Take it from Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, a playoff regular since entering the NFL, every additional game takes a physical toll.
While commissioner Roger Goodell and NFL owners have discussed expanding the regular season to 18 games, the issue requires collective bargaining with players. Count Mahomes as a “no” if and when the time comes for players to weigh in on an official measure to again expand the regular season.
“I always say the more games, it’s a little bit more taxing on the guys that play the game,” Mahomes said Friday in an interview with CNBC.
Mahomes said the framework of potential proposals subtracting one or more weeks of preseason games and shortening player workout dates in the offseason might not be enough to sway his opinion. The league played a 16-game schedule when Mahomes was drafted and moved to 17 games in 2021. Goodell remarked at the NFL owners meetings that there is a logical next step to 18 games.
“I think that you’d have to find a way to have more bye weeks, more time spread out. I mean, you’ve seen the amount of injuries that have kind of piled up there at the end of seasons and you want to have the best players playing in the biggest games,” Mahomes said. “So, if there were a way to get to 18 games, I’m not a big fan of it. But if there were a way, I think you got to add some bye weeks in there to give more time for guys’ bodies.”
NFLPA executive director Lloyd Howell said negotiations toward an 18-game schedule are not happening anytime soon.
Howell said in February that “no one wants” an 18th game.
The incentive for players would likely be sharing revenue in some form with the NFL media rights and broadcast agreements up for renegotiation before 2029 if the league opts out of its existing CBS-Paramount deal.
Goodell said this week at the Sun Valley Conference in Idaho that the NFL wasn’t likely to end its partnership with CBS and Paramount.
“We have a two-year period to make that decision. I don’t see that happening, but we have that option,” Goodell said.