NFL owners approve 17-game regular season beginning in 2021
The NFL will move to a 17-game regular season in 2021 after owners formally voted Tuesday to extend the schedule by one contest.
This marks the first time the NFL has stretched the regular season since 1978, when it increased from 14 to 16 games.
"This is a monumental moment in NFL history," said commissioner Roger Goodell. "The CBA with the players and the recently completed media agreements provide the foundation for us to enhance the quality of the NFL experience for our fans. And one of the benefits of each team playing 17 regular-season games is the ability for us to continue to grow our game around the world."
Owners spent years looking for a way to add a 17th game and finally received the green light from the NFL Players Association during collective bargaining agreement negotiations in 2020.
The union strongly opposed the extra game but conceded it in exchange for a greater share of league revenues and other benefits that appeal to fringe players.
Every team's 17th game will come against a non-conference opponent that finished in the same spot in its divisional standings. The division that each team draws for the 17th contest will rotate. AFC teams will host the extra affairs in 2021, while their NFC counterparts will host them in 2022.
The regular season will remain 18 weeks long, meaning each team will continue to have one bye week. The newly implemented game won't necessarily take place in the final week of the season.
As part of the regular-season extension, the NFL preseason will be reduced from four games to three.
The NFL is expected to unveil the schedule for the 2021 regular season in May.