A potential regular-season expansion to 18 games is years away, but several NFL owners and executives have backed up NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell’s idea. Jerry Jones is one of them. And this week, the Dallas Cowboys owner/general manager has revealed his reasoning, noting the financial benefits for the players, something that didn’t sit well with two-time Super Bowl champion (XXXVIII, XXXIX) Christian Fauria.

“My interpretation of the 18th game would be less preseason games. I like that,” Jerry said. “I think that’s great for the players — emphasize great for the players. It increases the viability of the financial aspect, more gate and more money for the players as well. I think it’s a better application of their careers and talent. Less preseason, more playing in games that have the right balance of the financial rewards as well as exposure.”

That line of thinking led Fauria to take to social media and push back directly against Jerry Jones, “I love how the guy who never played pro sports wants to tell the ones who actually do it what a better application of their talent is.”

League executives and owners have been warming up to the idea of an 18th game for a while now. From their perspective, the argument is straightforward. More games mean more revenue, and under the current Collective Bargaining Agreement, players would receive a share of that increase.

But that doesn’t guarantee the players would be in favor of an 18th game. For a broader context, the NFLPA has clearly opposed Goodell’s idea to expand the regular season to 18 games and the international series from 10 to 16 games largely because of the players’ safety concerns. Adding another game in the league, which already lasts five months, can affect the players’ availability and their health following retirement.

And while Fauria has called out Jerry Jones for his reasoning, he’s not the only one against the expansion. For instance, David White, who had recently served as the Union’s interim executive director, had already pushed back against the 18th game, noting:

“Our members have no appetite for an 18-game regular season. Those injuries they cost players pay, they can shorten careers, they can diminish lifetime earnings. And when your average (NFL) career is already 3-4 years that becomes something that is existential.”

So that’s where things stand. The league already moved from 16 to 17 games in 2021. Now, there’s momentum on the ownership side to go one step further. And while the league would still need to negotiate it with the NFLPA, the catch, however, is that just like Jerry Jones, multiple league owners have backed up the idea of expansion.

Like Jerry Jones, Robert Kraft supported the regular-season expansion

The debate around expanding the regular season to 18 games, along with increasing the international slate from 10 to 16 games, has drawn mixed reactions across the league. While JC Tretter has openly opposed the idea from the NFLPA side, several team owners are backing it. Along with Jerry Jones, Robert Kraft of the New England Patriots has also voiced support.

“I like it for the long-term growth and development of the league to keep our league healthy and grow revenue. I think preseason games have not been what it used to be,” Kraft said.

Within that structure, Carlie Irsay-Gordon of the Indianapolis Colts has also come out in favor of the idea, with a key condition tied to player approval.

“If we can make it work, I do think that it would be good. Preseason is, as far as the fan product goes, the commissioner has openly said that it’s not the best product that we have. It is, I would say, for development of our team. I don’t think we can get rid of it. But I think as long as the players want it — which I think they would, because it would mean more revenue — I think [it’s] ultimately a better product. I think it’s reasonable. It’s something we should work toward.”

On paper, the NFLPA has opposed the regular-season expansion, no denying that. But that doesn’t mean the door has been closed for Goodell’s intention to expand the season. It’s the script we’ve seen before. Back in 2021, players opposed the league’s adding a 17th game. But the league still added another game as part of the 2021 CBA, largely because of the financial benefits aligned, something that Jerry Jones just mentioned.

In short, while players might oppose it right now, the conversation might still not be over.