Is the NFL inching closer to an 18-game regular season every year? The New England Patriots owner, Robert Kraft, recently made it clear he believes that. However, Commissioner Roger Goodell did not exactly echo that confidence. Now, the NFL Players Association has publicly challenged the idea, raising strong concerns about pushing the schedule any further.

“Our members have no appetite for a regular-season 18th game,” NFLPA interim executive director David White said during the union’s annual Super Bowl week news conference.

He stressed that player health and safety remain at the center of the issue, especially as the wear and tear of a longer season continues to pile up.

“The 18th game is not casual for us,” White went on to say. “It’s a very serious issue. It’s something that comes out of negotiations, and nothing will move forward until players have the opportunity to account for all of those factors, take that into consideration, and then, through negotiations, agree or not to the 18th game.”

He then reinforced the stance by adding, “But as it stands right now, players have been very clear they don’t have any appetite for it.”

From a procedural standpoint, the league cannot simply add another game on its own. NFL ownership would need to reopen talks with the union before the collective bargaining agreement expires in March 2031. Historically, the schedule has already grown steadily, shifting from 14 regular-season games to 16 and now sitting at 17, with the preseason shrinking each time.

Meanwhile, White and NFLPA president Jalen Reeves-Maybin explained there have been no real talks about adding another game.

“There’s 31 owners; they all have different agendas and opinions on things,” Reeves-Maybin said.

Beyond policy, the physical toll remains the biggest concern. White pointed to rising injury risks, especially for teams with deep playoff runs.

“It’s punishing, and we can see that on the teams that have deep postseason runs,” he said.

The punishing nature of the current schedule is already evident. Last season alone saw a string of high-profile injuries in the season’s latter stages, with Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes and Colts QB Gardner Minshew both suffering season-ending ACL tears, while key players like Quinshon Judkins and Lamar Jackson were also sidelined.

For the league and the union, those moments explain exactly why it’s difficult to push for an 18-game season. This sentiment is echoed at the highest level of the league, with Commissioner Roger Goodell also expressing caution.

Roger Goodell opens up on possible 18-game NFL season

While speaking with reporters on Monday, Roger Goodell explained that league owners and the NFL Players Association are not close to reaching common ground on expanding the schedule.

“We have not had any formal discussions about it and, frankly, very little, if any, informal conversations,” Goodell said.

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He then pushed back on the assumption that expansion is locked in, adding, “I’ve heard people talk about it in the context; it is not a given that we will do that. It’s not something we assume will happen; it’s something we want to talk about with the union leadership.”

According to Goodell, the lack of talks comes down to the NFLPA not having a full-time executive director. The union is expected to hire its next chief by spring this year, which may lead to discussions about the expansion of the regular season. Once a new director is in place, negotiations could begin, but they are expected to be contentious given the union’s firm public stance.

The inclusion of an 18th game will force franchises to build their roster accordingly. Goodell proposed a solution on The David Rubenstein Show recently, urging the total season length to extend to 20 weeks. This proposal would involve the number of preseason games being cut to two, while adding another game to the regular season.

As things stand, the current CBA prevents the league from making unilateral changes. It runs through 2031 and requires union approval for any schedule changes. Moreover, even former NFLPA executive director Lloyd Howell had cautioned that the league must resolve health, safety, and financial concerns before making changes.

Long before Robert Kraft shared his thoughts, many reports suggested the union could seek major concessions, including a second bye week, larger rosters, offseason program changes, and a bigger slice of the league’s revenue in exchange for an added game.

Ultimately, the debate over an 18-game season is at a standstill. While owners see a financial opportunity in replacing preseason games with meaningful matchups, the NFLPA remains unified in its opposition, citing the immense physical cost to its players. Until the league can present a compelling plan that addresses health, safety, and compensation, the 17-game schedule is here to stay.