Roger Goodell: The “logical step” for the NFL is 18 regular season games

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell continues to push for an 18-game regular season.

Goodell said the league was pleased with the results after going from 16 regular season games and four preseason games to 17 regular season games and three regular season games. So next would be 18 regular season games and two preseason games.

“We would stay within that 20-game window,” Goodell told Bloomberg TV. “We went to 16 and four and now 17 and three. So 18 and two is a logical step.”

Goodell said the NFL Players Association would have to approve the regular season extension. The union could object on the grounds that more games will mean more injuries, although Goodell says the 17-game season has not increased the number of injuries, thanks to improved practices and rule changes.

The NFL played 16-game seasons for 43 years (counting two strike-shortened seasons) before expanding to 17 games in 2021. Suffice to say, the NFL wants to expand to 18 games in much less than 43 years.