With the NFL planning to expand to 18 regular-season games, there has been a lot of chatter going around the league. While team owners are in favor of the idea, much like they were back when the league pushed for a 17-game regular season instead of 16. For most team owners, the biggest reason was gaining additional financial benefits, as one more game meant more revenue. And now, one veteran voice outside the league is coming in support of the players, expressing what many owners are failing to.

Recently, NFL insider Jordan Schultz interviewed former Denver Broncos safety Justin Simmons, asking about his opinion on the league’s future.

“I mean, we’re pushing for player safety and health,” said Simmons in a clip shared by Schultz on X. “It’s hard on guys’ bodies, you know, there are coaches out there that still have that old school mentality, and it’s like we got to practice. Like we got to go hard, we got to hit, you got to get your body calloused enough to be able to, and so when you add that extra week, it’s just hard, man. So, like, I know like most players were not fans of adding that extra game.”

Back in February earlier this year, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell was asked about the possibility of adding one more game to the regular season from next year onwards.

“It’s not something that we assume will happen,” Goodell admitted at that time. “It is something that we want to talk about with the union leadership. As you know, they’re going into a transition, and hopefully that will get solidified this spring. And as they determine their priorities, we are doing the same on the ownership levels so that when we get together, we can address these issues together.”

And while Goodell mentioned that the league is yet to make a formal decision, the NFLPA  executive director, JC Tretter, in a recent interview with Mike Jones of The Athletic, pushed back on the idea, while adding that one more game will not benefit the players.

“There are things that are not good for our players that we need to make sure we’re protecting them from,” Tretter said. “And as of right now, those are all subjects of bargaining. The league can’t expand past 10 international games. The league’s at 17 games in the CBA, that is where we’re at, and we’re going to make sure we defend our players and their health and safety, because our guys feel they know what this feels like.”

While the 18-game structure brings more exciting weekends for NFL fans, it pushes the players beyond their limits. Simms pointed out that a 17-game structure is already hard on the body, with players getting hurt almost every game. Extending it will be extremely exhausting on the players’ bodies, as it is not just one game. It means one more week of practice and participating in the same rigorous drills.

Even Super Bowl-winning quarterback Joe Flacco pointed out the wear-and-tear that will come with more games in the regular season.

“As a player, I loved playing 16 games, and I think the NFL had an awesome formula for 16 games and four rounds of playoffs, and I think it was super competitive,” said Joe Flacco. “I don’t think people realize that when you put guys through an 18-game regular season schedule, I think what could happen is the playoffs start to suffer and you get teams that are so beat up by that point in the year that they’re not really at their best, so instead of getting top-level football you’re getting a couple teams going against each other at 75 percent, and basically, it becomes a war of attrition.”

A few years back, the league followed a 16-game regular season structure. But when the NFL extended it to 17-games, many players like Aaron Rodgers and Richard Sherman pushed back at that time.

“16 games to me, was never something to be negotiated. The owners made it clear that the 17th game is about paying for the ‘added’ benefits, and had nothing to do with the positive feedback received about any extra risks involved with the added regular season game.” Rodgers posted on X, criticizing the NFL owners, while noting that the push for a 17th game was purely done for financial gains.

Sherman, who at that time teamed up with Rodgers and pushed back against the 17-game regular season, replied to Rodgers’ post, adding,

“Health and Wellness of our men is always the most important aspect. There is no price you can put on that, and that is why I Voted No. I respect the Men that have been part of this discussion and stood up for their locker rooms.”

Now, the same thing is happening all over again. Despite players being strictly against the idea, the league is targeting a rollout as early as 2027. However, they still need to agree with the players’ union to make it a reality, or they could wait until the expiration of the current Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) in 2031.

While the league has a certain target, they are also planning a way to reduce the pressure on the players. The NFL plans to reduce the preseason from three games to two, and add another bye week to cope with the players’ wear-and-tear and injuries. While it may look like an ideal strategy, there is another issue that also puts a major toll on their bodies.

The NFL also plans to expand its international games

The NFL is eyeing to maximize its revenue in the upcoming seasons, and among all the plans lined up, there is also a plan to expand the number of international games in the roster. In 2021, the league started with just two international games. From 2022 to 2024, the number increased to three. Last year, it was seven, and in the upcoming season, there will be 9 games. But NFL commissioner Roger Goodell plans to cross the two-digit mark in international games.

“It’s the ambition we have to be a global sport,” Goodell said. “But it’s also the demand we’re having. We’re hearing from cities that want to host these games and really want to get more American football.”

This year, 17 teams will play nine international games, with the Jacksonville Jaguars playing twice. Although it’s a great strategy to expand the sport outside the U.S.A. and create global traffic, it also puts a lot of pressure on the players.

But if the NFL and Roger Goodell are successful, the players will need to agree with the changes despite the cons. However, there is one advantage, as the players can opt to re-negotiate or restructure their contracts since there is an extra game and more practice days.