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

Roger Goodell talks to Pat McAfee a couple of potential 18-game schedule, together with changing a preseason sport with a regular-season sport. (1:16)
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 includes 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 video games that was applied in 2021.
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“I believe we’re good at 17 now,” Goodell stated. “However, pay attention, we’re taking a look at 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 assume these guys prefer it both.” He continued: “The truth is, I would fairly change a preseason sport with a regular-season sport any day. That is simply selecting high quality. If we get to 18 and a couple of, that is not an unreasonable factor.”
Including a further regular-season sport might, 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 will have Monday off,” Goodell stated.
No steps towards any of the potential adjustments have been taken up to now. 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 vital opposition from gamers, even after house owners authorized the deal. Outstanding gamers similar to New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers pushed again publicly. The CBA finally 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 further worldwide markets, together with Brazil this 12 months and Spain subsequent 12 months.
As for whether or not a crew or division will ever be based mostly abroad, Goodell appeared much less sure.
“Will a franchise ever occur or a division?” he stated. “Possibly. I believe that is past 10 years although.”

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