NFL Coaches Sound Undaunted by the Idea of an Expanded Schedule

Coaches surveyed at the league owners meeting weren’t worried about how an extra game might impact their teams, if they’d thought about it at all.

Dave Canales said he doesn’t have strong opinions on the topic. | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

PHOENIX — The coaches couldn’t hide their indifference. 

On Monday morning at the Arizona Biltmore Hotel, the NFC’s 16 head coaches sat at round tables covered in white cloth to take questions from the media. Most were eventually given a chance to share their thoughts on the looming idea of an 18-game regular-season schedule, something which has felt inevitable since the league expanded its season to 17 games starting in 2021. 

“I don’t have a strong opinion about the move,” said Panthers coach Dave Canales. “To me, because we treat the preseason games just like we do the regular-season games, in terms of the amount of time we put into it, for me, it’s like, ‘Great, these ones count for the playoffs.’ The other ones didn’t count but it’s just kind of more opportunities for our guys to really impact whether you have a chance to win the division or not. Really, that’s all I think about.”

For the coaches, who were in positions of varying stature when the previous schedule expansion took place, the notion isn’t bothersome. 

“I don’t know too much about the [18-game] schedule, how they would do it, whether they would add a bye or not add a bye,” said Buccaneers coach Todd Bowles. “So that part of it I don’t know about. [Going from] 16 games to 17 games wasn’t as bad because they took away a preseason game. … I know the season gets long that way, but it’s one more game and we’ll have to talk about that as it comes.”

Still, the reality is simple. The NFL and NFLPA have a collective bargaining agreement which runs through the 2030 season. However, the agreement can be modified to include an 18th game provided both sides agree to a deal. 

Owners will froth at the mouth for more regular-season contests because they are far more profitable than preseason games, which have lower ticket prices, sparse attendance and therefore less revenue at the in-stadium stores and concessions, plus much less value to the television networks that broadcast the games.

As for the players, there will be posturing and grandstanding to get the league’s best deal. Almost everyone in Phoenix believes there will be a second bye week added to help ease the physical toll on the players, along with shortening the preseason to two games instead of three. Then there’s the question of whether the offseason program will be truncated, potentially by altering the OTA schedules which run from late May into mid-June. 

“Of course, another game will alter some of our decisions that we make, whether it’s how you practice or those types of things, but until that’s a real thing, I’m not going to spend much time on it,” said Falcons coach Kevin Stefanski.

Stefanski went on to say that when he coached the Browns in 2021, sports science was critical in succeeding through the change, citing recovery and how decisions could be made to help players navigate the new landscape.

When the 17-game schedule was introduced five years ago, the NFL and NFLPA agreed to raise the players’ revenue share from 47% to 48%, along with escalators depending on the new media contracts. In this instance, the negotiations would largely center around whether there’d be another revenue increase for the players, or an additional game check, something which could be complicated by bonuses. In 2021, players making more than the league minimum were given an extra check, adding to their original base salaries. 

On the media side, we could see a similar situation play out this time, as the league and CBS are in negotiations to immediately put new contracts in place that could see a 33% increase in revenue. It would be common sense to see the other rights holders follow suit. Should that happen, and the players get an additional half percent or full percent of the revenue, it would be a windfall for men who have an average career length of four years. 

While most around the league don’t seem to see a cause for alarm, some are aware of the changing dynamic and what challenges it presents. 

For example, if the 18-game schedule were to take effect this season, with Week 1 slated for Sunday, Sept. 13, the regular season would end on Jan. 24 (assuming two bye weeks). Then, with a two-week break between the conference championship games and the Super Bowl at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, the season wouldn’t end until Feb. 28. For a point of reference, the scouting combine began before that date this year. 

“If you do preseason and go all the way to the Super Bowl, it’s 23 or 24 games,” said Saints coach Kellen Moore. “And so there’s a lot of games on the calendar. I think it’s more important from a management and workload perspective, managing those things for the players. I understand that while it’s only one more week, it’s big wear and tear on those guys and so you’ve got to be conscious of that.”

All of this also means a likely continued increase in joint practices as the preseason potentially contracts again. Many coaches believe that exercise has more value than the preseason games anyway, as they can script the action to get better situational work, and evaluations of players and personnel groupings. 

Finally, there’s the impact on international games. On Monday, Patriots owner Robert Kraft stated what many have believed to be coming for years: the wish of a 16-game international schedule.

In theory, the NFL could sell ticket packages in places like the United Kingdom, Germany, Brazil, Mexico and other countries, generating pseudo season-ticket packages. Perhaps more importantly, there could also be more TV packages created, meaning more revenue and TV/streaming partners. It’s global expansion at its finest, with the league broadening its tent for both international fans and companies. 

All of it leads to the same thing. The land of green. The river of money. The cash that will flow into pockets across the league, all while shortening any offseason dead periods.

There may be a degree of indifference among the coaches. But for those who control the NFL, there’s nothing indifferent about the profit margin.

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