Is a 17-game Season Good or bad for the NFL?

Julie Jacobson - AP

Yesterday it was reported by Mark Maske of the Washington Post that the NFL and NFLPA “have made meaningful progress toward a new labor agreement that is increasingly likely to include a 17-game regular season…”. This is big news, not only in terms of the NFL having a longer regular season but if this is indeed true then there should be no strike by the players in 2021 (after the current CBA runs out) as there was in 2011. This article will strictly highlight the 17-game regular season, if you would like to read more in-depth about what else the new labor agreement may consist of, here is the link to the article:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2019/11/13/game-nfl-season-is-becoming-more-likely-league-players-make-progress-labor-deal/

Sure, an extended NFL season may sound nice, but it is more complicated than just adding one more regular-season game to each team’s schedule. There is a lot that goes into it, which is why it has taken and will continue to take an eternity for the NFL and NFLPA to agree upon the terms in which it should be executed. But, why waste all that time arguing when they could just read this article and decide after? Here are (some of) the pros and cons of a 17-game regular season.

Pros

1. One More NFL Game

Let’s start with the most obvious; a 17-game season would mean that every team gets one more game. Consequently, that means we as NFL fans get to watch up to a possible 32 extra games! Crazy how that works. In all seriousness, this is the whole point of an added regular-season game. To generate more views, which earns the NFL a more lucrative TV contract, which then earns the players, but mostly the owners, more money. Speaking of money…

2. More Revenue

I make the world go round; I am worthless, yet priceless, what am I? Money. It is essentially the foundation of society, it is what gets people up in the morning to go work 12-hour shifts in search of a better life, or just to provide for their loved ones. An extra week of games means an extra week for the NFL to make more money.

Not only will teams generate more money off of ticket sales, but they will receive added revenue from concessions, jersey sales, sponsorships, etc. The NFL estimated an 18-game season would generate $2.5 billion in added revenue. So let’s cut that in half for 17 games and that would be about an extra $1.25 billion, the league and its owners will not let this opportunity pass.

3. More Salary

The only benefit for the players in this scenario is that there will be an increase in the salary cap. Unfortunately, we all know the quarterback will receive the majority of that increase. Regardless, if the salary cap increase is enough, it will cause the NFLPA to strongly consider an increase in regular-season games.

Cons

1. Increased Risk of Injuries

Under this proposition, there is an increased chance that players will suffer injuries due to taking an extra 60 minutes of punishment. Under the previous 18-game proposal, players would only be allowed to play 16 games; if that is the case here then this is not an issue. This is highly unlikely, however, as teams would not want to potentially lose out on the playoffs because they had to start their backups for a game.

This is the single biggest concern for the NFLPA and the NFL as well. Not too long ago the league got sued for more ten figures because they were not doing nearly enough to protect their players. This feels like it would be a huge step backward in player health and safety.

2. Shorter Preseason

We, the NFL fans, do not necessarily care for the preseason. The stars hardly see the field and most of the players that do, end up not even making an NFL roster. What is so bad then about a shorter preseason? It presents players with an opportunity they otherwise would not get.

How many stars have been made in the preseason that would likely have never made the team? Victor Cruz is one of the biggest names, but even just this last preseason we saw Preston Williams, an undrafted wide receiver out of Colorado State, ball out and make the Miami Dolphins roster. He was then having arguably the best season of any rookie receiver this season until he tore his ACL two weeks ago. Players like Williams would get less of a chance to showcase their abilities, which would be a real shame.

With all that being said, is a 17-game regular season good or bad for the NFL? In my opinion, it can and will be a good thing, just as long as the NFL executes it correctly. It needs to be very well thought out and implemented perfectly to minimize any negative fallout from the change. If this is going to happen though, it needs to happen fast, as the clock is ticking for the NFL and NFLPA to agree on a new CBA.