Joe Flacco Warns NFL 18-Game Schedule Could Increase Injuries

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Flacco has voiced strong opposition to the NFL’s potential expansion to an 18-game regular season schedule, citing concerns about player safety and the quality of postseason play.

In a recent interview with Front Office Sports, the 18-year veteran outlined two primary reasons for his resistance to the proposed schedule change. First, Flacco warned that adding an extra game would increase injury risks across the league, which could ultimately diminish the competitiveness of the playoffs.

“As a player, I loved playing 16 games, and I think the NFL had an awesome formula for 16 games and four rounds of playoffs and I think it was super competitive,” Flacco said. “I don’t think people realize that when you put guys through an 18-game regular season schedule, I think what could happen is the playoffs start to suffer and you get teams that are so beat up by that point in the year that they’re not really at their best, so instead of getting top-level football you’re getting a couple teams going against each other at 75 percent, and basically, it becomes a war of attrition.”

Flacco emphasized that while he understands football is inherently a sport where injuries occur, extending the regular season would exacerbate those risks unnecessarily. “The NFL is a sport where players get hurt all the time, and Flacco understands that, but adding an extra game only exacerbates those injury risks,” according to reporting from CBS Sports.

He added that expanding the schedule could compromise the integrity of what should be the league’s premier showcase. “I think the more games you add on to the season, the less chance you give yourself of having that competitive true event where everybody can really enjoy and know they’re seeing the best of the best,” Flacco stated.

The quarterback also acknowledged the financial incentives driving the league’s interest in expansion, noting that more games would likely boost revenue and, raise the salary cap over time. However, he stressed that these benefits would not be distributed equally among all players.

“It’s gotta stop at some point. What happens when we go to 18 [games]? Are they going to want 20?” Flacco questioned, reflecting broader concerns among players about where the league might draw the line on schedule expansion.

Flacco’s comments come amid ongoing discussions between NFL owners and the players’ association regarding potential changes to the collective bargaining agreement, with an 18-game schedule remaining a topic of negotiation for future seasons.