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brooke prior
multiple authors
SAN FRANCISCO — Despite renewed pressure from NFL ownership to move toward 18 regular-season games, NFL Players Association leadership made it clear Tuesday that players are not in support of an expanded regular-season schedule.
“Our members have no appetite for an 18th game of the regular season,” NFLPA interim executive director David White said at the union’s annual Super Bowl week news conference, citing player health and safety concerns that come with a longer regular season. “… The 18th game is not incidental to us. It is a very serious issue. It is something that comes out of negotiations, and nothing will move forward until the players have the opportunity to take all those factors into account, take that into account and then through negotiations agree on an 18th game or not.”
“But as things stand right now, the players are very clear that they have no appetite for it.”
While NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said in his pre-Super Bowl news conference on Monday that adding an 18th game was “not a given”, new England Patriots Owner Robert Kraft talked about the expanded schedule with certainty in a January radio appearance on 98.5 The Sports Hub from Gillette Stadium.
“I want to tell you guys that now we are going to try like the dickens to reach the international level [games] is more important with us,” Kraft told the “Zolak & Bertrand” show. “Each team will be 18 [regular-season games] and two [preseason games] And eliminate one of the preseason games, and every team will play one game abroad every year.”
As things stand, NFL ownership cannot expand the regular-season schedule unless the league and the players’ union agree to begin negotiations before the March 2031 expiration of the collective bargaining agreement.
On Tuesday, White and NFLPA president Jalen Reeves-Maybin Reiterating Goodell’s point, there have been no formal discussions or negotiations about adding additional games.
When Reeves-Maybin was asked if additional games were inevitable, he said, “There are 31 owners, they all have different agendas and opinions on things.” “… Maybe it’s a way to try to impress them. … We haven’t had any discussion of 18-games. It’s not something the players are excited about or really trying to push for. Then again, we’ve done a lot of work, and we put out a good product every year and it’s not something we feel the need to do.”
White said: “An arbitrary statement has no value. This is a free country. People can say whatever they want, but… is this becoming inevitable? … The answer is absolutely no. This is a matter for negotiation.”
Both White and Reeves-Maybin expressed concern over the higher injury rates that could come with a longer regular season. White talked about some significant injuries that occurred at the end of the regular season and in the postseason this year. kansas city chiefs quarterback patrick mahomes The quarterback suffered a season-ending ACL injury in Week 15. Gardner Minshew Tore his ACL a week later. cleveland browns rushing back quinshawn judkins However, he also suffered a devastating foot injury in Week 16, ending the season. Baltimore Ravens quarterback lamar jackson The same week he exited early against the New England Patriots due to a back injury.
“It’s punishing, and we may see it on teams that have deep runs in the postseason,” White said. “And we saw it this year. … Those injuries cost players, they can shorten careers, they can reduce lifetime earnings. And when your average career is already three to four years long, that becomes something that’s existential.”
Not only were White and Reeves-Maybin concerned about the impact of additional games on the health and safety of players, but the pair also said that inconsistencies in international travel were something they were keeping an eye on as the league continues to expand its international games. The NFL has announced nine international games in 2026, including contests in Australia, France and Mexico.
“It’s an arbitrary approach that clubs take to travel,” White said. He also admitted that the players are excited to play on the “global stage”.
“Some teams will fly out a few days, some will fly out a day early, some will stay near the practice site. Some will have to travel a long distance for players after that trip once they get over jetlag, etcetera. And the games after that and whether there’s a realistic recovery period for their bodies or not, that’s also inconsistent. … All of that has to be taken into account if we’re going to talk about going even further away or having more international games.”
Goodell said Monday that he expects a 16-game international slate in the future.
“I think it’s an important mark for us,” Goodell said. “I think we’re well on our way, given the desire on our part, as well as the desire of people to have this happen in their communities, and some of the greatest cities in the world asking to do this.”
In addition to the locations where games are being played, White and Reeves-Maybin also discussed concerns over the surfaces on which games are being played as it relates to the health and safety of players.
While NFL executive vice president Jeff Miller and chief medical officer Dr. Alan Sills said in a recent news briefing that NFL data shows nearly identical injury rates on artificial (.43) and natural grass (.42) surfaces, White said Tuesday that “90%” of players prefer playing on grass.
“The data we have shows that the energy return from a synthetic surface is significantly higher than natural grass,” White said, “which reinforces what players have said from their experience and common sense that it is even tougher.” It is more difficult on the body.
But when asked specifically about complaints lodged by players about the rough natural playing surface at Pittsburgh’s Acrizar Stadium, White said field maintenance is as important as the surface’s structure.
“It’s well-kept grass,” White said. “Having grass that’s full of slush or hardened by snow or what have you is not helpful. It’s manufactured grass. It’s the playing field that’s good for the players and good for their bodies so they can play the game we all love.”
