The NFL has Officially Expanded to 17 Games

[Steeler Nation]

The Pittsburgh Steelers just tweeted the NFL has expanded the regular season from 16 to 17 games. Their extra opponent will be the Seattle Seahawks.

The NFL is expanding to a 17-game regular season starting in 2021.

The Seattle Seahawks have been added to our list of 2021 home opponents.

— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) March 30, 2021

The entire AFC North will host the NFC West this year, and opponents are determined by the place they finished within their respective divisions. The Ravens will host the Rams, the Browns will host the Cardinals, and the Bengals will host the 49ers. Next year, the AFC North will be the away team against a different NFC division.

It is also yet to be determined if the league will start the season a week early, or add an extra bye week, to allow the Super Bowl to continue to be played on the first Sunday in February.

With a game added, it gives all current and future players the ability to break single season records, so expect some of them to start falling in upcoming years.

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[SteelerSask2]

They are busting a balanced schedule with this.

 

[Hines57]

There best be a second bye week for players to recover as well. I am not a fan of expanding the season without an additional bye week.

 

[swal75]

The Super Bowl is moved back to the second Sunday in February. I don't know why they can't just add a second bye week and make Super Bowl Sunday the day before President's Day.

 

[SteelerSask2]

If they were actually going to do something smart. Have the Super Bowl on Saturday. More people could enjoy without work the next day.

 

[Hines57]

If they were actually going to do something smart. Have the Super Bowl on Saturday. More people could enjoy without work the next day.

Takes away from the legacy of Super Sunday IMO. They can shorten the pre-season and do the second bye week in the regular season. They can also eliminate the Super Bowl bye week if they want to keep the same time frame for the season.

 

[madinsomniac]

The best plan ive ever seen was to mostly scrap preseason games... have 1 game that lasts 6 quarters and no player can play more than 3 quarters of it

Expand rosters to 85 players
have 20 games per season but each player is only eligible to appear in 16 games, so roster becomes part of the strategy and resting injured guys is less problematic... it forces development and greatly increases spots for players... the plan I saw got rid of all bye weeks and the practice squad though...

 

[SteelerSask2]

Takes away from the legacy of Super Sunday IMO. They can shorten the pre-season and do the second bye week in the regular season. They can also eliminate the Super Bowl bye week if they want to keep the same time frame for the season.

Right to your opinion but the NFL has pretty much **** on tradition. At least ypu could have a great party.

 

[Hines57]

Right to your opinion but the NFL has pretty much **** on tradition. At least ypu could have a great party.

I typically don't watch the game if the Steelers aren't in it.

 

[SteelerFan448]

Not a fan of more playoff teams and the imbalanced schedule but whatever. Wish they’d cut the preseason down even further.

 

[steelerscotty]

I think, eventually, we will see an 18 game schedule with 2 bye weeks and only 2 pre-season games. 3 if you play in the HOF game.

 

[ZonaBurgh]

Never a losing season is in jeopardy.

 

[SteelerFan448]

Do we also want to mention how weak the NFLPA looks? Salary cap is reduced just as they add an additional playoff team/game, anew TV deal is struck, and a 17th game is added.

 

[Drink IRON City]

There best be a second bye week for players to recover as well. I am not a fan of expanding the season without an additional bye week.

Will PITTSBURGH get two this season..................... as opposed to none last season............?



Salute the nation

 

[Drink IRON City]

If they were actually going to do something smart. Have the Super Bowl on Saturday. More people could enjoy without work the next day.

Actually more employers could enjoy it as WAY MORE employees would show up for work on monday.



Salute the nation

 

[SteelerInLebanon]

No extra bye week. THe league will move the Super Bowl to Presidents day weekend in 2023.

 

[Drink IRON City]

Never a losing season is in jeopardy.

But HIS odds of making the playoffs increases. Would you give up his NON-losing season record for him making the playoffs................?



Salute the nation

 

[swal75]

I can only imagine the collective skill level of most NFL offensive lines after 17 games that matter. Most teams are in disarray near the end as is, this will be magnified

 

[SteelerSask2]

Do we also want to mention how weak the NFLPA looks? Salary cap is reduced just as they add an additional playoff team/game, anew TV deal is struck, and a 17th game is added.

The unexpected Collective bargaining agreement bought off the union with lots more money and all but taking weed off the punishable offense menu.

 

[Ike Kelly]

Totally ridiculous and no doubt promised to the networks three weeks ago to get that new TV deal sealed. I’ve mentioned it before, De Smith is turning Gene Upshaw over in his grave. If Gene was still alive he would probably break him in half.

 

[MT~Forged]

I still think a 30 game season, with 4 bye weeks, and a 16 week round robin play off would be best. Expand the rosters to 100 players and no trade deadline

 

[Steelmann]

Well my selfish reply to this is I wish it was an away game so that I could drive 220 km’s To the game in Seattle. Would have been a great weekend. It’s really rare for a game to be close to me. Lots of Canadian Steeler fans would have represented.

 

[Drink IRON City]

17 games, that's nothing. Last year we played 3 in twilve days so this year's season is ONLY about 75 days long........... in cludes a by week, OH wait we didn't get a bye week last season so make it 68 days..................... **** what are we going to do???

Like it or not we get 17 games from here on in. I don't think the nflpa can do **** about it as demarco smith is weak, all the way around. godell, being the worse commissioner in all sports, pulled a ****** and the owners backed it. "GREED MACHINE" could care less about players and fandomness.

How much more do the allready contracted players get for the added game performance?


salute the nation

 

[ZonaBurgh]

But HIS odds of making the playoffs increases. Would you give up his NON-losing season record for him making the playoffs................?



Salute the nation

I've been pretty spoiled following this team for the last 55 years or so. Even through the bleak 80's I always felt they had a shot at another ring, I just hope a few of these new assistants turn out to be someone to have confidence in. My heart will always say 19-0, or 20 now, my head not so much.

Hope they find a way to expand the roster a little, because it only stands to reason that if you play more real games, you will have more real injuries.

 

[Drink IRON City]

I've been pretty spoiled following this team for the last 55 years or so. Even through the bleak 80's I always felt they had a shot at another ring, I just hope a few of these new assistants turn out to be someone to have confidence in. My heart will always say 19-0, or 20 now, my head not so much.

Hope they find a way to expand the roster a little, because it only stands to reason that if you play more real games, you will have more real injuries.

EXCELLENT post and analogy, my sentiments as well 1968 and forward.



Salute the nation