At some point, substantive conversations have to begin about adding an 18th game to the NFL’s regular season. Commissioner Roger Goodell has openly stated that he wants to pursue it, team owners clearly want it for their financial bottom line, and there is an artificial 2029 deadline in place — which is when the league can opt out of current domestic media rights contracts, which Goodell and the owners believe are underpriced. The only question is when the league dives in on an effort to expand the regular season.
That time appears to be here.
Multiple league and player’s union sources have told Yahoo Sports they believe Goodell and the owners will begin to make more assertive efforts at adding an 18th game to the NFL’s regular season starting this summer.