Joe Flacco: What happens when we go to 18 games? Are they going to want 20, then 22?

Joe Flacco Questions NFL's Expanding Season, Raising Concerns Over Player Welfare

At 41 and still kicking, Joe Flacco knows a thing or two about football's physical toll. Now, he warns against the NFL's push for longer seasons, fearing it might only end when fans are watching half-strength playoff teams.

The Breaking Point

Speaking with Front Office Sports, Flacco expresses frustration at the league's potential plan to extend the regular season to 18, 20, or even 22 games. He recalls an era of 14-game seasons and questions whether this relentless push for more games is driven by profit at the expense of players’ well-being and game quality.

Beneath the Surface

Despite understanding the financial incentives, Flacco emphasizes the challenges that longer seasons pose to players. He argues that the current playoffs are already compromised by fatigue from a 17-game schedule, leading to less competitive postseason matches.

The Ripple Effect

Ultimately, Flacco foresees players will adapt to longer seasons given the increase in revenue and salaries. However, he cautions that this adaptation might come at a cost to the league's storied tradition of highly competitive late-season games and playoffs.