passing by a narrow vote with just 51.5 percent of players voting in favor.

Howell acknowledged that it won’t be an easy path to get the players to agree to extend the schedule once again.

“Many of our players have said, ‘They’re going to ask for more games,'” Howell said. “So one of the things you learn in business is this applies back to the obvious—I know you’re going to ask for more games because that … generates more money. And to be fair, don’t we all want to grow the pie? So it’s the manner in which the pie grows, and what’s the trade-off in there so that we don’t just play another game but all these other dimensions that I mentioned also get addressed?”