NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has been elite at doing what he gets paid to do: making more money for the league and its owners. This past year, Goodell succeeded in increasing the league’s international footprint, with NFL games being played in both Dublin, Ireland, and Madrid, Spain for the first time ever.
According to New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, Goodell is showing no signs of slowing down, and the league will pursue ensuring that every team plays an international game every year.
Per Kraft, that’s not the only thing the NFL is looking to do, and it will be pulling out all of the stops to increase the regular season from 17 games to 18.
#Patriots owner Robert Kraft says the NFL wants to move to an 18-game regular season, reduce the preseason from three games to two, and have every NFL team play an international game each season.
(🎥 @985TheSportsHub)
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) January 20, 2026
Fans reacted to Kraft’s revelation on social media.
“Stay at 17 and have everyone play one international or neutral game. 8 home, 8 away, 1 neutral,” one fan recommended on Twitter.
“All this is well known. That would create an extra TV package too, bringing in about $1B a season,” someone else added.
“Can’t do it without a 2nd bye week. We’re already seeing far too many team’s seasons ruined by injuries every year,” another fan added.
“The season is too long as it is. Too many injuries. This guy got away with f’in around in a day spa in Jupiter, FL. Piece of garbage owner doesn’t care about players’ health,” one fan added.
It’ll be interesting to see how quickly the league acts to try get this change instituted.
About Qwame Skinner
Qwame Skinner has loved both writing and sports his entire life. In addition to his sports coverage at Comeback Media, Qwame writes novels, and his debut; The First Casualty, an adult fantasy, is out now.