The NFL has never been shy about pushing the boundaries of its own success, and with each passing offseason, the chatter around the league expanding the season to 18 games only grows louder.
Several insiders have reported that the NFL was weighing an 18-game regular season as soon as 2027. That timeline has since stalled, as the league has confirmed Super Bowl LXII will be played on February 13, 2028, the date consistent with a 17-game slate, effectively tabling an 18-game jump for at least one more year.
While many, including team owners, are supportive of the idea, sports anchor Joy Taylor believes the league might be playing with fire.
Joy Taylor Warns NFL Is “Playing With Fire” Over 18-Game Season
The NFL currently plays 17 regular-season games, and the 2026 season will feature a record nine international games. It’s already a business machine, and an extra game would essentially add another week of premium content that networks would pay heavily for.
It’s no surprise, then, that league owners are supportive of the expansion, with New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft claiming earlier this year that teams will “push like the dickens” for international expansion tied to an 18-game format, framing it as a foregone conclusion.
However, the NFLPA has come out vehemently against the idea, and now Taylor is also pushing back.
“No, greed is a sin that I have never really understood,” she told FOS. “Because at some point, enough is enough. One thing the NFL naturally had in its favor was an impeccable sense of urgency because of the length of its season. So I think that it’s… they’re playing with fire here.”
BE THE GM OF YOUR FAVORITE TEAM: PFN’s Free NFL Mock Draft Simulator
Taylor acknowledged the league’s desire to push for more international games as a way to grow the sport outside the continental United States, but she believes the NFL may be going too far.
“I think we’re getting a little crazy,” Taylor said. “I don’t think the sport is one that lends to that kind of travel and the facilities and the disruption of the routine that NFL players have.”
Sports anchor Joy Taylor tells FOS that the NFL is “playing with fire” when it comes to potentially expanding the regular season to 18 games.
“It’s too much. You’ve got enough money… Chill.”
Full conversation with Taylor: https://t.co/f2w9G5ouJV pic.twitter.com/JjL3Bnc2K1
— Front Office Sports (@FOS) August 26, 2026
Taylor ultimately made her position clear, warning that expanding the season could diminish the urgency surrounding each game while placing additional strain on players.
START PREPARING: PFN’s Free Fantasy Draft Simulator
“It’s too much; you have enough money… Chill.”
Players aren’t highly supportive of the idea either. An ESPN survey of players in 2024 found that only 46% supported an 18-game season with stipulations, while 19% were completely opposed.
Ryan Kelly, the Colts center and NFLPA executive committee member, captured the divide during that 2024 survey cycle: “18 games sounds great when Roger’s on the Pat McAfee Show. Until you’re the one that’s going out there and putting the helmet on for 18 of those games, then come talk to me.”
The NFL may eventually get its way, but addressing the health and injury concerns of players could come at a substantial price. If the league wants the NFLPA’s support, it may have to agree to demands for a larger share of the revenue, a second bye week, and expanded rosters.
