NFL Mulls 18th Game, Player Safety, Fan Excitement

0:00On April 6th, the NFL bumped up to 17 regular season games back in 2021 and now chatters heating up about adding an 18th. At last week's league meetings in Arizona, New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft threw his weight behind the idea, saying it could boost the league's growth, revenue, and even international reach. Kraft laid it out clear, preseason games ain't what they used to be, so swap one out for a real regular season matchup, add a second by-week for, player safety, and send every team overseas for a game. He sees it as a win for fans craving more quality action over filler exhibitions. But Patriots fans aren't all in latest SB Nation reacts survey shows, just 44% supporting the extra game. Comments are split, some call 17 already too grindy on players' bodies, others say they're paid big to handle it, and a bunch defer to them. Players themselves on the risks. To make room, options float like, cutting a preseason tilt, or doubling up on buys, with

1:01fans leaning toward that extra rest week, or better yet, both. Changes. No rush though, the current deal with the Players Association runs till around 2030. Word is, this could amp up excitement long-term. But for now, squads like the Pats are projected at 9.5 wins in 2026 after A. Strong run last year. Keeping eyes on how the league evolves without burning out its stars. That's the story for today, NFL News Today, driven by AI.