Roger Goodell Says NFL, NFLPA Have Had 'Fruitful Discussions' of 17-Game Season

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell remains hopeful about the possibility of a 17-game regular season in the future. 

Per Ben Fischer of Sports Business Daily (h/t Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio), Goodell spoke about the league's talks with the NFL Players Association regarding an expanded regular season:

"We've had very fruitful discussion on it, discussing the positives and negatives, and the changes to the game that we've made over the last 10 years, which I think are really important as it relates to the safety of the game and how we're preparing and practicing, and training our players. I think those changes have made a significant impact in a positive way, and so that is something we'll continue to discuss."

Per NFL Network's Tom Pelissero, Goodell noted if a 17-game regular season does happen, Week 1 would still happen after Labor Day and the playoffs would go deeper into February. 

In July, NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith told The Sports Junkies on 106.7 The Fan that the union rejected the league's proposal for an 18-game schedule that would include a provision in which players can only participate in 16 games: 

"We would never contemplate a world where even if you're playing 16 games in 18, that's still two more weeks of practice. If the league wants to propose something that decreases injury, increases a player's long-term health care, and decreases their exposure to the type of injuries that we know cause long-term problems, then we'll hear it."

Goodell did cite rule changes implemented by the NFL designed to reduce the risk of injuries as one reason he believes a 17-game schedule could work.

According to information given to all 32 owners at the fall league meetings (via NFL.com's Judy Battista), player concussions in preseason games increased from 34 in 2018 to 49 in 2019. The total concussions sustained in the preseason, including practices and training camp, was the same in both years (79). 

If the NFL and NFLPA agree on lengthening the regular season, the earliest it can happen is when the new collective bargaining agreement goes into effect. The current CBA is set to expire after the 2020 season.