NFL commissioner Roger Goodell reiterated his desire to expand both the regular season and the league’s international presence during an interview with NBC on the eve of the 2025 season.
“We always say, ‘What do the fans want? What do the fans really think is important?’ And I think it’s clear they want more regular-season games versus preseason games,” Goodell said Tuesday on Today, the network’s morning show, when asked about the possibility of expanding the regular season from 17 to 18 games.
Goodell has been publicly pushing for an 18-game season since last spring, and admitted Tuesday, “it’s something that we’ll work through” with the NFL Players’ Association. The current collective bargaining agreement is in effect through the 2030 season.
“We continue to make our game safer, and I think that’s at the core of making that kind of a decision,” Goodell said. “Can we do it safely for our players? But it also, I think, represents an opportunity for us to continue to bring higher quality NFL content, ultimately, and a regular-season game is clearly better.”
Goodell said if the NFL moved to an 18-game season, the Super Bowl falling on Presidents Day weekend “would probably occur” fairly often. “I think 18 weeks would get you to that point, and I think it would be a really great move,” he said. With the league’s current calendar, Super Bowl LXI (Feb. 14, 2027, in Los Angeles) will mark the first time the championship game is played on the eve of the federal holiday.
New Borders
With the NFL playing a record seven games outside the U.S. this season, Goodell confirmed the league isn’t done placing contests internationally. “We hope to get to 16 regular-season games that we can play over the season,” he said. “That obviously would be easier with an 18 (regular) and two (preseason) season.”
Goodell said he also thinks a permanent franchise could be supported in London or Germany, but admitted challenges remain on that front. “We need to try to find a way to do it competitively (and) fairly for everybody,” he said.
Scheduling is the biggest issue for any theoretical European franchise. “The ability of teams to make sure they can field a competitive team and put them in the best position,” he said. ”And obviously, teams going over to play there. Can you do that competitively? Those are the core issues for us.”
