"Roger Goodell is going to ruin the NFL" - Fans react to league commissioner's international expansion plans

Roger Goodell wants to expand gridiron football around the world once again after breaking through in Brazil in 2024. However, not everyone is enthused by the idea.

On Monday, the NFL commissioner held his annual Super Bowl presser and had this to say about international expansion:

“I do think there’s potential that someday we will have an international franchise. If we do, it would not surprise me at all if a Super Bowl follows and is played there.”

There was much condemnation of it:

"Rodger Goodell is going to ruin the NFL in his effort to expand it overseas."

More of it can be seen below:

"This is NOT what we want. It should always be held in the country of origin!!" one insisted.

"Does this loser have brain damage?" another asked.

"@NFLPA needs to put their foot down and tell Goodell and the owners to go to hell. No amount of money they offer should ever convince the players to move their families outta the country," another demanded.

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Roger Goodell discusses possibility of lengthening schedule to 18 games

In the same press conference, Roger Goodell addressed the prosoect of adding another game to the schedule.

Until 2020, each team played 16 games with one bye week. For 2021, as part of the new collective bargaining agreement that was signed the previous year, the schedule was expanded to 17 games per team plus a bye week. To compensate, the preseason was shortened from four games to three.

The commissioner said the league office and the players' association "haven't had any formal discussion" on the topic and that more "work" needed to be done before it could happen:

“If we do, 18 and 2 might be a possibility. We know fans love football and they want more football. But we have to be incredibly sensitive and smart with the balance and how we deal with that.”

Meanwhile, a source told the Washington Post's Mark Meske that there was a "growing conviction among team owners" that an 18-game schedule would be approved before the current CBA expires in 2031:

"That's something that I think has a chance of happening, no question. It just depends. Maybe in the next two to three years."

An anonymous high-ranking franchise offical added:

"I do think it will happen. But there's a lot of negotiating to be done on it."

The current CBA prohibits a schedule expansion without the approval of the NFLPA.