The National Football League regular season may be on the verge of another expansion. While the league shifted from a 16-game schedule to a 17-game format in 2021 after decades of stability, Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones believes an 18th game is imminent. Jones, a highly influential figure within the league, shared his perspective on Friday during an appearance on 105.3 The Fan in Dallas. He stated that the league is not far from making the change, though he acknowledged that it will not happen within the next month. Jones suggested that the addition of an 18th game could occur within the next year, provided it is negotiated effectively with the players and serves the best interests of all parties involved.
The primary justification for increasing the physical demands on players in one of the sport's most violent leagues is a proposed reduction in the preseason. Currently, teams typically play three exhibition games to prepare for the regular season and evaluate roster depth. Some teams play a fourth exhibition game if they participate in the Hall of Fame Game in August. Jones argues that eliminating more preseason games would allow teams to develop through the early regular season contests, which already serve a similar developmental purpose. He believes this compromise is advantageous for both the league and its athletes.
From a financial standpoint, an expanded regular season could position the NFL to seek higher payments in future media rights agreements. The league recently signed an 11-year, $110 billion media rights deal with major broadcast partners, including CBS, FOX, NBC, ESPN, ABC, and Amazon Prime Video, in 2023. Jones reiterated that cutting back on preseason games would allow teams to focus on development during the initial weeks of the regular season, a strategy he considers to be in the best interest of the players.
Despite Jones's optimism, significant obstacles remain. The current collective bargaining agreement between the league and the players' union is valid through the 2030 season. Consequently, any modifications to the regular season structure would require new negotiations between the two parties. Commissioner Roger Goodell expressed a more cautious outlook in February during Super Bowl LX. He noted that the league had not engaged in formal discussions about an 18-game season and had only limited informal conversations. Goodell emphasized that the expansion is not a foregone conclusion and is something the league wishes to discuss with union leadership.
Injury risks represent the most substantial barrier to expansion. A league source told CBS Sports in April that adding another game would inevitably lead to more injuries, even under reasonable assumptions. The concern is not limited to minor issues like hamstrings; the source warned of potential season-ending and next-season-ending injuries occurring in Weeks 18 and 19. This risk profile is considered the biggest sticking point on the field for any proposed changes.
Players have also raised concerns about participation in games that may lack competitive significance. An anonymous player spoke to CBS Sports in April, suggesting that top stars might sit out late-season games in an 18-game schedule to conserve energy for the playoffs or mitigate injury risks. The player noted that the issue would be exacerbated by the increased number of games, as top players would be more likely to check out when their teams are no longer in playoff contention.
Although Jerry Jones has successfully implemented numerous major changes for the Cowboys and the league over the years, the expansion to an 18-game regular season appears to be a more complex undertaking than initially suggested. The interplay between financial incentives, player safety, and contract negotiations ensures that the process will be detailed and potentially protracted.
