NFL's 18-Game Schedule Reportedly 'Several Seasons Away,' Latest Rumors on Rule Changes

The NFL seems to be heading toward eventually expanding the season to 18 games, but that change might not be on the horizon.

Ahead of the Super Bowl between the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots on Sunday, NFL Network's Judy Battista reported that the 18-game regular season is "not a given" and is still "several seasons away."

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell discussed the idea of an 18-game season last week, and he also expressed that there is no guarantee the league will add another game anytime soon.

"It's not something that we assume will happen. It is something that we want to talk about with the union leadership," he said. "As you know, they're going into a transition, and hopefully that will get solidified this spring. And as they determine their priorities, we are doing the same on the ownership levels so that when we get together, we can address these issues together."

David White, the NFLPA's interim executive director, told reporters on Tuesday that the general sentiment among players is not in favor of an 18-game season.

"Those injuries, they cost players pay. They can shorten careers. They can diminish lifetime earnings. And when your average career is already three to four years, that becomes something that is existential," White said. "The 18th game is not casual for us. It's a very serious issue... as it stands right now, players have been very clear: they don't have any appetite for it."

Goodell appeared somewhat confident in expanding the schedule to 18 games earlier this season, as he said in September that having 16 international games is within reach.

"We have our eyes set on being 16 games internationally every year," he said. "We think we can do it."

From a commissioner's standpoint, it makes sense to move to 18 games, as the additional games would only lead to more revenue. On the other hand, it might be difficult to convince players to make the change since it could lead to more injuries and overall strain throughout the year.

Goodell and the NFL successfully added a 17th game in 2021, but it might take a bit of time to add another game to the regular-season schedule.