Football History

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On March 29, 1977, the NFL adopted the 16-game regular season and four-game preseason schedule that began in the 1978 season.

Before this decision, the NFL had worked on a 14-game schedule since 1961, which it retained until switching to a 16-game schedule in 1978.

The NFL regular season schedule has expanded from 12 games to 14, then 16, and a new CBA passed in 2020 voted to adopt a 17-game regular season. Eighteen games have been proposed in recent years so the slate could expand again soon. During the week leading up to Super Bowl LIX, Commissioner Roger Goodell mentioned that the league believes an 18-game regular season "might be possible." However, NFLPA executive director Lloyd Howell Jr. reiterated shortly afterward that any changes to the schedule must be negotiated through the Collective Bargaining Agreement and that there have been no formal discussions on the topic.

The number of games is a concern for the players and the NFLPA due to health issues.