NFL’s 18-Game Push Targets 2027

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A powerful NFL owner just said the quiet part out loud: he wants 18 regular-season games as soon as 2027, with fewer preseason games to make it happen.

Story Snapshot

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said an 18-game season could arrive as early as 2027.
Jones proposed cutting preseason games and using early regular-season weeks for development.
The change must be bargained with the players union under the current labor deal.
Player leaders and stars have raised sharp health and safety concerns.

What Jones Proposed and Why It Matters

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said on Dallas radio that the National Football League could move to an 18-game regular season “next year, maybe,” and as soon as 2027. He linked the change to cutting back preseason games and letting teams develop players during early regular-season weeks. Jones called the move “in everybody’s best interest,” and said it would be good for players. His comments revived a long-running debate over money, safety, and the sport’s workload.

Jones tied the idea to recent history. The league shifted from 16 to 17 games in 2021. That change created more high-value games and reduced one preseason date. It also showed owners could secure expansion if the National Football League Players Association agreed. Reports have also linked an 18th game to more league revenue and a larger player share, though public details on dollars and terms are thin in the current coverage.

The Big Roadblock: Labor and Timeline Reality

Jones also said any change “has to be negotiated with the players,” which is required under the collective bargaining agreement. That labor deal reportedly runs into 2030, and earlier coverage said formal talks on 18 games had not begun. Those facts make a 2027 start a heavy lift. Even if both sides wanted it, they would still need to settle pay, roster sizes, bye weeks, injured-reserve rules, travel, and other player protections first.

Player leaders have pushed back. The Athletic reported union leader J.C. Tretter emphasized guarding player health and safety. Front Office Sports quoted union chief Lloyd Howell saying 17 games is already too long for many players and that the season brings a mental toll. Stars have echoed that view. Saquon Barkley said an extra game does not help player health now or later. George Kittle said the 17th game added workload without extra per-game pay.

Health, Safety, and What We Actually Know

The health debate sits at the center. Some peer-reviewed research found no clear rise in musculoskeletal injury rates when the league moved from 16 to 17 games. That analysis reported 18.4 injuries per 1,000 athlete exposures after the shift, versus 19.7 before, a difference that was not statistically significant. League health briefings around that time also noted preseason injury rates can be high, which shaped the 17-and-3 model.

But that does not settle the 18-game question. Added regular-season snaps may raise intensity and total contact even if preseason games drop. Players cite the grind, lingering injuries into the next year, and long-term brain health concerns. Commentary tied to new brain research has warned about chronic risks. Until the league and union release full injury and workload data, each side will lean on its own reading of risk and reward for any schedule stretch.

Why Fans Should Care Beyond Football

This fight is not only about a game. It shows how big institutions make choices that affect workers while guarding their bottom line. Owners tout “everyone’s best interest,” but players want proof on safety and fair pay. Fans see a familiar pattern: leaders promise more value, yet the details arrive late, redacted, or not at all. That gap feeds distrust on both the right and left toward powerful insiders who control the data and the deals.

What Would Build Trust Now

Clear steps could cool the noise. First, publish a joint, independent study that models injuries, snaps, and recovery under 16, 17, and 18 games using full league data. Second, release audited revenue and pay projections for an 18th game, including how money would reach rank-and-file players, not only stars. Third, share draft language on roster sizes, bye weeks, travel, and guaranteed pay for injured players. Facts, not slogans, should decide this call.

Bottom Line

Jones put a date on a bigger season. The union holds the keys. Health data is mixed, money details are murky, and the labor clock is tight. If the league wants 18 games by 2027, it must prove players will be safer, better paid, and better protected—not just told they will be.