A report from over the weekend claimed that the NFL and NFL Players Association coming to an agreement for an 18-game regular season is “not a given” and is likely “several seasons away” from becoming a reality.
It appears that may not necessarily be the case.
No 18-game NFL season for 2026, but…
“Per a source with knowledge of the situation, the lingering absence of a specific date for Super Bowl LXII in Atlanta is tied directly to the possibility of the season expanding for the 2027 season,” NFL insider Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk shared on Monday. “With 17 games, the game would be played most likely on Sunday, Feb. 13. With 18 games, it would slide to Sunday, Feb. 20.”
Per the terms of the collective bargaining agreement that expires in 2031, the NFLPA must agree to league owners expanding the regular season. During Super Bowl week, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and NFLPA interim executive director David White indicated such a deal wasn’t in the works.
Specifically, Goodell said that getting to a format of 18 regular-season games and two preseason contests per campaign is “not something we assume will happen.” Meanwhile, White insisted that players have “no appetite” to add an 18th regular-season game to the calendar.
Such an appetite may increase if team owners are willing to give the players an increased share of league revenue, expanded rosters and other concessions. For years, reports have suggested the NFLPA will want a second bye week added to the schedule for an 18-game season.
Second bye week could impact when NFL seasons get underway
Traditionally, the NFL has avoided starting regular seasons over Labor Day weekends due to concerns related to television ratings. That could change if owners and the union agree to an 18-game regular season after the 2026 campaign wraps up.
“If 18 games comes with a second bye,” Florio added, “the NFL likely would have to start the 2027 season on Labor Day weekend. That hasn’t happened since 2001.”
Florio also mentioned that the NFL “apparently plans to make a move on moving the season to 18” regular-season games once the NFLPA hires a full-time executive director. Once the league gets to 18 regular-season games per campaign, replacing the final existing preseason contests with meaningful matchups may be the inevitable conclusion to this saga.