The Chicago Bears must operate at the whims of the NFL, and it’s always apparent that the powers that be love tinkering with the league’s makeup. They insist it’s meant to keep the game fresh. In reality, it’s because they’re trying to find ways to maximize their profits. One sticking point for owners is the size of the schedule. From 1978 through 2020, the league was characterized by a 16-game slate for every team. That changed in 2021 when they shifted to 17 games. Everybody knew at that moment that the higher-ups were determined to push it to 18 games eventually.
According to insider Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports, the owners are preparing to make their move during the NFL Owners Meetings next week. Every indication from the NFL Players Association is that players aren’t wild about the idea. They already feel the season is too long, and adding another game to the schedule only increases the wear and tear on their bodies. This means the league could be in for a difficult fight on getting this done. Concessions will be needed in the next Collective Bargaining Agreement, including a second bye week, bigger rosters, and the rising frequency of international travel.
The Chicago Bears must prepare for the inevitable.
Almost everybody agrees the owners will get what they want. The only way they don’t is if the players are willing to go on strike, which hasn’t happened in decades. Anything is possible, but it feels like the owners already have a good idea of what it will take to get things done. More than ever, teams like the Chicago Bears must do everything in their power to prepare players for the grind of long seasons, especially building better roster depth. Star power is important, but great teams are determined by how good their backups are. That is why the Philadelphia Eagles keep making deep playoff runs every year. Information on how this will unfold should be filtered out by the end of next week.
If they add more games the teams will need more back up players. It’s just that simple. When the season adds more games there will be more injuries and the need for each team to have more depth.
If they’re gonna take it to 18 games, the owners must make a few concessions. The draft must be expanded. Rosters and practice squads will also need to be expanded. At least one more bye week should be added. The playoffs/Super Bowl should stretch further into the winter rather than starting earlier in summer. I like Dr Melhus idea for the holidays. Teams and players need enough time for training/development and rest. This would only further improve the quality of play on the field.
Most players are a dime a dozen. They can be used up and replaced. They are mere objects of possession. Even when they are ultra-million-dollar slaves, most have little power. The rest are short-term workers, if not serfs, prepared for replacement.
I’m pretty torn on 18 games. You’re basically pushing the regular season to 20 weeks just to make another week of profit. On one hand I’d love to watch the Bears play an extra week. On the other its just too long of a season for players. There’s a reason why it stayed at 16 games for 30 years. This isn’t the nba. If they’re talking about 18 games it will be 18 games this season. Hopefully they increase roster size and draft picks as well. 17 games wasn’t too much of a big deal. 18 is a whole different… Read more »
The NFL is all about profits, they don’t care about players health. This is nothing but a money grab.