When Did the NFL Go to a 17-Game Season?

The NFL regular season has been 16 games since 1978. But that could soon change, as the league is reportedly considering expanding to a 17-game schedule. Here’s a look at how the NFL got to 16 games in the first place, and why a 17-game season could be on the horizon.

The NFL’s History

The NFL went to a 17-game season in 2021. This move was made in order to provide fans with more football and to prevent player burnout. The NFL has been growing in popularity ever since it was founded in 1920 and it has become one of the most popular sports leagues in the world.

The NFL’s founding

The National Football League was founded in 1920, making it the oldest major professional sports league in North America. The NFL originally consisted of 14 teams and was known as the American Professional Football Association (APFA) before changing its name to the National Football League in 1922. In its early years, the NFL was a regional league with most of its teams located in the Midwest.

The NFL’s early years

The National Football League was founded in 1920, but it took a few years for the league to become what we know it as today. The early years of the NFL were characterized by a lot of changes and chaos, as various teams came and went and the league itself experimented with different rules and formats.

One of the biggest changes came in 1932, when the NFL switched from a 14-game season to a 16-game season. This was a big increase from the previous 12-game seasons, and it helped to standardize the length of an NFL season (which had previously varied from 10 games to 18 games).

The NFL didn’t switch to a 17-game season until 1978, which was another big increase. The league had considered switching to a 17-game season as early as 1967, but they ultimately decided against it. It wasn’t until 11 years later that they finally made the switch.

The decision to switch to a 17-game season was controversial at the time, and it remains controversial even now. Some people argue that it’s too long and players are at risk of injuries, while others argue that it’s just right and adds an extra element of excitement to the NFL season.

What do you think? Would you like to see the NFL switch back to a 16-game season, or do you think that 17 games is just right?

The NFL’s modern era

The modern era of the National Football League (NFL) began in 1970 with the merger of two professional football leagues, the National Football League and the American Football League (AFL). The merge created a 26-team league made up of 13 teams from each league. This configuration lasted until 2002 when the league expanded to 32 teams with the addition of the Houston Texans.

In 2007, NFL owners approved a plan to add two additional games to the regular season schedule, expanding it from 16 to 18 games. The first regular season with 18 games was played in 2010. Currently, each NFL team plays 17 regular season games and is given one bye week.

The NFL’s Move to a 17-Game Season

In 2021, the NFL expanded its regular season from 16 games to 17 games. The move was met with mixed reactions from fans, players, and pundits alike. Some people argued that the move would lead to more injuries and player burnout, while others argued that it would simply add more excitement to the NFL season. Let’s take a closer look at the NFL’s move to a 17-game season.

The NFL’s reasoning

The NFL expanded to a 17-game regular season in 2021, adding one additional game to the schedule for each team. The move was approved by NFL owners in 2020, with the specific details of the schedule change still being finalized.

The expanded NFL schedule is intended to generate additional revenue for the league, as each team will now have an extra home game to sell tickets for. Additionally, the NFL hopes that the extra game will create more interest and excitement among fans, leading to higher ratings and increased profits from television partnerships.

Some have criticized the NFL’s decision to expand the regular season, arguing that it puts players at risk of injury and wears down their bodies over the course of a longer campaign. Others believe that 17 games is simply too many and that the quality of play will suffer as a result. Ultimately, time will tell whether the NFL’s move to a 17-game season is successful or not.

The NFL’s schedule

In 1978, the NFL expanded its regular season schedule from 14 games to 16 games. In 2010, the NFL expanded its regular season schedule from 16 games to 17 games. The NFL’s move to a 17-game schedule was approved by team owners in May 2020. The 17-game schedule will begin in the 2021 season.

The NFL’s decision to add two additional regular season games was driven by several factors, including the league’s desire to generate additional revenue. Under the new scheduling format, each team will play one additional game against a division opponent. This will create more “marquee” match-ups and generate increased interest and TV ratings. In addition, the NFL will be able to increase its television rights fees by adding two additional weeks of regular season games.

The expanded schedule will also create some challenges for teams and players. With two additional games, there is a greater risk of injuries. In addition, the expanded schedule means that some teams will play 18 games in a row without a bye week. This could lead to player fatigue and decreased performance late in the season.

The NFL’s move to a 17-game schedule is a major change that will have significant implications for players, teams and fans.

The NFL’s plans for the future

In March 2021, the NFL announced that it would be expanding the regular season from 16 to 17 games, starting in the 2021 season. The decision was made in order to add two additional games to the league’s international schedule. The NFL has not had a regular season game outside of the United States since 2005, when the San Francisco 49ers played the Arizona Cardinals in Mexico City.

The expanded international schedule will feature one game per week, with each team playing one home game and one away game. The 17th game will be played on a rotating basis, with each team playing one extra game every three years. The additional game will be played against a team from the same conference but from a different division.

The NFL is also considering expanding the playoffs to 14 teams, up from 12. This would mean that only one team from each conference would receive a bye week in the first round of the playoffs. The proposal is still being discussed and has not been finalized.

The expanded regular season and playoff format would be implemented for at least the next two seasons, through 2023.