NFL, players union in talks about 18-game season

July 23 (UPI) -- The NFL and the NFL Players Association have had talks about adding an 18th game to the regular season schedule, players union executive director Lloyd Howell said.

Howell spoke about the potential move during an interview published Tuesday in the Washington Post . The revelation came about three months after NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said that he would favor replacing a preseason game with an 18th regular-season contest.

Howell said discussions about the additional game have not become formal negotiations. He also referenced Goodell's idea, but said details "need to be fleshed out."

"We have talked at a very, very, very high level superficially, with a recognition ... about, 'Yeah, this is something that we should be talking about. And we should really kick the tires and understand what else goes into that decision-making process,'" Howell told the Post.

"Where does the 18th game come from? I think the foregone conclusion is well, you just grab it, like, in what would otherwise be [a preseason game] in August.

"But these are details that really need to be fleshed out. But again, there are other economic, health and safety matters that also need to be clear to our members before there's ever an agreement about an 18th game."

The current collective bargaining agreement between the league and players union expires after the 2030 season. That agreement stipulates that changes to the length of the season must be bargained between the parties.

Howell said the union is open to extending the season before the expiration of the agreement with the league. He also cited potential field-surface changes related to player safety, in addition to the structure of organized team activities and guaranteed compensation in contracts.

Howell also hinted at potential distance increases for games played as part of the league's international series, including possible contests in Asia.

"But what's the complexion of the 18?," Howell said. "How many of the games are now going to be overseas? And where's overseas? Is it Western Europe? Is it South America, as in this year? Is it in Asia? Australia? These are things that are in the air."

Howell also mentioned comments made earlier this off-season by Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow , who said that the league should potentially add a second bye week.

"Gotta have two bye weeks," Burrow said on the Pardon My Take podcast. "And I think it'd be cool to do normal bye weeks like it is now. Have it spread out. But then, like, Week 13, do the Pro Bowl break. Where you have the 7-on-7 and all the skills challenges, like the NBA does.

"Because I think that would give more ratings for the Pro Bowl and then it would also give everybody that bye week going into the last six games of the year."

The league and players union agreed to expand the regular season to 17 games from 16 in 2021. The union approved that by a narrow margin, with 1,019 players voting yes and 959 voting no.

The NFL preseason will start Aug. 1. The Kansas City Chiefs will host the Baltimore Ravens in the first regular season game Sept. 5 at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo.