How would an 18-game NFL schedule actually work, and who would it hurt most?

The idea of an 18-game NFL season has lingered on the league’s horizon for years, but New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft may have pushed it closer to reality this week.

During a radio appearance in Boston, Kraft reiterated his support for expanding the regular season to 18 games while reducing the preseason to two. More notably, he suggested a future in which every NFL team would be required to play one international game every season, dramatically reshaping how the league operates both on and off the field.

So what would an 18-game schedule actually look like, and which teams and players would feel the impact most?

What an 18-game schedule would likely look like

If the NFL moves to 18 regular-season games, it would almost certainly come with structural changes designed to limit backlash from players and coaches.

The most likely framework includes:

• 18 regular-season games
• Two preseason games (down from three)
• Two bye weeks per team, rather than one
• A season extended deeper into February

The league already expanded to 17 games in 2021, pairing teams against a same-place finisher from the opposite conference. An 18th game would likely follow a similar model, maintaining competitive balance while adding a new revenue-driving matchup.

From the league’s perspective, the math makes sense. More games mean more television windows, more advertising inventory, and more international exposure.

The international requirement changes everything

Kraft’s most ambitious proposal wasn’t just about adding another game though. It was about globalizing the league at full scale. Under his vision, every team would play one international game per season, building on the NFL’s growing presence in London, Germany, Mexico, and now Australia.

While the league has framed international games as optional opportunities, a mandatory rotation would fundamentally alter scheduling strategy. Travel demands would increase, recovery time would get smaller, and competitive advantages could shift depending on how bye weeks are assigned.

For teams based on the East Coast, international travel has historically been more manageable. For Midwest and West Coast teams, especially those sent overseas without a properly-timed bye, the burden could be significantly heavier. The competitive gap may not show up immediately in the standings, but it would surface in injury reports, practice availability, and late-season performance.

Player safety remains the biggest obstacle

The NFL Players Association has consistently opposed an 18-game season, citing injury risk and career longevity. While reducing the preseason helps, regular-season games are far more physically demanding, and far more consequential.

Even with an added bye week, the grind of an 18-game slate raises legitimate questions:

• Will teams rotate players more aggressively?
• Will stars miss games later in the year to preserve health?
• Will statistical benchmarks and records become less significant?

Until those concerns are addressed through collective bargaining, expansion remains aspirational rather than definitive.

Commissioner Roger Goodell has made it clear the league views international growth as essential to its future. Owners see untapped markets, broadcast partners see global audiences, and networks see billions in additional revenue. Kraft’s comments just ignited the conversation further.

An 18-game schedule with mandatory international play would represent the most dramatic structural shift in NFL history. Whether it improves the product or stretches it too thin remains the central question.

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