For longer than any of the current members of the 2021 Pittsburgh Steelers have been alive, the NFL has been playing a 16-game regular season schedule. All this is about to change this upcoming season as the 17th game was officially added in March and reflected in the recently released schedule . Before we know it, it will feel as natural as a 16-game season even though the different number of home and away games seems absurd at this time.
Since 1978, the NFL has used the 16-game regular season schedule with the exception of 1982 and 1987 which were shortened due to labor disputes.