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 recreation with a regular-season recreation. (1:16)
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell is mulling a future with 18 regular-season video games, a Presidents Day weekend Tremendous Bowl and a big improve 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 modifications to the season’s present format.
Particularly, Goodell mentioned he would embrace a schedule that includes 18 regular-season video games and two preseason contests, a big shift from the present 17 regular-season and three preseason video games that was carried out in 2021.
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“I believe we’re good at 17 now,” Goodell mentioned. “However, hear, we’re how we proceed. I am not a fan of the preseason.” Then, gesturing towards a bunch of followers assembled close by, Goodell mentioned, “And I do not assume these guys prefer it both.” He continued: “The truth is, I would fairly substitute a preseason recreation with a regular-season recreation any day. That is simply choosing high quality. If we get to 18 and a couple of, that is not an unreasonable factor.”
Including an extra regular-season recreation might, theoretically, end in a second bye week being added, which might lengthen the common season. However Goodell would welcome that, he mentioned, as he envisions a Presidents Day weekend constructed across the Tremendous Bowl on Sunday evening.
“After which you could have Monday off,” Goodell mentioned.
No steps towards any of the potential modifications have been taken to this point. And it is necessary to notice that modifications to the size of the season would must be collectively bargained with the NFL Gamers Affiliation, because it was when the newest labor deal was negotiated.
The transfer towards 17 video games initially confronted important opposition from gamers, even after house owners accredited the deal. Distinguished gamers corresponding to 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 improve 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 staff or division will ever be based mostly abroad, Goodell appeared much less sure.
“Will a franchise ever occur or a division?” he mentioned. “Possibly. I believe that is past 10 years although.”

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