While many assume it’s only a matter of time before NFL owners get the 18-game regular-season format they’ve desired for years, it’s worth noting that the NFL Players Association must consent to such a proposal per the terms of the collective bargaining agreement that expires after the 2030 campaign.
On Wednesday, NFLPA executive director Lloyd Howell hinted at what the union will want in return for adding an extra meaningful game to the schedule.
“Howell said several issues would have to be addressed before any true negotiations could be opened into expanding the season,” ESPN’s Katherine Terrell shared. “He cited the number of bye weeks, roster size, practice squad size, the length of the offseason and the amount of international games played, which the CBA currently caps at 10.”
One-time MVP and current NFL analyst Boomer Esiason mentioned in January 2024 that the NFLPA would want expanded rosters for a schedule that includes 18 regular-season games and two preseason contests. Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow and San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle are among the big-name players who already have campaigned for the NFL to give teams two bye weeks per season.
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has repeatedly made it known since 2024 that he wants to get to an 18-game regular season sooner rather than later, in part because he understands paying customers aren’t keen on spending money to watch August exhibition games that mostly feature backup players. Headlines from Wednesday’s media event will focus on the fact that Howell said that “no one wants to play an 18th game,” but it seems those words were part of what will likely become a lengthy negotiation process.
“If I’m asking my workforce to work more, it’s not as simple as I’m gonna fall back on the revenue split that already exists,” Howell added, per Josh Alper of Pro Football Talk. “There are so many dimensions that hang off the length of the season.”
Specifically, Rob Maaddi of The Associated Press mentioned that the NFLPA is going to want the players’ share of league revenue to go up from 48.5 percent to “at least 50 percent to add another game” to the schedule.
Recent history shows there’s too much money to be made via media-rights agreements, alone, for the NFLPA to remain against an 18-game regular-season format through the expiration of the CBA. Howell’s statements simply reminded owners that the union will want to enjoy a victory lap or two whenever an expanded season is announced.
