The push for an 18th regular-season game just ran headfirst into a wall. It came from the players’ side. At Super Bowl week media availability, NFL Players Association (NFLPA) interim executive director David White delivered a blunt assessment of where the locker room stands.
“Our members have no appetite for a regular-season 18th game,” White said. He staked his first major position since stepping into the interim NFLPA role. It was a clear signal: player health, not added revenue, remains the priority. White appears to be holding the line.
That stance stands in stark contrast to the confidence coming from ownership circles. Sure, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has described an 18th game as “not a given.” However, New England owner Robert Kraft has spoken about expansion with near inevitability. The disconnect between the boardroom and the locker room has rarely been clearer.
White emphasized that the 18th game isn’t a flat “no,” but a negotiation lever. Any expansion, he stressed, would require massive trade-offs. These could potentially include additional bye weeks, expanded rosters, and a significantly larger revenue share for players. In other words, nothing moves without serious concessions.
The timing matters, too. The 2025 season culminates with Super Bowl LX between the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots at Levi’s Stadium. That game caps a year defined by global growth and relentless physical demands. International games, longer travel, and higher snap counts have pushed player workload to historic levels.
As the league dreams bigger, the players are reminding everyone of a bitter truth. More games mean more cost. They expect to be paid, protected, and heard.
The post NFLPA exec drops truth bomb on ‘appetite’ for 18th game appeared first on ClutchPoints.
