As the NFL barrels toward another pivotal moment in its storied history, fans, players, and media executives alike are bracing for seismic shifts both on the field and behind the scenes. Just five years after the league introduced its first 17-game regular season, the conversation has already shifted to an even more ambitious expansion—a potential 18-game schedule that could reshape not only the rhythm of the sport but also the business of watching America’s most popular league.
According to veteran NFL insider Mike Florio, speaking on the podcast “Pablo Torre Finds Out,” the league’s owners have their sights set on implementing the 18-game regular season before the 2027 campaign kicks off. Florio didn’t mince words about the league’s intentions: “They’re gonna go to JC Tretter, and they are going to lay out a new CBA that is promised upon, above all else, an 18-game regular season. 16 international games per year. Robert Kraft has already talked openly and nonchalantly about, ‘This is how is going to be.’ Not ‘This is what we want.’”
Indeed, Kraft’s comments have echoed throughout NFL circles, signaling a sense of inevitability among ownership. The league’s approach seems clear: project confidence, press for change, and leverage negotiations with the NFL Players Association (NFLPA), now under the leadership of newly elected executive director JC Tretter. Florio added, “Once they start ‘crying’ because they don’t want to miss games, the NFL will get its win.” The message to the union is unmistakable—the owners are prepared to dig in, and they expect players to eventually acquiesce to the new normal.
Yet, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell struck a more measured tone during his Super Bowl LX news conference ahead of the 2026 championship. Goodell stated, “We have not had any formal discussions about it and frankly very little of any informal conversations. It is not a given that we will do that. It’s not something we assume will happen. It’s something we want to talk about with the union leadership.” For now, at least publicly, the league’s top executive is urging patience and dialogue, not steamrolling change.
One practical indicator of the league’s ambitions is the scheduling of the Super Bowl itself. The 2028 edition is set for Atlanta, but the NFL has conspicuously left the exact date open—something almost unheard of in the league’s meticulously planned calendar. As Florio pointed out, this is “because they’re holding out for the possibility that there will be an 18-game season by 2027.” The flexibility signals how seriously the league is considering the move, even if no ink has officially dried on a new deal.
If the 18-game season does become reality, the league is expected to trim one preseason game and potentially add another bye week to help players manage the increased workload. The prospect of 16 international games per year would also mark a significant expansion of the NFL’s global footprint, further cementing its status as a worldwide sporting juggernaut.
But the league’s ambitions don’t stop at the schedule. The NFL is also the centerpiece of an escalating battle between traditional broadcasters and streaming platforms for control of live sports programming. As of March 2026, the NFL’s current media rights deal is generating a staggering $10 billion annually. With the deal set to expire soon, league executives are eyeing a renegotiation before the 2026 season kicks off in September. The stakes couldn’t be higher, with new media partners potentially entering the fray and established giants like FOX, CBS, and NBC jockeying for their slice of the lucrative NFL pie.
Curtis LeGeyt, CEO of the National Association of Broadcasters, recently laid out the challenge on “The Varsity” podcast: “I think, for better or worse, (consolidation) is an essential thing right now. And I’m looking at this purely through the lens of broadcast. If we’re going to compete for those NFL sports rights, if we’re going to compete locally to ensure that teams feel like they have a local distribution option that is freely available through local broadcasts as opposed to the cable regional sports networks or even streaming, broadcasters need some scale in order to complete for that. The only way to gain that scale is through some level of consolidation.”
It’s not just talk. Recent months have seen major moves in the media landscape, including the merger of Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery, and a blockbuster deal between the NFL and ESPN. Under this agreement, ESPN acquired NFL Network, NFL RedZone, and NFL Fantasy, while the league received a 10% equity stake in ESPN, valued at approximately $3 billion. These mergers and partnerships are designed to give traditional broadcasters the heft they need to withstand competition from streaming behemoths like Amazon and Netflix, who are eager to carve out their own share of the NFL’s audience.
For fans, however, the shifting media ecosystem has come at a steep price. In 2025, watching every NFL game will set a viewer back at least $575, with the cost spread across a dizzying array of subscriptions—ESPN, Peacock, Amazon Prime Video, Netflix, and NFL+, just to name a few. The trend has sparked frustration among diehards who remember the days when free-to-air broadcasts were the norm. As media rights prices climb, so too do the barriers to entry for the average fan.
The situation has drawn the attention of regulators. In February 2026, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced it would seek public comment on the migration of live sports from traditional broadcast channels to streaming services—a shift that affects not only the NFL but also other major leagues like the NBA and MLB. The outcome of this review could have far-reaching implications for how fans access their favorite games in the years to come.
Meanwhile, with JC Tretter now at the helm of the NFLPA, negotiations over both the collective bargaining agreement and media rights are expected to intensify. The players’ union will have to weigh the financial windfall of a longer season and richer media deals against the physical toll on athletes and the ever-evolving demands of the fanbase.
As the NFL stands at this crossroads, the only certainty is change. Whether it’s more games, new media partners, or a different way to watch, the league is poised for transformation. For now, all eyes remain on the ongoing talks and the next move from both owners and players. One thing’s for sure: the future of football is up for grabs, and everyone—from billionaires in the boardroom to fans in the bleachers—has a stake in how it all plays out.