- Roger Goodell also said he is ‘not a fan’ of the preseason and hopes to eliminate it
- NFL hopes to add another regular season game to allow for schedule change
- DailyMail.com provides the latest international sports news.
Fans could soon lose the worry of missing work after the Super Bowl, as NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell floated the idea of moving the season finale to Presidents’ Day weekend.
The move comes as Goodell looks to restructure the league’s schedule. While most regular-season games will remain, Goodell hopes to add another by eliminating the preseason.
In an appearance on the Pat McAfee Show, the commissioner spoke openly about his ideas.
“I think we’re good at 17 (games) now,” Goodell said. But listen, we’re seeing how we continue. I’m not a fan of the preseason. The reality is that I prefer to replace a preseason game with a regular season game at any time. That’s simply choosing quality.’
“If we get to 18 and 2, that’s not crazy,” he added. “The other thing it does (Super Bowl Sunday) ends on Presidents Day weekend, which is a three-day weekend, which makes it Sunday night and then you have Monday free”.
Roger Goodell is “considering moving the Super Bowl to Presidents’ Day weekend”
The idea came after years of fans dreading having to go to work the day after the big game.
NFL schedule rebuild comes as Goodell hopes to eliminate preseason
While fans will no doubt be happy to hear about this potential change, players may not be as excited about the preseason being eliminated for an additional regular season game.
In addition to taking away a valuable opportunity for teams and players to get their reps in, athletes have long expressed concerns about the health and safety risks of adding another game. When the NFL extended the 16-game regular season in 2021, the decision barely passed with 51 percent of the NFLPA vote.
“They actually only say 17 to get to 18 (games),” former player Richard Sherman said at the time. “So it’s two more opportunities for players to put their bodies on the line (and) put their bodies on the line.”
Additionally, Goodell addressed the increased international gaming schedule as the NFL continues to build fans around the world.
“Honestly, I think we’ll play 16 games internationally if you go 10 years,” he shared. “I think we’ll try to get to eight or nine in the next two years.”
The NFL has yet to take significant steps to change the structure of the regular season. Any proposed changes to the schedule would have to be collectively negotiated through the NFLPA.
