Ask most fans of the sport and they'll tell you that any type of soccer is great soccer, no matter what time of year it is played. Still, when it comes to getting serious in the NFL, Roger Goodell himself could do with an earlier start.
Goodell shared his thoughts on the league's schedule: Appeared on “The Pat McAfee Show” on friday. First, he revealed that his regular season game totals are in a good place at the moment, even though he's always looking to move forward.
“Well, I think 17 is OK right now. But listen, we're looking at how to continue,” Goodell said.
That's when Goodell turned his attention to the NFL preseason. He doesn't need at least three preseason games. If it can be replaced with a regular-season game that is clearly more valuable, all the better.
“I'm not a fan of the preseason. I don't think we need three preseason games,” Goodell said. “I don't buy it, and I don't think they like it either.”
“The reality is, you always want to replace a preseason game with a regular season game,” Goodell said. “It’s just choosing quality, right?”
In addition to benefiting the people on site, shifting schedules may have other benefits as well. This could also be a win for the fans, in a sense earning a round of applause from McAfee and his friends, and even more from most soccer fans.
“If we get to 18 and 2, that's not unreasonable,” Goodell explained. “The other thing you were thinking of doing is ending up with President's Day weekend being a three-day weekend, ending Sunday night (of the Super Bowl) and having Monday off.”
The NFL moved to a 17-game season in 2021. This was the first time the league's schedule had changed in nearly 45 years. Four preseason games were removed and one regular season game was added to the regular 16 games.
Now, three years into this model, the idea has been floated to eliminate the third preseason game and add an 18th game. It's just a matter of weighing the benefits, especially financial benefits, of an extra game for a player against the risk of playing another game.
No one is against more meaningful football, especially when it could potentially set up a Super Bowl dream scenario. From these comments, including Goodell's views and preseason issues, it doesn't seem like Goodell is against it.
