Jones Says NFL Could Expand to 18 Games
The Dallas Cowboys owner said an 18-game regular season could arrive as soon as the 2027 season.
Updated on Nov. 13, 2026 in Football
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Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said the NFL could move to an 18-game schedule as soon as the 2027 season. He made the comments on 105.3 The Fan's K&C Masterpiece show, saying a longer schedule would coincide with a reduced preseason.
Why it matters
The NFL has played a 17-game regular season since 2021, and any change would require negotiation between the league and the players' union under the collective bargaining agreement running through 2030. Commissioner Roger Goodell said in February there had been no formal discussions with the NFL Players Association about expanding the schedule.
The current regular season is 17 games, a format in place since the 2021 season, and expansion to 18 games would add one game per team. The collective bargaining agreement runs through the 2030 season, and any change would require negotiation between the league and the players' union.
The players
Jerry Jones
Jerry Jones is the owner and general manager of the Dallas Cowboys, one of the most valuable and high-profile franchises in the NFL, and is known for frequently commenting on league matters.
Roger Goodell
Roger Goodell is the commissioner of the National Football League, who has led the league's management and negotiations with players since 2006.
NFL Players Association
The NFL Players Association is the labor union representing NFL players in collective bargaining with the league over pay, benefits and working conditions.
JC Tretter
JC Tretter is a former NFL center who has served in leadership roles with the NFL Players Association and speaks on player health and safety issues.
The details
Jones made the remarks during his weekly appearance on 105.3 The Fan's K&C Masterpiece show, anticipating the change and calling it in everybody's best interest. Adding a game would likely give teams two bye weeks during the regular season instead of one. JC Tretter said in March that player health and safety would be a priority for the union in any scheduling change.
Timeline
February 2026: Goodell said no formal discussions with the NFLPA had occurred on expanding the schedule.
March 2026: JC Tretter said player health and safety would be a union priority in any scheduling change.
May 2026: Pro Football Talk reported expansion to 18 games for 2027 is highly unlikely.
2027 season: Earliest possible start of an 18-game schedule, according to Jones.
Feb. 13, 2028: Scheduled date of Super Bowl 62.
Roadmap
The NFL moved from a 16-game to a 17-game regular season beginning in 2021 under the current collective bargaining agreement, which runs through 2030. Any move to 18 games would require the league and the NFL Players Association to renegotiate schedule terms under that agreement.
An 18-game schedule would add one regular-season game and one extra bye week for each team, changing how fantasy lineups and roster depth are planned. The reduced preseason Jones described would also cut exhibition games that teams and fans currently rely on to evaluate players.
The takeaway
A longer NFL season would mean more games, more byes and fewer preseason contests, so fans and fantasy players should watch for formal union talks before assuming a 2027 change. Any shift depends on negotiations that have not yet begun.
Further reading
Explore more Football coverage for context on the league's evolving schedule debate.
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Should the NFL expand its regular season to 18 games?
