The NFL 18-game regular season schedule train seems to have left the station. Now it seems to be a matter of time before it reaches its destination.
Commissioner Roger Goodell has been talking about it in the offseason and he usually gets what he wants.
He said in May they want to keep making the game safer and said they have to make an agreement with the Players Association.
And Stephen Jones, the son of Cowboy owner Jerry Jones and a member of the competition committee, recently said an 18-game schedule is inevitable and that the players will go for it because it means more money for them.
The players should oppose the idea because more games and means more chance of injuries and increases the chances of a player getting CTE after they retire.
But since they are likely to agree to it, they should make a lot of demands. Joe Burrow has already suggested an 18-game schedule include a second bye. But they should get a lot more than that, starting with a bigger share of the percentage. Starting with at least 50-50, if not more. They are taking the injury risk.
This will be the first big test for new NFLPA director Lloyd Howell. The NFLPA has a history of caving because they don’t want to give up paychecks.
But Howell must convince the owners they have to pay more for labor peace.
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