Anyone see Goodell wants 18 games with SB on Presidents Day?

A single decision Goodell has made that has improved the quality of the game, but they sure do improve the broad appeal and profitability.

I highly doubt the player's union will go along. I don't think they wanted to agree to expend to 17 games a few years ago.

With limited off-season practices and fewer pre-season games, the pressure much higher on coaches to teach/develop....especially when transitioning in brand new OL's.

Does the direction of league management start going toward protecting the product, the purity of the game, respect and preservation of traditions?

Helmet pillows, trying to legislate tackling, increased technology... I get that. Even the kickoff changes, I don't like it but I get it. Changing up the structure of the season, going international, thursday games, saturday games, two MNF games. expanded playoffs, draft road show... that I don't get and don't appreciate.

At some point the billions they already generate and the millions of viewers have to be enough. Get the stadiums more full, make the game day experience better, simplify the rules, bring the 3/16 game schedule, improve the officiating, make the product the best it can be and turn away from the circus.

"I'm not a fan of the preseason" = "I'm not a fan that preseason games don't generate the revenue of a regular season game". That's just stupid, greedy and cowardly.

You know how the owners are influenced to hire football and business people to run their franchises and stay out of the details? They need a strong independent league commissioner that has the same mandate - do what is best for the game, not specifically profitability, and protect the owners from their own greed. Replace the sock puppet with a football person.

Stuff that is obvious and has been obvious for awhile. They want to ho with 18 games, 2 bye weeks and Super Bowl to be President's day weekend..

Overall number of games are the same. Essentially preseason will be first 3 weeks of the season..

Maybe carry bigger game day posters and limit playing time regular season wise, to 16 full games (64 quarters)..

In comment 16497374 jnoble said:

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I highly doubt the player's union will go along. I don't think they wanted to agree to expend to 17 games a few years ago.

Yet, here we are..with 17 games.

This has been proposed or discussed for 2-3 years. I see the logic but as a season ticket holder i dread the thought of home games in mid-late January

Tackling /blocking too hard is now illegal in the nfl

18 games, TNF…

But ‘player safety’.

Love a longer season. The only way 18 games is feasible is like what Joe Burrow said, two bye weeks. A 20 week regular season with teams on a 1st bye week from weeks 6-10 and a second from weeks 12-16 wouldn’t be so bad.

I wonder if this is our new game coming down the pike.

In comment 16497377 D HOS said:

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Does the direction of league management start going toward protecting the product, the purity of the game, respect and preservation of traditions? Helmet pillows, trying to legislate tackling, increased technology... I get that. Even the kickoff changes, I don't like it but I get it. Changing up the structure of the season, going international, thursday games, saturday games, two MNF games. expanded playoffs, draft road show... that I don't get and don't appreciate. At some point the billions they already generate and the millions of viewers have to be enough. Get the stadiums more full, make the game day experience better, simplify the rules, bring the 3/16 game schedule, improve the officiating, make the product the best it can be and turn away from the circus. "I'm not a fan of the preseason" = "I'm not a fan that preseason games don't generate the revenue of a regular season game". That's just stupid, greedy and cowardly. You know how the owners are influenced to hire football and business people to run their franchises and stay out of the details? They need a strong independent league commissioner that has the same mandate - do what is best for the game, not specifically profitability, and protect the owners from their own greed. Replace the sock puppet with a football person.

Great post brother. I wholeheartedly agree

no teams plays on 3 days rest any more for TNF with 2nd bye week.

start week season earlier to avoid home games in northeast in Jan.

and push more and more teams to build domes.

His job is to improve profitability and he has done that in spades.

He takes all the heat from people so the owners can do what they want

Why is it hard for people to realize he works for the owners

The draft gets great ratings

The SB makes so much sense for Presidents weekend. So does 18 games. Give every team 2 weeks off and you now capture almost all of February. Players will get more money and it the league will continue to print money

weekend, but 18 games is going to be really hard on the players. They would almost have to expand rosters. I’ve always felt that they should add an extra week without adding extra games bu giving teams a 2nd bye week. That gives the broadcast partners an extra game to air without putting so much stress on players.

Move Thursday games to Sunday, roll it back to 3 preseason 16 regular season, add another bye week, have a full bye week before the playoffs, the bye week before the super bowl, petition congress to move president's day up by a couple of weeks... you might make it. Slowing the pace of the season is better for player health and safety. It's maybe bad for the gamblers, but that's another hypocrisy for another thread.

Many years ago. Only a matter of time.

2 bye weeks
2 preseason games
Significant Increase in roster size
Eliminate Thursday Night games
Increase % of revenue

is a scumbag

In comment 16497386 redwhiteandbigblue said:

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This has been proposed or discussed for 2-3 years. I see the logic but as a season ticket holder i dread the thought of home games in mid-late January

They should start the season early so the games are in warm weather. TV doesn't want that, so we are screwed.

He's just a spokesman, do you think he can convince 66% of the billionaire owners anything. Most of the owners made it by trusting their instincts, not some savvy frontman.
That being said some of the above comments about increased rosters and Thursday night games after a bye make a lot of sense. I think the Thursday night games aren't going anywhere so let's try to make them as safe as possible.

There only so much you can do before the human breaks down completely. 18 games isn’t sustainable from the human point of view

CFL has had 18 games, with a few bye weeks, for decades.

Smaller roster,they get paid 10% of the NFL.

It's not impossible.

In comment 16497573 JohnB said:

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There only so much you can do before the human breaks down completely. 18 games isn’t sustainable from the human point of view

it doesnt seem to be an issue for the teams in the playoffs

In comment 16497390 SFGFNCGiantsFan said:

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18 games, TNF… But ‘player safety’.

Yup. Fuck it, why not just have a game on everyday of the week while we’re at it.

So it's a wash. 2 preseason games + 18 regular season games is the same as 4 preseason games and 16 regular season games.

The preseason has become a joke anyway, so I'll gladly take more 'real' games.

In comment 16497422 stretch234 said:

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His job is to improve profitability and he has done that in spades. He takes all the heat from people so the owners can do what they want Why is it hard for people to realize he works for the owners The draft gets great ratings The SB makes so much sense for Presidents weekend. So does 18 games. Give every team 2 weeks off and you now capture almost all of February. Players will get more money and it the league will continue to print money

While all that is fair, the bigger issue is Goodell being this hawk for player safety. It's laughably disingenuous.

Adding an 18th game, which was clearly the goal for the last decade for anyone paying attention, is only about additional revenue and profit. Which is what a business should do, btw.

But don't get out their stumping for player safety when common sense dictates that playing more football will increase the chances for more injury.

Preseason is like watching the old pro bowl now.

I am good with 2 press on games but want additional byes and a little bigger roster. What they have done with the practice squad extensions and protection has been a great development. I used to hit picking up guys with no connection to the team through the season. That led to poorer play.

It is great having more cohesion. Go up to 55 players and longer practice squad protections.

I for one am all for international expansion and exposure. Football is the best sport and the bigger the audience, the bigger the pool of players. Look at all the great foreign nba players now. Let’s tap into that rugby athlete pool. I think international expansion can get us to a better quality of football all together.

Thursday night football is only fine if it is coming after a bye week, otherwise it usually sucks.

In comment 16497457 Capt. Don said:

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2 bye weeks 2 preseason games Significant Increase in roster size Eliminate Thursday Night games Increase % of revenue

Along with this, increase the Cap for the additional roster size that would be and should be needed.

In comment 16497574 Blueworm said:

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CFL has had 18 games, with a few bye weeks, for decades. Smaller roster,they get paid 10% of the NFL. It's not impossible.

But they finish around Thanksgiving because winter is cold.

for pay differential for non sunday games and games not in the US. The leauge driving up money by having more of those games.

They compromised on 17, but I would still wager 18 is coming.

Of President’s Day weekend makes some sense. Most would have the next day off

I don't see any need for the 18th game.

That players would only be able to play in at most 16 regular season games in an 18 game schedule. Of course they can play in 17 regular season games now.

I love football but I loathe the NFL.

In comment 16498023 cuty suzuki said:

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In comment 16497574 Blueworm said: Quote: CFL has had 18 games, with a few bye weeks, for decades. Smaller roster,they get paid 10% of the NFL. It's not impossible. But they finish around Thanksgiving because winter is cold.

They start in June.

go back to 14

Everyone plays 6 games then everyone has a bye
Everyone plays 6 games then everyone has 2nd bye
Everyone plays 6 games to end season and 1 bye before playoffs

Playoffs / SB takes us through Presidents Day weekend.

You can tweak the above but I would be all-in on that set up. There would be no more advantage/ disadvantage of playing teams off a bye week.