Will the NFL Have 17 Games in 2021?

The NFL is reportedly considering expanding the regular season to 17 games in 2021. Here’s what we know about the potential change.

Introduction

The 2021 NFL season is Approaching and with it comes the possibility of an expanded regular season. While the league has not officially announced plans to add an additional game to the schedule, it appears likely that at least one additional regular season game will be played in 2021. This would expand the regular season from 16 games to 17 games.

This change would likely have a number of impacts on the league, including player safety, as well as the length of the offseason and training camp. It is also possible that the playoffs could be expanded to accommodate more teams if the regular season is expanded.

The NFL has not confirmed any plans to expand the regular season, but it appears likely that at least one additional game will be played in 2021. This would have a number of impacts on the league, including player safety, as well as the length of the offseason and training camp.

What has been talked about so far

The NFL has been toying with the idea of adding an extra game to the regular season for quite some time now, and it looks like they might finally be ready to make the move. According to a report from The Athletic, the league is considering expanding the regular season to 17 games as early as 2021.

If the NFL does decide to go ahead with this plan, it would mean that each team would play one additional game during the season. The report says that the league is still working out the details of how this would work, but they are hoping to have everything in place by next year.

The main reason behind this proposed change is money. With an extra game on the schedule, the NFL would be able to generate more revenue from television contracts and ticket sales. This would also mean more money for the players, as they would receive a larger share of the pie.

The NFL has not made any official announcement about this yet, but it is something that they have been discussing for quite some time. It will be interesting to see if they actually go through with it or not.

What are the benefits to the NFL?

The NFL is considering expanding the regular season to 17 games, and there are a few benefits that could come from this change.

First, teams would obviously get an extra game to play, which means more revenue. With the current 16-game schedule, each team brings in an average of about $400 million in revenue. An extra game could potentially increase that number by about $25 million.

Second, a 17-game schedule would mean that every team would play one opponent that they otherwise wouldn’t have played. This could create some intriguing match-ups and help to even out the playing field a bit. For example, this past season the Green Bay Packers didn’t have to play the AFC South champions (the Tennessee Titans) or the NFC West champions (the Seattle Seahawks). With a 17-game schedule, those teams would be on the Packers’ schedule.

The NFL is still discussing this potential change and no decisions have been made yet. But it’s something that could happen as soon as next season.

How would this affect the players?

The National Football League (NFL) is considering increasing the regular season from 16 to 17 games, according to a report from ESPN. The proposal, which is being considered as a way to generate more revenue, would add one game to the schedule for each team.

The additional game would be played on the same weekend as the current Wild Card round of the playoffs. This would create four more playoff spots, bringing the total number of teams in the playoffs to 14.

The NFL is also considering expanding the playoff format to include an additional wild card team from each conference. This would give a total of six teams from each conference making the playoffs.

The proposed changes would need to be approved by both the NFL owners and the players’ union before they could be implemented.

Players have expressed concern about the potential for increased injuries with an additional game added to the schedule. They also believe that adding another game would diminish the importance of the regular season and make it harder for players to rest and recover between games.

The NFL has not commented on the report.

What are the benefits to the fans?

The NFL has been toying with the idea of adding another game to the regular season for quite some time now, and it looks like they may finally make the leap in 2021. There are a few different reasons why the NFL would want to add another game, but the main one is obviously money.

With another game comes more ticket sales, more TV viewers, and more merchandise sold. But what about the fans? What would they get out of having one more game each season? Here are a few benefits that come to mind.

1. More Football: This is the most obvious benefit, and probably the most important one for most fans. More football means more chances to watch your favorite team (or teams) in action. It also means more opportunities to tailgate and bond with fellow fans.

2. More Intrigue: With another game on the schedule, there’s a greater chance that late-season games will actually mean something. In a 16-game season, there are usually only a handful of Teams that are still in contention for a playoff spot by the time December rolls around. With 17 games, that number could easily double.

3. Better Parity: One of the issues with having just 16 games is that it can create some unfairness when it comes to scheduling. For example, a team like the New England Patriots might get an easier schedule one year because they play in a weaker division, while a team like the Green Bay Packers might get a much tougher slate because they play in a loaded division like the NFC North. With 17 games, every team would have to play every other team at least once, which would create much better parity throughout the league.

These are just a few benefits that come to mind – there are probably many more that we’re not even thinking of. Overall, we think adding another game to the NFL season would be great for both fans and the league as a whole.

How would this affect the broadcasters?

The NFL is considering expanding the regular season to 17 games, sources told ESPN’s Kevin Seifert.

The NFL has not finalized any plans and no decisions are expected until the league’s virtual spring meeting in May, sources said. The discussion is in the exploratory stage, sources said. The league has been evaluating a number of changes to the regular season and postseason format as it continues to negotiate a new collective bargaining agreement with the NFL Players Association.

If the regular season were expanded to 17 games, each team would play one additional game against a division opponent. The other interconference matchup would rotate on a yearly basis. In odd-numbered years, when AFC teams are scheduled to play NFC teams at home, they would face an opponent from another AFC division that finished in the same place in its standings. In even-numbered years, when NFC teams are scheduled to play AFC teams at home, they would face an opponent from another NFC division that finished in the same place in its standings.

Conclusion

After much discussion, it appears that the NFL will not have 17 games in 2021. This is due to a number of factors, including the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting impact on scheduling. While the league has not officially ruled out the possibility of expanding the season in future years, it seems unlikely that it will happen in 2021.