Roger Goodell downplays inevitable push for 18 games

Last month, the Commissioner floated for the first time in a long time the possibility of 18 regular-season games. On Wednesday, he addressed the possibility — while also downplaying it.

"The key thing for us is looking at making sure we continue to do the things that make our game safer," Goodell told reporters at the conclusion of the quarterly meetings in Nashville. "Seventeen games is a long season. That's number one. Working with our players association is number two. We would reach an agreement with them if we were going to proceed in that level. . . . Third, this is not necessarily in order, is the quality of our game. We would do it in the context of reducing the number of preseason games. We think that's a good trade. Less preseason games and more regular-season games. I think most anybody would think was beneficial."

Goodell made the reference to 18 games in a draft-week appearance on Pat McAfee's show. Goodell tried to say the issue didn't come up in the specific context of adding an 18th game.

"I wasn't floating something that we're actively thinking about now," Goodell said. "It is something that we think about in the long-range context. Again, moving to quality and making sure that we're doing everything possible to bring our fans what they want. And they want obviously more football. But I'm not sure they want more preseason football."

Regardless of whether it's a next-year or next-decade objective, it's on the radar screen. And the issue did indeed come up in the specific context of adding an 18th game.

Here's the question McAfee posed to Goodell: "I have a question abou games. We went from 16 to 17 games. . . . Soon as it happened, I was like, 'OK, this is a clear opening to 18 games.' And then if you add an extra bye week in there . . . now we got 20 weeks. Twenty prime-time games, let alone whatever other days we're going to. Now the NFLPA is always gonna fight against having more games. Is there a plan to continue to expand, because 17 games feels good now? . . . Is there a thought of adding another one, maybe adding another bye week, so we can get more exposure, more TV deals, or are we good at 17 right now?"

"I think we're good at 17 now," Goodell replied, "but listen we're looking at how we continue. I'm not a fan of the preseason. . . . But the reality is, you know, I think I'd rather replace a preseason game with a regular-season [game] any day. That's just picking quality, right? So if we got to 18 [regular-season games] and two [preseason games], that's not an unreasonable thing."

Under that logic, 20 and zero isn't unreasonable, either. And that's where it will eventually go, I believe.

Despite Goodell's comments, the push for 18 is coming. The only question is whether the union accepts it under the threat of a lockout when the current CBA expires or whether the league and the union work out a deal to expand to 18 games sooner than that.

Goodell was pushing for 18 back when the NFL hated gambling. Now that the NFL loves gambling (in part because the league and the owners have aligned with the house), they want more games because it's more things on which people can bet, and collectively lose, their money.

Think of it this way. The NFL is the hottest casino in Las Vegas, but the NFL doesn't have enough craps tables to satisfy the demand. More games are more tables.

So, yes, 17 will become 18. Which will become 19. Which will become 20.

And 32 teams will become 34 teams. Which will become 36. Which will become 38. Which will become 40.

It might not happen in my lifetime. It might not happen in yours. But it will happen, sooner or later.