The NFL world is relishing in the peak of its offseason, the weekend of the annual league draft. The 2024 NFL Draft kicked off on Thursday, with the Chicago Bears securing the 2022 Heisman Trophy Winner and former USC Trojans gunslinger Caleb Williams as the first pick. The draft started with minimal shock until the Atlanta Falcons, despite signing quarterback Kirk Cousins to a hefty deal in the offseason, chose former Washington Huskies signal-caller Michael Penix Jr. with the eighth overall pick. Following the unexpected selection of Penix, the first round of the 2024 NFL draft was filled with surprises, twists, and turns.
Ahead of the second and third rounds on Friday, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell made a guest appearance on ESPN’s flagship telecast, The Pat McAfee Show. While talking shop with McAfee, Goodell revealed his preferred league schedule, including the addition of another regular-season contest.
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell: Drops Ideal League Schedule
In 2021, the NFL owners voted for an expanded regular season, transitioning from 16 to 17 games. Concurrently, the league and its owners also voted for an expanded playoff field the previous year, with the postseason now consisting of seven teams in each conference. League commissioner Roger Goodell has invariably been a catalyst for change in America’s most popular sports, with playoff expansion, season expansion, and increased games played overseas during his tenure. On Friday, during an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show, Goodell affirmed that change continues to be a sought-after factor for the league and the owners.
Roger Goodell just said on McAfee he ideally wants to go to the following schedule:
2 preseason games
18 regular season games
calendar extended by 1 week
Super Bowl Sunday will land on a 3-day weekend
Monday after Super Bowl is Presidents Day holiday
sounds good to me
— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) April 26, 2024
Goodell spoke about a preferred schedule for the future, which would represent significant changes to the current league calendar. Goodell would axe one preseason game while adding an 18th regular season game. The 18-game schedule would also stretch over 20 weeks, adding a second bye week for teams. The most significant change would come with the Super Bowl moving to the Sunday before Presidents’ Day. Considered the most important American sporting event each year, a federal holiday post-Super Bowl would be a welcome sight for most fans.
Fans React to Potential Schedule Change
The NFL remains a multi-billion dollar organization with global aspirations. However, longtime fans continue to be vocal about the slightest of changes. That didn’t change on Friday when news broke that commissioner Roger Goodell could look to make drastic changes to the league calendar soon. There was no shortage of fans taking to Twitter, also known as X, to voice their opinions about the league’s direction.
If everyone gets a double bye then it should be coordinated that no team plays on a Thursday on short rest. Have every team play coming off the bye
Short rest leads to bad game plans and therefore bad games
— Elon's Musk (@andItoldyaso) April 26, 2024
This would give us the Monday after the Super Bowl off. Let's go
— Louis Napolitano (@lounap23) April 26, 2024
Hearing Roger Goodell talk about the 18 and 2 model and ending with the Super Bowl on Presidents' Day weekend is music to my ears. pic.twitter.com/9iUuiYZBjf
— NFL Fashion Advice (@fashion_nfl) April 26, 2024
That would be a dream come true. The guy may get something right.
— jion12345 (@jion_12345) April 26, 2024
Yes, please.
— Zack Byrne (@FeeLTHeByRNe714) April 26, 2024
That’s a great schedule
— Last Take™ (@TheRealLastTake) April 26, 2024
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