The NFL changed over 40 years of history when it changed the length of the regular season from 16 games to 17 in 2021. Commissioner Roger Goodell said Friday more changes could be on the way.
Speaking on “The Pat McAfee Show,” Goodell said his dream NFL schedule would consist of two preseason games and 18 regular season games. The lengthened regular season would move the playoffs back, resulting in the Super Bowl conveniently falling on a three-day holiday weekend.
“I think we’re good at 17 (games now), but we’re looking at how we can … I’m not a fan of the preseason,” Goodell told McAfee. “I don’t think we need three preseason games. I don’t buy it, and I don’t think these guys (points to fans) like it either. … I’d rather replace a preseason game with a regular-season game any day.
“That’s just picking quality. If we got to 18 (regular-season) games and two (preseason games). The other thing it does … the (Super Bowl) ends up on Presidents’ Day weekend, so it’s Sunday night, and then you have Monday night off.”
Moving the Super Bowl to Presidents’ Day weekend would coincide with the NBA’s annual All-Star weekend and mark the second time the NFL has swooped in on a landmark day of the basketball league’s. The first was Christmas Day, as the NFL announced it would continue having games on the holiday, a day which has historically been an important day for the NBA to schedule some of its biggest matchups.
Goodell also said bidding to host the NFL Draft has gotten nearly as competitive as bidding for the Super Bowl, which is partly due to the fact that there are far more cities capable of hosting the draft than the logistically complicated championship game.
Regarding the increased slate of international games, Goodell said he only plans on those games growing in regularity. He went as far as saying he expects a full schedule of “at least” 16 international games per season within the next decade.
Goodell also mentioned the large wave of attention that came from a new group of fans: Taylor Swift supporters.
“Anybody who’s interested in the NFL, that’s good for everybody involved,” he said. “You get someone with the kind of exposure and the following like Taylor Swift — who does love football, I’ve known her for 15 years in New Orleans, she loves the game — that’s good for us. Take the relationship (with Travis Kelce) out of it, which is they’re happy, I’m happy.”
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