The National Football League Players Association (NFLPA) shot down the idea of extending the NFL season on Wednesday.
“I heard the commissioner remark recently that the league has made enough progress on health, and safety to expand the regular season,” NFLPA Executive Director Lloyd Howell Jr. said. “Frankly, we’re not sure how he’s reaching that conclusion based on the data we’ve been given access to.”
Howell pointed to the significant logistical issues that occurred this season: The Kansas City Chiefs played three games in 10 days; several teams played two games within five days of each other; and the Green Bay Packers flew to and from Brazil for their season opener in the span of 48 hours.
Howell said that the NFLPA is looking to investigate data on how travel impacts sleep and overall recovery. He also mentioned the need to prevent injuries from turf fields, especially as it relates to international games, in order to find the best solutions to keep players safe during international travel.
Going back to the subject of the actual length of the season, Howell pointed to the fact that the collective bargaining agreement between the players and the league determines season length, and he has seen no indication that the players are in favor of the change.
“Right now, when I have talked to the players over the last two seasons, no one wants to play an 18th game, no one,” he said. “The 17 games is already—for many of the guys—too long. Seventeen games is also so lengthy that you’re still dealing with injuries going into the next season. So there are a variety of issues that hang off of the length of season before any form of negotiation.”
Some of the potential issues Howell said would inevitably arise included: health and safety, injury recovery, the number of bye weeks, off-season schedule, international games, healthcare benefits, roster incentives for players, and roster size.
Howell did note, however, that most of Goodell’s comments and the conversations around the 18-game season have been informal, while international games have been the main topic of discussion.
NFLPA President and Detroit Lions linebacker Jalen Reeves-Maybin confirmed that discussions were still informal, but players were still saying, “No way.”
NFLPA executive committee members, Houston Texans quarterback Case Keenum, and Washington Commanders running back Austin Ekeler then discussed the actual health and injury impact of a long season.
“I would say even just the thought of 18 games makes me cringe,” Ekeler said. “Just personally speaking, for me, my ankles, as a running back, take a few months to heal up after the season. It’s one of those things where you‘ll tape up and push through to get there to the end. ... And so I think that’s worth it at that point where it’s like, hey, chance to go be a world champion. But if you’re out of that run, you’re like, ’Alright, body is feeling it.' Even my neck right now, just turning my neck is one of the things that takes a long time to heal as well.”
“And so again, that 18th game, personally speaking, not speaking for the membership, is something that is really outrageous to me,” Ekeler added.
Keenum added: “I think all of us here and all of our teammates back home, we all love playing football.”
“Do we all wish our season would’ve been longer for other reasons? Yes. This time of year though, the training room is pretty full. All of us are struggling to get our bodies back right. I know most of my teammates, we don’t feel really normal until July comes around in time for another season. So this is probably not the right time to talk about adding another game that’s a regular season for us.
“It’s a long, long season,” continued Keenum. “And like we said, do we love going to work and doing it? Yes. But do we want to protect our bodies and our livelihoods and be able to play with our kids in the yard when we’re done doing this, and whatever we can do to promote health and safety. And that’s our first and foremost issue, and I think we want to protect.”
