Is An 18-Game Season Necessary?

By Justin Worsley

National Football League Roger Goodell has recently announced that he no longer sees the need for a four-game preseason and is interested in pushing the league schedule from 16 games to 18. Does the NFL, however, need more games?

While fans do crave more football, it could hurt the potential of players in the long run. Several rookies and other younger players, such as undrafted free agents, need the preseason in order to earn a spot on an NFL roster. If two preseason games are taken away, several star NFL players such as Wes Welker and James Harrison would not have a fair shot entering the league.

What about compensation? How will the players be paid if there are two more games are added to the schedule? If the NFL decides the players currently under contract will receive the same pay with two more weeks added, expect the NFL Players Association to be vocal. While the NFL does handsomely pay their athletes, they are paying them for a 16 game season, not 18.

Expect injuries to increase to major players also. All teams pull their starters in the preseason after the first quarter to prevent injuries, making way for the backups to try to earn a starting job. Two additional games, especially late in the season when teams are fighting for a shot at the playoffs, will only increase the chance of injury for players.

The schedule for the NFL is also very set. Teams play two games against their divisional rivals (one home and one away,) four games against another division withing the conference, four games against the division in the opposite conference, and the remaining two games depend on where the team finishes (if the team wins the division, the play the two other division winners in their conference.) It's assumed that the extra two games will also be based on where they finish (if a team wins the division, they will not only play the other division winners, but the second-place finishers as well.)

The NFL has the shortest schedule of the four major sports, but is also the most physical. No other sports has as many players with severe injuries such as torn ACLs and concussions. Is it really worth the sacrifice of the modern-day gladiators in order to make a few extra dollars?