NFL teams played 16 regular season games for 44 years from 1978-2021 when they changed to a 17-game regular season and took away one of the four preseason games.
Now, after just three years, the league is pushing for an 18-game regular season schedule and players, both former and current have been stating their opinions on the matter, including former New England Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman, who talked about the topic with FOX Sports' Colin Cowherd.
"You can get into this 'Alright, the beginning part of the season is going to be like the preseason,' but this is the National Football League. You can't miss a game. You can't have a one-game, three-game skid or you're out of it. So, you can kind of kick that out the window," Edelman said. "What I really think the NFL, if they're going to go to this, which it's not making the game safer when you have large human beings that can run fast that even if you change rules are still trying to decapitate each other, it's not going to be safe, they better give us another two game checks. I don't like this prorated 'Alright, we're just going to take your salary, and we're going to divide it by 18 now.'
"Let's give some more money to the pot for the fellas. Let the boys eat. Then we can talk turkey. It's going to get there sooner or later, but I'm not a big fan of it. It's a grind to get through an NFL season. After Week 8, everyone's hurt. Everyone's banged up. It's a 100% injury rate in this sport. You can't go out and say you're trying to make the game safer, even if you're changing the rules, by adding games."
Edelman's take is one that's shared widely by the NFL community outside of the owners, who are on their endless quest for revenue. The wide receiver-turned-podcaster is right on the money about these points, though. Safety isn't being put at the forefront, no matter what the league and owners say. Players also should get more if these games are going to generate more money for those at the top.
He's also correct in saying that it's going to happen eventually, so the players need to get the most out that they can out of these negotiations.
