In the spring of 1978, National Football League owners voted to expand the league’s regular-season schedule from 14 to 16 games. Here is how the New York Times began its coverage on March 30.
PHOENIX, March 29—The National Football League voted today to increase its regularu2010season schedule to 16 games starting in 1978. It also voted to add two wildu2010card teams to the playoff pattern so that a total of 10 teams would qualify for the elimination tournament that leads to the Super Bowl.
The new schedule will also create the fairest competitive alignment the NFL has had since it merged with the American [Football] League and started playing an integrated schedule in 1970.