The NFL moved to a 17-game regular season just four years ago, but chatter about expanding to 18 games has already reached a boiling point. While superstar quarterback Patrick Mahomes has voiced concerns about the toll another game would take on players, NFL insider Mike Florio says the shift is all but guaranteed.
Patrick Mahomes Voices Concern, but League Has Other Priorities
In a recent interview with CNBC, Mahomes did not hide his unease about the league adding another game without proper accommodations for player recovery:
“I’m not a big fan of it,” Mahomes said. “But if there were a way… You’ve got to add some bye weeks in there to give more time for guys’ bodies to heal. You want to have the best players playing in the biggest games.”
His suggestion mirrors that of Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow, who also argued that a second bye week would be necessary to preserve player health.
Adam Schefter believes “it’s only a matter of time” before the #NFL has an 18-game season with two bye weeks 🙏
(via @PatMcAfeeShow)
pic.twitter.com/gXnN1rpwUG https://t.co/olWjYEZm8d
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) July 15, 2024
However, according to Florio, that’s unlikely to happen. The NFL’s growing obsession with anchoring the Super Bowl on President’s Day weekend complicates the scheduling math:
“It’s inevitable there’s going to be 18 games,” Florio said on NFL on NBC.
“More often than not, an 18-game season with one bye week based on a season beginning the weekend after Labor Day, it takes you to President’s Day weekend. If you had a second bye then you got a problem. You’re going to overshoot President’s Day weekend, or you’ve got to start on Labor Day weekend.”
What’s Driving the NFL’s 18-Game Season Plan?
The tension comes down to competing priorities: player safety versus revenue optimization. The NFL’s push for an 18-game schedule is tied closely to media rights negotiations and a larger international slate. According to Florio, a 16-game international calendar becomes logistically viable only with 18 regular-season games on the domestic front.
Yet despite all the planning, any official change to the schedule is on hold. As of July 2025, the NFL Players Association has no plans to enter formal negotiations about an expanded season until at least 2026.
What’s Next for the 18-Game Push?
Even with Mahomes and other stars raising red flags, most analysts believe it’s a matter of when, not if. Per reports, league revenue continues to soar past $20 billion annually, and with owners incentivized by potential gains in streaming deals, international exposure, and ticket sales, the 18-game season remains a centerpiece of future planning.
Florio also warned that if players eventually concede to 18, it might open the door to 20. Once the framework expands, there may be no putting the brakes on league ambitions.
For now, Mahomes and his peers continue to advocate for caution. But as labor negotiations draw nearer, their voices may be drowned out by the roar of a business machine unwilling to slow down.
