Roger Goodell downplays inevitable push for 18 games

Last month, the Commissioner floated for the first time in a long time the possibility of 18 regular-season games. On Wednesday, he addressed the possibility — while also downplaying it.

“The key thing for us is looking at making sure we continue to do the things that make our game safer,” Goodell told reporters at the conclusion of the quarterly meetings in Nashville. “Seventeen games is a long season. That’s number one. Working with our players association is number two. We would reach an agreement with them if we were going to proceed in that level. . . . Third, this is not necessarily in order, is the quality of our game. We would do it in the context of reducing the number of preseason games. We think that’s a good trade. Less preseason games and more regular-season games. I think most anybody would think was beneficial.”

Goodell made the reference to 18 games in a draft-week appearance on Pat McAfee’s show. Goodell tried to say the issue didn’t come up in the specific context of adding an 18th game.

“I wasn’t floating something that we’re actively thinking about now,” Goodell said. “It is something that we think about in the long-range context. Again, moving to quality and making sure that we’re doing everything possible to bring our fans what they want. And they want obviously more football. But I’m not sure they want more preseason football.”

Regardless of whether it’s a next-year or next-decade objective, it’s on the radar screen. And the issue did indeed come up in the specific context of adding an 18th game.

Here’s the question McAfee posed to Goodell: “I have a question abou games. We went from 16 to 17 games. . . . Soon as it happened, I was like, ‘OK, this is a clear opening to 18 games.’ And then if you add an extra bye week in there . . . now we got 20 weeks. Twenty prime-time games, let alone whatever other days we’re going to. Now the NFLPA is always gonna fight against having more games. Is there a plan to continue to expand, because 17 games…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/roger-goodell-downplays-inevitable-push-141950961.html

Author : ProFootball Talk on NBC Sports

Publish date : 2024-05-23 14:19:50

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