The NFL and the NFL Players Association have had ongoing talks of expanding the regular season, but they are gaining traction with a new proposal. Jerry Jones, the Dallas Cowboys owner, says that a 17-game season is an ‘item for negotiation‘ for both sides.
Earlier in the offseason, it was reported that the NFL was longing to extend their regular season to 18 games, but talks have stalled since. That is due to the NFLPA viewing an 18-game season as non-beneficial for the players.
The original proposal for an 18-game season included a questionable idea of limiting players to just 16 games in a season. Therefore, coaches would need to decide which games their key players took part and which ones they'd sit out.
As a result of that proposal losing support, the talks were tabled, but recently both sides have ignited new ideas. With their 17-game season, the NFL would trim the preseason schedule down from four games.
For the past few years, most teams have shown interest in getting rid of the preseason altogether. However, the NFL knows they can't scrap the entire preseason due to the revenue they make from the games.
Additionally, by going to 17 games in a season, each team would be ensured to have eight true home games and road games. The NFL would then have a chance to schedule other games overseas or at other non-NFL venues as they've done before.
For the time being, none of the proposals are set in stone, but the NFL seems determined to get something done sooner than later. It's just a matter of when or if the NFLPA views the NFL's proposal as profitable to all parties involved.
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